UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

Texas State Historian to Present at UT Tyler Longview University Center

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March 16, 2015

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

March 16, 2015

The University of Texas at Tyler Longview University Center will host a lecture featuring state historian, Dr. Bill O’Neal at 6:30 pm Thursday, March 26, Dr. Van Patterson, LUC director, announced.

“Texas During World War II” will examine the remarkable contributions made by Texans to the American war effort during the Second World War. Almost 830,000 Texans, including 12,000 women, donned uniforms, and more than 23,000 Texas fighting men died for their country. Texans such as Lt. Audie Murphy, Commander Sam Dealey, General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Admiral Chester Nimitz led American platoons, ships, armies and navies across the globe. Almost 1.5 million soldiers, sailors and fliers trained at scores of Texas bases. Texas oil fueled the Allied war effort, and Texas shipyards and defense plants provided a flood of war machines and munitions.

“Bill is an exciting and dynamic speaker and we are pleased that he will be able to join us again this year,” said Patterson. “Bill’s father was a veteran of World War II and during his career as a history instructor he collected hundreds of interviews with veterans. These experiences bring a unique and heartfelt perspective to Dr. O’Neal’s presentation.”

O’Neal currently is serving his second two-year term as “State Historian of Texas.” He taught history for four decades at Panola College, where a new dormitory was named “Bill O’Neal Hall” in August 2013. That same month his alma mater, Texas A&M University at Commerce, awarded him an honorary Doctor of Letters degree.

Bill’s most recent book is Texas Gunslingers. He is president of the West Texas Historical Association and past president of the East Texas Historical Association. In 2012 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Wild West History Association, and in 2007 he was named True West Magazine’s Best Living Nonfiction Writer.

For more information, contact Patterson, 903.663.8111 or vpatterson@uttyler.edu.

One of the 15 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 8,000 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.