Aggie Spirit Will Never Die
Billy "Bill" Oakley '45 July 22, 2014 12:55 PM
By B.B. Oakley '45
August 2012
My love for Texas A&M began in 1936 when I was 12. My only brother, Lon Oakley ’32, and his roommate in Mitchell Hall, Bill Buford ’32, took Joe Buford and me to meet Joe Routt, All American Guard ‘36 & ‘37. Joe Routt treated me like a long lost brother, introducing us to all at his table and even inviting us to lunch with them. We were awe struck and I have no idea what we ate, or even if we ate. Here I was with an All American in ‘36 & ’37 and Hall of Famer in 1962.
One of my best friends was Fish Huggins from Van Nuys, California. I was called Fish Oak, he was Fish Hug, and our dads worked for Gulf Oil. On Parents Day my folks came in our used ‘35 Chevy and his folks in a new Chrysler Windsor with plaid seat covers. It was the prettiest car I had ever seen. We had a good time and days later I casually asked Hugs, “What does your dad do with Gulf?” “Oh, he is Vice President of the Western Division.” It made no difference at all, we were all the same.
On one occasion, a neighbor boy went down with us in our ‘29 Chevy. Lewis Roberts was so timid and shy, he said not a word. Two years later he became Yell Leader.
My freshman roommate was Lewis Brailas of Houston. My first Corps Trip was to play the Rice Owls. We rode our thumbs to Houston and ate and slept at the Brailas home. I left A&M with 30 cents and returned with 15 cents.
I could tell dozens of such tales about what this Aggie Ring has done for me, such as 9/11/01. Once we attended church in Paris, France and in the huge crowd I felt a girl’s had grab mine. She said, “Hi Aggie, class of ‘86” however, I didn’t see her or get her name.
I must also mention Final Review in 1941. After the parade on the drill field was dismissed, all those grown men were shaking hands and wiping tears because they were leaving buddies and the school of their choice. As you probably know the entire class of ’45 was drafted. The Ring Committee waited to give all classified juniors their rings, mine came in the mail. I joined the A A F. 103 members of my class, including a dear friend, Jarvis Orr Butler, paid the full price, as General Eisenhower said at Muster on April 21, 1947. General Bill Becker was the Chairman. Texas A&M furnished more officers than any academy and we helped crush Hitler and Tojo.
We are getting big and seeing a lot of changes but the AGGIE SPIRIT WILL NEVER DIE.
August 2012
My love for Texas A&M began in 1936 when I was 12. My only brother, Lon Oakley ’32, and his roommate in Mitchell Hall, Bill Buford ’32, took Joe Buford and me to meet Joe Routt, All American Guard ‘36 & ‘37. Joe Routt treated me like a long lost brother, introducing us to all at his table and even inviting us to lunch with them. We were awe struck and I have no idea what we ate, or even if we ate. Here I was with an All American in ‘36 & ’37 and Hall of Famer in 1962.
One of my best friends was Fish Huggins from Van Nuys, California. I was called Fish Oak, he was Fish Hug, and our dads worked for Gulf Oil. On Parents Day my folks came in our used ‘35 Chevy and his folks in a new Chrysler Windsor with plaid seat covers. It was the prettiest car I had ever seen. We had a good time and days later I casually asked Hugs, “What does your dad do with Gulf?” “Oh, he is Vice President of the Western Division.” It made no difference at all, we were all the same.
On one occasion, a neighbor boy went down with us in our ‘29 Chevy. Lewis Roberts was so timid and shy, he said not a word. Two years later he became Yell Leader.
My freshman roommate was Lewis Brailas of Houston. My first Corps Trip was to play the Rice Owls. We rode our thumbs to Houston and ate and slept at the Brailas home. I left A&M with 30 cents and returned with 15 cents.
I could tell dozens of such tales about what this Aggie Ring has done for me, such as 9/11/01. Once we attended church in Paris, France and in the huge crowd I felt a girl’s had grab mine. She said, “Hi Aggie, class of ‘86” however, I didn’t see her or get her name.
I must also mention Final Review in 1941. After the parade on the drill field was dismissed, all those grown men were shaking hands and wiping tears because they were leaving buddies and the school of their choice. As you probably know the entire class of ’45 was drafted. The Ring Committee waited to give all classified juniors their rings, mine came in the mail. I joined the A A F. 103 members of my class, including a dear friend, Jarvis Orr Butler, paid the full price, as General Eisenhower said at Muster on April 21, 1947. General Bill Becker was the Chairman. Texas A&M furnished more officers than any academy and we helped crush Hitler and Tojo.
We are getting big and seeing a lot of changes but the AGGIE SPIRIT WILL NEVER DIE.
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