Page 88 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2017- Online Magazine
P. 88
Bill Northcut
Citizen Soldier
ill Northcut critical helicopter parts
graduated from for Bell Helicopter.)
Bhigh school Bill sold audio visual
in June 1950. He was training aids to schools
drafted into the Army and worked in the oil
on February 5th, 1953. field. His last fulltime
Approximately 36,000 job was at Sul Ross
men were drafted University in Alpine
during this month, where he worked in
which was the largest the Physical Plant.
call since WWII. From After he retired in
the Korean War’s 1996, he moved to
outbreak in June 1950 Abernathy. Bill isn’t
until the armistice content just sitting
agreement in July around, so he currently
1953, 1.5 million men works part-time at
were drafted and Resthaven Cemetery.
another 1.3 million
volunteered. Bill Northcut, a 2015
Fortunately for Bill, with the honoree on the South
Basic training for Bill took place signing of the armistice in Plains Honor Flight, is a very
at Ft. Bliss near El Paso, Texas. Korea, he was able to spend his patriotic American, and holds
He and many of his buddies entire enlistment at Ft. Bliss. He strong opinions on what it means
were afraid they would be earned the rank of sergeant by to be an American and a veteran.
sent to Korea. Out of 225 in his the time his service was up in
training detachment, 175 were February 1955, and had received Here are a few examples in his
sent to the 246th Field Artillery the National Defense Medal, own words:
Unit on the main post. The Good Conduct Medal and the • “From the very beginning of the
unit had been deactivated after Presidential Unit Citation. United States, it was the citizen
WWII ended in September 1945 soldier (veteran) who gave us our
and was reactivated during the Bill held many jobs after his time country and freedom. These men and
Korean War. Bill said that his unit in the service. He worked at a women were willing to give their
“spent quite a bit of time in the dairy and as a bookkeeper for a blood and their lives if necessary for
field shooting off missiles called cotton merchant. He worked in a that freedom. Our way is not perfect,
‘corporals’. The MGM-5 corporal janitorial supply business before but it is far better than in other
was the first guided weapon to becoming the accountant at countries.”
carry a nuclear warhead and had Automation Industries in Abilene
a range of 75 miles.” (a fabrication shop which built • “It is the veteran who will defend
88 Lubbock Senior Link
