▁War ▁by ▁at ▁least ▁two ▁critics . ▁ ▁Biography ▁Born ▁the ▁oldest ▁son ▁of ▁a ▁poor ▁family ▁of ▁migr ant ▁share cro ppers , ▁Child ress ▁joined ▁the ▁Army ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 8 , ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁Korean ▁War ▁as ▁a ▁demol itions ▁special ist ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war ▁he ▁re en list ed ▁as ▁a ▁par atro oper , ▁making ▁ 3 3 ▁j umps , ▁and ▁twice ▁narrow ly ▁esc aping ▁death ▁from ▁par ach ute ▁mal functions . ▁ ▁Three ▁honor able ▁dis charg es ▁later , ▁Child ress ▁attended ▁F res no ▁State ▁College ▁in ▁California , ▁studying ▁English ▁and ▁Journal ism , ▁and ▁set ▁a ▁record ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁under grad uate ▁to ▁publish ▁poetry , ▁fiction ▁and ▁photo j ournal ism ▁in ▁national ▁mag az ines ▁( Display ▁World , ▁Made mo is elle , ▁and ▁Po etry ). ▁ ▁This ▁helped ▁him ▁get ▁two ▁fellow ships ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Iowa ▁Writ ers ▁Work shop ▁and ▁a ▁Master ▁of ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁degree . ▁ ▁His ▁th esis ▁later ▁became ▁his ▁first ▁book ▁of ▁po ems , ▁Lob o . ▁ ▁Child ress ▁lived ▁for ▁some ▁time ▁in ▁F ols om , ▁California . ▁ ▁His ▁wife , ▁D iane , ▁died ▁there ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁He ▁now ▁lives ▁in ▁At asc ad ero , ▁California . ▁ ▁Ph oto j ournal ism ▁During ▁his ▁ 4 5 - year ▁photo j ournal