There Are Many Veteran Stories Texas Style

By William Harris


The Lone Star State has a special relationship with World War II veterans. Texas sent more of its citizens off to the war than any other state. It also became a major training center for new recruits and a industrial power for the war effort. Today there are many organizations that support the state's veterans and educate school students about the history of a period that dramatically changed the face of the state. Veteran stories Texas are an important part of the collective memory.

Before the war, this huge area was almost entirely rural, women were expected to stay home and raise a family, and everyone had been hard hit by the Great Depression. Texans responded enthusiastically to the call to arms, women joined the workforce in the factories, and populations shifted to urban centers. Training facilities for new recruits sprang up, swelling the population.

Over a million and a half new recruits were trained in the state. While 22,000 citizens gave their lives to the fight for freedom, the permanent population grew by one third. Famous Texans who returned from the war included Dwight D. Eisenhower, who became President, and Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier in the Army. Murphy later starred in several popular Hollywood films.

Texans have continued to support veterans and their families. The Texas Historical Commission began a program in 2005 called ' 'The Texas in World War II Initiative'. This project is designed to celebrate veterans, the people who served at home, and local sites important to that period. Attention is also focused on educating middle and high school students about their rich heritage.

College Station TX is a metropolitan area, in conjunction with its immediate neighbor Bryan, that focuses on services for veterans and their families. The twin cities are located about 85 miles from Austin, 100 miles from Houston, 90 miles from Fort Hood, and 70 from a veterans hospital in Temple. This is called 'easy access' in an place where they are used to vast distances.

Brazos County, home to College Station, is also where a support group called 'Brazos Valley Cares' holds fundraisers for organizations that serve veterans. They raise money for the Texas A&M 'Veterans Recovery & Support Center' and San Antonio's 'Family Support Center". Check out their web page to see what else they do.

All veterans have stories to tell, although some returnees are hesitant to do so. Effort like these seek to prevent the isolation that can cause ex-military with post traumatic stress problems to suffer clinical depression and even to commit suicide. Those who stayed in this country to raise beef to feed the servicemen or work in factories making war supplies also have stories to tell about how the war impacted their lives and their futures.

The efforts to support Texan veterans and their families is an example to other states. The story of the sacrifices of World War II need to be told and preserved. The people who gave their best for their country need to be celebrated.




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