9 minute read
BRICE COLEMAN REVISITED
BRICE COLEMAN
by JOSH HARRINGTON
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REVISITED
Brice reached the rank of Major during his time in the Army, and he was “always looking for a better way to get around other than walking.”
This Patriotic Edition of The Corridor Magazine marks the one-year anniversary of my first opportunity to write for them. It’s truly been a treasure to use this platform to write about some of the people in my life that I care for the most. Joe Gooch and the gang have been documenting the stories that are all too often left unheard, and we have plenty of tales upon which to shed light. Moreover, as the avid reader I am, the best part about writing for The Corridor Magazine team is the chance to go back and comb through the articles that have been written for the publication. As such, I recently got the chance to read a lovely piece on my co-worker’s grandfather, and I wondered if there was anything else we could share with our readers on this humble but all-too intriguing figure who made his home in Bristow. I sat down with the Coleman family to find out more.
Donnie Schroeder’s article for the March 2017 Home Improvement Issue of The Corridor Magazine touched on the life and times of one of Bristow’s many decorated veterans, Brice Coleman. He not only served his country for nearly 30 years, but on top of that, Brice has the distinction of also serving as the Creek County Sheriff for 14 years. I spoke with his son Michael (referred to as Mike in this interview,) as well as his grandson Larry, Jr. who are rightly proud of their patriarch’s rather esteemed reputation in his ventures. Leading off our interview, I asked about some of the ways that they were most proud of him.
“I always looked up to him; when I was going through some training during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was always eager to ease my mind. He’d say, ‘Believe it or not, all the training you did will kick in, and it’ll just be muscle memory at that point,’” Mike answered. “It did the trick and calmed me down pretty well for the time being. He instilled a sense of peace for me from his experiences. I mean, he was a junior in high school when he went to Korea to fight.”
“I remember other times when he would fly overhead in his Huey when he was with the 45th in Tulsa. He would circle the house three or four times, which was really neat. The Huey has a really distinctive sound when it flies overhead, and we were all quite fond of hearing it when he would fly over,” he continued.
Larry, Jr. and Mike also spoke about one of his accomplishments, which was when he piloted the vessel that held VIP’s that included astronaut and senator John Glenn and President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Vice President Hubert Humphrey to the Paris Air Show; Glenn and Humphrey were titans of the era, both culturally and politically. In this gesture, it shows the significance of the rapport he
built with the higher-ups in his chain of command in that they entrusted him with transporting some of the most influential people on the planet. Stories are not the only things that lend credence to Sheriff Coleman’s feats.
In our previous piece, Schroeder touches on the awards that he accrued in his times of service in the Army during his tours in Korea and Vietnam, including “he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, three air medals for valor, 21 [various] air medals, and two Purple Hearts.” I asked the family if I could see these medals, and Mike showed me the collection that he made to showcase his father’s and even his own wartime medals. It was remarkable seeing such a collection of medals; in other words, I was simply astounded. Not knowing much about the process in attaining a commendation for your valor, I asked Mike what steps that Brice took to get such prestigious awards.
“From his active duty time into his days in the Oklahoma National Guard, he garnered enough respect and admiration from his commanding officers and subordinates alike, and his efforts were especially valiant in protecting and transporting his fellow soldiers from his days of piloting helicopters in the Vietnam War. From there, it’s really just recommendations and documenting the processes,” Mike explained. “We’re all super proud of the sacrifice and effort Dad put into his job.”
“After he got out of the sheriff’s department and out of the National Guard, he enjoyed his retirement pretty well,” Larry, Jr. remarked. “He’d watch old Western movies and read Western books. He liked doing some construction, and he’d even go out and get on the backhoe or drive the dump truck around. Sometimes we’d even go out fishing and stuff, but you better watch your back if the cards came out. He liked playing some poker.”
I don’t catch myself being envious quite often, but fishing, poker, and playing with construction stuff? I can only hope I have that much fun when/if I retire! Still yet, with all of his enthralling tales of fortune and triumph during his tenures in the Army and Creek County Sheriff’s Department, I wondered why a man of his stature wouldn’t be keen on sharing these tales with everyone he came across.
“He was against making himself out to be something more than he thought he was. He was raised to be humble, and he never forgot those roots,” Larry followed up. In the Bible, James 4:10 reads, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Brice’s love for Christ is chronicled in pieces by the Army Times and even the Tulsa World. He shared this love with his family, as seen in the next instance.
“On my way over to Iraq when I was enlisted, they rushed us through briefings to catch us up to date on all of the ins and outs of the mission. Most of the briefs were on chemical weapons,” Mike said. He paused for a moment and continued, “I called back over to Dad from the base and said, ‘Dad, they’re talking about chemical weapons, and it’s really starting to wear on my conscience.’ He said, ‘Well, son, I know you believe in Jesus Christ and you’re saved. Just talk to him like you talk to me everyday, and don’t worry about anything.’”
The country we live in today is a melting pot of different cultures and different takes on what it means to be an American; despite these differences, these grievances, and our current hardships, banding together is more important than ever before in our nation’s history. As a twenty year old, I have much to learn about how to better serve the interests of my fellow citizens in their pursuit of happiness as well as how to be a respected leader in the community, and, for me, Sheriff Coleman is a champion of these two qualities.
He was a patriot, through and through. In his many years of public servitude, he never faltered in his unwavering loyalty to our nation, state, and county, but his staunch allegiance to justice and freedom were just as noble. As I wasn’t blessed with the opportunity to meet him, I got to know his sacrifices were never in vain; he had a doting wife, children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren with whom his legacy will carry on. In the words of Mr. Schroeder, “Brice was a man with a big heart, and few words.” n
Star - Spangled ENJOY A 4TH OF JULY
On the 4th of July, we celebrate more than the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. We also celebrate the stars of our families and neighborhoods — the people who grill the burgers, light the fireworks, and build the relationships we cherish. It’s a time to recognize our country’s blessings.
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