Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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Rayford Junior Miles was a World War II veteran from Alabama who could come off as a classic tough guy. But to his granddaughter Melanie Harrison, he was just “Papa.” In 2011, Melanie came to StoryCorps with her father, Jim Miles, to remember the man they both loved — one with a soft heart and a unique way of communicating. More than a decade later, she returned to reflect on her enduring connection with the family members who have passed on. At StoryCorps, Melanie shared what it means to keep their memories alive.
Learn more: storycorps.org/stories/in-clouds-and-dreams-a-familys-love-lives-on
Subscribe to StoryCorps on YouTube: https://storycor.ps/subscribe
Donate to support StoryCorps: storycorps.org/donate
More stories from StoryCorps: storycorps.org
----------
Rayford Junior Miles was a World War II veteran from Alabama who could come off as a classic tough guy. But to his granddaughter Melanie Harrison, he was just “Papa.” In 2011, Melanie came to StoryCorps with her father, Jim Miles, to remember the man they both loved — one with a soft heart and a unique way of communicating. More than a decade later, she returned to reflect on her enduring connection with the family members who have passed on. At StoryCorps, Melanie shared what it means to keep their memories alive.
Learn more: storycorps.org/stories/in-clouds-and-dreams-a-familys-love-lives-on
