| Biographical Non-Fiction posted May 8, 2022 |
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Stories about lives intersecting.
Dyess Air Force Base
by Terry Broxson
Prologue:
These are three short slice-of-life nonfiction stories with a point of intersection. The intersection is Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas.
The first story is about my best friend from high school Bryce Parker.
The second story introduces Ben and Nell Denman. I think you will enjoy meeting them.
The final story is why Dyess Air Force Base was named for an American Hero, William Edwin Dyess.
BRYCE PARKER
I met Bryce when we joined the debate team in high school in Midland, Texas. He was smart. He had a 3.9 GPA on a 4-point system. Let's just say my GPA was about half of his. We became best friends. He had a lot to do with me thinking I could go to college. When we met our junior year, Bryce had already been accepted to Notre Dame.
Bryce would graduate from Notre Dame in 1968 and The University of Texas Law School in 1971. He then joined the United States Air Force.
Bryce's real passion was his love for "Rock and Roll."
During the summers while in college, Bryce came home from Indiana to Texas and worked as an afternoon disc jockey for "Big KABH Radio," 1510 on your AM dial. He also worked at the Notre Dame radio station while in college. At Notre Dame, Bryce set a record for continuous broadcasting of his rock and roll show for ninety-two hours.
When he finished law school, Bryce became a Judge Advocate General, JAG, an attorney for the Air Force. He was stationed at Dyess Air Force Base. One weekend Bryce was off duty and decided he would go to an Alice Cooper Concert held in Phoenix. He caught a free ride on an Air Force plane. Like a lot of other fans of Mr. Cooper, Bryce dressed up in costume, including full makeup.
Bryce had a great time and even had his buddies take a picture, costume, makeup, and a broad smile. He told me later, "I looked more like Alice than Alice!"
When Bryce returned to Dyess, he received a message to see the commanding Colonel. The Colonel greeted him with the picture of Bryce in his hand. The Colonel said, "Captain Parker, I am not amused! I will accept your resignation...immediately!"
Bryce told me, "Terry, that is how I went into private law practice in Abilene."
BEN and NELL DENMAN
Ben was a friend, mentor, and investor in my business. He was sixty-eight when I met him. He had retired as President of a large insurance company in Dallas.
There is a saying, "The apples don't fall far from the tree." Ben and Nell's daughter, Marajen, spent many years working for the nonprofit "Campus Crusade for Christ." Their son, Ed, was a long-time serving Texas District Judge.
Ben told me, "I retired at sixty-five. A month later, I had bypass surgery, and the doctor told me to stop smoking and get more exercise." It worked. Ben lived to be ninety-six. Nell made it to a hundred.
Ben had a passion and talent for business. Nell had a passion and talent for gardening. She was active in garden clubs locally, statewide, and nationally. This low-keyed "power couple" sometimes blended their talents for common purposes.
Nell was one of the founders of the Dallas Arboretum, a beautiful place for wondrous plants. In the early days of the Arboretum, there was a need to raise money to support the endeavor.
Nell told Ben, "Ben, we need a kickoff donation to get things started; let's ask Ross Perot."
Ross Perot was one of the first billionaires in America. Ben's company had been a client of Mr. Perot. Ben considered him a close personal friend.
Ben told Nell he would set up an appointment.
Mr. Perot, at this time, had sold his company, Electronic Data Systems, to General Motors for $2.5 Billion. In addition, he had just won a ten million dollar judgment against GM.
Ben described the meeting to me.
"Nell said to Ross, we need ten million dollars for the Arboretum. It is going to be an important addition to Dallas culture."
"Nell, that is a lot of money."
"Ross, you just got an additional ten million dollars from General Motors you didn't expect."
"Nell, I don't even have that money yet!"
"Well, Ross, If you don't have it yet, you won't miss it."
Nell got the ten million dollars. The Arboretum would flourish. While Nell was busy fundraising and making plans for the expansion of the Arboretum, Ben could be found greeting folks and welcoming them to the gardens.
***
Ben had joined the United States Navy in 1943 and volunteered for duty in the Pacific Theater. Ben's ship was in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, when General Douglas Macarthur signed the surrender of Japan, ending WW II.
Ben is the one who told me the following story about an American Hero, Nell's brother, and Ben's brother-in-law, Lt. Colonel William Edwin Dyess.
LT. COLONEL WILLIAM EDWIN DYESS, AN AMERICAN HERO
Ed Dyess and his sister Nell grew up in Albany, Texas, just a few miles from Abilene.
In January 1942, a month after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The Japanese forces attacked the Philippines. This would begin the three-month battle of Bataan. Captain Ed Dyess was in the Army Corps and flew a P-40 Warhawk.
Captain Dyess was relentless in leading his men in the fight. The American planes were inferior to the Japanese aircraft. When the Americans ran out of planes, Captain Dyess became an infantry officer. During this action, he earned the nickname "The One Man Scourge."
While General Douglas MacArthur retreated from the Philippines. Captain Dyess elected to stay with his men and continue the fight. He was captured and went on the infamous Bataan Death March.
Along with a handful of other soldiers, Captain Dyess escaped and managed to be picked up by a submarine and returned to the United States. This was a rare escape from the Japanese.
Captain Dyess met with President Franklin Roosevelt and briefed him on the Japanese atrocities inflicted on the American soldiers. In this meeting, Roosevelt told the war department officials that Captain Dyess's report details could not be released to the American public. The President said an information release might cause more problems for the prisoners.
President Roosevelt told Captain Dyess, "Your story will outrage Americans, and they will demand action. At this time, we are not able to respond adequately."
The specifics of the Bataan Death March and Captain Dyess's experiences would not be released for months.
Captain Dyess was promoted to Lt. Colonel and returned to service. He was assigned to a base in Southern California. He was flying a P-38 on a training mission when the plane caught fire over a heavily populated area. He stayed with the plane crashing it in a vacant lot. Sabotage was suspected.
Among other awards, Lt. Colonel William Edwin Dyess received: Distinguished Service Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, Silver Star with bronze oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Soldier's Medal, Purple Heart, and a Prisoner of War Medal.
In 2018, Nell Denman received on behalf of her brother the Congressional Gold Medal. This award was first given to George Washington in 1776 and has only been awarded to 160 recipients.
In 1957, Lt. Colonel William Edwin Dyess's sister, Nell Denman, and Ben Denman were in attendance when the Abilene Army Air Field was renamed: Dyess Air Force Base. It still serves our country today.
Prologue:
These are three short slice-of-life nonfiction stories with a point of intersection. The intersection is Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas.
The first story is about my best friend from high school Bryce Parker.
The second story introduces Ben and Nell Denman. I think you will enjoy meeting them.
The final story is why Dyess Air Force Base was named for an American Hero, William Edwin Dyess.
BRYCE PARKER
I met Bryce when we joined the debate team in high school in Midland, Texas. He was smart. He had a 3.9 GPA on a 4-point system. Let's just say my GPA was about half of his. We became best friends. He had a lot to do with me thinking I could go to college. When we met our junior year, Bryce had already been accepted to Notre Dame.
Bryce would graduate from Notre Dame in 1968 and The University of Texas Law School in 1971. He then joined the United States Air Force.
Bryce's real passion was his love for "Rock and Roll."
During the summers while in college, Bryce came home from Indiana to Texas and worked as an afternoon disc jockey for "Big KABH Radio," 1510 on your AM dial. He also worked at the Notre Dame radio station while in college. At Notre Dame, Bryce set a record for continuous broadcasting of his rock and roll show for ninety-two hours.
When he finished law school, Bryce became a Judge Advocate General, JAG, an attorney for the Air Force. He was stationed at Dyess Air Force Base. One weekend Bryce was off duty and decided he would go to an Alice Cooper Concert held in Phoenix. He caught a free ride on an Air Force plane. Like a lot of other fans of Mr. Cooper, Bryce dressed up in costume, including full makeup.
Bryce had a great time and even had his buddies take a picture, costume, makeup, and a broad smile. He told me later, "I looked more like Alice than Alice!"
When Bryce returned to Dyess, he received a message to see the commanding Colonel. The Colonel greeted him with the picture of Bryce in his hand. The Colonel said, "Captain Parker, I am not amused! I will accept your resignation...immediately!"
Bryce told me, "Terry, that is how I went into private law practice in Abilene."
BEN and NELL DENMAN
Ben was a friend, mentor, and investor in my business. He was sixty-eight when I met him. He had retired as President of a large insurance company in Dallas.
There is a saying, "The apples don't fall far from the tree." Ben and Nell's daughter, Marajen, spent many years working for the nonprofit "Campus Crusade for Christ." Their son, Ed, was a long-time serving Texas District Judge.
Ben told me, "I retired at sixty-five. A month later, I had bypass surgery, and the doctor told me to stop smoking and get more exercise." It worked. Ben lived to be ninety-six. Nell made it to a hundred.
Ben had a passion and talent for business. Nell had a passion and talent for gardening. She was active in garden clubs locally, statewide, and nationally. This low-keyed "power couple" sometimes blended their talents for common purposes.
Nell was one of the founders of the Dallas Arboretum, a beautiful place for wondrous plants. In the early days of the Arboretum, there was a need to raise money to support the endeavor.
Nell told Ben, "Ben, we need a kickoff donation to get things started; let's ask Ross Perot."
Ross Perot was one of the first billionaires in America. Ben's company had been a client of Mr. Perot. Ben considered him a close personal friend.
Ben told Nell he would set up an appointment.
Mr. Perot, at this time, had sold his company, Electronic Data Systems, to General Motors for $2.5 Billion. In addition, he had just won a ten million dollar judgment against GM.
Ben described the meeting to me.
"Nell said to Ross, we need ten million dollars for the Arboretum. It is going to be an important addition to Dallas culture."
"Nell, that is a lot of money."
"Ross, you just got an additional ten million dollars from General Motors you didn't expect."
"Nell, I don't even have that money yet!"
"Well, Ross, If you don't have it yet, you won't miss it."
Nell got the ten million dollars. The Arboretum would flourish. While Nell was busy fundraising and making plans for the expansion of the Arboretum, Ben could be found greeting folks and welcoming them to the gardens.
***
Ben had joined the United States Navy in 1943 and volunteered for duty in the Pacific Theater. Ben's ship was in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, when General Douglas Macarthur signed the surrender of Japan, ending WW II.
Ben is the one who told me the following story about an American Hero, Nell's brother, and Ben's brother-in-law, Lt. Colonel William Edwin Dyess.
LT. COLONEL WILLIAM EDWIN DYESS, AN AMERICAN HERO
Ed Dyess and his sister Nell grew up in Albany, Texas, just a few miles from Abilene.
In January 1942, a month after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The Japanese forces attacked the Philippines. This would begin the three-month battle of Bataan. Captain Ed Dyess was in the Army Corps and flew a P-40 Warhawk.
Captain Dyess was relentless in leading his men in the fight. The American planes were inferior to the Japanese aircraft. When the Americans ran out of planes, Captain Dyess became an infantry officer. During this action, he earned the nickname "The One Man Scourge."
While General Douglas MacArthur retreated from the Philippines. Captain Dyess elected to stay with his men and continue the fight. He was captured and went on the infamous Bataan Death March.
Along with a handful of other soldiers, Captain Dyess escaped and managed to be picked up by a submarine and returned to the United States. This was a rare escape from the Japanese.
Captain Dyess met with President Franklin Roosevelt and briefed him on the Japanese atrocities inflicted on the American soldiers. In this meeting, Roosevelt told the war department officials that Captain Dyess's report details could not be released to the American public. The President said an information release might cause more problems for the prisoners.
President Roosevelt told Captain Dyess, "Your story will outrage Americans, and they will demand action. At this time, we are not able to respond adequately."
The specifics of the Bataan Death March and Captain Dyess's experiences would not be released for months.
Captain Dyess was promoted to Lt. Colonel and returned to service. He was assigned to a base in Southern California. He was flying a P-38 on a training mission when the plane caught fire over a heavily populated area. He stayed with the plane crashing it in a vacant lot. Sabotage was suspected.
Among other awards, Lt. Colonel William Edwin Dyess received: Distinguished Service Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, Silver Star with bronze oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Soldier's Medal, Purple Heart, and a Prisoner of War Medal.
In 2018, Nell Denman received on behalf of her brother the Congressional Gold Medal. This award was first given to George Washington in 1776 and has only been awarded to 160 recipients.
In 1957, Lt. Colonel William Edwin Dyess's sister, Nell Denman, and Ben Denman were in attendance when the Abilene Army Air Field was renamed: Dyess Air Force Base. It still serves our country today.
 Recognized |
#11 May 2022 |
If you are not familiar with what Alice Cooper looked like at one of his concerts, you can find a picture on the internet. That will give you some idea of Bryce's appearance.
If you ever visit Dallas, be sure to put the Arboretum on your list of things and places to see.
You can find websites on the internet that provide more information about the experiences of Lt. Colonel William Edwin Dyess. The details of his meeting with President Roosevelt came from Ben Denman, after talking to his brother-in-law.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. If you ever visit Dallas, be sure to put the Arboretum on your list of things and places to see.
You can find websites on the internet that provide more information about the experiences of Lt. Colonel William Edwin Dyess. The details of his meeting with President Roosevelt came from Ben Denman, after talking to his brother-in-law.
Artwork by Lilibug6 at FanArtReview.com
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