Freedom’s Voice The Monthly Newsletter of the Military History Center 112 N. Main ST Broken Arrow, OK 74012 http://www.okmhc.org/

“Promoting Patriotism through the Preservation of Military History”

Volume 6, Number 10 October 2018

United States Armed Services Military History Through the Ages Day of Observance On Saturday, October 13, the MHC presented a living histo- Birthday – October 13 ry program featuring veterans of World War II to the present (many in uniform), re-enactors, numerous military exhibits and weapons from the Revolutionary War to the present. Several patriotic organizations also contributed with their own displays. Important Dates Although the weather refused to cooperate, there were at least one hundred, maybe more, guests at the event. The MHC November 4 – Salute to Veterans is truly grateful for all those who contributed to the event and for all those who braved the weather to attend. The MHC will present its annual Salute to Veterans concert at Broken Arrow’s Kirkland Theater located at 808 E. Col- lege ST at 2:00 PM on Sunday, November 4. The event will pay special tribute to the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day that ended World War I on November 11, 1918. Bro- ken Arrow High School JROTC will provide the color guard. Maggie Bond, Miss Broken Arrow, will sing several patriotic songs, and Tulsa Community Band will play patriotic music to honor members of the armed services, past and present. Mr. Henry Primeaux, who served on the USS Batfish during the Cold War, will be the featured speaker. Admission is free, but the MHC will be appreciative of donations to help defray the cost of the event.

November 12 – Tulsa Veterans Day Parade

The Tulsa Veterans Day Parade will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, November 12. The MHC will have a presence in the Parade again this year. Please try to make it to the Parade and honor our veterans.

Maggie Bond, Miss Broken Arrow, who sang at the event, with MHC docent and Civil War re-enactor, Dennis Hoch (Editor photo)

Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution (L-R) Dr. Stuart Denslow, Dr. Orienne First Denslow, Mr. John Thompson

Mike Buckendorf portraying a World War I doughboy The bag around his neck contains his gas mask.

Vietnam combat Navy corpsman and re-enactor, Johnny Manley, portraying a Civil War Union Army field surgeon

Vietnam Era Air Force veteran, Bill Goswick, at the World War I exhibit – demonstrating telegraphic communications (Editor photo)

Civil War re-enactors, portraying the 77th Pennsylvania Infantry, a Civil War regiment, firing a rifle salute

World War II veteran, Frank Riesinger, with Jake Penn, who is Greg Baile (Vietnam Era), Peter Plank ( State Guard), portraying a World War II 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper Mike Buckendorf (WWI re-enactor) and Clarence Oliver (Korean War)

Vietnam Era veterans: Willard Parrish (Silver Star), Gary Johnston, Greg Baile and Mitch Reed (Purple Heart)

Jamie Gragg of Oklahoma Patriotic Pin-ups with World War II veteran, Oscar “Junior” Nipps, next to Mrs. Pearl, a 1941 Chevrolet honoring those who died on the USS Oklahoma on December 7, 1941.

Museum Hours and Admission Fee

Tuesday – Friday: 10:00 – 4:00; Saturday: 10:00 – 2:00 Closed Sunday and Monday and major Federal holidays

Adults – $5.00 Pat Morris (Quilts of Valor), Patsy Adams (Blue Star Mothers) Members and Children under 18 – Free Mitch Reed (Military Order of the Purple Heart) and Janet Viel (Blue Star Mothers) at the Blue Star Mothers table For more information, call (918) 794-2712 (Except as noted, all event photos are courtesy of MHC volunteer, Lindsey Donaldson.) www.okmhc.org

LT Neil Stanley Bynum ca. 1969 – MIA LCDR Stanley Edward Olmstead – MIA

Neil Stanley Bynum was born on June 29, 1943, at Vian (Se- Stanley Edward Olmstead was born at Marshall (Logan quoyah County), Oklahoma. He was a 1966 graduate of Okla- County) Oklahoma on November 12, 1933. He was a graduate homa State University, where he was a member of the ROTC of Oklahoma A&M College (now Oklahoma State University). program. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air He joined the Navy on June 24, 1954. Force and received his wings in 1968 at Vance Air Force Base at On October 17, 1965, he was the pilot of a F-4B Phantom Enid, Oklahoma. He was then sent to McDill AFB at Tampa, fighter/bomber in the 84th Fighter Squadron, the “Jolly Rogers”, , where he learned to fly F-4 Phantoms. aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Independence. On that day he After flight training at McDill, Bynum was posted to the and his Radar Interceptor Officer (RIO), LTJG Porter A. Halybur- 497th Tactical Fighter “Night Owl” Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter ton, were part of a four-plane flight whose mission was the Wing, Seventh Air Force at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thai Nguyen bridge located northeast of Hanoi. Thailand. 1LT Bynum was the Weapons System Operator – the LCDR Olmstead's aircraft was hit by ground fire and backseat man – on a F-4D Phantom. crashed. No transmissions were heard, nor was there any sign On October 26, 1969, he and his pilot, CPT Gary Warren of ejection by either crewmember. Other U.S. aircraft passed were flying over Ban Karai Pass, on the border between Laos over the crash site and determined that there was no possibil- and North Vietnam, an area heavily infested with North Viet- ity of survival. However, it was later learned that Halyburton namese and communist Pathet Lao fighters. They spotted an had survived and was captured. Being the RIO, Halyburton abandoned bulldozer, which CPT Warren decided to strafe. He would have ejected first. It was believed that Olmstead had flew in at a shallow angle and plowed into the hillside. No one probably died in the crash of the aircraft, but there was no def- knows what actually happened – enemy fire, although none inite proof. He was declared missing and remained in that sta- had been seen by his wingman, mechanical failure or pilot er- tus until 1973, when he was declared killed in action. Olmstead ror. Within hours, low-level flyovers located the crash site with was promoted to Commander during the period he was classi- the Phantom torn to pieces and no sign of life. In 1976, by then fied as MIA. a Captain, Bynum was declared presumed dead. He has a me- CDR Olmstead has a memorial in South IOOF Cemetery at morial in Garden of Memories Cemetery at Vian. Marshall.

CDR Olmstead’s Memorial, South IOOF Cemetery CPT Bynum’s memorial in Garden of Memories Cemetery Marshall, Oklahoma Vian, Oklahoma

This Month’s Featured Exhibit

The MHC’s newest exhibit, Native Americans in the Military, recognizes Oklahoma Native Americans who have served, and are serving, in the United States armed services. Tully Choate, Korean War Navy veteran and former member of the Broken Arrow Na- tive American Honor Guard, donated his personal artifacts to get the exhibit under way. The exhibit depicts American Indian in- volvement in the military, from the Revolutionary War to the present, first as contract scouts, then enlisted scouts, to World War I and the Choctaw code talkers, World War II, Korea and Vietnam to today’s American Indian men and women who serve with honor in all branches of the U.S. armed services.

Depiction of a World War I Choctaw code talker of the 142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division at his station in the basement of a house in the Champagne region of France

Tully Choate (Choctaw) standing next to a mannequin dressed in his Honor Guard regalia. The hat on the mannequin is a 7th Cavalry hat.

Photographic collection of members of the prominent northeast Okla- The arrowhead and spear point collections were donated to homa Adair family (Cherokee) who have served in the armed services the MHC by Earl Laney. The war hatchet and war club from the Civil War to the present were donated by Susan LeBlanc.

Family of Creek Warriors

Uniforms of CPL Phillip Coon, 31st Infantry Regiment, World War II Bataan Death March and POW survivor – Michael Dennis Coon (son) 18th Airborne Corps – SSGT Michael Keith Coon (grandson), 1st Infantry Division, Iraq and Afghanistan – The uniforms were donated to the MHC by Michael Dennis Coon.

Oklahoma’s Native American Medal of Honor recipients – from the top, left to right – Amos Chandler (specific heritage uncertain) Red River War; Ernest Childers (Creek), Jack Montgomery, Roy Harmon, Ernest Evans and John Reese (Cherokee) World War II; Tony Burris (Choctaw) Korean War. Harmon, Evans, Reese and Burris were award- ed their medals posthumously.

MAJ Vicki Glass – MAJ Glass was the first Native American (Quapaw) female to graduate from the U.S. Army Helicopter School at Fort Ruck- er, Alabama, and the first Native American female helicopter pilot in the nation. She was the first female helicopter pilot in the Oklahoma Appreciation lunch at the MHC courtesy of Vietnam War Army veter- Army National Guard and the first female graduate of the Army Na- an, Larrie Thesenvitz, in appreciation for the assistance given to him by tional Guard Air Assault School. She was the model for Enoch Kelly Disabled American Veterans at their location in the MHC. The food Haney’s painting, Heritage of Valor. The mannequin’s head was creat- was donated by Olive Garden Italian Restaurant in Broken Arrow. ed from a picture of her. MAJ Glass donated her uniform and other artifacts.

Choctaw Code Talkers – 142nd Infantry group” was a squad, “scalps” were casualties, “fast shooting gun” meant machine gun, “big gun” was artillery and so on. The first combat test took place on October 26, when COL Bloor ordered a "delicate" withdrawal of two companies of the 2nd Battalion, from Chufilly to Chardeny. The movement was successful. Bloor reported: “the enemy's complete surprise is evidence that he could not decipher the messages".

Members of the Choctaw Telephone Squad (left to right): Solomon Lou- is, Mitchell Bobb, James Edwards, Calvin Wilson and Joseph Davenport. Captain E. H. Horner is at the far right.

After the United States entered World War I, Oklahoma’s only national guard infantry regiment, the 1st Infantry Regi- ment, was sent to Camp Bowie near Fort Worth, Texas, where it was combined with the Texas National Guard’s 7th Infantry Regiment to form the 142nd Infantry Regiment. Along with the Texas 141st Infantry Regiment, they formed the 71st Infantry Brigade, 36th Infantry Division (Texas National Guard). Code talker Solomon Bond Louis (date and location unknown)

Once in France, the Division underwent further training. On On October 27-29, 1918, the 142nd was engaged in the September 23, the 36th ID was detailed to the French Fourth fighting at Forêt (Forest) Farm, described by 36th Division com- Army and entered the forward battle area on October 4-5, mander, Major General William Smith, as "magnificent”. This 1918, in support of the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division. The 142nd led was the regiment's last combat assignment of World War I. the 71st Brigade forward on October 7 crossing the defunct Seventy percent of the 142nd officers and fifty-seven percent of Hindenburg Line, going into positions near Saint Étienne-à- its enlisted men were killed or wounded during the war. Arnes, which was only 100 yards from German fortifications.

The ruined church tower from St. Étienne today serves as an element of the 142nd regimental crest. Advancing through mas- sive shelling, gas attacks and terrible machine gun fire, the 142nd took strongly defended Hill 160 near Saint Étienne-à- Arnes. The regiment took 1,600 casualties in the two-day fight. Oklahomans Harold L. Turner and Samuel M. Sampler, 142nd Infantry Regiment, were awarded Medals of Honor for similar heroic actions on October 8, 1918, during the battle for Hill 160. On October 12-13, the regiment attacked toward the line of the Aisne River on the right of a four regiment/two brigade attack that advanced the American line and eliminated a Ger- man salient south of the Aisne. It was during this time that Colonel Augustus W. Bloor, commander of the 142nd, noticed that a number of Oklahoma Indian soldiers serving in his regi- ment were speaking with each other in their native language. He could not understand them and realized that neither could the Germans, no matter how good their English skills. With the cooperation of a select group of his Indian soldiers Code talker Otis Wilson Leader – his Croix de Guerre with bronze star – eighteen Choctaw and one Chickasaw – Bloor tested and de- and bronze palm (equivalent to a U.S. Bronze Star) is shown at the upper left. He is also wearing a Purple Heart on his uniform. ployed a code, using the Choctaw language. The code talkers substituted common Choctaw words for English military terms Ed. The 142nd regimental combat history, by Lonnie J. White, is ex- that had no equivalent in the Choctaw language. For instance, cerpted from the Texas Military Forces Museum website. “twice big group” in Choctaw was used for battalion, “eight

Oklahoma Soldier Honored in Afghanistan U.S. Navy in World War I

SGT Buddy James Hughie

On February 15, 2007, SGT Buddy James “Doc” Hughie was serving with Co. C, 1st BN, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma National Guard on his second tour in

Afghanistan. On that day, SGT Hughie was part of a joint mis- World War I Navy recruiting poster th sion with the Afghan National Army and the U.S. Army’s 10 created by Howard Chandler Cristy – 1916 Mountain Division. The vehicle in which the men were riding came under fire from small arms and rocket-propelled gre- During World War I, the Navy’s primary missions were anti- nades. SGT Hughie and his fellow team members dismounted warfare and convoy escort, operating chiefly in the their vehicle and returned fire. After two Afghan soldiers were Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The Navy was tasked wounded, SGT Hughie, a medic, left his covered position to give with escorting the American Expeditionary Force and their sup- them medical assistance and was killed by small arms fire. He plies across the Atlantic to France. was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Light cruisers and destroyers proved to be the most effec- Buddy James Hughie was born at Carlsbad, New Mexico, on tive vessels for sinking enemy and protecting con- October 23, 1981. He and his sister were adopted by their voys. Several destroyer squadrons were based in the British grandparents and grew-up in Poteau, Oklahoma, where he Isles, including Ireland. The large capital ships – battleships and graduated from high school in 2000. More than 600 people heavy cruisers – took up positions with the British Navy in the attended his funeral at Poteau High School’s Floyd Sherman North Sea for blockade duty. It proved to be uneventful, as by Fieldhouse. SGT Hughie was buried in Live Oak Memorial Gar- 1917, the German Navy refused to challenge the blockaders. dens at Charleston, South Carolina, where his wife had moved. The U.S. Navy never engaged a German surface ship during the On September 4, 2018, the air terminal at the New Kabul war. Four Navy ships were lost during World War I – two by Compound, Kabul, Afghanistan, was renamed Hughie Terminal German submarines and two by accidents. and dedicated to SGT Hughie’s memory. The Navy played a critical role during the war. Besides sink- ing several German submarines, it escorted more than two million American soldiers and marines to Europe without the loss of a single troop ship. Compared to naval losses during World War II, the Navy’s World War I losses were miniscule.

Since its creation on October 13, 1775, the United States Navy has defended the nation on the high seas and inland wa- terways, and since 1911, in the air.

Troopers of 1st Squadron, 180th Cavalry Regiment (formerly 1st BN 180th Infantry Regiment) 45th Infantry BCT at the dedication of Hughie Terminal

Talos RIM-8H anti-radiation missile to destroy a North Viet- USS namese mobile air control radar van. On April 19, 1972, she

was attacked by a Vietnam People’s Air Force MiG-17. The pilot overshot the target and dropped his bomb near Oklahoma City causing only light damage.

USS Oklahoma City (CL-91) – 1945

Oklahoma City providing fire support off Vietnam – early 1970s Oklahoma City was a Cleveland class light cruiser built by

William Cramp and Sons Shipbuilding in Philadelphia. She was In April 1975, Oklahoma City participated in Operation Fre- launched on February 20, 1944, and commissioned on Decem- quent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon. Following that, she was ber 22. Oklahoma City was deployed to the Pacific theater, slated for a massive overhaul, as her flagship facilities, as well where on June 6, 1945, she rendezvoused with Carrier Task as her 6-inch guns made her an attractive asset to retain in ser- Force 38.1 for operations in support of the Okinawa campaign. rd vice. Her now obsolete Talos system would be removed and For the rest of June, and into July, she screened 3 Fleet carri- two Sea Sparrow systems, and two Phalanx CIWS mounts ers during intensified air operations against the Japanese. would be fitted. Her machinery and hull would also be re- On July 18, 1945, she formed a bombardment group with paired and renewed. While funding for this work was appro- other cruisers and destroyers, then rejoined the carrier task priated by Congress, it was diverted to other ships, and minimal group for continued action against the Japanese home islands. repairs were made to keep Oklahoma City operational until At the end of hostilities, she continued to patrol off the coast of 1979. Japan until September 10, when she entered Tokyo Bay. Okla- After forty-five years of service, age and technological ad- homa City remained on occupation duty until relieved on Janu- vancements had finally caught up with the old warship. Okla- ary 30, 1946. Oklahoma City received two battle stars for her homa City was decommissioned on December 15, 1979. She World War II actions. remained in the Reserve Fleet until January 9, 1999. She was She steamed to san Francisco, where six months later she towed to Pearl Harbor, where some usable material was do- entered Mare Island Navy Yard for inactivation. On June 30, nated for use in outfitting the battleship, Missouri, as a muse- 1947, Oklahoma City was placed out of commission in reserve, um ship. Oklahoma City was then expended as a target during assigned to the San Francisco Group, U.S. Pacific Reserve Fleet. February–March. After being used as a target for air-launched On March 7, 1957, Oklahoma City entered the Bethlehem missiles, she was hit during Tandem Thrust '99 exercise south- Steel Corp.’s Pacific Coast Yard at San Francisco to begin con- west of Guam by torpedoes from the South Korean submarine, version to a Galveston class guided missile light cruiser. The Lee Chun. She broke in two and sank on March 26, 1999. conversion was completed August 31, 1960. In 1965, Oklahoma City was again deployed to the Far East for combat operations. In June, she began gunfire support mis- sions off Vietnam. When the level of hostilities increased, she began to spend more and more time in the South China Sea and eventually participated in operations “Piranha”, “Double Eagle”, “Deckhouse IV” and “Hastings II”. After serving as 7th Fleet flagship for two and a half years, she sailed to San Fran- cisco for another overhaul. By late 1969, Oklahoma City was back in the Vietnam com- bat zone. She arrived at Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin in September, where she conducted helicopter operations. After steaming to Okinawa for repairs, she was back at Yankee Sta- tion in 1971, where she fired the first successful combat sur- USS Oklahoma City – Freemantle, Australia – 1976 face-to-surface missile shot in U.S. Navy history, using the new

“Lest We Forget”

Flanders Field American Cemetery – Waregem, Belgium

Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial is a very small – six acres – World War I cemetery on the southeast edge of the town of Waregem, Belgium. It is the only World War I American cemetery in Belgium. The cemetery contains the graves of 368 Americans. The headstones are aligned in four symmetrical areas around the white stone chapel that stands in the center of the cemetery. Inscribed on the chapel walls are the names of forty-three missing. Many of the dead and missing are from the 91st Infantry Division, a draftee division with men from the far west, including Alaska Terri- tory. The 91st and three other U.S. divisions were detailed to the British army in Flanders for the final operation of the war. The dead fell at Spitaals Bosschen, a battle of the Ypres-Lys Campaign, which began in August 1918.

Freedom is not free.

1. Freedom’s Voice is the voice of MVA, Inc. dba Military History Center, a 501(C)3 private foundation, as a service to its members and supporters. Contents may be reproduced only when in the best interest of the Military History Center. Please direct comments or suggestions to the Editor at [email protected]. Ken Cook, Editor