Colonel John Allison was born September 19, 1921 in Albany, Georgia. He entered the Citadel in September of 1939 and left at the end of his Junior year in 1942 to enter the Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet. During World War II he received three Distinguished Flying Crosses as a bomber pilot. He flew 59 combat missions as a B-24 pilot and five as a B-25 pilot during almost two years in the Pacific, including the bombing of Japan. After returning to the Citadel after the war, he graduated in 1947 and then rejoined what was then the Air Force, becoming a squadron commander in Vietnam. He currently lives in Charleston and is an avid golfer. Allison reflects on his decision to attend The Citadel and his combat experiences in both WWII and Vietnam. He discusses his training as an Army Air Corps pilot and subsequent World War II military experience as a bomber pilot in the Pacific theater. He also alludes to his post-WWII career during the Cold War, including flights to gather intelligence over Russia and Cuba. Audio with transcript.
Joseph Goodson was born on January 23, 1930, in McBee, South Carolina, and grew up in nearby Darlington. The only son of a widowed mother, enrolled in The Citadel following a campus visit to a friend who was a member of the Corps of Cadets. After graduation (1951), he joined the US Marine Corps with three classmates and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He completed the Officers’ Basic Course at Quantico, VA, and was assigned to an anti-aircraft artillery unit, the 2nd 90mm Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion at Camp Lejune, NC, in early 1952. Goodson planned to apply for flight training, but on the recommendation of his commanding officer was assigned to command an artillery battery in Korea. He reflects on his experience in Korea during the time just after the Armistice was signed in 1953. He also discusses his Marine career during the 1950s and a tour in Vietnam in 1968 during the Tet Offensive and the defense of Khe Sahn. Goodson also offers observations on life at The Citadel during the period between WWII and the Korean War and contemplates the impact attending The Citadel had on his life and career. Goodson returned to The Citadel in 1972 and spent the next three years as Commanding Officer of the NROTC Unit. He discusses the question of hazing in some cadet organizations during this period. After his retirement from the Marines in 1975, he stayed on in various administrative positions at The Citadel until 1990. He lives in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
Edward Dear was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer, and his mother worked for John Wanamaker Department Store. He graduated from Frankfort High before attending Temple University, where he played football with actor Bill Cosby. He was drafted into the Marine Corps and continued to played football on the team at Quantico. He attended Officer Candidate School, the Basic School, and the Military Occupational Specialty School for engineering. While stationed at Camp Pendleton, he was ordered to the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Division and sent to the Philippines. He made two landings in Vietnam, first at the Da Nang airbase in an area known as Dodge City. After transferring to the 3rd Marine Division, he was sent to the demilitarized zone at Dang Ha. He describes the personal impact of his experiences as an officer and alludes to the evolution of the media’s war coverage. His leadership style focused on being honest and fair with his men, which carried over into his civilian life as a swimming and football coach. He continues to attend the Marine Corps Birthday Ball every year and brings students from the Marine Enlisted Commissioning Education Program (MECEP) to have “the Old Corps meet the New Corps.”
