Judge John W. Barrett was a member of the greatest generation. Born in 1917, he lost his mother at the age of seven, grew to manhood during the Depression, and served in the U.S. Army Infantry from 1939 to 1945. Formed in the crucible, Judge Barrett’s bedrock values were duty, determination, and respect for authority, all evident in his approach to offenders and in his determination to participate in this oral history project in spite of rapidly declining health.