Could not complete log in. Possible causes and solutions are:
Cookies are not set, which might happen if you've never visited this website before.
Please open https://avalon.library.tamu.edu/ in a new window, then come back and refresh this page.
An ad blocker is preventing successful login.
Please disable ad blockers for this site then refresh this page.
Brian Parker, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam (Interviewed Aug. 23, 2006) As a crew member of the AC-47, Brian Parker says he could not buy a drink anywhere while on active duty in Vietnam. You see AC-47s went about the business of saving lives and it was a pleasure for those survivors to pick up the tab. When ground troops were surrounded by the enemy, it was the AC-47 gunship that came to the rescue, lighting up the area with flares or bullets. Brian Parker was a navigator in Vietnam for 18 months, just part of his 20 years of military service.
C.O. Smith, U.S. Coast Guard, Korea (Interviewed March 5, 2009) C.O. Smith, Texas A&M Class of 1950, is proud of the role that the United States Coast Guard played in World War II. On board the Coast Guard Cutter Bramble, C.O. Smith spent 4 years at sea, almost making it to Europe before mechanical problems sent them to Puerto Rico to dry dock and then through the Panama Canal and to the Pacific and Alaska, where his crew supplied Navy Seabees who were building the Loran Stations.
Cal Boykin, U.S. Army, World War II (A&M Class of ‘46) (Interviewed June 7, 2007) Cal Boykin was a proud member of the 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion in World War II’s European Theater. He can best tell its story because he was an historian of his unit, as well as a gunner, aboard his M8 Armoured car, on recon duty mostly, patrolling the French roads behind Normandy, through Belgium and Holland and on to Germany. Cal Boykin’s story could not be told in just one Veterans of the Valley episode -- it took two.
Cal Boykin, U.S. Army, World War II (A&M Class of ‘46) (Interviewed June 7, 2007) Cal Boykin was a proud member of the 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion in World War II’s European Theater. He can best tell its story because he was an historian of his unit, as well as a gunner, aboard his M8 Armoured car, on recon duty mostly, patrolling the French roads behind Normandy, through Belgium and Holland and on to Germany. Cal Boykin’s story could not be told in just one Veterans of the Valley episode -- it took two.
Carl Huss, Army Air Corps, WW II (Interviewed June 4, 2009) Carl Huss joined the Army Air Corp before US involvement in World War II started with the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He was just looking to learn a trade, and indeed he did. As a radioman stationed first for nearly 3 years in Alaska, then in the Philippines near war’s end. He became pretty well versed in American- Russian relations during the War and that’s just a part of his fascinating story of service.
Charles Opersteny, Air Force, Korea (Interviewed Dec. 15, 2005) Charles Opersteny is one of the driving forces of the American Legion Post 159 in Bryan Texas. That is his passions in his post military career. He served at the old Bryan Air Force Base during the years of the Korean War.
Charles Smith, U.S. Army, Vietnam (Interviewed July 16, 2009) Charles Smith grew up in Bryan and graduated from E.A. Kemp in 1960. He served 20 years in the U.S. Army and 22 years with the Postal Service. In the Army between 1960 and 1981, He served one tour in Vietnam as a Recon Squad Leader but his duty was cut short by a bout with Malaria. He also served four tours in Germany and one in South Korea.
Chuck Sippial, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam (Interviewed March 25, 2010) Chuck Sippial has been a significant part of Texas A&M’s administrative family for some 15 years, as Vice President for Administration and more recently in charge of facilities, where he now works for the A&M System. The story you may not know is that of Colonel Chuck Sippial, United States Air Force officer for 22 years. It was a fascinating career that included a nine-month tour at Pleiku Air Base during the Vietnam War -- also two tours in Europe, first at Madrid, Spain and then later at Ramstein AFB in Germany. He served several stateside tours where his expertise and education as a Civil Engineer paved a path to both his military and civilian careers.
Claude Mounce, U.S. Navy, Cuban Missile Crisis (Interviewed April 5, 2006) October 18 to the 29th of 1962 was the Cuban missile crisis. Claude Mounce saw it up close and personal, but he'll tell you that at the time he had no idea it was such a big deal. As a pilot off a carrier that was part of the blockade, it was his job to fly the photographer to where the Russian ships were approaching. Photos were taken and sent back to Washington, where Pres. John Kennedy and his military advisers were convinced that the Soviets were planning to stockpile warhead missiles to bases in Cuba. It became one of the most critical political standoffs in our history.