Page 88 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2022 - Online Magazine

Michael Walker A Family Tradition of

Military Service

by Larry Williams

or Michael Walker worked at a night club for
of Tahoka, there was a year after high school.
Fa great probability I left the band and got
that he would wind up in a job at the newspaper,
the service; the question the Augusta Chronicle and
was only what branch Herald as a copy boy,
that would be. Mike’s then a cold and hot type
grandfather served during operator. I went down to
WWI. His father served join the Air Force, filled
as a combat medic during out all the paperwork, but
WWII and the Korean they said they didn’t have
and Vietnam Wars and any openings. I ran into
was wounded numerous an Army recruiter and
times. In fact, Mike decided to join up.”
was born in the Army’s
Oliver General Hospital Walker’s basic training
in Augusta, Georgia to took place at Ft. Benning,
William and Missouri Georgia. “Then I was sent
Walker on August 17, to Ft. Gordon, Georgia
1947, where his dad where I was trained
worked as a ward master. in communications,
He had one brother (who fast teletype, and had
was also briefly in the a top-secret clearance.
service during Vietnam), They sent 16 of us to
one stepbrother and one STRATCOM (US Army
adopted sister. His father Strategic Communications
worked in the Civilian Command) in Davis,
Conservation Corps California. It was our job
(CCC) before he joined the to operate and maintain
Army in 1938. He retired the DCS Automatic
from the military in 1960 Teletypewriter and radio
but was recalled in 1965 transmitting. All messages
to Ft. Steward, Georgia from Vietnam were routed
to teach and train combat through there. I was there
medics. about six months, then
sent to STRATCOM in
Mike attended George Ft. Detrick, Maryland.
Butler High School in There we made message
Augusta where he played distributions to the
the drums in the band. Pentagon. I was there over
He also played in a rock a year and had orders to
and roll band called “The go to Vietnam three times.
Customs.” According I finally got orders to go to
to Mike, The Customs Vietnam and had 44 days
“played as the opening of leave which I spent
band up and down the with a buddy in Lubbock,
east coast for several well- where I had a good time
known bands at the time. I but spent all my money.”

88 Lubbock Senior Link