The National Museum of the Marine Corps reunited a World War II veteran with the tank he drove during the Battle of Iwo Jima, in a ceremony held Aug. 15 at the Museum Support Facility.

In a powerful moment of living history on the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, Corporal Leighton Willhite, 100, stood beside “Lucky,” the very M4A3 Sherman tank he drove ashore during the assault on Iwo Jima in 1945. He was joined by his son, grandson and great-grandson.

“It’s amazing,” Willhite said. “I never thought I would see the tank again. That tank was my life.”

At just 19 years old, Willhite landed with C Company, 5th Tank Battalion, in Lucky during the opening assault on Iwo Jima. Lucky was among the Marine Corps’ newest standard tanks and saw its combat debut on the island. Willhite’s crew supported Marines near Hill 362A, north of Mount Suribachi, and carried out rescue missions under heavy fire.

In one defining moment, when a fellow tank, Jeannie, became trapped, Willhite volunteered to cover his commander, Lt. Leonard Blake, as they moved to rescue the crew. Willhite was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” device for valor, and Blake received the Silver Star.

After the battle, Lucky returned to Hawaii in April 1945 and was one of 72 tanks selected for conversion into CB-H5 flamethrower tanks in preparation for the planned invasion of Japan. Following the war, Lucky was transferred to Camp Lejeune, N.C., where it remained largely unnoticed until the early 2000s, when it was recovered and entered the Museum’s collection. At the time, its historical significance was not yet known.

Its true identity came to light in 2023, when Jon Bernstein, the Museum’s Arms & Armor Curator, conducted a routine inspection of the tank. During the inspection, Bernstein noticed a set of distinctive weld scars, marks unique to the 5th Tank Battalion’s improvised self-protection modifications for Iwo Jima.

Through careful analysis of those scars, along with field modifications and comparisons to archival photographs and historical records, Bernstein was able to positively identify the tank as belonging to C Company, 5th Tank Battalion. Further paint excavation revealed the name “Lucky” and the unit’s tactical markings, confirming not only the tank’s battlefield role but also its direct connection to its original crew, including Corposal Willhite.

Today, Lucky is one of only six confirmed Sherman tanks from Iwo Jima still in existence.

“Today is the end of the beginning and is the culmination of two years of research and piecing the story together, said Bernstein. “To bring Corporal Willhite back together with the tank he drove in battle is to bring that story to life.”
This reunion carried even greater meaning because 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of Emperor Hirohito announcing Japan’s surrender and ending World War II. For Willhite, who celebrated his 100th birthday on April 9, standing beside Lucky once more was more than just a personal milestone-it was a living reminder of the service and sacrifice of Marines in one of the Corps’ most pivotal battles.

As the number of World War II veterans dwindles each year, gatherings like this become increasingly rare and precious. They offer something no book or artifact alone can provide: the chance to see history embodied in those who lived it.
“Having Corporal Willhite here, standing beside this tank again after 80 years, is very special,” said Museum Director Keil Gentry. “It is a powerful reminder of the courage and sacrifice that defined the Marines who fought on Iwo Jima.”

Lucky’s journey is far from over. It is now undergoing a meticulous restoration to its 1945 appearance…For generations to come, Lucky will stand as a storyteller in steel, carrying forward the legacy of those who battled on Iwo Jima.

The National Museum of the Marine Corps, located near Marine Corps Base Quantico in Triangle, Va., is a lasting tribute to U.S. Marines-past, present and future. With immersive exhibits and world-class collections, the museum preserves and shares the history, culture and traditions of the Marine Corps. For more information, visit www.usmcmuseum.com or use the qr code here. •
story by Karen Amaro, USMC Training Command.

Jerrold “Jerry” F. Hooker’s life is a shining example of service, loyalty, and honor. Born on August 21, 1919, on his Uncle Floyd’s farm in Colorado, Jerry grew up during a time of great change in America. He spent his first 22 years in Colorado, later living 4 years in Egypt, and eventually calling Oklahoma home for the past 80 years.

Jerry’s childhood was marked by both challenges and determination. At just 7 years old in 1926, he sustained a traumatic amputation of four toes on his left foot when a hay derrick fell, yet even then he carried out his chores-hauling water in canvas bags on horseback to the men in the hay fields. By 1938, he graduated high school at age 18, having worked hard to save enough money to buy his very first car: a Model “A” Ford for $75.

When World War II began, Jerry was just 22 years old. In April 1942, he enlisted in the Army at Fort Logan, Colorado, where his typing ability led to his first assignment as a medical corps clerk typist. He completed 12 weeks of basic training at Camp Bowie in Brownwood, Texas, followed by further training at Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina. From there, he traveled to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, the Army’s largest processing center for troops shipping overseas.

On September 21, 1942, Jerry boarded the HMS Aquitania in Staten Island, New York, beginning a 40-day journey across the Atlantic and around the coast of Africa. Sailing in a zig-zag pattern to avoid German U-boats, the ship ultimately reached the Port of Suez. By October 31, 1942, Jerry had traveled 16,700 miles by sea to set up a military hospital in the desert outside Cairo, Egypt.

There, on Armistice Day-November 11, 1942, the 38th General Hospital opened its doors to provide care for Allied forces wounded in the North African campaign. Jerry’s service spanned multiple roles: he first worked as an orthopedic clerk, then was promoted to Corporal, before becoming Supply Sergeant. In this position, he managed medical supplies and inventory for 64 doctors, 105 nurses, and 500 enlisted men. His duties eventually expanded as General Supply Sergeant and later Staff Sergeant, where he not only managed uniforms and equipment but was entrusted with sole access to locked medical supplies. His leadership and integrity earned the deep trust of his superiors and fellow soldiers alike.

Jerry remained overseas until 1945, serving in the Middle East and North Africa, and he was later called back during the Korean War in 1951, serving for one year at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma.

After his military service, Jerry began his civilian life in Oklahoma. In 1945, he moved to Hitchcock, where he married Grace Spaeth the following year. They shared 30 years of marriage until her passing from cancer in 1976. Jerry built a meaningful life in Hitchcock, where he ran a grocery and general store, as well as the Whistle Stop Restaurant. He served as Mayor for 18 years, taught Sunday school at the Methodist Church for 22 years, and managed the local COOP Grain Elevator for 12 years.

In 1978, Jerry moved to Okeene, Oklahoma, where he married Emma Osmus, with whom he shared 32 years of marriage until her passing in 2010. In Okeene, he worked as assistant manager at the COOP Grain Elevator, served on the Blaine County Excise Board, and was active in the Masonic Lodge, achieving Master Mason after 50 years of service. He was also a devoted member of the Okeene Methodist Church.

In 2012, at the age of 93, Jerry moved into the Independent Living Facility at Fairview Fellowship Home, where he has continued to inspire those around him with his humility, wisdom, and steady faith.

Through each chapter of his journey-whether on the battlefield, in service to his community, or as a family man-Jerry demonstrated loyalty, leadership, and an unwavering dedication to others. His story is one of quiet strength, resilience, and devotion that has spanned more than a century.

And now, we celebrate not only his remarkable life of service but also a milestone that few in history will ever reach.

On August 21, 2025, Jerrold “Jerry” F. Hooker celebrated his 106th birthday.

A true American hero, a man of faith, loyalty, and compassion – Jerry reminds us that a life dedicated to service is a life well lived. •
story by Latisha King

On October 7, 1911, a gunfight erupted between a posse of lawmen and train robber Elmer McCurdy. Elmer would not survive the encounter. He would, however, go on to become a legend. The story of outlaw-turned-mummy Elmer McCurdy garners worldwide interest and has been featured in books, documentaries and a Broadway musical. The Oklahoma Territorial Museum and Carnegie Library in Guthrie is the home of his story, and the “Boot Hill” section of Summit View Cemetery on the edge of town is his final resting place.
Join the Oklahoma Territorial Museum on Zoom on Tuesday, October 7, at noon as museum director Michael Williams moderates a discussion on the life and afterlife of Elmer McCurdy with David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna, creators of the Broadway musical “Dead Outlaw.”
Yazbek is an American writer, musician, composer and lyricist. He wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musicals “The Full Monty,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” “The Band’s Visit,” “Tootsie” and “Dead Outlaw.” He won a Tony and a Grammy for “The Band’s Visit.” He also consulted on the musical “Buena Vista Social Club.”
Della Penna is a composer, lyricist, instrumentalist and vocalist who has appeared on over 60 rock, pop and Americana albums. He has toured and recorded extensively with Joan Osborne, Natalie Merchant and Joan Baez and has worked with legendary music producer T Bone Burnett. He is conservatory-trained, holding a BFA in Classical Guitar from the Mannes School of Music (now The New School). He also plays the banjo, lap steel guitar and mandolin. In 2024, he won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics for “Dead Outlaw,” which was off-Broadway at the time.
This event is free; however, spots are limited, and registration is required. A registration form is available online.
The Oklahoma Territorial Museum is located at 406 E. Oklahoma Ave. in Guthrie. For more information, please call 405-282-1889. Please visit okhistory.org.

All 77 Oklahoma Counties.
All 50 states.
Numerous foreign countries.

The geographic reach of Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation is staggering.
But even moreso, the impact for veterans, their families and generations to come is incalculable.
The operation has grown beyond even Graham’s expectation but the process is always a familiar one.
A friendly voice on the phone leads to a visit to the Norman office where a hot cup of coffee and some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet are waiting to thank you for your service, pull you up a chair and show you how to get the benefits you’ve earned for you and your family.
At the heart of it all is Dale Graham, who served in the Marines.
The Veteran’s Administration ranks Graham’s foundation as the eighth-leading organization in the nation in terms of the amount of money procured for veterans and their surviving spouses.
He says service members who have worked with the foundation are currently receiving $900 million per year in benefits.
“In reality it’s double or triple that,” Graham said, noting those numbers only count the last eight years of the organization’s existence, not the 20 that preceded it. “It’s worked out real good.”
More than half of those who seek out the foundation’s assistance travel from out of state, he says.
“The men and women who served got the short end of the stick.”
Last fall, Graham welcomed a service member who flew in from Vietnam. Another from China, another from Dubai, another from Greece.
England, Australia, Africa, the list goes on and on.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Graham said. “But we’re winning.”
Graham still volunteers his time but the foundation pays a small army of staff that is amazing to watch in action. And there’s another dedicated group of volunteers that’s the backbone of what the foundation accomplishes.
“When you help somebody else it helps you,” he said.
It’s a lesson he learned later rather than sooner.
He turned to alcohol to cope with the PTSD he brought back with him after serving in Vietnam. He says it dotted almost 30 years of his life.
“It was the only way I could deal with life. Or I thought it was,” he said. “But we got all that past and now we just do what we can do to change lives.”
Changing lives involves helping navigate a seemingly unfair maze of paperwork to service-connect disabilities veterans thought just went hand in hand with serving their country.
“Everything we’re doing down here is working,” Graham said.
The stories that come through the front door are devastating; service widows losing their homes due to rising inflation, veterans living out on the street who don’t want to ask for help.
“I had one couple come in and I did his papers and he told me ‘next month I get my medicine,’” Graham remembers. “He told me they took turns getting their heart medicines every other month to keep costs down and they hoped nothing else ever happens.”
“Him and his wife were living on $1,200 a month. When I got through with him he was getting $4,000 a month from the VA. It’s the richest he’s ever been.”
The times Graham is able to get a service member 100-percent service connected they are able to receive free medical insurance for the spouse and the kids.
“What we’re doing today I think is wonderful,” he said.
More than a decade ago, Graham was invited to Harvard to speak about how he was helping returning veterans.
He’s an expert, but to some service members he’s a savior.
Taylor Poindexter agrees. As the foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Poindexter helps the foundation keep moving forward and track its reach.
“The impact we are having is unmeasurable,” Poindexter said. “Not only are we improving the quality of life for our veterans but we’re actually saving some of their lives.”
Nearly 30 years ago, the Dale K. Graham Veterans Foundation was founded by Graham and Rhonda Reynolds and is dedicated to serving veterans and their families.
Recognizing the challenges veterans face in accessing their entitled benefits, the founders were driven by a deep commitment to fight for those who have served our country.
Since its inception, the Foundation has provided essential services including accredited VA claims assistance, transportation, financial aid, and referral management, ensuring veterans receive the full range of support they deserve.
The Foundation has helped more than 50,000 veterans and their families.
“Not only does it change quality of life, it changes quality of opportunity,” Poindexter said. “We are making a difference and the difference we are making we’ll probably never know. But the only way we truly know is when you and I as veterans get service connected we know how it affects our lives.” •
story and photos by Bobby Anderson, staff writer

Special to OKVN

During World War II, tyranny and devastation swept over continents, and the very foundations of our freedom stood in peril. In the face of such danger, communities across Oklahoma did not hesitate. From the bustling streets of Tulsa to the wide-open fields of the Red River Valley, men and women from every corner of the state stepped forward-answering the call when it mattered most. They asked for no recognition or reward, yet history will forever remember them as heroes. Among the courageous women who left Oklahoma but never came home was Second Lieutenant Geraldine Crouch.

Born on December 17, 1919, in McAlester, Geraldine was the cherished daughter of Eugene and Virgie Crouch. She grew up in a close-knit community and shared unforgettable memories with her three sisters and four brothers. From a very young age, Geraldine showed a deep care for those around her-a compassion that would define her life. Her childhood in the heart of McAlester was filled with joy and laughter, but in 1931, her mother passed away. Geraldine was only 11 years old, and that sudden loss left a scar that never fully healed.

Geraldine attended McAlester High School, where she was loved by classmates and teachers alike. Her thoughtfulness and natural empathy were evident to all who knew her. Inspired by a desire to help others, she pursued nurse training at University Hospital in Oklahoma City. After her studies, she returned home and became an assistant nurse at the McAlester Clinic, where her care and dedication earned the admiration of colleagues and patients.

When World War II spread across the globe, Geraldine felt a profound sense of duty and the need to heal the wounds of war. In 1942, she joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, serving with the 61st Station Hospital, and was initially stationed in Texas. A year later, she was deployed to North Africa, tending wounded soldiers with tireless devotion. She later served in Sicily and the Italian Campaign, where she continued her mission under grueling conditions, always bringing comfort and relief to those in the most desperate situations.

Tragically, on October 14, 1944, Geraldine was aboard a B-24 aircraft flying over Italy when disaster struck. The plane crashed into a hill near Rocchetta Sant’Antonio in Foggia, killing her instantly. She was only 24 years old, with so much life ahead of her, and so much yet to give.

Back in McAlester, news of her death sent shockwaves through the entire community, leaving her father, siblings, and neighbors heartbroken. The thought of never again seeing her smile or hearing her voice was unbearable. Her father passed away in 1961, and one by one, her siblings also died, carrying with them the lasting memory of Geraldine’s generosity and humanity.

Today, Geraldine rests at Fort Smith National Cemetery in Arkansas, among countless American heroes who gave their lives to make the world a better place. The cemetery is a site of quiet reflection, where her service is honored in reverent silence. Her headstone stands as an eternal reminder of a life, a story, and a guiding light that must continue to inspire generations to come.

It is our solemn duty to remember Second Lieutenant Geraldine Crouch and to honor a legacy carved through sacrifice, compassion, and bravery. Her poignant story resonates with those of countless women from Oklahoma who left their homes, families, and dreams behind to help turn the tide of war and reshape history. Though time moves on, their spirit remains woven into the fabric of Oklahoma’s history-and their memory will endure as long as we choose to carry their story forward. •
story by John Dekhane – Living in France.

Don Nichols, Adjutant of Chapter 617 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, announced that the Department of Oklahoma’s Military Order of the Purple Heart is enhancing the National Purple Heart Monument in Tahlequah with a new QR code. The monument, created to honor all American veterans, is already unique for its existing QR code that lets visitors view veterans’ stories while on site.
The new addition will connect visitors directly to the Virtual Wall®, “an on-line web site that contains memorial pages honoring the 58,261 women and men whose names are inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C” according to the Vietnam Veterans of America. By scanning the code with a smartphone, guests can access detailed profiles and service information for each individual named on the Wall.
“We’ll have the only monument that has that capability,” Nichols said, that provides a direct link to the Virtual Wall®. He added, “We did that to let the families of veterans know they aren’t forgotten.” The Purple Heart Monument is located at the corner of Muskogee Avenue and the Bertha Parker Bypass, at 2001 South Muskogee Avenue. Scan this code to visit. • story by Don Nichols, Adjutant of Chapter 617 in Muskogee.

Wacky and wonderful, the CrosStar Flag and Tag Museum in Afton tugs tourists into a satisfyingly bizarre collection of oddities gathered by owner and operator Al Childs. Since opening in June 2022, the 150-foot by 150-foot museum has grown in variety and popularity. It’s eye candy on Route 66.

About 100 mostly international tourists drop in every day. A welcoming host, Childs, 77, happily escorts them through the building and grounds, explaining what they are seeing. “…one of my main sayings here is, ‘I guarantee you you’ll smile and laugh out loud or I’ll give your money back,’” he told two visitors. “You’re supposed to say, ‘Well, how much you charge? ‘Nothing!” is his answer.
There’s no entrance fee because, “I like Route 66 and there was some places I stopped at in 1976, it didn’t cost me a thing to see stuff like this, you know? You don’t gotta advertise on Route 66. Just stick something out front there!” he said, gesturing to the road. “They’ll come.”
After a family from Barcelona, Spain, arrived, the husband danced next to Jake and Elwood Blues Brothers statues while his daughter snapped photos. “There’s more stuff out there.You can touch, open doors, ring bells, smash buttons,” Childs encouraged.
There’s plenty to see: a Shoney Big Boy, original gas pumps, a 1951 Ford police car and 1959 Thunderbird, skeleton in a pick-up truck (joking, Childs tells visitors, “…that’s my ex-wife there. I dug her up. She wanted to go for a ride and I didn’t know she meant in the car”), totem poles, car hoods and grills for each of the eight Route 66 states and some for foreign nations, Elvis playing a guitar and much more.
Childs admits, “I wasn’t planning on getting this big when we started to do it. We were just going to have a little garage right there with my cars in it.” But he has too much energy to sit still. “VA doctors tell me I’m a 75-year-old in a 50-year-old body,” he said.
Childs and his partner, Jeanette, built most of the museum themselves. “We poured all this concrete by hand (concrete floor)…And she painted it all.” He constructed the metal overhang and porch, used a blow torch to cut and weld truck parts, and handled the carpentry.

The museum is Childs’ therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from a harrowing tour in Vietnam. He deployed as a U.S. Marine infantryman – 0311, grunt – with Echo Company, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines (2/5), 1st Marine Division from January – July 1968. His total time in service was August 1967-August 1969.
Childs said he arrived “right in the middle of…Tet Offensive…and I was in Phu Bai (Airfield) and then Hue City, and then we was up in the Bach Ma Mountains overlooking Khe Sanh…They was bombing, bombing everything… Well, probably in four days we lost 28 people and I was in a 10-man squad (during Khe Sahn battle). “My friend Joe Jordon was killed in action April 3rd 1968,” after being killed by a sniper.
During another battle, Childs recalled, “Two had died, I mean, the point man and the second man died. I was the fourth man back (in the platoon). And they set off one…a booby trap in the road or something. Well, this was in the jungle.”
Childs received two surface wounds but did not get a Purple Heart medal. (Author’s note: 2/5’s missions included search-and-destroy patrols, ambushes, and security for key routes, bridges and villages. The Khe Sanh battle occurred January to July 1968).
Malaria struck in July 1968, sending him to Japan for three months. He recovered in Okinawa. A doctor gave him a S3 profile and ‘no duty in a tropical zone.’ The illness came back three times.
After discharge in 1969, Childs battled PTSD and checked into two VA Centers. Doctors removed his prostate because of cancer. “I got a hundred percent for it (cancer), but I already had a hundred percent for Agent Orange and I think I had 70% for combat duty. I probably got 300% altogether, but you ain’t gonna get but a hundred percent no matter what,” he joked.
Childs drove heavy construction equipment and became a working superintendent for his brother. “I was in Kansas City for 45 years working in construction and then I retired and that’s when I decided wanted me a museum.”
Glen and Misty Posey from Decatur, Alabama, visit. Glen said, “we started off heading west for California. Got to Flagstaff, she got sick. So, we’re riding it backwards all the way back to Chicago.” They were celebrating their 31st wedding anniversary.
The name “CrosStar” comes from his Vietnam memories, where he often saw buildings marked with red stars and crosses. His favorite piece at the museum is a blue painted tree stump with a star cut out and a red cross on top.
Austin Hanes, manager of the “Nowhere on Route 66” restaurant in town, said, “It’s good for business. I like sending people that way and it’s a neat piece of ‘66.”’ Linda Tipton, a home town resident, agreed. “I believe when they stop there…it brings business (here). I think it’s a good thing for our town.”
Rhys Martin, President of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, added that, “It takes a passionate person with a dream to make these (Route 66) attractions a reality…anyone that stops to look around and talks to Al gets an experience they will never forget.”
The museum is at 103 S. Central Ave (Route 66), is open every day and during the summer, “open until we close.” • story by Lt Col Richard Stephens, Jr., USAFR, Ret.