Page 84 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2017- Online Magazine
P. 84
Truett Tyler
Following His BRanCH
Brothers Army
ruett Tyler grew typing instructor. The
up on a farm near military needs all kinds
TO’Donnell, Texas, of skill. Truett was
the youngest of four discharged from the
brothers. (One of his service in November, 1946.
brothers died in 1932 at
age 7.) Truett graduated He returned to college
early from O’Donnell and went into the
High School at age 16. ROTC program and
He watched both of his was commissioned a
older brothers go off to second lieutenant upon
war. One day, while graduation in 1949. He
hoeing weeds, his dad declined his commission
suddenly asked him if and went to work at
he would like to go to college and offered to pay his Westinghouse as an Industrial Engineer. He had
way for one year. a variety of jobs over his career including a stint at
General Dynamics in San Diego, and retired in 1986.
He started Texas Tech in the fall of 1942, but As he grew older, Truett realized how much he
attended for only one year. Truett followed his missed West Texas and moved to Wolfforth.
brothers’ example and enlisted in the Army Air
Corps in April, 1944 in Lubbock. He was sent to Truett is a patriot who values the contribution of
Amarillo Air Base for basic training. The young all veterans. The story of his brother’s service, in
man had dreamed of flying ever since a childhood particular, is one he wanted to tell. His brother R.L.
experience on a carnival ride shaped like an joined the Army Air Corps in Lubbock before WWII
airplane. However, by the time he was ready for began. He trained at March Field in California
flight school training, the demand for bomber pilots and was sent to Nichols Field in the Philippines in
had declined, and he became part of a flight crew 1940, where he was trained to be a radio operator.
that worked on small trainer planes. However, a Japanese attack was imminent and R.L.
became an infantryman to help defend the island.
He was sent for additional training to Stockton, He was transferred to Bataan where 74,000 Filipino
California, then was transferred to Carlsbad Army and American servicemen held out for over three
Air Base which was a bomber training school. His months against the invading Japanese. R.L. was
assignment was to score bomb hits by the trainees. captured on his birthday in April 1942. A few days
He was then transferred to Lowry Field near later the men were forced to begin the grueling
Denver, Colorado. He was doing clerical work and 90-mile journey which is now known as the Bataan
reported that he “obtained the speed of 60 mistakes Death March. Thousands lost their lives because of
a minute”. In spite of his “mistakes”, he became a brutal physical abuse and merciless killing. R.L.
survived the horrible experience, but succumbed to
malaria and died at POW Camp O’Donnell in July
1943. His remains were never recovered.
Truett travelled to the Philippines in 2001 to pay
his respects to his missing brother and his fellow
missing servicemen.
Respectfully submitted by Larry A. Williams,
Texas South Plains Honor Flight
Veterans Liaison Co-Chair
84 Lubbock Senior Link
