logo
Login Subscribe
Google Play App Store
  • news
  • sports
  • lifestyle
  • commentary
  • obituaries
  • Calendar
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Form Submission / Advertise
    • advertisers pay now
    • news
    • sports
    • lifestyle
    • commentary
    • obituaries
    • Calendar
    • Contact
      • Contact Us
      • Form Submission / Advertise
      • advertisers pay now
Generally Speaking
commentary
November 15, 2023
Generally Speaking

As we observed Veterans Day on Nov. 11 and remembered the many heroes who have bravely defended the United States of America, I was filled with deep gratitude. Like all Americans, I am thankful to all who have answered the call to serve, and especially to the estimated 300,000 living Oklahomans who have fought for our freedom and advanced our democracy.

One of the greatest honors of my life was serving our country as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. I am eternally grateful to the men and women with whom I served during the first Gulf War and throughout my time in the Armed Forces.

I learned early on the tremendous responsibility and gut-wrenching decisions that one faces in the heat of combat. On Jan. 17, 1991 – the first evening of the Gulf War – I had been assigned to lead one of the first air strike campaigns into Baghdad. It was surreal to see all the enemy fire throughout the night sky. We destroyed our key targets and were returning to base when I received a new order. I was to turn back around and take out an enemy fighter jet. As I ran the intercept, I was cleared to kill.

But something didn’t seem right. The jet in question was flying very low and heading in the general direction of our allied forces. It didn’t make sense to me that he could be an enemy fighter. As I considered this, I received several orders to fire, each from a successively higherranking officer – all the way up to a general.

Still, I held my fire.

When I completed the intercept, I could see that the jet thought to be an enemy fighter was actually a Saudi Tornado. He was an ally who had gotten separated from our strike package and was trying to make his way back to our base. I ended up escorting him back to safety.

As we landed, I noticed the military police were waiting for me. They were not there to congratulate me. Rather, the MPs arrested me for disobeying direct orders. Thankfully the Saudi pilot — a member of the royal family, as it turned out – told his command what had happened. My leadership removed my handcuffs and instead awarded me the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After that incident, all F-15 units adopted a more discriminatory approach to aircraft identification. That encounter and the tough decisions I had to make that night continue to guide me today. The right thing to do isn’t always the easy thing to do.

Our state has a proud tradition of military service. The Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame has recognized 235 heroes since its inaugural class in 1999. One of those heroes is Brigadier General Kenneth Marlar Taylor. Like me, Kenneth was raised in the Osage County town of Hominy. On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, he was stationed with the Army Air Corps at Wheeler Airfield in Honolulu. As the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor began, he and several comrades were able to get their P-40 fighters airborne to attack the enemy planes. Kenneth was wounded during the fight and credited with two probable kills. The following week, he and a fellow lieutenant were awarded the first awards for heroism during World War II, receiving the Distinguished Service Cross.

First Sgt. Pascal Cleatus Poolaw is another Oklahoma hero and Hall of Fame member who wasn’t afraid to make hard decisions. A member of the Kiowa Tribe who served in the U.S. Army during WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, Pascal is the most decorated American Indian soldier in U.S. history. He was awarded four Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars and three Purple Hearts for his actions.

Tragically, Pascal was killed in action in Vietnam.

These heroes exemplified the valor and the selflessness of so many other Oklahomans who defended our freedom. During my time in the service, I saw many face adversity with undeniable strength and make personal sacrifices with unwavering commitment.

This month, we honor our veterans and their families. Let us never forget that freedom is not free.

sports
Eufaula Indian Journal names Players of the Year
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR 
November 29, 2023
The Eufaula Ironheads had another exciting and winning season (7-4), ending it in a loss to Vian in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs. Eufaula head coach Larry Newton and staff did a fantastic ...
this is a test
Presenting the Evelyn Mynhier Food Pantry
news
Presenting the Evelyn Mynhier Food Pantry
By CHERYL CAMPBELL COURTESY 
November 29, 2023
Dedicated to Eufaula Lake VFW Post 8798 Auxiliary President In 2020, life changed for most people we know because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Men and women who previously had secure employment lost jobs...
this is a test
Basketball Action Starts this Week
sports
Basketball Action Starts this Week
November 29, 2023
The2023 McIntosh County Basketball Preview will be released December 7,2023 The Eufaula Ironheads will kick off the season Tuesday with a road game against Muldrow with a start time of 6 p.m.. On Frid...
this is a test
sports
Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame announces Class of 2024 Inductees
November 29, 2023
The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame is extremely proud to introduce the six inductees that will join the Hall next year as part of the Class of 2024. Steve Davis*, Football Patty McGraw-Coatney, Golf Mik...
this is a test
sports
2023 Big 12 Championship Game set : Texas vs. Oklahoma State
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR 
November 29, 2023
No. 20 Oklahoma State locked up the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Championship Game by outlasting BYU in a 40-34 double-overtime victory Saturday. The Cowboys will play No. 1-seea Texas at 12 p.m. ET on De...
this is a test
Betty Nadine Bumgarner
Obituaries
Betty Nadine Bumgarner
November 29, 2023
Betty Nadine Bumgarner, 79, of Eufaula, Oklahoma, passed away Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, at the St. Francis Hospital of Muskogee. Betty was born on Jan. 3, 1944, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the daughter of Pres...
this is a test
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Editor Picks
Quote of the Week
news
Quote of the Week
November 29, 2023
“Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it.” – William Penn
this is a test
news
State launches suspicious activity reporting app
November 29, 2023
Anonymous reporting for suspicious behavior OKLAHOMA CITY – Better safety is coming to children in Oklahoma with the launch of the ProtectOK app for reporting safety threats. Created by the State of O...
this is a test
Farm bill may not pass by end of year
news
Farm bill may not pass by end of year
By MADDY KEYES GAYLORD NEWS 
November 29, 2023
WASHINGTON — With just days until the country faces another potential government shutdown, it appears unlikely that Congress will pass a new Farm Bill before current funding expires at the end of the ...
this is a test
Westyn Ford
sports
Westyn Ford
November 29, 2023
this is a test
Preston Haltom
sports
Preston Haltom
November 29, 2023
this is a test
Facebook

THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL
109 S. Main
PO Box 689
Eufaula, OK 74432

(918) 689-2191

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2023 THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy