Josie Hill, a 97-year-old resident of Villagio of Bradford Village Assisted Living at 300 Hadwiger Drive in Edmond calls Charlie McGregor, a 106-year-old resident of the same facility, her hero for helping liberate France, including her hometown of Marseilles from Nazi occupation during World War II.
And, it was Hill’s honor last month to present McGregor, a U.S. Army veteran with his World War II service medals to him that were lost in transition after returning home from the war.
Oklahoma U.S. Senator James Lankford worked with McGregor’s family to help get his war medals finally awarded to him, and have Hill present them to him.
McGregor was presented with the following medals by Hill:
• Good Conduct Medal
• American Defense Service Medal
• American Campaign Medal
• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 1 bronze service star
• World War II Victory Medal
• Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII
• Sharpshooter Badge with Rifle Bar
“I am honored to do this,” Hill said. “I’m sorry, it’s hard for me to hold my tears back since the first day I met you knowing that you knew the country where I came from. Not only the country, but the area where I’m from. I love you Charlie and I present you with all these beautiful thanks that you deserve.”
McGregor thanked Hill, his family, and friends for coming to his medal ceremony.
“I thank you all for coming down. There’s such a big crowd giving me attention. I look at my daughters and my nephew and niece. I’m thankful for each one of you for being here today to give me this honor. Thank you,” he said.
Lankford also sent a letter congratulating McGregor on receiving his service medals.
The letter read, “Dear Sergeant McGregor, congratulations on your receipt of your long-awaited service decorations, particularly your Bronze Service Star. The bravery you displayed across your career makes you a worthy recipient of this great honor. Thank you for wearing the Cloth of Our Nation. Our country owes a debt of gratitude to those who have dedicated their lives to preserving the liberties and freedoms that we all enjoy. On behalf of the great state of Oklahoma and our entire nation, thank you for guaranteeing the safety and security of its people. I have no doubt your story will continue to inspire, uplift and transform the lives of many. I hope you enjoy a wonderful day as you celebrate this great honor. In God we trust, James Lankford, United States Senator for Oklahoma.”
On July 10th, 1941, McGregor, a Kansas native was drafted into the United States Army. He was sent to Virginia to train in the infantry. His wife Mildred stayed with him in Virginia and later went back to Kansas when she discovered she was pregnant.
On May 30th, 1944, he deployed from New York City to the European front of World War II. On June 1, 1944, his first child was born. Due to wartime silence prior to D-Day, he did not receive the information of the birth for several weeks.
McGregor landed in Scotland on June 6, 1944, D-Day. From Scotland, he traveled on a troop train to England, and from there was sent to Marseilles, France.
In the meantime, Hill a young French teenager, had witnessed the invasion of France by the Nazis and suffered from hunger, and many of the traumas suffered by the French people at the hands of the Nazi invasion. She also vividly remembers the liberation of France by the US Army. She did not know Charlie, and he did not know Josie.
McGregor returned to Kansas in November 1945. His Army service medals were somehow lost in confusion at the end of the war. He farmed in Kansas and Oklahoma and had three more children. He and his wife moved from the farm to Bradford Village in 2006, and then to Bradford Village Assisted Living after his wife’s passing.
McGregor served four years, four months, and four days in the war and was stationed in Marseilles, France.
He said that was an eye-opening experience.
“It was an education, that was for sure. I didn’t know anything. I was just a high school student,” he said. “I got promoted several times. I used to be a company clerk, then they made me a platoon corporal, and then they made me a platoon sergeant, then they made me a staff sergeant in charge of the supply room.”
McGregor traveled to Europe with about 18,000 other troops on the Queen Elizabeth ship.
“When they were going to invade France, they sent the Queen Elizabeth to pick up a bunch of us in New York. Picked up 18,000 of us,” he said. “We crossed the ocean in five days. My first child was born while I was overseas. The Red Cross let me know that I had a daughter named Judy. I wouldn’t get to see her for another year-and-a-half.”
After the war, McGregor and his wife returned to her family farm south of Honeywell, Kansas whose property extended across the Oklahoma state line.
McGregor took over his father-in-law’s farming operation after he passed away.
McGregor and his wife raised four daughters, and have 11 grandchildren, 30+ great-grandchildren and one great-great grandson.
McGregor spends each day reading his Bible, and says he always learns something new.
He also recites the same prayer each night.
“God, I’ll see you in the morning, your house or mine,” McGregor said.
McGregor said he has lived a great life, and he is not afraid of death. He said he looks forward to the day when he enters the Kingdom of Heaven.
“From what I read in the Bible, my mouth may fall open and I may not be able to close it for two or three days,” he said. story/photo by Van Mitchell

State and local dignitaries, accompanied by many veterans and family members of the inductees, led a ‘Del City High School Remembrance and Wall of Honor Induction’ on May 3 at the new Kalsu Plaza, at his namesake DCHS stadium. The significant community presence was a testament to the collective respect and honor for our fallen heroes, showcasing the community’s active role in the ceremony.

When a statue memorializing Army 1st Lt. James Robert (Bob) Kalsu was unveiled March 29, on Vietnam War era Veterans Day last year, his wife Jan remarked he would have asked, “What about the other Del City students who died in Vietnam?”

On May 5 of this year, the other seven DCHS alumni killed in action during the Vietnam War were commemorated on the Robert Kalsu Stadium’s new Wall of Honor. This Wall of Honor, located in the plaza adjacent to his statue, serves as a permanent tribute to these brave soldiers.

A Del City football star, Kalsu, gave up a promising NFL career after starring at OU by showing his patriotism in honoring his commitment to serve in the U.S. Army. He lost his life in service to his country in Vietnam.

Seven of his fellow students now have bronze plaques on the Wall of Honor, each telling a unique and poignant story of their lives and military service. These personal narratives serve as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by these brave DCHS students, fostering a sense of connection and empathy from all who will view them.

The United States Marine Corps is represented by 1st Lt. Tom Burton (Class of 1962), Lance Cpls. Jimmy Mullins (Class of 1965), Ricky Sanders (Class of 1966) and Leslie Jones (Class of 1967). The United States Army is represented by Capt. Mike Hope (Class of 1958), Pfcs. Michael Saunders and Gary Parsons (both Class of 1965).

“It is always an honor and humbling experience to attend events honoring our fallen heroes,” said retired USN Rear Admiral Greg Slavonic, former undersecretary of the Navy. “It was especially gratifying to be invited to the recent Dedication/Remembrance Wall of Honor ceremony at Dec City High School. Under the leadership of retired Navy Captain John Keilty, all Del City students who answered the call to serve and were killed in action in Vietnam were honored. These young men walked the halls, played on fields around campus and learned in the classrooms.”

Each inductee was enshrined with a bronze plaque detailing their life and service during the solemn ceremony held that Saturday afternoon. These plaques serve as a lasting testament to the enduring legacy of these fallen heroes, inspiring future generations of DCHS students with their courage and sacrifice while instilling a sense of inspiration and respect.

The Robert Kalsu Legacy Group was co-founded by Mid-Del School Board Member Gina Standridge and Oklahoma State Rep. Andy Fugate, with the support of many other patriotic community leaders. The Legacy Group raised $200K for the statue and plaques. MTM Recognition of Del City cast the statue and plaques, and Willowbrook Construction built the pedestal. The Mid-Del District Maintenance Department installed the new Wall of Honor.

Kalsu graduated from DCHS in 1963, was an All-American at the University of Oklahoma and an All-Rookie Team member for the Buffalo Bills. He became the only active NFL player to die in the Vietnam War.

“I believe the Memorial Plaza at the main gate of the football field is a fitting location for The Wall of Honor,” Slavonic said in an interview. “It will remind students, parents, relatives, friends and anyone coming to an event at the Del City High School Eagles football field how proud the high school is of the sacrifice of these former students who were young and proud to wear the cloth of their nation in time of conflict.”

Additionally, Captain Keilty reached out to the Oklahoma Military Heritage Foundation (OMHF) to establish the OMHF Del City Robert Kalsu Chapter as part of its Hall of Honor.

The “Hall of Honor” will be located at the Del City Community Center. The Hall will honor the 22 Del City citizens who died in military service from World War II to Iraqi Freedom.

“Hopefully, other communities will follow Del City in recognizing their citizen veterans for their sacrifice and service to our country,” Slavonic said. The Del City Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion played a crucial role in organizing and conducting the ceremony, partnered with Legacy Group, and Del City Navy Junior ROTC members as the honor guard.

“The day was special for 17 Del City Navy Junior ROTC students who participated in the presentation of our nation’s colors and the reading of the individual citations,” Keilty said in an interview. “A special thanks goes out to all the Del City service organizations and the city of Del City, including the proud members of our VFW, who stood outside the plaza for the whole ceremony to provide a rendering of honors at the end.”
story/photo by Darl Devault, contributing editor

American Legion Lebron Post 58

Esports program, which is designed to reduce veteran suicide by providing an environment of a connection.

Suicide has no single cause and no one approach can end it-but prevention is possible, especially when Veterans find support before a crisis happens.
That’s the mission of the American Legion Lebron Post 58 in Guthrie with its Bunker 58 Esports program, which is designed to reduce veteran suicide by providing an environment of a connection, teamwork, and camaraderie for local veterans.
“Bunker 58 started as an idea between three Legionnaires a couple of years ago,” said Army veteran and Lebron Post 58 Chaplain George Shafer. “We were sitting around drinking coffee, and one of our members read an article in the National American Legion Magazine about a partnership with a gaming organization. And in that article, it explained to us that eSports provides a level of camaraderie, accountability, and competition that veterans crave. We began the process of looking into what it would look like to get that program at our post here in Guthrie. And we began looking at the cost and looking into the internet, and considering where we could potentially run the program.”
Shafer said the process began of reaching out to Regiment Gaming, which is the nation’s largest veteran-only gaming community in the country.
“I was able to make contact with Chris Earl, who’s the CEO of Regiment, and that began a working relationship with both Regiment and Paradox Customs to get the computers,” Shafer said. “Our committee worked tirelessly from February until July, getting the room designated, getting the room prepared. We coordinated with the community. We coordinated with many entities to help make this happen. And finally, on July 10th, we had our grand opening.”
Shafer said the grand opening was a success.
“It exceeded our expectations dramatically,” he said. “We were hoping on a Wednesday afternoon to hopefully get 10 or 20 people to come out and look at what we were doing. We ended up having over 100 people show up. We were able to speak with veterans and attendants who had never stepped foot into an American Legion before. We were able to procure new memberships coming from a younger demographic. And the response that we got from our immediate community was overwhelmingly special.”
Shafer said Bunker 58 is a passion project for Lebron Post 58 members.
“Many of our committee members are enthusiastic about this project because we know somebody who has succumbed to being part of the 22 a day,” Shafer said, in reference to the number of veteran suicides per day. “Our goal is to have this program up and running so that it is a safe place to land for any veteran who finds themselves struggling during the holidays, starting with Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving through the week after New Year’s, is our target goal to get good at facilitating, mentoring, and assisting veterans through this new venue.”
Shafer said each Esports committee member is being trained how to operate the gaming equipment by Brent Lemmons, vice-chair of the Esports committee and former Esports coach at Guthrie High School.
“We’re training our committee members on how to operate the equipment,” Shafer said. “We will train up the entire committee on how to start up, run, diagnose, fix, assist, get people onto gaming platforms, working with the different areas of hardware like the mouse, the keyboard, the headset, the controller, the towers.”
Shafer said when the training is finished, the goal is to host game nights and tournaments.
“We’d like to have beginner nights where people just step in and they learn about what Esports is, and how they can take advantage of it,” he said.
Shafer, like other veterans, has had his share of struggles since leaving the military.
He said his faith and a support network has helped him.
“I am a veteran that has struggled,” he said. “I’ve been out of the military for 10 years. I have struggled with the aimlessness, and the lack of passion, feeling worthless, feeling empty, feeling void.”
Shafer said his struggles help him better help other veterans.
“When I see that in somebody else, I’m able to recognize it,” he said. “Not because I’ve experienced exactly what that person has experienced, but it rekindles my desire to ensure that nobody ever feels that way again. To ensure that they understand that they’re made in the image of God, in the image of their creator, and that they have worth, and that they have value. Even if they no longer wear the uniform or serve the country, they still have value and they still have worth, and they still have things that they were put on this planet to do. And if I can help them get through this short, temporal period of feeling empty, it’s my honor to do that.”
According to a 2023 Military Times article, video games have gone hand in hand with military service since the 1990s when service members would take their Nintendo or Sega Genesis consoles on deployment with them. While much has changed in the quality and quantity of gaming services and platforms, one thing has remained constant: Military members love video games.
They love them so much that the Navy, Army, Marine Corps, Air Force/Space Force, and Coast Guard have established esports teams. The services founded these teams to modernize outreach and recruitment efforts and show a different side to military service.
Shafer said the long-term goal of Bunker 58 is to give veterans an outlet to turn to instead of suicide.
“The long-term goal is to end veteran suicide. So, do I believe video games are the answer for veteran suicide? No, I do not. I believe that Esports are a methodology to reaching potential veterans that could be struggling,” he said. “And that is our responsibility. Do we want veterans to come out and play video games? Of course. Absolutely. We want to provide that environment. We want the environment to be safe, we want it to be warm, we want it to be engaging. But when people pull me aside in my role as a chaplain to discuss matters of faith, suicidal tendencies, financial hardships, joblessness, I believe that is the core of the program that will eventually begin to save lives.”

For more information about Bunker 58 call the Lebron Post 58 post at (405) 282-2589.