Page 72 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2017- Online Magazine
P. 72
Leslie Cross
Emerging with
Integrity
by Kara Leslie
here were five boys in the to let the Good Samaritan take
home, two already serving the fellow to his barracks. An
Ton the front lines, when argument ensued, an officer
another draft letter arrived. Leslie arrived, and Leslie was accused
Cross’s mother wept that day of “cussing” at the guard. Only
and again the day he passed two months before his discharge,
the entrance exam and took the Leslie Cross was court-martialed.
Oath of Service. He said he even The lawyer wasn’t much help.
“felt sorrowful” for himself. He “They took my stripes, and it
didn’t want to go; he had dreams really changed me.” For the next
of going to medical school and two months, he served as an
had already completed one orderly for a colonel. He took
and a half years at Langston care of this man’s room, shined
College. He had only come home his shoes, and did whatever
for a semester to earn a little his boss needed. Leslie can still
more college tuition. Leslie was vividly recall each of the faces
looking for a job, but the United battle strategies, map reading and conversations surrounding
States Army was looking for and photography. From there, the ordeal. He was discharged as
another soldier. the soldier was sent to Quarter a private.
Leslie Cross reported to Dallas Master Depot in Jeffersonville, The good news is that, after
for the examination. He recalled Indiana. He was given a three- his service in the Army, Leslie
how strenuous the examination man crew to plant flowers and enjoyed a very successful career.
was, both physically and keep the post beautiful. After The GI Bill paid for him to
mentally. Weighing only 109 a few months, he was asked return to college, this time at
lbs., Leslie thought he was too to landscape the entire post. Prairie View A&M, where he got
small to serve. However, he During his time in Jeffersonville, a degree in business. His first
was intelligent and he aced Leslie enjoyed eating at local job was back home in Mineral
the IQ exams. He was sent to restaurants, dancing the jitterbug, Wells at a helicopter base. But
Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, seeing Lionel Hampton, Count someone at Prairie View thought
where he was assigned to the Basie, and the Kentucky Derby. he would make a good business
Headquarter Company, which Leslie knew how to live in teacher and recommended him to
included motor pool, demolition, the moment and enjoy what the Seminole school district. He
explosives, communication and the Army had
intelligence. Leslie said, “the provided for him.
other one, the Line Company, One particular
packed the rifles and did the weekend is
real work…they did the real etched in Cross’s
fighting.” At night when it was memory. He
quiet, he would think of all the was walking
men in his platoon, face by face back to the post
and name by name. By the end and noticed a
of the war, more than half never soldier lying in a
came home. drunken stupor in
After basic training, he attended someone’s yard.
classes on the nomenclature of Leslie called a cab,
weapons, interrogating prisoners, but the guard at
the gate refused
72 Lubbock Senior Link
