Page 108 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2018- Online Magazine

George Bradley
“Follow Your Dreams”
by Katherine Mclamore and Larry A. Williams

none as tough and diners and sitting in the back
terrifying as the of the bus.” But the young
survival training man did not allow the racism
at Fairfield. Later of that era to handicap him.
in his career, he He was a dreamer.
also attended NCO
(non-commissioned George graduated from
officer) Leadership Booker T. Washington High
School at March School in 1966. In 1969, he
Air Force Base, “went to sign up for the
California.
George was born
in New Orleans
in January 1946,
the firstborn of
four children and
was raised by his
grandfather and
grandmother. His
grandfather Charles
worked doing dry
wall and house
painting, as well as
maintenance and
general labor work.
“ hey put a sack over His grandmother
my head and marched Ethel was a domestic
Tme to a cell. That was worker and rental property
a scary moment.” While owner. The movie “The Marines, but they were out
he was not really captured Help” reminds him of his to lunch, so I joined the Air
by the enemy, for Sergeant grandmother. He recalls Force.” He did his basic
George Bradley, it sure going to a kindergarten and training at Lackland Air
felt like it. He was taking grade school that was “right Force Base in San Antonio,
survival training at Fairfield across from our house. On Texas. When he was in high
Air Force rainy days, I had school, he had “dreamed
Base, 12 no excuse not to of going to see the world,
miles go to school.” and the military took me to
southwest France, England, Spain and
of Spokane, While George Hawaii.” He also served two
Washington. had a “good tours in the Philippines as
George childhood” well as in Thailand, Okinawa
attended growing up in and Japan.
numerous the Deep South,
training he was also His main job in the Air
courses for aware of the Force was Life Support &
both land segregation at Survival Equipment for F4
and water the time. He Phantom Jets. He was the
during his mentioned NCOIC (Non-commissioned
20 years in “separate Officer in Charge) of all
the U.S. Air beaches, survival equipment, such as
Force but bathrooms, parachutes, oxygen masks,
water fountains, and floatation devices.

108 Lubbock Senior Link