Honoring Our Veterans
We present… our tribute
Ron Brown
Acting Director and Vice Director,
Joint Interagency Task Force South
(Commanded the Drug War)
Letter from General Clark, Commander in Chief, United States Southern Command
1948-1949 Photo of Ron and his Father just after World War II and just Before the Korean War
1948-1949 Photo of Ron and Ron’s Mother and Father in Mexico, just after World War II and just before the Korean War; Ron’s Father was a senior NCO during WWII
Photo of Ron’s Father and Ron’s Father’s Brother in Law who was a Retired Army Major During the Korean War
Photo of Ron and his Senior Staff when Ron was a Special Operations Aviation Battalion Commander
“I turned 38 while at Basic Training in Ft. Benning, GA. Most of my comrades were between 18 to 21. I was called “Pops” by most of the company, including the Drill Sargant’s. I enjoyed every minute of my time on sand hill training with infantry prior to moving on to medic school at Ft Sam Houston in Texas. I was injured and had my time in the service shortened to seven years, at which time I was retired due to disability. I would go back and do it all again, even knowing that I would carry this pain with me the rest of my life. My only regret is that I was not able to stay in longer and support my team, friends, and family. I am proud of my service and the service of my two sons Paul and Luke, as well as those who served before me, my father Rick Butler and brother Leonard Gazley.
Respectfully Submitted,
Bobby Butler”
Bobby K Butler SGT, U.S. Army (retired)
Reyna’s tribute to her Grandfather, Tuskegee Airman, LeRoy Gillead
Reyna Gillead
Teresa Grant
“My father was a Sergeant in the US army during the Korean War. I don't have all the details, (but this is what I know). He enlisted to serve his Country as many young men did. He fought on the front line. He had many stories he told over the years, accompanied by many nightmares and cold sweats. During those years, men did not seek counseling so he got through his ptsd as best he could. One story that stuck out to me was him relaying how he was chest down in rice paddies in a do or die situation with the "enemy", when to his shock he came face to face, or body to body, 100 yards out with a young North Korean man. They both positioned their machine guns directly at each other. In that instant of time, he saw his life pass before him. No time to think, however, and as strange as it seems, he was reluctant to shoot the "enemy". In his pause, he noticed that the young man he faced was also frozen. It seemed to last for many minutes, but in that instant of time, neither shot their weapons. Instead, they held their fire. The young Korean was first to move away, doubling back towards the direction he came. My father did the same and never spoke of the encounter again, (except to his loved ones when back safely among us). I have often wondered how many times this happened during that war, or any of the other wars. My father went on to shoot many enemies as he was instructed to do. However, he was indeed haunted by war during the rest of his life. Was he a coward? Or was he a hero? Or was he just a very young man in an extreme circumstance he really didn't even understand? I know for myself I love and stand for our Country, but I do not believe in War. I looked up to my father; proud, honest and to me, always very courageous. Rest in Peace Daddy, aka Mr. Gene Grant, my hero!
I love you!”
Tribute to the veterans in the Luster Family
My family has multiple family members who over the generations have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Our family has served in the U.S Army, US. Air Force, U. S. Army Air Corps before it became the U. S. Air Force, and the U.S. Marines.
My Great Uncle Ralph Haynes served as an enlisted person in the U.S. Army during WWI.
My Uncle Bob Lucadello served for twenty-seven years in the U.S. Army Corps then the U.S. Air Force spanning WWII, Korean War and Vietnam. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and is the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism. During WWI he was a navigator on the B-17 Flying Fortress. He flew 25 combat missions. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery.
My father Orville Luster served as an enlisted person during WWII in the European theater. He landed on Normandy Beach three months after D-Day in September 1944. In served in the famed truck convoy Red Ball Express which was utilized by General Patton to resupply the troops on the front lines. After V-E Day, he remained in Germany for one year then was transferred to Japan to support the rebuild there for almost two years. He obtained the rank of first sergeant.
My Cousin Jeff Steinbach served an enlisted person in Vietnam as a U.S. Marine Corps sniper. He is a purple heart recipient. Jeff also worked for Luster National, Inc. as a construction manager for 12 years.
My Cousin Michelle Jacques served as an enlisted person in the U.S. Air Force in the late 1970s. She was stationed in Hawaii.
My Cousin Robert Lucadello served as field artillery officer in the 1980s. He was stationed at Ft. Still, OK and South Korea. He trained on 155 field artillery cannons and obtained the rank of lieutenant. His father is Lieutenant Colonel Lucadello.
I was fortunate to serve my country too, having served as an infantry officer between 1981 to 1992. After receiving my commission from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point I served at Ft. Benning, GA, Ft. Hood, TX, and back on staff and faculty at West Point. After 7 years on active duty, I reverted to reserve duty at Ft. Baker, Sausalito. I obtained the rank of Captain.
My Cousin Jackson Hartley is currently serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. I was fortunate to see him graduate from the Marine Corps Boot Camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, CA March 2023. He is now stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC as a heavy equipment operator.
Robert Luster
Kathy Masters, P.E., PMP
Kathy’s Father, George Lyne Jr. served in the United States Navy during WWII, pictured on the left.
A Tribute to H.R. McMaster: A Soldier, Scholar, Leader, and Friend
By Demetrius C. Oatis
On Veterans Day, we honor all the brave men and women who have served our country in uniform. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their courage, sacrifice, and dedication to our freedom and security. Among them is a remarkable individual who has been a friend and inspiration to many of us: H.R. McMaster.
H.R. McMaster is a retired lieutenant general of the United States Army who served as the 25th National Security Advisor from 2017 to 2018. He is also known for his roles in the Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is currently a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, a professor at Stanford University, and the chair of the Hudson Institute Japan Chair Advisory Board.
I have had the privilege of knowing H.R. since our days at West Point, where we graduated in 1984. He was a brilliant student, a natural leader, and a loyal friend. We shared several classes and athletic teams together. He always had a passion for history and strategy, which led him to pursue a Ph.D. in American history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. To this day, we talk about our boxing matches at West Point!
Demetrius Oatis
H.R. was also a distinguished soldier, who demonstrated his valor and skill in combat. During the Gulf War, he commanded Eagle Troop of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, taking part in the Battle of 73 Easting, where he led a decisive charge against a larger Iraqi force. He later commanded the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment in Iraq, where he implemented a successful counterinsurgency strategy in Tal Afar. He also served as a top advisor to General David Petraeus in Afghanistan and Iraq, and as the Director of the Army Capabilities Integration Center.
As National Security Advisor, H.R. was instrumental in shaping the US foreign policy, dealing with complex challenges such as North Korea, Iran, China, Russia, and terrorism. He was respected for his candor, integrity, and professionalism by both his colleagues and his adversaries. He advocated for a strong and principled approach to national security, based on a clear understanding of American interests and values.
H.R. is not only a hero, but also a mentor and a role model for many of us who aspire to serve our country with honor and excellence. He has shown us what it means to be a soldier, scholar, leader, and great friend.
On this Veterans Day, we salute H.R. McMaster for his outstanding service to our nation and our people. We thank him for his friendship and his example. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
H.R., you are a genuine American and I am proud to call you my friend.
Happy Veterans Day!
Saluting Army Veteran Demetrius “Dee” Oatis
On Veterans Day, we honor all the brave men and women who have served our country in uniform. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their courage, sacrifice, and dedication to our freedom and security. Among them is a remarkable Luster colleague who has been a friend and inspiration to many of us: Demetrius “Dee” Oatis.
Dee Oatis completed his military career as a major in the United States Army. He served as a field artillery officer in various locations around the world from 1984 to 1991. He is also a distinguished graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering in 1984. He also attended several military schools, including the U.S. Army Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the U.S. Army Airborne School, the coveted U.S. Army Ranger School, and the U.S. Army Air Assault School, where he was an honor graduate.
Dee demonstrated his valor and skill while serving in combat arms during his military service. He participated in REFORGER 85, a NATO exercise in Germany, where he served as a damage control officer. He also commanded several artillery units, including a 155mm self-propelled howitzer battery, a 109mm towed howitzer battalion (air assault), and a headquarters battery. He was responsible for fire direction, supply, and training of his soldiers. He also served as a company commander and a brigade supply officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Dee is not only a proud veteran, but also a mentor and a role model for many of us who aspire to serve our country with honor and excellence. He has shown us what it means to be a soldier, scholar, leader, and most of all, friend. He has taught us how to think critically, act decisively, and communicate effectively. He has inspired us with his vision, wisdom, and courage.
On this Veterans Day, we salute Dee Oatis for his outstanding service to our nation and our people. We thank him for his friendship and his example. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
Dee, you are a true American patriot and we are proud to call you our friend and colleague.
Happy Veterans Day!
In honor of these two men and their service:
“My Father, John Thomas Alexander, was the first high school senior in Georgia that took the Officer Candidate Test and passed. This entered him into the Naval Academy. The war ended and he was honorably discharged.
My stepfather, Frank Paul Brysch, was in the Army. He did his basic training in Fort Benning, GA. He served 4 tours of duty in Korea and 1 tour in Vietnam. He was in the Airborne Division (which he loved). He made lifelong friends during his time of service! Many would stop by our house during my childhood just to visit Frank.”
Wendy Peavy
John Thomas Alexander, US Navy
Wendy’s Biological Father
Frank Paul Brysch
Wendy’s Stepfather
A few facts about Fred:
Fred Streb served for 21 years in the US Army.
He is a Retired Lieutenant Colonel.
Throughout his service he had 10 assignments and 8 moves.
Fred says that the highlight of all of it was taking his father back to Bora Bora where his father had been stationed in the South Pacific… listen to Fred tell his story in his own words:
Fred Streb
Carl Streb 1942
'I cried all the time ... but I did my job'
BY JEFF WILKINSON - JWILKINSON@THESTATE.COM
UPDATED DECEMBER 07, 2008 8:11 PM
Blythewood native Solomon Bright served on the USS Bowers during World War II.
Solomon Bright felt the impact, but didn’t see the kamikaze slam into the bridge of destroyer escort USS Bowers as it cruised off Okinawa on April 16, 1945. Bright was busy manning a 20-mm gun behind the bridge’s superstructure, pumping shells at other Japanese Zero fighter planes as their suicidal pilots attempted to sink the ship by crashing into it.
Bright said he helped shoot down two of the deadly planes, but a third slammed into the pilot house, spraying the deck with burning gasoline. Its bomb penetrated 20 feet into the ship and exploded, killing 65 sailors. “I lost a lot of friends,” said Bright, 84, of North Columbia. “And all I could do was cry. I cried all the time ... but I did my job.”
Bright is one of 100 veterans who will be on the inaugural Honor Flight to the nation’s capital on Nov. 15 to visit the National World War II Memorial. Local organizers hope to raise $300,000 to charter six flights to take 600 veterans to Washington for free over the next year or so. Priority will be given to veterans in ill health or those who have not seen the memorial.
Bright was born in Blythewood, the oldest of 13 children. Only recently did most of his family learn of his service on the USS Bowers, which miraculously survived the kamikaze attack and became known as “the ship that wouldn’t die.” “He was a walking hero, and we didn’t even know it,” brother Robert Bright said. Bright was only 16 and too young for the service in 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Isolated in rural Blythewood and a crack shot with a single-barreled shotgun and rifle, he was more interested in hunting squirrels than the Japanese.
But when he turned 19 on Sept. 22, 1943, he registered for the draft as the law required. Less than a month later, he found himself in the U.S. Navy. “I said, ‘I got a letter from the government, mama,’” he said. “I couldn’t swim. But if you threw me in, I figured I’d float.”
Bright was inducted at Fort Jackson, shipped to Maryland for rudimentary basic training, then found himself on the brand new USS Bowers in San Francisco Bay, heading for open ocean. “He had three weeks of training and then off to the war,” brother Sylvester Bright said. Previously, Solomon Bright’s only experience with the ocean had been a single pleasure boat ride in Charleston Harbor.
As the USS Bowers moved under the Golden Gate Bridge, “I said, ‘I don’t think I need to go out on all that water,’” Bright said. “Lord, I didn’t want to be on that boat no more. But I stuck with it.” Bright was trained as a steward’s mate — one of only a handful of African-Americans on the ship — assisting in the galley and serving the officers.
But he was also trained to fire the 20-mm gun. Officers found his years of hunting in the woods around Blythewood made him an excellent marksman. They nicknamed him “Little Bright.” “They said, ‘Little Bright can fire that gun!’” he said. The mission of the USS Bowers and other destroyer escorts was to protect other ships from submarines and air attacks using depth charges and hedgehogs — underwater bombs launched from ships. The submarine commanders “knew we could get them,” Bright said.
From March 1944 to April 1945, the Bowers escorted convoys and fought in battles all over the Pacific — New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Bougainville, Leyte Gulf and Okinawa. Bright said in addition to the attack at Okinawa that crippled the ship, the Bowers also helped fight off kamikazes at Leyte. “The captain would say, ‘Little Bright, fire that gun,’” Bright said. “‘I want you to take care of God’s work,’ he would say, just like a preacher.” Bright was discharged from the service Dec. 15, 1945, and returned to Blythewood. “My daddy wouldn’t let me re-enlist,” he said. Bright, who never married, spent his working life as a mechanic. Each day since his discharge, he has worn a suit and tie, even working on cars. “I’m Navy,” he said. “We dress.”
This story was originally published September 29, 2008, 12:01 AM.
Submitted by: Pamela Upshaw to Luster National, Inc.
Pamela Upshaw
I joined the military in August 2013 where I attended Basic at Ft. Leonard Wood, MI (this is the picture with my son, Caleb on graduation day, 31 Oct 2013).
I went on to Ft Sam Houston, TX to begin my training as a 68F, Physical Therapy Specialist. My first duty station was Ft Riley, KS which is where my daughter Margot was born in 2015.
I graduated Basic Leadership Course (BLC) in 2015 and pinned the rank of Sergeant (this is the picture of me in the helicopter). I then PCS’d to SHAPE, Belgium in 2017 to work as the Operations and Training NCO for the NATO clinic in Mons. As one of the highest ranked enlisted members in our small unit, I was responsible for the Operations and Training for nearly 60 military members and 400+ medical professionals from US and NATO allies.
I was promoted to Staff Sergeant in August 2002, and PCS’d to Fort Jackson, SC where I served as the Department of Rehab NCOIC, responsible for the leadership and training of 5 enlisted, 6 newly commissioned officers, and 35 medical professionals. I exited the military in August of 2022 and joined Luster in July of the same year.
