VOM – September 2021
Jimmy Lee Blakely U.S. Army, Vietnam 1966-1968 Jimmy Lee Blakely was born on Sept. 24, 1947, to James “Jack” and Jewell Mae Sims Blakely in Selmer, Tennessee, the second of four children. His family moved to Tipton County when Jimmy was young, and he and his siblings attended Byars-Hall High
VOM – January 2022
Paul Wesley Sampson U.S. Navy 1976-1980 Born 1956 in Memphis, Tenn., Paul moved with his family to Charlotte, North Carolina, when he was six. After six years in Charlotte, his family returned to Memphis where Paul graduated from Wooddale High School in 1974. In May 1976, Paul joined the Navy
VOM – April 2017
Russell Leon Goforth US Army, WWII 1944-1946 Leon Goforth honored as Veteran of the Month By Sherri Onorati, Special to The Leader April’s Veteran of the Month is World War II veteran and life-long Covington resident Russell L. Goforth. He was nominated by Vernon Jerry Covington who remarked that he
VOM – September 2016
Henry Leslie Billings (22 May 1947-10 Jun 2023) US Army, Vietnam 1966-1973 Billings finds blessings after tours in Vietnam By SHERRI ONORATI, Special to The Leader More than 2.6 million personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam, including Atoka resident, Henry Leslie Billings, who served two tours in as
VOM – July 2021
Rebecca Knox Dickinson U.S. Navy 1961-1963 Becky Knox was born on April 28, 1943, in Chillicothe, Ohio to Donald and Marjorie Knox. She graduated from Centralia High School in May 1961, was sworn into the Navy in July, then promptly headed for bootcamp in Bainbridge, Maryland. Following her December 1961
VOM – December 2018
Stephen Paul Foisy US Army, Vietnam, 1968-1974 At the age of 21, Stephen Paul Foisy was employed with IBM when he received his draft notice for the United States Army on June 18, 1968, in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. He completed Basic Training at Fort Dix, New Jersey then served in
VOM – March 2017
Rudolph Boykin Sr. (Oct. 4, 1919 ~ Apr. 30, 2019) US Army WWII, 1944 – 1946 Brighton native honored as Veteran of the Month By Sherri Onorati, Special to The Leader The National World War II Museum reports that there were 16,112,566 members of the United States Armed Forces who
VOM – August 2016
William Thomas “Tommy” Cheairs US Air Force, Vietnam Vietnam pilot honored as Veteran of the Month By Sherri Onorati, Special to The Leader August has been a hot month for Tipton County but dealing with the heat is nothing new for this month’s Veteran of the Month. Lieutenant Colonel William
VOM – July 2018
Bruce A. Lemont US Army, 1967-1969 Born on November 9, 1948 in Portland, Maine, Bruce was drafted into the United States Army in 1967, a few short months after graduation from high school. As a member of a patriotic family (his father served in WWII and Korea, three brothers served
VOM – April 2016
James Noah Craig (Aug. 18, 1918 – Nov. 22, 2021) US Army, WWII 1940-1945 War is Hell says April’s Veteran of the Month By Sherri Onorati, Special to The Leader Tipton County native James Noah Craig was recently recognized as the April honoree for the Veteran of the Month program.