45th Infantry Division, the “Thunderbird” Division - the Oklahoma National Guard Division called into service in WW2 and the first called for Korea. My step-father was part of the Korea call-up, having joined after WW2 service to continue service for retirement credit. He ended up not being sent to Korea, instead staying at Ft. Polk in the training cadre. That also ended his desire to get the retirement credit.
I served in the 45th Infantry Brigade of the OKARNG after leaving active duty in the early 80s.
The 45th Thunderbirds and Oklahoma is my DNA. My family moved across the Red River into the Indian Territory in the 1890s and my Dad was born in Durant. In regards to the 45th, I sincerely commend the 45th Infantry Division Museum at Oklahoma City for anyone with interest in military equipment and history. It is one of the largest such ‘private’ military museums in the nation.
He may have died as the oldest WW2 Thunderbird in 2013 at age 95. He joined as a ‘recruit’ (no rank) in 1938 because, in his own words, he needed the weekend and summer camp pay to live. He got to E5 in 1941 and was told by his CO on a Friday in October ‘41 that he was going to be a butter bar the next Monday. His protest of this undesired ‘promotion’ had the CO utter the family famous clincher; “I wasn’t asking, I am TELLING!” He retired out of the Regular Army as a full Colonel in 1965 having served in Korea and Vietnam as well.
My tag comes from my love of history. I regard the year 1066 as second in importance only to the Birth at Bethlehem. A tiny change of events in that year of 2 invasions of Britain could have made such a difference in subsequent history.