VOM – May 2024
Tony Wayne Doss US Army 1989 – 2010 Tony Doss spent over 21 years serving his country in the U.S. Army and the Tennessee Army National Guard. As the Chief Fire Direction Control in Covington, Tenn., his responsibilities encompassed supervising fire direction operations and troubleshooting advanced tactical systems. He played
VOM – November 2021
Ozell Wright (16 Jul 1935 – 17 Jan 2022) U.S. Army 1958- 1960 Born in Covington, Tennessee, on July 16, 1935, Ozell Wright grew up in a world at war. World War II was the predominant news during much of his childhood; then during his teen years, Korea was a
VOM – May 2021
Eddie Nep Wilson (4 Dec 1925 – 26 Aug 1921) U.S. Army 1944-1946 Eddie Nep Wilson was born on Dec. 4, 1925, in Brighton, Tennessee, to Jim and Nannie Strain Wilson. One of ten children, six boys, and four girls, he attended Saddler School until the third grade and then
VOM – March 2018
J. Houston Gordon US Army, Vietnam 1968-1974 The Tipton County Veterans Council and the Tipton County Museum, Veterans Memorial and Nature Center Veteran of the Month for March, 2018 Houston Gordon Houston Gordon graduated from Covington’s Byars-Hall High School in 1964 and with high honors from the University of Tennessee
VOM – October 2018
Marshall Billy Walker (October 17, 1930 – August 2, 2024) US Army, Korea 1949-1953 Born October 17, 1930 in Tennessee, Marshall Walker grew up on a farm in Tipton County. He attended Burlison School in the Gilt Edge area of Tipton County and completed eighth grade. As the son of
VOM – June 2017
Rudolph Boykin Jr US Army, Vietnam 1968-1970 Son Follows in Father’s Footsteps By Sherri Onorati, Special to The Leader World War II veteran Rudolph Boykin, Sr., was honored as the Veteran of the Month in March, and now his namesake, Rudolph Boykin, Jr., has been selected as the June 2017
VOM – August 2021
John D Abbott Merchant Marines 1945-1945 / U.S. Army 1945-1947 John Durwood Abbott was born November 4, 1922, in Wesson, Arkansas, the only child of Henry C. and Carrie May Abbott. John left school after the 7th grade to work on tugboats towing barges from Houston, Texas, to Mobile, Alabama.
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 – 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