The Unwavering Journey of Corporal Milford W. Crumplar
U.S. Army WWII US Military Dates of Service: 1942 – 1945 Rifleman, Guard, 704th Engineer Railway Grand Division A native of Alexandria, Louisiana, Milford was born to Edwin Eugene Crumplar and Eloise Weaks Crumplar as the middle boy of three sons. His father, who was in the National Guard in another state when the nation […]
The Journey of Kelvin J. Cochran: Shreveport’s First African-American Fire Chief
Civil Rights Shreveport, LA Fire chief Born in Shreveport to George and Jane Houston Cochran, Kelvin was six when his father died. The family moved from Alameda Terrace Projects to Brooks Street and Rearsnow Street. At age five, he joined Galilee Baptist Church, where he is still a member. Kelvin recalls sleeping with all his […]
Lieutenant Commander Jackson B. Davis: WWII Codebreaker
Lieutenant Commander U. S. Navy WWII US Military Dates of Service: 07/14/1941 – 01/1946 Codebreaker, 14th Naval District Headquarters “I hailed a cab; it took me on out to Pearl, where the war was started,” recalls Jackson Davis. He was born near LeCompte, Louisiana. After finishing law school, Jackson entered the service, received his commission, […]
Louis & Rose Van Thyn: A Story of Holocaust Survival and Resilience
This couple saw the worst of World War II as Jewish prisoners in Nazi death camps. Louis and Rose were both born in Amsterdam. Rose’s immediate family, including her first husband, died in the Holocaust. As a young, healthy woman, she was sent to Auschwitz, where scientists used her in medical experiments. Louis also was […]
The Remarkable Journey of Harold Terry: WWII Veteran to Elected Sheriff
PFC U. S. Marines WWII US Military Dates of Service: 08/12/1943 – 11/30/1945 Rifleman, 22nd Marine Regiment Harold was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, as one of three sons of Edwin Bryant Terry and Lola DeSpain Terry. His parents divorced when he was two years old. His father’s alimony and the boys’ odd jobs supported the […]
The Inspiring Story of Allen Dean: Artist and WWII Veteran
2LT U. S. Army WWII US Military Dates of Service: 09/16/1942 – 11/27/1945 AA Automatic Weapons Unit Commander, 531 AAA (AW) BN, 30th Infantry Division Allen was born at home in Colfax, Louisiana, one of three children of Preston Allen Dean, Sr., and Addie Swafford Dean. While his father raised cattle, maintained a peach orchard, […]