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Colonel George S. Oliver, USA (ret.)
spent much of WWII in “the deep south, in a unit patrolling the coast of the Atlantic Ocean to prevent landings by enemy
subs. His career took him to Japan right after the bombs were dropped, and there he was in command of an all-Negro truck company
at the port of Yokohama for 2 1/2 years. He was in Korea twice, once during the war. He was at the Pentagon twice, once with
the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was in Italy on a tour with NATO during the worst storm the Mediterranean
had seen for 100 years. He did prep work for the Viet Nam War before he even knew where Southeast Asia was. Along the way
he acquired a college degree and retired as a full colonel at the age of 52. Colonel George S. Oliver is the author of The
Tents.
According to the book description of The Tents, A detailed
account of the heritage and childhood of George Oliver, followed by his 32-year Army career. During the Great Depression his
family suffered abject poverty, yet his experiences shaped his character for the challenges that lay ahead. This is fast-paced
and humorous, a story you haven’t heard before.
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The last eight years of his limited formal education was spent in a series of
one-room schools in remote northern Idaho. Despite his disadvantages he entered the Army as a private six months after Pearl
Harbor and was soon selected for officer candidate training. He became a second lieutenant before the age of 21. He was in
the deep south during the remainder of World War II, initially assigned to seacoast security duty and later as a training
officer. Immediately after the war he was sent to Japan where he served two and a half years as commanding officer of a segregated
Negro truck company, and this experience soon marked him as an officer with high potential for further advancement. There
followed a long series of command and staff assignments, including an extended period of combat duty during the Korean War
and duty with the NATO organization, Headquarters, Department of the Army, and the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
This is the story of a young man who
found love and adventure in the 20th Century of America and the world. It is a ‘must read’ for young people (and
their parents) who may be contemplating a career in the U.S. Armed Forces. It illustrates the advantages and opportunities
available to those who are willing to apply themselves and to seek and accept responsibility.”
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