PRESTON MILFORD CAUDLE, SR.

PRESTON MILFORD CAUDLE, SR.[1]

Male 1938 - 2009  (71 years)  Submit Photo / DocumentSubmit Photo / Document

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  • Name  PRESTON MILFORD CAUDLE, SR. 
    Suffix  SR. 
    Nickname  STONE 
    Born  18 Mar 1938  SUPERIOR, PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    • BORN AT HOME AT 6:30a.m. MOM'S FRIEND, MILDRED
      HELPED HER.
    Gender  Male 
    Baptism  Abt Aug 1950  YALE, PAYNE, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Military  1 Nov 1955  U.S. NATECHTRACEN, NORMAN, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Occupation  1971 
    Died  26 Jul 2009  TULSA, TULSA, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • @ 3:48AM
    • From his son, Preston J.R.
      The girls and I were on vacation in Florida. I had arranged a vacation package with a company that included a three day cruise from Hollywood, Florida to Nassau in the Bahamas; five days, four nights in Orlando, Florida, where we went to Universal Studios and Sea World; and one night in Daytona, Florida. We had left on the 2nd of July in my Chevy Trailblazer, driven to Lake City, Florida, where we stayed the night in a motel, and then drove to Hollywood and boarded the cruise the following Friday afternoon. We arrived from the Bahamas back in Hollywood Monday morning, the 6th of July, and after driving down to Miami, and going to the Hard Rock there, we drove back up to Orlando, where we checked in for the week at our hotel.

      On the 8th, Wednesday, Fred left a voicemail for me that Dad was having surgery Thursday morning to repair a leak in his aorta (heart). Fred had apparently left this message in the early hours of the morning (0400), but I did not receive it until we were in line at Sea World (Kraken). Fred was on vacation in Hershey Park, Pennsylvania at the time with his family. I had just finished the time share sales brief in Orlando, and had picked up the girls and taken them to Sea World. About 10:30 AM I called Fred while the girls and I were waiting for the Shamu show to start. He told me that Carmen had said that Dad didn’t want her to tell us because we were on vacation. But, when they found out that open heart surgery would be required, Dad decided to tell us. He said that tests had shown that Dad had enzymes indicating that he had had a heart attack or was having one. That afternoon, about 5, Fred called to tell us that Dad’s surgery had been rescheduled for Friday Morning. I talked to Carmen twice Thursday and she told me Dad was doing good, surgery would be Friday morning and gave me Dad’s phone number, so that I could call him before surgery, while we were setting in Hooter’s eating dinner Thursday evening.

      About 9:30 Friday morning I called Dad in the Trailblazer, after I was done with the sales brief in Daytona. I talked with him for about ten minutes before they took him to prep him for surgery. Dad was in a good mood, laughing and joking about leaking. But I could tell he was nervous too. They were taking him when we hung up. I was driving back to the room to pick up the girls to go back to Orlando and Universal Studios. We stopped at Bob Evans on the way to Orlando that morning.

      About 5:30 that afternoon, Carmen called. She said Dad was doing well, and everything looked good. The girls and I began our trek back home in the Trailblazer. We stopped somewhere around Pensacola so that Nicole could spend time with her best friend Alicia. Sunday, after we where home, I found out that Dad had been moved to ICU because of his breathing.

      I worked Monday through Thursday morning, and then headed up to Oklahoma. I got up to Okmulgee at dinner time, had tacos @ Stacey’s house, and then drove on in to see Dad at the hospital in Tulsa. Dad was out of it when I got there. Jeff had told me they had just left him before I got there to Stacey’s house, and that he was doing really well. By the time I got up there to the hospital, he was drugged up and complaining about the oxygen hose in his nose dripping water all over his face. He had a sheet that he was wiping his face with and he pushed it toward me and said, “There’s your evidence.” As if someone was trying to kill him. I think the drugs had a lot to do with it, but he would start taking his IVs out if they didn’t keep him drugged. He wanted to go home. He asked me, “What are we waiting for?” and then he said, “Lets go.” He started taking stuff out of his arms, and sitting up.

      The doctors never talked to me. The nurses never said anything about him dying. Nobody said what I knew, that he wasn’t going to make it.

      I stayed with Jeff and Rach and went back up Friday morning. When I got there, he was still in bed and wasn’t eating his breakfast. He wasn’t hungry. He didn’t say much. I stayed the day with him, ate at the cafeteria for lunch. Carmen came in that afternoon. We all ate at the cafeteria for dinner. Earl and Peggy were there as well. Dad didn’t say much the whole day. He was happy when Carmen got there. We left around 10 that night, and stayed at Jeff and Rach’s.

      Saturday morning, he was sitting up when I got there, in a chair beside his bed, eating breakfast. That was the best I had seen him. We talked some, about football. He couldn’t really complete sentences, but he would say a few words and shake his head. We talked about Oklahoma’s coming game playing BYU as the season opener at Jerry Jones’ new stadium in Dallas. He remembered the 94 Bowl Game that OU lost to BYU after Gibbs had resigned that year. At one point he went to sleep in the chair, and when he woke up, he said, “Hey, what happened to the game?” He thought we had been watching football. The nurse came in and asked him if he needed pain medication, and he shook his head yes. I ate lunch across the street at Wendy’s. He was sleeping. Some people from his church came by that afternoon. He held their hand but didn’t say much. Just shook his head when they talked. Carmen came in while some of them were still there. I took Carmen out for dinner later, and then took her back to Jeff and Rach’s. I went back up to the hospital until about 10. Dad slept most of the time. They kept him drugged pretty regular. I spent Sunday morning with him. He slept the whole time. The nurse told me that the doctor was supposed to be coming in, but I stayed until about 2 that afternoon, and he never showed. I had to leave to get back to the house and wash clothes and get ready for the work week.

      I worked Monday through Thursday, talking to Carmen and Jeff the whole week. And then on Friday morning, Fred arrived at the hospital. The Doctor grabbed him when he showed up and told him to start making arrangements; that Dad wasn’t going to make it. Fred called me from outside the hospital. I was @ Chevyland getting the Trailblazer worked on (Fan bearing) for the trip up there. I left for Oklahoma right after they got it fixed. Fred was in the room when I got there, with Carmen and Jeff. Dad wasn’t aware of anything. He was already gone. Fred and I went to eat across the street @ Olive Garden. He was on a trip with the youth group from his Church, a mission sponsored by Dad’s Church, so he had to make their arrangements, and keep that going as well as spend time with Dad. We spent Saturday @ the hospital with him. People from his Church had come to see him. He never woke up.

      Somewhere around 10 or 11, the doctor decided to give him something that would increase his heart rate, which had become very low. The nurse told us that if his heart was healing, this would help. If not, then he would go pretty soon. We waited until about 2:30 Sunday morning and decided to go sleep. Fred had to preach in the morning at Dad’s Church and needed sleep bad. When we all got to Jeff and Rach’s we went straight to bed. Fred had gone back to Okmulgee to be with the youth group in the morning.

      We got the call from the hospital about 15 minutes after we had gone to sleep. We all got up, and went back up to the hospital. Fred turned around and came back. We all said our goodbyes and watched as they prepared his body for transport. Dad passed away Sunday morning at 3:48, the 26th of July. His body rejected the heart surgery (aorta leakage repair/valve replacement) and began shutting down, with the kidneys failing Friday, and the liver Saturday. His lungs had been failing since the surgery, and he was struggling to breathe on his own without hardly any success.

      Fred went back to Okmulgee. We all went to Jeff and Rach’s to sleep. I got up early and drove down to Okmulgee to hear Fred’s Sermon. He did an outstanding job! The spirit had him that morning.

      Monday morning we met with the McClendon Funeral Home in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Carmen, Fred, Jeff and I made the arrangements, and afterwards went to the florists to arrange the flowers. Tina, Nicole, Kasandra and Theresa arrived Tuesday in Nicole’s 03 Kia Rio with “Okmulgee or Bust” painted on the rear windshield. It was the highlight of my week! Fred’s family, Kay, Shelby and Megan arrived that same afternoon, and Melita and Billy flew in from North Carolina. Lianna drove in from school, and of course Richard, Crystal and Parker were living in Okmulgee at the time. We all enjoyed each other’s company as we celebrated Dad’s life at a service at Dad’s Church on Wednesday evening, and the Burial Service Thursday morning in Chandler. Dina and Russell provided a dinner after the burial services, at a Restaurant in Chandler, where many of Dad’s family came together to celebrate his life.
    Age  71 years 
    Buried  30 Jul 2009  CHANDLER, LINCOLN, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Oak Park Cemetary with Mom
    Dad's Descendants.jpg
    Dad's Descendants.jpg
    The Caudle Family at Dad's Funeral.jpg
    The Caudle Family at Dad's Funeral.jpg
    Headstones  Submit Headstone Photo Submit Headstone Photo 
    Person ID  I1  Caudle Descendants
    Last Modified  12 Jan 2015 

    Father  Ancestors EARL GLEN CAUDLE, SR.,   b. 12 Jan 1907, NORMAN, CLEVELAND, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 Sep 1986, OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location  Age: 79 years 
    Mother  Ancestors MINNIE LOU BAGWELL,   b. 8 Aug 1917, GRAND SALINE, VAN ZANDT, TEXAS Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 22 Feb 1999, OKMULGEE, OKMULGEE, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location  Age: 81 years 
    Married  30 Sep 1933  NEW LIBERTY, BECKHAM, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    PhotosFamily photos for EARL GLEN CAUDLE, SR. & MINNIE LOU BAGWELL
    Family ID  F2  Group Sheet

    Family 1  Ancestors KAY FRANCES WAKLEY,   b. 3 Aug 1939, CHANDLER, LINCOLN, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 15 Mar 1994, WALDORF, CHARLES, MARYLAND Find all individuals with events at this location  Age: 54 years 
    Married  26 May 1957  WARWICK, LINCOLN, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Notes 
    • KAY AND I SPENT OUR FIRST NIGHT TOGETHER AT ADA, OKLAHOMA. EARLIER THAT
      DAY, CLIFFORD MOSER AND I WASHED AND WAXED THE CAR. IT DIDN'T DO NO GOOD
      THOUGH BECAUSE CLIFFORD, ANNA RITA AND THE REST OF THE KIDS AT THE
      RECEPTION PAINTED "JUST MARRIED" ALL OVER THE CAR. (THE SUN BAKED IT INTO
      THE PAINT AND WE NEVER DID GET IT OFF THE CAR). CLIFFORD CROSSED THE
      SPARK PLUG WIRES AND I MADE HIM CHANGE THEM BACK SINCE HE WAS THE ONLY
      MECHANIC THERE. WE ATE AT A RESTAURANT AND THEN WENT TO A CARNIVAL
      OUTSIDE OF ADA.

      I TRIED TO WIN KAY A TEDDY BEAR BUT NEVER GOT THE JOB DONE. AFTER ABOUT 2
      HOURS OF IT, WE WENT TO THE MOTEL WE HAD RENTED EARLIER THAT DAY. WE ATTEMPTED
      TO DRINK THE WINE I HAD BROUGHT HOME FROM MY BACHELOR PARTY FOR OUR WEDDING
      NIGHT. BUT WE FOUND THAT MOM HAD TAMPERED WITH IT. SHE HAD POURED HALF OF IT
      OUT AND ADDED WATER. IT TASTED WEAK SO WE EMPTIED IT OUT IN THE BATHROOM SINK.

      MY WIFE AND I VISITED ADA IN 1983 AND LOOKED FOR THE MOTEL WE STAYED IN. WE
      FOUND IT BUT IT WAS BEING DEMOLISHED. THE CABIN WE STAYED IN HAD ALREADY BEEN
      TORN DOWN.

      THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY NIGHT WE CAUGHT THE BUS TO RETURN TO WHIDBEY ISLAND,
      OAK HARBOR, WASHINGTON, MY NAVAL DUTY STATION AT THAT TIME. AFTER THREE NIGHTS
      ON THE BUS, WE SPENT FRIDAY NIGHT IN A HOTEL AT MT. VERNON, WASHINGTON.
      THERE, WE CONSUMATED OUR MARRIAGE.
    Children 
    Married: 2x1. MELITA KAY ("LI") CAUDLE Married: 2x2x ,   b. 24 Sep 1959, CHANDLER, LINCOLN, OKLAHOMA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Oct 2011, Jacksonville, Onslow, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  Age: 52 years
    Married: 1x2. PRESTON MILFORD ("J.R.") CAUDLE, JR.
    Married: 1x3. FREDRICK GLEN ("WOODY") CAUDLE
    PhotosFamily photos for PRESTON MILFORD CAUDLE, SR. & KAY FRANCES WAKLEY
    DocumentsFamily photos for PRESTON MILFORD CAUDLE, SR. & KAY FRANCES WAKLEY
    Documents
    How I Met Your Mother.pdf
    How I Met Your Mother.pdf
    Dad wrote this in the same "1 Subject Notebook" that Mom wrote her reflections in, starting on the very next page, dated 3-7-1995.
    HeadstonesFamily photos for PRESTON MILFORD CAUDLE, SR. & KAY FRANCES WAKLEY
    Family ID  F1  Group Sheet

    Family 2  Ancestors "CARMEN" LOUISA RODRIGUEZ Married: 4x4x  
    Family ID  F3639  Group Sheet

  • Event Map Click to display
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 18 Mar 1938 - SUPERIOR, PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBaptism - Abt Aug 1950 - YALE, PAYNE, OKLAHOMA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMilitary - 1 Nov 1955 - U.S. NATECHTRACEN, NORMAN, OKLAHOMA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarried - 26 May 1957 - WARWICK, LINCOLN, OKLAHOMA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsChild - MELITA KAY ("LI") CAUDLE - 24 Sep 1959 - CHANDLER, LINCOLN, OKLAHOMA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 26 Jul 2009 - TULSA, TULSA, OKLAHOMA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - 30 Jul 2009 - CHANDLER, LINCOLN, OKLAHOMA Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Maps 
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • PhotosPhotos for PRESTON MILFORD CAUDLE, SR.

    DocumentsPhotos for PRESTON MILFORD CAUDLE, SR.

  • Notes 

    • Named after mother's girl friend and husband in Twitty, Texas. Her name was Mildred and she married a Preston. Nicknames are Milf, Pres, and Stone. Called Milford as a child and Preston as a man.

      References: Caudle(4), Preston Milford Senior, unpublished genealogical research on John Jefferson Caudle's descendants, siblings, spouses, and ancestors, fall 1967 to present, Rural Route 2, box 840, Okmulgee, Oklahoma 74447-9678.

      Preston received 29 Feb. 1996 card from his granddaughter Shelby Kay Caudle: 1st (a picture of a pink hearted dog with a yellow balloon over his head: come to a birthday party! For Shelby Kay Caudle. Date march 9, 1992 Time 4:00 P.M. Place Shelby's house. RSVP by March 7, 1996.

      Standard certificate of birth state of Arizona Arizona State Board of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics State File No. 845 Registered No. 30 1. Place of birth County Pinal State Arizona City Superior 2. Full name of child Preston Milford Caudle 3. Sex male 4. And 5. Multiple births blank 6. Full term yes 7. Is mother married yes 8. Date of birth March 18, 1938 9. Father's full name Earl Glen Caudle [sr.] 10. Residence Superior, Ariz. 11. Color white 12. Age at last birthday 31 years 13. Birthplace Norman, Oklahoma 14. Trade, profession, or particular kind of work done- Miner 15. Industry or business in which work was done- Mine 16. Date last engaged in this work March 1938 17. Total time (years) spent in this work 1 18. Mother's full maiden name Minnie Lou Bagwell 19. Residence Superior, Ariz. 20. Color white 21. Age at last birthday 20 years 22. Birthplace Grandsaline, Texas 23. Trade, profession, or particular kind of work done- Housekeeper 24. Industry or business in which work was done own- Home 25. Date last engaged in this work march 1938 26. Total time (years) spent in this work 4 ½ 27. Number of children of this mother (at the time of this birth and including this birth) 2 (a) born alive and now living 2 (b) born alive but now dead 0 © stillborn 0 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --- certificate of attending physician or midwife i hereby certify that i attended the birth of this child, who was born alive at 5:10 a.M. On the date above stated. Signed Paul M. Ryerson, M.D. Address Superior, Arizona give name added from a supplemental report 735-318-423 filed mar 19, 1938 [signature] C. R. Swashbawer, registrar certified copy of vital record state of Arizona county of Maricopa ss. This is a true and exact reproduction of the document officially registered and placed on file in the Vital Records Section, Department of Health Services, Phoenix,AZ 16522 Suzanne Dandoy, M.D. M.P.H., Director, Department of Health Services, State Registrar [signature] Alfonso Bravo Assistant State Registrar

      Preston Milford Caudle, Sr. Attended the following schools: Meadowbrook near Marietta, Oklahoma in love county the elementary school at Winlock, Washington Harding elementary school at Yale, Oklahoma in Payne county principal: Mrs. Watson teachers: 4th grade - first year Mrs. Laura Uzzell and Mrs. McDonald (?) (arithmetic) second year - Mrs. Eldridge (?) 5th grade - Mrs. Laura Uzzell 6th grade - Mrs. Watson (English, spelling, reading) and John Raper (arithmetic and health) Yale high (the bulldogs) at Yale, Oklahoma in Payne county principal: Norma Velvin superintendant: C. R. Clodfelter and duty e. Whorton teachers: 7th grade - John Raper (arithmetic and health), Mrs. Johnson, Foster Johnson's wife, (English, spelling and reading), Mr. Hance (music), coach Burl McGee (football, basketball, and baseball) 8th grade - Elbert d. Youell (arithmetic), Anna Moser (English, spelling, literature), Francis Sweeney (health and study hall), Mr. Hance (music and shop), and coach McGhee 9th grade - Elbert d. Youell (general math), Francis Sweeney (study hall), Miss Anna Moser, Foster Johnson (FFA, future farmers of America) coach McGhee (Oklahoma history and football) Chandler High (the lions) at Chandler, Oklahoma in Lincoln county principal: Shelby s. Wyatt superintendant: Dave Phillips teachers: 9th grade - Mrs. Wenonah Williams (English, spelling, and literature), Shelby s. Wyatt (principal, civics and coach of the football, basketball and track team), Glen Reeder (Oklahoma history and assistant coach of football, basketball, and track), Ralph Caldwell (2 years of FFA, future farmers of America), Mabel Gillian (algebra), Mrs. Irene Banes (sophomore English, spelling, and literature), Mrs. Helen Hurst (science), Thelma Clayton (typing). Social security card social security account number 445-36-4407 has been established for Preston Milford Caudle signature Milford Caudle for social security purposes not for identification driver's license Maryland MVA [motor vehicle administration Preston Milford caudle [sr.], 2326 Kent ct., Waldorf, CH [Charles county] MD [Maryland] 20602 picture taken 01/07/92 with a16 on its side expires 03-18-[19]97 identification no. C-340-693-603-204 class endorsements c [all noncommercial vehicles under 26,001 pounds GVW [gross vehicle weight] except motorcycles control no. 5548820 sp [special] code b [corrective lenses] date of issue 01/07/92 height 5-11 weight 190 sex m date of birth 03-18-38 lic type donor r signature p. M. Caudle.
      Hospitalization identification card blue cross blue shield federal employee program pp0 government-wide service benefit plan subscriber name Preston M. Caudle identification number r00310865 enrollment code 104 [single] effective date of coverage 04/01/94 PCS retail pharmacy carrier #6500 retail pharmacy group #6500 received undergraduate degree, bachelor of science in business administration with an emphasis on accounting, from central state university, Edmond, Oklahoma. Attended Oklahoma university business school at Altus AFB, Oklahoma. Also attended Altus junior college at Altus, Oklahoma on computer languages. Uncle Sam sponsored it as a pilot program. I've attended many government training schools since. Certified internal auditor, certificate no. 2478, issued in 1973. Senior card AARP American association of retired persons 3200 e. Carson St., Lakewood, CA 90712 membership number 045641329 3 membership expiration Apr 1996 Preston M. Caudle, 2326 Kent court, waldorf, md 20602 member's signature p. M. Caudle horace b. Deets, executive director. Voter registration card party affiliation republican date of registration 05/26/80 district 06 precinct 04 legislative dist. 29 congressional dist 0 polling place stoddert middle sch. Caudle, preston m. Sr., 2326 kent ct., waldorf md 20601 signature preston m. Caudle, sr. Not for proof of age

      Civil service retirement system identification card the individual named below is a member of the civil service retirement system of the federal employees' retirement system. Claim number csa 3 472 714 name preston m. Caudle united states office of personnel management joined oklahoma national guard, headquarters battery 160 field artillery battalion of the 45th division on 31 january 1955... Serial no. 25757219... Honorably discharged 1 june 1955 by reason of enlistment in regular naval service.
      Memories of my naval service:
      The recruiter picked me up 31 may 1955. I was hoeing watermelons without a shirt that morning so i was sunburned pretty good. Our neighbor, lonnie smith - about my age - he had just graduated from high school - came to the house to see me off and the recruiter talked him into going, too. Daddy gave me two $2 bills - it was all he had. The recruiter took us to the sheridan hotel in oklahoma city. Lonnie and i went to a movie. I spent $1 if i remember correctly. Next morning we walked down to the recruiting station... There were several guys there that had been recruited for the marines waiting to take their physical...They rode the bus with us to will rogers field... Given the armed forces entrance test...Waited for the results...Bus took us to another building to eat cafeteria style... Then they picked us up again in a bus and took us to another building that looked like it was constructed out of tin. It was a long slim building. Some young men with white jackets gave us a small necked jar...They told to urinate in the jar...Waited...They led further into the building...Some more men with white jackets told us to take our clothes off...They told us to stand in-line against the wall... Waiting...Told by a hurried man in a white jacket to turn around and face the wall, bend over and spread our cheeks (buttocks)...A man in the white jacket walked behind us looking at our behinds...A black guy not too far from me flatulated...Earlier, he was late arriving for the physical...They gave him the small necked jar too after we had already finished and left...He suffered an erection and couldn't get his penis out of the jar...The men in white jackets had to help...He said he had been with a girl...The man in the white jacket was already upset because he was late...Now he was really upset...Someone in the line snickered...Heard the man say we had a clown amoung us...He told us to turn around and face the front...Then he told us to turn our heads to the right and cough when he walked by and jabbed us in the groin like this( he gave us a demonstration)...The black guy that flatulated did not turn his head when the man in the white jacket jabbed him...Instead, he coughed right in the man's face...The man in the white jacket now was even more angry...He jabbed the black guy forcefully in the groin looking him right in the eye and daring him to cough in his face again...The black guy did and the man in the white jacket repeated his jab...This time harder...The black guy turned his head then...The man in the white jacket asked us about dreams and whether or not we talked and walked in our sleep or wet the bed...One guy did...They rejected him and escorted him out...They told us that the navy could not have someone sleepwalk overboard...They took those of us that passed the mental and physical test to another building where we waited some more...After a while several men showed up...At least one was an officer - i think he was a navy captain...He asked us if we were ready to be sworn in...We all shouted yes - it was about 5 p.M....He lined us up in columns and we repeated the oath of service with him...Waiting... Given plane tickets...Waiting...Boarded the plane about 8 p.M. On 1 june 1955 at will rogers airport in oklahoma city...Bound for san deigo, california...Arrived in san deigo airport about 1 or 2 o'clock a.M. On 2 june 1955...One person assigned in our group to make sure we all got to san diego...Boarded a bus that would take us to san deigo boot camp...The guy assigned to watch over us told the guy driving the bus about the black guy making trouble at the recruiting station and on two or three other guys that talked back to him after he was put in charge...The bus driver reamed the black guy and the other guys out for causing trouble... Everybody that smoked lit-up and the bus was completely foggy with smoke...Bus arrived at the boot camp...Got off the bus and told to line up on billet numbers painted on the deck...They told us to empty our pockets and billfolds...Some guys didn't and they found out quickly that the navy meant business...Assigned to company 243...After about an hour and a half they marched us to the barracks about 3 o'clock a.M....Some of the guys began to imitate animal and bird sounds...A black sailor showed-up immediately and made us all get out of bed...He lined us up outside in columns and told us we were not in the boyscouts..."you are in the united states navy now"...We all knew we were in trouble then...After about 30 minutes he released us and we filed in the barracks about 4 o'clock in the morning...No more sounds...Woke up to reveraly at 5 o'clock a.M...Marched to breakfast...After breakfast, marched again over to the testing center where they administed about 4 or five hours of tests to us: one was math, another one was reading, one was recognizing tools, one was clerical, one was technical that included a lot of electronics, and one was mechanics...They marched us to the noon meal...Given burr haircuts that afternoon...Answered the psychiatrist's question "why we joined the navy"...Assigned our serial numbers...Mine was 352-65-88; however, they screwed-up and gave me a different serial number on my medical records: it was 352-65-87...I had to straighten it out...Later, i met the guy in our sister company that was assigned my medical serial number...He was from tulsa, oklahoma...352 was a block of numbers assigned to recruits from oklahoma...I remember that 362 was assigned to texans...They told to memorize them...Given yet another physical... Started our shots...Lined up in columns...Asked final time if we had any pains that we hadn't said anything about...One guy whose name we found out later said "my scrotum hurt"...The petty officer ignored him...They did ask him some more questions...(later, we nicknamed him "sickbay" smith because he went to sickbay to keep from taking the weekly shots (however, he had to take all the shots all at once at the end of boot camp)...They marched us to the barracks and assigned us bunks and lockers...Then they marched to regemental headquarters for our lock and key for our lockers (we left one key a regimental headquarters in case we locked the key in our locker)...We marched the rest of the day and from that night on we had to stand watch for 2-hours until we gradurated...That night we really slept...No animal or bird sounds...The next day we marched...In fact we marched everywhere...They issued our uniforms to us on the third day...They just looked at us and guessed what size we were...I was issued size 33 in the waist but i wore size 27 jeans...I was issued size 10 ½ shoes but i wore 11 ½ civilian shoes....Except for the uniforms the shoes fit...(we couldn't wear our white hats because we had not learned how and when to salute...As a result our scalps really sunburned in that southern california sun...The hair on the side of our heads began to turn a bleached-out color...Most of the time it was over 100 degrees while we were there and on the grinder it was 115 to 120...But i was used to it since dad had made us work in the oklahoma sun which gets as hot, if not hotter, than southern california)...After the navy issued us our uniforms, they marched us to the shipping building where we changed from civilian clothes to military...They encouraged us to give our civilian clothes to charity but i mailed my civies home because i figured i would need them when i got home...Some contributed them to local charities...More waiting...More marching...The navy required us to take a shower and shave every day (this was new to me because i had always taken a bath once a week because we didn't have running water in the house however, i took a bath every day in the summer time because i swam every day)...Now our navy training really began...They issued us leggins and showed us how to put them on...They inspected us every morning to see if we had washed our clothes the night before and put our leggins on right...We attended military classes in the morning on naval history, navy justice or the uniform code of military justice, electronic communication usually aboard ship (this included general quarters which were told is the secret to winning naval battles), weapons, swimming, chaplain lectures usually on vd or homosexuality, tying knots, mooring ships, firefighting and demolition...Then we applied what we learned by tieing knots, mooring a ship (they had a simulated ship which we boarded and moored), firefighting (they actually locked us in an adobe building where one room was filled with oil and set it on fire. We had to put it out.) and demolition (this incuded explosives, the atomic bomb, electrical fires, sealing off a ship, using fire extinguishers, foam, water, and etc....Weapons training which included firing the m-1 rifle, beyonet fighting, and simulating 50 calibre anti aircraft fire on a stationary mount that was like a gun torret on a ship, use of gas masks (we had to stand inside a room and put our masks on when they released tear gas)...Our daily routine also included washing our clothes in a bucket by hand and hanging them up on a mast using tie-ties (a 6 or 8 inch cord with metal crimping on each end) every night and clean the bathroom and barracks every morning after use...Bag inspections (this was our government issue clothes): there was a certain way that all clothes had to be folded and it always meant that the name and serial number stenciled on them had to be showing...An officer, usually a lt. Would walk by and look at them making comments...He riduculed us and slapped some of the sailors...He never slapped me although i came close once... He looked at my clothes on the bed and didn't like the way they were folded...The swimming trunks, shorts, and socks had to be folded in such a way that they had a pouch underneath the stenciled name...He said, "do you know what a pussy is sailor"...I said," yes sir" but it wasn't convincing because he then said "you are a clown, sailor"...I said, "i wasn't no clown"...He repeated it, raised his hand, but i looked him in the eyes determinedly, not wavering, he turned around and went down the aise and accused a texan of being a clown and when he denied it he slapped him several times in the face...In the 5th week they issued pieces to us (it was a piece because the rifle had a piece of wood driven down the barrel...It was a springfield rifle...I think the calvery used it before the turn of the century or the army used in world war i...We began our physical training with the pieces that day...They made us go through a 16 count exercise with the pieces while a record played music...We had to all be in time with the music and each of us had to be in time with each other...They kept us there doing it until we got it right...I believe it took us more than 5-hours the afternoon we were issued our piece...Of course if you dropped the piece, you had to sleep with it...One of the sixteen exercises was butts and muzzles and i don't remember what the other 15 were...The sixteen different exercises had 16 movements in each of the sixteen... They trained us to abandon ship by making us put may wests on and jumping off the high diving board...I think the diving board was 30 feet high...Learning about ships... Firearms classes on m1 rifles and 45 pistols...Written tests every friday... If you failed you could be placed in retraining or another company behind us and made to repeat the same training again...We marched in parades every saturday and sometimes during the week with the navy band playing and civilians from san diego watching us... They exercised every day...Firing ships guns... Learning about the different ships, their armor, guns, etc... Rowing... Games mostly volley ball... Firefighting... How to communicate over ear phones... Firing range... Target shooting in standing, sitting, and prone positions... More swimming, marching, parades, exercising, guard duty... Navy terminology... Completed boot camp at san diego, california, 13 august 1955... Assigned to the aviation branch ... Sewed on my two green stripes signifying airman apprentice... First duty station at naval air station (nas) fasron 112, whidbey island, oak harbor, washington... Assigned originally to first lieutenants division... This is cleaning duties... Reassigned to the electronics storeroom working for chief smith and first class george goddard... Promoted to airman in dec 1955... Government drivers license 16 october 1955... Guard duty every 4th night and every 4th weekend... That's because there were four duty sections... Completed high school 16 march 1956 by ged... Completed accounting course at skagit valley junior college at mt. Vernon, washington 10 january 1957... Temporairly assigned to first lieutenants division again in 1956 for barracks duty for three months... Rescued and temporairly reassigned to vah 4 supply room... Married 26 may 1957... Transferred 4 june 1957 to aewron 1 at barbers point, hawaii for further transfer to nas agana, guam... Debarked at treasure island near san francisco, california and flew out of travis afb at 1430 (2:30p.M.) on 8 july 1957... Flew into hickam afb, hawaii... Stayed there for abt 3 weeks, crossed international date line... Refueled at nas kwajalein (there when the last atmospheric test of the hydrogen bomb was conducted at eniwetok) and then on to nas agana, guam sometime in august 1957... Assigned temporairly to first lieutenants division... Rescued by supply officer, lt. Palmer who saw i had taken an accounting course... I showed him my letter to whom it may concern and he reassigned me to supply... Worked in accounting... Balanced fao statement... Ordering... Issuing... Stocking and issuing from kits... Temporary additional duty at atsugi ab, japan 14 november 1957 for abt 1 month; nas naha, okinawa abt 3 days; nas cubic point, philipines abt 2 weeks (huks [communist guerrilla's] uprising while there); return to atsugi ab japan and then return to permanent duty station nas agana, guam... Temporary additional duty for rest and recreation at singapore, maylaysa on 28 april 1958... Crossed the equator... Landed and stayed at changi ab (an english base) for 7 days. This was during the seato (opposite of nato) conference... Transferred to aewron 3 at agana, guam (abt 4 blocks from aewron 1) 7 may 1958... Worked supply... Balance the squadrons fao statement (bank statement, in effect)... Out of balance for several years... Worked the balance down to $2.60... Temporary additional duty at nas naval supply depot at agana, guam for about 3 months... Worked for second class barnett in filing... Then research... Learned the supply system while i was there... Awarded good conduct medal for service ending 1 june 1958.... Returned to aewron 3 on 4 august 1958... Took the 3rd class exam... Formosan war (chinese attacked taiwan)... Fueled aircraft landing at guam... Kept track of the fuel issued... Reconciled the fuel books... Our squadron earned the outstanding unit award... Temporary additional duty for rest and recreation at atsugi ab, japan in october 1958... Returned to aewron 3... Emergency leave 4 november 1958 ... Debarked at naval air station agana, guam in dress whites... Stopped at hickam afb, hawaii where i showered in the officers' quarters and changed into my dress blues... Embarked at travis afb, california... Went to red cross and obtained $50 traveling money which i paid back later... Traveled across country to denver colorado with two air force boys by car - they dropped me off at the bus station in denver, colorado... Rode a trailways' bus to oklahoma city from denver... Picked up at oklahoma city by wife, kay, and her parents - clyde and bertha wakley... Stationed at u.S. Naval technal training center (natechtracen) at norman, oklahoma (the navy closed this base after i was discharged and turned the land and buildings over to oklahoma university)... Informed by personnel that i had been promoted to aviation storekeeper 3rd class - effective in december 1958... However, i never sewed on the stripes because the promotion didn't become effective until after my discharge... One of the personnelman asked me if the promotion would make a difference... I have to admit it was tempting because i had put my whole heart and mind into getting promoted and learning my job. I didn't want to give it up or leave the life i had found behind. The personnelman sat there tempting me with a bag of money totaling more than $3800 if i shipped over (reenlisted). Whew! I was discharged 28 nov 1958. I drove around the base before leaving because i knew it was closing after the first of the new year and i would never see it again the way it was then. Stopped by my brother's service station at shawnee before going on to chandler... Bought a new tire from him for the car... Arrived at chandler before my wife got off work... Registered with selective service... Given two selective service cards i carried in my billfold for years.... Advised by lady in selective service to record and file my dd form 214 at the court house... Filed my dd form 214 at the lincoln county court house at chandler, oklahoma... I kept the original and the court house gave me three copies of my dd form 214... Checked on reenlisting about 3 or 4 months after i got out but my wife was pregnant and they didn't want me... Almost called up to active duty before i completed my 8 year obligation... It was during the cuban missile crisis... I went to work after school one day as usual. However, when i clocked-in, tommy brown, the division foreman, asked me if i was in the reserves. I told him i was in the inactive reserves and he told me to get over there against the wall. I did... Others came in and he asked them the same question and told them the same thing... There were about three of us... We couldn't call home or talk to anyone... They told us we might be on active duty before the night was over. After about two hours of this, they released us and we went back to work. I read in the newspapers later that president kennedy had obtained intelligence that strongly indicated russia would not go to war over the missiles in cuba. According to the newspapers an intelligence agent gave his life for the information. Many years later, however, i found out that we did almost go to war that night. If you think about it, one mistake on either side and the bombers and missiles would've been released... Completed my 8 year obligation... Received an honorable discharge 26 january 1963... Had served my 8-year military obligation. Mom named me after her best girl friend, mildred chronister, and her girl friend's husband, preston mitchel. When she read his name the first time in a letter mildred had written to her she liked it. Daddy named the first boy junior. So mom named me preston after mildred's husband and milford after mildred. She met mildred at twitty, texas, near shamrock where she went to school just before she married. Grandpa bagwell moved there for a while before moving to new liberty, oklahoma. Mildred later
      Moved to houston, texas where she met and married preston mitchell.
      Department of defense dd form 214 (1 nov 55)
      Armed forces of the united states report of transfer or discharge: legend: insert n/a to the items below which are not applicable personnel data [blocks]: 1. Last name, first name, middle name caudle, preston milford 2. Service number 352-65-88 3a. Grade, rate or rank an [airman] 3b. Date of rank (day, month, year) 1 jan 56 4. Department, component, and branch or class navy - - - usn 5. Place of birth (city and state or county) superior, arizona 6. Date of birth (day, month, year) 18 mar 38 7a. Race caucasian 7b. Sex male 7c. Color hair black 7d. Color eyes brown 7e. Height 72" 7f. Weight 172 8. U.S. Citizen yes 9. Marital status married 10a. Highest civilian education level high school - 04 (ged) 10b. Major course or field secondary transfer or discharge data [blocks]: 11a. Type of transfer or discharge transfer to u.S. Naval reserve & release to inactive duty 11b. Station or installation at which effected u.S. Natechtracen, norman, oklahoma 11c. Reason and authority hardship bupers manual article c-10308, code 227 11d. Effective date (day, month, year) 28 nov 58 12. Last duty assignment and major command airborne early warning squadron three navy #943 13a. Honorable 13b. Type of certificate issued dd-217n selective service data [blocks]: 14. Selective service number n/a 15. Selective service local board number, city, county, state not registered 16. Date inducted (day, month, year) n/a 17. Commandant eighth naval district, u.S. Naval station, new orleans, louisiana service data [blocks]: 18. Terminal date of reserve obligation (day, month, year) 26 jan 63 19a. Current active service other than by induction enlisted (first enlistment) 19b. Term of service (years) m [minority enlistment meaning i would be discharged the day before i turned 21] 19c. Date of entry (day, month, year) 2 jun 55 20. Prior regular enlistments none 21. Grade, rate or rank at time of entry into current active service sr [seaman recruit] 22. Place of entry into current active service (city and state) oklahoma city, oklahoma 23. Home of record at time of entry into active service (street, rfd, city, county and state) rr#4 chandler, lincoln, oklahoma 24. St

  • Sources 
    1. [S2] PRESTON MILFORD CAUDLE, SR., 2326 KENT COURTWALD.

    2. [S1] MINNIE BAGWELL CAUDLE, CENSUS BUREAU CERTIFICATE.

    3. [S11684] MARRIAGE RECORDSAYRE, BECKHAM, OKLAHOMA.

    4. [S11683] PRESTON MILFORD AND KAY FRANCES WAKLEY CAUDLEMAR.


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