Bio by Don Calhoun
Marriage: 14 Aug 1945
Bill was born in 1918, the youngest of 10 children. I asked him about the depression. He said, the depression was for the rich people, we were poor. Dad chopped cotton for 50 cents a day alongside the black folk during the mid 1930's, he said that was the only work to be found in Texas. Later he was hired by the Texas Highway Department on the Surveying Crew.
Dad served honorably in the US Air Forces for 20 years, with a two year break in service following WWII. When World War II broke out on December 7th, 1941, Dad was working as a diesel truck mechanic in Denver. He said the military recruiter stopped by his place of work and said: Mr. Calhoun, you can join the service now of your choice, or you'll be drafted in about a month. So Dad joined the US Army Air Corps, (a division of the US Army). At this time Bill was married to his 1st wife Violet, with a child on the way.
Because of his mechanical background, he by-passed boot camp and went straight to technical school at the B-29 aircraft Boeing manufacturing plant, at Wichita Kansas. The military gave him a duffle bag of uniforms.
I asked him how he learned to salute & march. He said he just "learned along the way"! I was born when Dad had 16 years in the military. I don't know of all of his assignments, but I am aware that he was at Kelly AFB Texas, Yokoda AB Japan, Keelsler AFB MS, Eielson AFB Alaska, Clinton-Sherman AFB OK, Altus OK.
He retired at Clinton-Sherman AFB Oklahoma and made the final move to Altus OK in 1964. We moved to Lawton in 1969, back to Altus in 1977, then back to Lawton in 1979. Bill worked for the Yellow Cab Company until he retired in 1980.
Bio by Don Calhoun
Marriage: 14 Aug 1945
Bill was born in 1918, the youngest of 10 children. I asked him about the depression. He said, the depression was for the rich people, we were poor. Dad chopped cotton for 50 cents a day alongside the black folk during the mid 1930's, he said that was the only work to be found in Texas. Later he was hired by the Texas Highway Department on the Surveying Crew.
Dad served honorably in the US Air Forces for 20 years, with a two year break in service following WWII. When World War II broke out on December 7th, 1941, Dad was working as a diesel truck mechanic in Denver. He said the military recruiter stopped by his place of work and said: Mr. Calhoun, you can join the service now of your choice, or you'll be drafted in about a month. So Dad joined the US Army Air Corps, (a division of the US Army). At this time Bill was married to his 1st wife Violet, with a child on the way.
Because of his mechanical background, he by-passed boot camp and went straight to technical school at the B-29 aircraft Boeing manufacturing plant, at Wichita Kansas. The military gave him a duffle bag of uniforms.
I asked him how he learned to salute & march. He said he just "learned along the way"! I was born when Dad had 16 years in the military. I don't know of all of his assignments, but I am aware that he was at Kelly AFB Texas, Yokoda AB Japan, Keelsler AFB MS, Eielson AFB Alaska, Clinton-Sherman AFB OK, Altus OK.
He retired at Clinton-Sherman AFB Oklahoma and made the final move to Altus OK in 1964. We moved to Lawton in 1969, back to Altus in 1977, then back to Lawton in 1979. Bill worked for the Yellow Cab Company until he retired in 1980.
Family Members
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Annie Lee Calhoun Haley
1897–1940
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Sallie Nancy Calhoun Graham
1900–1931
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Clara Beatrice Calhoun Dykes
1902–1984
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Cecil Ella Calhoun Stanley
1904–1962
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Minnie Ola Calhoun Goldsberry
1906–1989
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Callie Caron Calhoun Dennis
1908–1973
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John Robert Calhoun Sr
1911–2000
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Mary Ellen Calhoun Williams
1912–1965
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Benjamin Franklin Calhoun Jr
1915–2004
