John McKernan, an Edinburgh man, was a successful competitor in Scotland before World War II.  During the war he fought, and was a piper with, the Second Battalion Black Watch.  He parachuted behind Japanese lines as part of the famous “chindits”, disrupting communications and supply routes.  After the war John emigrated first to Canada and then, in the 1960’s, to Los Angeles.  There he competed solo and was one of the founders of the Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band.  In addition, he taught the pipes and composed a number of excellent tunes, including the 6/8 Los Angeles Scottish Pipe Band, included in the Vortex Street Collection.  John returned to Scotland to retire in the mid-1970’s.  He passed away in the late 1990’s.