Larry A. Williams is a U.S. Air Force veteran and a retired purchasing manager. He has written articles for the Army Chapter of the Chosin Few Newsletter, the Lubbock Avalanche Journal, the Lubbock Magazine and the Lubbock Senior Link Magazine. He lives in Lubbock, Texas. Katherine McLamore has recruited and trained hospice volunteers for over a decade. She has written for the Lubbock Avalanche Journal, Prize 31 Ministries, and the Lubbock Senior Link Magazine. She lives in Lubbock, Texas.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Preface

Introduction: The Cost of Freedom

Part I-World War

1.Alvira Agee: "I Can Do That"

2.M.T. Allen: Quonset Hut Expert

3.Robert Anderson: Battling on Two Fronts

[...] Bearden: "At the Convenience of the Government"

5.Stanley J. Bobrowski, Jr.: Son of a Russian Officer

[...] Boyles: "Straight into Combat"

[...] Braxton: A Lifetime of Music

[...] Britt: "Go, Get 'em!"

9.Claude Brown: Life and Death in the Hands of the Parachute Packer

[...] Colvin: The Liberator Becomes the Prisoner

[...] Coon: A Patriotic Calling

[...] Crenshaw: Finding His Calling

13.Robert F. Cummings: Small-Town Navy Veteran

[...] DuLaney: F4U Fighter Pilot

[...] Skaggs Duncan: Dedicated to Family and Country

16.Garland Ellis: With the 4th Armored Division

17.Thomas Esparza: Tank Commander at Age 19

18.Orville Fleming: The Million-Dollar Wound

19.Robbie Gill: Lucky #13 and the "Miracle Survivor"

[...] Gilly: Cobb's War

[...] Guyton: Dunbar Alum Serves Twice

[...] Haberer: Normandy, Days after the Invasion

[...] Hail: Navy Boat Driver Dropped off Marines

24.J.W. Hamby: Businessman at an Early Age

25.Wallace Haney: A Member of the "Caterpillar Club"

[...] Hartman: Sherman Tank Driver and Orthopedic Surgeon

[...] Hendrix: Circling the Globe after World War II

[...] Hill: P-47 Thunderbolt Pilot

29.Charles J. Hoye: Old Newsie Serving with a Pen

[...] Jones: A Life of Service to Country and Community

[...] Jones: The Long Road Home

32.Justin T. Jones: Glider Recovery

[...] Jones: Always a Merchant

34.R.D. Jones: Sailing the Pacific

[...] Kiser: Pipeline, Purdue, Petroleum and People Like Us

36.Cleatus Lebow: "He Saved My Life Twice"

37.George Lewis: Occupied Germany

38.Nathan Luger: The Aleutian Islands

39.C.B. Martin: Life as a Seabee

40.Herschel Martin: One Man, Three Branches of Service

[...] McDonough: The Tall Texan

[...] McLendon: A Good Citizen

[...] McMillan: A Hero and a Good Man

[...] Miller: From a Quartermaster to a Headmaster

45.Horace Morgan: From the Alcan to the Battle of the Bulge

[...] Odom: On the Front Lines in Europe

47.Vernon Odom: Helping Those Who Can't Help Themselves

[...] Owen: Smart and Lucky

49.R.L. Owens: "Red Arrow Division-First In, Last Out"

[...] Pasewark: Spreading Freedom's Message

51.Marvin Platten: An Artful Journey

[...] Pope: From POWs to Paradise

[...] Rich: A "Rich Life"-Flirting with Death

54.Eugene Roberts: "Hard to Turn Off the Switch"

[...] Robertson: Navy Battles Mother Nature

[...] Robinson: "The Good Lord Had My Hand"

[...] T. Rodewald: "Hot Meals and a Place to Sleep"

[...] Scheffel: "The Coldest Winter I Ever Saw"

59.Harold Schultze: D-Day Remembered by Former Higgins Boat Driver

60.Charles Sears: Blinded by the Light

61.J.L. Slaughter: A Final Mission

62.Clifford Solomon: "God Bless America"

[...] Tarbox: Texas Tech All-American

64.Dominic Tartaglione: Survivor of Three "Wars"

[...] Thurman: Twice as Lucky during Two Wars

66.Truett Tyler: Following His Brothers

[...] Ward: "If You're Not Scared, You're Lying"

[...] Webb: Three Years on the Water

[...] Williams: A World Traveler

70.Robert Elton Wilson: "The Good Lord Was Always with Me"

[...] Winnegar: Naval Aviator Receives the Distinguished Flying Cross

Part II-Korea

[...] Archinal: From Airman to Admiral

73.William Bridge: Korean War Vet Makes a Difference

[...] Cathey: The Ghosts of the Korean War

75.Jerold Dyess: A Sixteen Year Old Sees the World

[...] Fisher: "Finish What I Start"

[...] Garner: Witness to History

78.Gordon Hambright: Naval Postmaster Wins "Best Beard Growing Contest"

[...] Harvey: "Growing Up" on the USS Hornet

80.Rodney Manning: From a Policeman to a Preacher

81.Cleveland McMillan: Cooking Under Fire

82.Gordon Musick: Near the Front Lines in Korea

[...] Oliver: From Family Farm to Foreign Field to Faithful Follower

[...] Rudd: A Case of Mistaken Identity

85.Curtis Ruff: It Just Wasn't His Day

[...] Smith: Crew Chief to Two of the Air Force's Fastest Bombers

87.Lawrence Walker: Triple "Service" for Lubbock Man

[...] Watson: Faith Helps Him through Korean War Memories

89.Charles Williams: Coming Home

Part III-Vietnam

90.George Bradley: "Follow Your Dreams"

91.Charles Brimberry: Danger Was Everywhere in Vietnam

[...] Foster: The Healing Wall

93.Jannie Greenway: Around the World and Back

94.Charles Hankson: BBQ and a Slice of Sunshine

95.Bernhard T. Mittemeyer: A Lifetime of Service to His Adopted Country

96.Charles Scarborough: "Recycled for a Reason"

Part IV-Additional Stories

97.Various Veterans: "Geezers" Reunite

[...] and Renee Gross: A Simple Song about a Soldier

[...] Harber: Lubbock's Southern Brigadier General

100.Gordon Musick and Ernest Sears: Two Love Stories from the Texas South Plains Honor Flight

101.Frances Pierce: Gold Star Wife and Widow

[...] Roberts: Living Intentionally

[...] Shawn and Justin Jones: Flight into Yesteryear

104.Michael Vasquez: From Combat Casualty to Veteran Advocate

Veterans' Honor Roll

Bibliography

Index