John A. “Jack”
Crichton ’37
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Year Awarded: 1983
Dallas, TX
John A. Crichton is Chairman of the Board of Arabian Shield Development Co., a multi-million-dollar firm that obtained the first mineral concession in Saudi Arabia.
Following his graduation in 1937 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Petroleum Production Engineering, Crichton earned a Master’s Degree in Petroleum Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was awarded the Professional Degree of Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M in 1953.
Prior to serving in World War II, Crichton worked as an engineer and geologist for Union Producing Co. Following the war, he served in a variety of positions, including Vice President of Oil & Gas Property Management, President and Co-founder of Dorchester Gas Inc., and President of Yemen Development Corp. In addition to being President of Arabian Shield, he was also President of Nafco Oil & Gas Inc., Dallas Resources Inc., and Crichton & Co., a consulting and management firm.
Crichton was the Republican candidate for Governor of Texas in 1964 and has served in various GOP committee positions. He was one of the four finalists for the ambassadorship to Saudi Arabia in 1980.
Crichton is Past President of The Association of Former Students, Past President and Founding Member of the Letterman’s Association, and former Chairman and Trustee of the Texas A&M Development Foundation. He served on the Century Council, which was appointed by the Board of Regents in 1961 to help set goals for Texas A&M for attainment by its centennial in 1976, and he served on the Target 2000 Project Committee.
"I know of no one who is more dedicated to Texas A&M than Jack. He has worn his Aggie spirit with distinction in all walks of life. His energetic efforts on behalf of Texas A&M are well known to his fellow Aggies and he is highly respected by all who know him."
- Edward E. Monteith ’43, Distinguished Alumnus, 1993
Henry J.
Gruy ’37
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Year Awarded: 1990
Victoria, TX
Gruy received a bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1937. In 1950, he founded H.J. Gruy and Associates, an independent petroleum and natural gas consulting firm, which evolved into Gruy Engineering Corp. He is noted for his grasp of international politics and economic problems within the industry. Mr. Gruy has been widely honored for his contributions to the oil and gas industry. He was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering.
His alma mater has long benefited from his expertise through his service on advisory groups in the College of Engineering and College of Geosciences. He served on the Texas A&M Engineering Advisory and Development Council and the College of Engineering’s Doctor of Engineering Advisory Committee.
"My admiration for his judgment, acuity, and sense of humor, not to speak of his many accomplishments in the petroleum industry, continues to rise faster than the value of the Japanese Yen."
- Gerard Waller
Bernard G.
Johnson ’37
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Year Awarded: 1974
Dallas, TX
Johnson received a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1937. After serving in WWII, he founded Bernard Johnson Inc., one of the largest architectural engineering firms in the Southwest United States. Through the direction of Bernard Johnson, the firm now has a staff of 250 professional and support personnel providing complete design services in all major disciplines. In 27 years the company has planned or consulted on projects totally more than $2 billion in construction costs. Clients including the United States Steel Corporation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Atomic Energy Commission and Texas A&M have used his company’s services nationwide, in Latin America and in the Far East.
This donor of a $25,000 Texas A&M President’s Endowed Scholarship has also been honored with the Knight of the Holy Sepulchre by Pope Paul VI.
George D.
Keathley ’37
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Year Awarded: 2012
George D. Keathley, Class of 1937, studied agriculture at the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas after graduating from Cameron State School of Agriculture and Junior College in 1930 with an associate degree in agriculture.
He worked for the Soil Conservation Service in Lamesa supervising soil-erosion projects for the Civilian Conservation Corps before entering the service in 1942. In 1943, he was assigned to the 338th Infantry Regiment, 85th Division, where he was promoted to staff sergeant and was one of the leading noncommissioned officers in the 1st Platoon, Company B. Atop Mount Altuzzo, Italy, in 1944, Keathley volunteered to take command of two additional platoons whose officers had been killed in action. He led Company B in fending off an enemy counterattack, even after he sustained a mortal wound from an enemy hand grenade. He was the third Texas Aggie awarded the Medal of Honor.
Keathley and his wife, Inez, had two daughters. He passed away on September 14, 1944.
"I believe [he would tell students] to use their time there to learn and grow; to use the tools presented to you to make a difference in something that you are passionate about (as was his goal with farming), and because you never know what circumstances you might find yourself in, or where life might lead you, to take advantage of this opportunity to prepare yourself to make a difference somehow, somewhere.
- Dana McBee, George Keathley's granddaughter
Kenneth E.
Montague ’37
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Year Awarded: 1983
Beaumont, TX
Montague received a bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering in 1941. He served a 15-year career with General Crude Oil, in which he served as President and led the successful efforts of independent companies to compete effectively with fully integrated major oil companies. He was also instrumental in expanding the firm’s energy exploration activities. Throughout his career, he was concerned with protecting the environment and preserving resources. When General Crude was merged with a subsidiary of International Paper Co. in 1975, Mr .Montague was named Executive Vice President and elected to the Board of Directors.
He was a Trustee of the Texas A&M Development Foundation, served as a Chairman of the Board, and President of the Beaumont A&M Club.
Norman N.
Moser ’37
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Year Awarded: 1971
Dallas, TX
Probably more than any one man, Norman Moser deserves credit for getting the screwworm eradication program started in the Southwest. In 1959, he initiated the program while he was president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. This was just one of the many cattle industry problems he worked on overcoming during the 1950’s.
Moser continues to rank among the leaders of the U.S. agriculture and the animal industry agri-business field. He established and developed the 13,000-acre Moser Ranch in the Red River Valley of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. He also established a 350,000-acre ranch in Alaska.
Born August 21, 1913, in Dallas, Moser attended the University of Cincinnati and North Texas Agricultural College before receiving his agriculture administration degree form Texas A&M in the summer of 1937.
He has served as chairman of the board of the National Livestock and Meat Board, vice president of the American National Cattlemen’s Association, and president of the Bowie County School Board. He has served as a director of the Texas Livestock Marketing Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Umnak Company Incorporated (Alaska Livestock Corporation), State First National Bank of Texarkana, National Finance Credit Corporation, and General Telephone Company.
Member of the Board of Stewards of the DeKalb Methodist Church, he and his wife have a son and three daughters.
"I think, probably, the most important thing about Norman Moser is the extremely high esteem in which he is held by all of those who have had the privilege of knowing him and working with him. He is a man that you can depend on a thousand percent; his counsel and advice is always sound."
- The Honorable Dolph Briscoe, Jr., Former Governor of Texas
James E.
Wilson ’37
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Year Awarded: 1991
McKinney, TX
Wilson received a bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering in 1938. After graduation, he began a career with Shell Oil Co. holding various staff and management positions in the Gulf Coast, mid-continent and Rocky Mountains regions. In 1960 Wilson was named vice-president for exploration and production in Houston – the first geologist and, at that time, youngest vice president in the company’s history. As a leader at Shell, Wilson was an industry pioneer in melding the disciplines of geology, engineering, and geophysics into teams and fostering communication and cooperation toward common goals.
He served on The Association of Former Students Board of Directors in 1967 and donated his vast collection of foreign maps to Texas A&M.
"Jim Wilson is a personable man, very intelligent, an excellent geologist and well rounded gentlemen. Texas A&M University is lucky to have alumni like Jim Wilson."
- Ted L. Bear
John F.
Younger ’37
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Year Awarded: 1989
McKinney, TX
Younger received a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering in 1937. After being in executive positions in the oil and gas industry, he founded Airport 20 Corp., an oil and real estate firm for which he served as President.
During Younger’s presidency of The Association of Former Students, the Century Club was established and the Texas Aggie changed from a newspaper to a magazine format. He was a member of the Texas A&M Target 2000 Project Committee and A&M College of Liberal Arts Development Council. Younger was instrumental in bring the Institute of Nautical Archeology to Texas A&M University.
"Texas A&M can be proud to have an alumni who has given of himself to others and to his community which is reflected in the many outstanding accomplishments that he has made to enrich his community."
- William G. Saxton '90
Searcy
Bracewell ’38
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Year Awarded: 1978
Houston, TX
Bracewell received a bachelor’s degree in History in 1938 and a Bachelor of Law degree at Houston Law School. He served as a U.S. Army Major in World War II. He is co-founder of Bracewell Patterson, LLP which was established in 1945.
Bracewell served in the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. He was a Counselor and Trustee to the Texas A&M Research Foundation and served on The Association of Former Students Board of Directors.
Horace S.
Carswell, Jr. ’38
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Year Awarded: 2012
Horace S. Carswell, Jr., Class of 1938, studied agriculture at the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas before graduating from Texas Christian University with a bachelor of science degree in physical education and a minor in history.
In 1940, he enlisted as a flying cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps in Dallas. He was commissioned a second lieutenant, air corps reserve, and then promoted to first lieutenant in 1942. Carswell was first assigned to the 62nd Squadron, 39th Bombardment Group at Tucson, Ariz., before he transferred to Biggs Field, where he became a flight commander and later promoted to captain. In 1944, he was transferred to the army air base in Clovis, NM, and then moved to Langley Field, Va., where he was promoted to major before departing for duty in China with the 374th Bombardment Squadron, 308th Bombardment Group. He served on the 374th Bomb Squadron and commanded a detachment of B-24 bombers in Liuchow, China, where his plane was attacked by antiaircraft fire during a sea-sweeping mission over the South China Sea to locate enemy vessels. After two engines were shot out, the hydraulic system and one gas tank were damaged, Carswell’s crew bailed out, but he remained with his aircraft and attempted to save his copilot and another crew member, whose parachute was damaged. All three were killed when the aircraft crashed into a mountain. He was the fourth Texas Aggie awarded the Medal of Honor.
Carswell and his wife, Virginia, had one son. He passed away on October 26, 1944.
"It was a dream come true for me. I've always wanted my father on this base. Flying was his entire life. He belongs here."
- -Robert Ede Carswell, Horace Carswell's son, at the reburial of his father at Carswell AFB