Thursday, May 2, 2024
George Oney of Pearl was just in his early 20s with his whole life ahead of him when he was drafted during the height of the Korean War in February 1952.
Oney, now 92, was one of 37 men the Coryell-Hamilton draft board sent to Abilene, and then to other areas for military basic training.
A story in a February 1952 issue of The Messenger noted it was the largest induction of men from the area since the Korean War had begun in June 1950. The war would continue until July 27, 1953.
Oney was not sent to Korea – after basic training at Camp Roberts in California he was then sent to Germany.
"I had worked in artillery repair (as a civilian worker at nearby Fort Hood) so I applied for that, but they sent me to a communication zone in Nancy, France. I spent about a year and a half over there."
He said after that, he was assigned to the personnel department but not given assignments except to read Army manuals.
He said he was bored, and applied for Officer Candidate School (OCS) back in the United States. A superior officer saw the application, and offered him an alternative.
"He said he could approve that application and send me to OCS or that he could attend quartermaster school in Germany," Oney recalled. "He said there was a dire need for second lieutenants in Korea, and if I went to OCS, I would probably be sent over there. He told me they were shooting real bullets in Korea. I made up my mind to go to quartermaster school.
"I had a wonderful experience and saw a lot of the country. The whole shebang was a pretty interesting experience."
