Clifford Wayne Lanham ^[1], was born in the City Hospital, in Altus, Oklahoma, on 7 February 1939 with Dr. L. H. McConnell attending. Dr. McConnell also delivered Clifford’s mother, Oleta Colbath, 6:00 a.m., 13 October 1917. See The Oran Stroud Lanham Family 1916 for details.

After attending elementary, junior high school and the ninth grade in Altus, Oklahoma, the Lanham family moved to Dothan, Alabama, where Cliff’s dad found worked at Ft. Rucker as a Civilian Flight instructor for the U.S. Army. Wayne, as he was called until he went to college, enjoyed the times living in Altus. A typical boy of his time he enjoyed playing cowboys and Indians, backyard baseball, football, solders and other games.

Oran Stroud Lanham, Wayne’s dad was the proud owner of a Piper Cub which Wayne and his dad enjoyed flying. His early memories of this airplane included watching his dad rebuild and recover the airplane at the local airport. This introduction to the world of aviation brought on a number of years of building model airplanes. His earliest goal was to become an Air Force Pilot. Unfortunately, the goal of an air force pilot was abruptly ended when he begin to wear glasses in the 10th grade.

Wayne’s elementary years were typical of many children of the 1950’s. Summers were full of swimming, baseball in some open lot, model airplane building and flying plus Saturday movies for a whole ten cents. Heroes of this time were the most famous cowboys of all time: Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Lash LaRue and John Wayne to mention a few. Saturday morning movies consisted of serials of cowboys and Indians, space adventure with Buster Crab, Tarzan and his family of Jane, Boy and of course Cheeta his faithful chimpanzee. Summers were also filled with the excitement of going fishing at the local reservoir and swimming at the city pool. Boy Scouts consumed a fair amount of his time during these early years. One of those summer scout camps would have double memories. At the scout camp he met a young man acting as a counselor and a recent returnee from a place called Korea. At nights this man would sit around the camp fire and tell of his experiences in that particular war. The adventures of being a soldier became seeds of thought for a possible career for Wayne. The second major event for that summer were the serious case of gum infection he received. Upon returning home from Boy Scout camp he had to have his gums burned off for they had swollen over his teeth.

As a student, Wayne was average, with a few moments of excellence. He did try out for football, track and baseball. He was able to make the main team of football in his sixth grade, Washington Elementary School. The last game of the season he had his moment of glory when he caught a blocked kick and returned the ball for a twenty yard touchdown.

Junior high school was uneventful. He went out for football for two years, but spent more time on the bench than any other player. His academic achievements were average and uneventful. By the time he was in the ninth grade he had found himself a summer time job in a local grocery store. From the ninth grade until he graduated from high school he worked part time after school and each summer in a grocery store allowed him to purchase his own car at the age of sixteen.

Working for someone else was a lot more fun and interesting than working for his father who at this time (1951-1955) was the owner of a restaurant in Altus. Washing pots and pans was not high on Waynes’ interest level. The grocery store work experience allowed him to purchase his own car at the age of sixteen. That first car was a 1948 Mercury coupe. Learning to care for that old car became a labor of love and formed the basis of becoming a good automotive mechanic, which enabled him to care for his cars in the future.

Having lived in the community of Altus for sixteen years, the move to the new community of Dothan, Alabama took some adjustments. In the fall of 1955, Wayne entering the eleventh grade at Dothan High School. Not being an accomplished athlete ,Wayne found a job to support his newest car, a 1950 Mercury he purchased just prior to moving to Alabama. Again he found a job in a local grocery store called Jitney Jungle.

Between his junior and senior year Wayne talked his parents into letting him join the Air National Guard and spent the summer of 1956 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, taking basic training. While at Lackland he contacted a serious foot infection which plagued him for a couple of years and for awhile there was serious concern that this problem could limit his goals of joining the military as a career. His two years in the Air Guard while in Dothan were exciting and interesting. Spending one summer at Camp Attaberry, outside of Indianapolis, Indiana added fuel to the fire of seeking more excitement as a member of a military unit. His academics in high school were not as exciting, with the exception of wood working and drafting classes, which were his favorite. His academic record was only average. In any case he did pass all of his subjects and graduated from Dothan High School in the spring of 1957.

Two buddies, Von Smith and Joe Duckett, also in the Air Guard, talked Wayne into driving up state to visit a college called Jacksonville State, Jacksonville, Alabama. Liking the school and finding out that the school had an Army ROTC unit, Wayne enrolled and started college in the fall of 1957. Upon entering college Wayne starting using his first name, Clifford. Just like the military, first name middle initial and last name.

Upon entering college, Cliff made the decision to seek a commission and hopefully a career in the Army. He worked his way through college in the school cafeteria for four years. Between the cafeteria, ROTC, and the Guard and academics, Cliff stayed busy for his years at college. Jacksonville was only 250 miles from Dothan, but Cliff went home only two or three time a year. School was difficult in all subjects except history and ROTC. Those two subjects carried him academically. He enjoyed both subjects immensely.

During his years at Jacksonville he maintained his military reserve status in a local Army National Guard unit. This particular unit was an anti aircraft unit with its primary weapon system being the 75mm skysweeper system. This was a radar tracking and guided gun system of which Cliff was trained as a radar operator on the gun system. Training at Camp Stewart, Georgia, for two summers simply added more excitement to becoming a career military member. Cliff obtained the rank of Specialist 5th Class( E-5) while in the Guard.

He had committed a serious mistake of not studying enough in his senior year, he fell short of graduation points by one point and had to take an extra semester to graduate.

Graduating in 1962, with a BS Degree in Education (History), Cliff entered the US Army as a second lieutenant in the Infantry, his branch of choice. Summer of 1962, he was at Ft. Benning, Georgia. Cliff attended the officers basic course at Ft. Benning. Graduating from the Infantry School Cliff were off to their first duty assignment, Ft. Ord, California in early September 1962.

Driving their newly purchased ( a major purchase of $1825.) 1962 Volkswagen “Bug" they set out for Ft. Ord. Their new car would cost them $85.00 a month out of a monthly wage of $222.30. Knowing that California was an expensive area to live they were both hoping that government quarters would be available. Luck was on their side for when they arrived at Ft. Ord, new quarters had just been opened. They selected a beautiful rancher over looking part of the housing area and the base.

Ft. Ord in 1962, was a basic training installation. This meant long hours seven days a week working with the solders. The Battalion Commander, LTC. Arthur P. Murphy, a crusty W.W.II veteran had a date of rank of 1945, making him the senior Lieutenant Colonel in the Army. Murphy had spent his early career in the Philippines during W.W.II as a guerrilla. As the battalion commander, LTC. Murphy guided many new second lieutenants into becoming good officers.

While at Ft. Ord Cliff earned the Expert Infantry Badge and was promoted to First Lieutenant. Cliff also had the honor of conducting a fifty gun salute for the assassinated President J.F. Kennedy, November 24, 1963. Practice for this gun salute was a big deal! Using six 105mm howitzers and some thirty personnel we practiced for two days eight hours per day to ensure perfect timing and coordination of the gun salute. While at Ord he also was allowed to go to Panama to be trained in the School of the Americas, in jungle warfare. This was a three week course on survival in a jungle environment. Shortly after returning from Panama in the spring of 1964, Cliff received orders to proceed to Germany. This would be Cliff’s first assignment to a Table of Organization and Equipment (TO&E) unit, a real combat unit.

Arriving in Germany in mid September, Cliff was assigned to Company B 1/87,8 Infantry Division, Baumholder, Germany. The battalion had been recently reformed from personnel from all over Germany. The unit had also turned in its old M-59 Personnel Carriers and been issued the new M-113 carriers.

The M-113 vehicle was a significantly improvement over the M-59. Coming from a training unit with no experience in mechanized infantry proved to be fast paced learning experience for Cliff. Assigned to Company B 1/87 under Captain Ward Miller would prove to be an exciting and challenging eight months of garrison and field work.

Cliff moved from platoon leader of Company B to Battalion S-3 Air and finally to Company Commander of C Company before departing Germany in April 1966. The battalion commander, Lt. Colonel James Hobson provided superb guidance and direction not only to Cliff , but to all the officers of the battalion. Commanding a mechanized infantry company was one of the highlights of his career. There were many weeks spent in the field training at Baumholder, Grafenwoehr and on the border of the divided Germanys’ near Fulda. Even today (2006), on a periodic bases many of the officers of the battalion get together for reunion and fellowship.

The Vietnam War had heated up with the insertion of major American units in 1965, and Cliff received orders to report the 1st Infantry Division in Kansas. Cliff was promoted to captain in April 1966, just prior to their departure back to the states. Arriving at Kennedy Airport in New York, Cliff found out he had been diverted and was now reassigned to Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. He assumed command of a training company and was in that postion for the next eight months. In March 1967, he receive orders to attend Ranger School at Ft. Benning, GA.

March to June 1967, found Cliff at the Army’s Ranger School a course of mind over matter. Nine weeks of grueling training not only stretched Cliff’s abilities and confidence, he is convinced that this training prepared him for Vietnam and his successful return from that conflict. Being a Captain of the age of 27+ he had to compete with lieutenants six years younger. Of the 245 that started the Ranger course only 123 completed the course of instruction. Of that number only 105 received the RANGER TAB.

Five days after Ranger School, Cliff was on his way to Vietnam. Assigned to Advisor Team 99, Vietnamese 25th Division as an Advisor to the 4/49 Infantry Battalion outside of Duc Hoa, Hau Nghia Providence. An American advisor team consisted of two officers and three to four enlisted men. The team provided tactical training, air and artillery support from the Americans. The team lived with their respective unit on a day to day bases.

The 25th Division had been the 10th Division and was renamed and relocated with it headquarters at Duc Hoa. The number 10 in Vietnamese is considered no good which was the perception of the 10th Division.

The 4/49 battalion’s primary mission was to provide security to the Revolutionary Development Team working the Duc Hoa area. The Revolutionary Team (RD) was to provide education to the local population on agriculture methods, education to the children, and political education to the local population. The battalion had lost one American advisor team and two Revolutionary Teams prior to Cliff and the new ARVN battalion commander arrival.

No RD Teams were lost during Cliffs time with the battalion. The new Vietnamese battalion commander, Captain Chow, contributed the most to the reorganization and esprit de corp to the battalion. Captain Chow allowed Cliff the opportunity to train a select group of soldiers in the art of night ambushing. This group became very effective and in a short period of time had sprung a number of ambushes with deadly results.

During the TET Offensive, January 1968, the battalion was under heavy mortar, machine gun attack and sapper attack. Sappers were trained to infiltrate the defensive position and place charges to open the wire or destroy command bunkers. The Vietnamese took numerous casualty alone with the loss of the senior American Noncommissioned Officer (NCO). This senior NCO had only been with Cliff’s team a little over a two weeks. The battalion was in the field for two weeks following the TET offensive. The battalions mission during this time was to block escape routes out of the Saigon area.

Before and after TET the battalion participated in numerous air assault exercises west and north of Duc Hoa along the Van Co Dong River ( see map); inflecting serious Viet Cong casualties on two separate occasions. In late February 1968, Cliff was reassigned to the 1/49, 25th Division (ARVN). This was a sister battalion located near Bau Tri( providence capital of Hau Nghia). Cliff would accompany this battalion out of the delta and up country to a place near Dau Tieng on the edge of War Zone C. The battalion was to work in concert with the American 25th Division. The battalion operated around Suoi Tre for three weeks.

In March 1967, units of the American 25th Division stood their ground and slugged it out with the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). Over 500 NVA bodies were buried on the edge of the fire base and the odor was still prevalent when the 1/49th ( commanded by Captain Nguyen Ngo) and units of the US 25th were airlifted into the old fire base. The Vietnamese had a hard time adjusting to the terrain and working with the Americans. The jungle in this area was not what the battalion was accustomed to down in the delta. While the Americans carried their equipment on helicopters and dropped that equipment in each night the Vietnamese carried everything on their backs.

It was not long before the North Vietnamese found out that this ARVIN unit was in the area and the unit started taking serious hits. The command group got caught in an ambush losing four and four wounded. The point man was hit by an RPG rocket and cut in half. Shrapnel and the rocket projectile killed another three. Cliff and the VN battalion commander were only one soldier away from all those killed. As the command group was being hit, one of the line companies came upon an NVA camp with a short and deadly fire fight. The attached American artillery observer called in some 175mm to support the tied down company and a few ARVN were wounded by friendly fire. We could not extract the wounded nor the killed due to the heavy foliage and overhanging trees. We had to pack out all our casualties to a clearing about two or three kilometers. By the time we got to the clearing night was upon us and we were only able to extract out the wounded. The dead were picked up the next morning. That night, the feeling was we would be hit so we dug in deep with overhead cover. Luck was with us and we were not bothered. After three weeks the Americans had the battalion pulled out and returned to the delta near Bau Trai. Cliff has often wondered what happened to the respective battalion commanders after the fall of Vietnam.

Returning from Vietnam in August 1968, Cliff was assigned to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Aberdeen, Maryland, to attend the Ordnance Career Course. While in VN Cliff received his Regular Army commission ensuring him career status and changing him from Infantry to Ordnance Corp. While at the Career Course he was promoted to Major.

After the career course, Cliff was assigned to Niagara Falls, N.Y. to be the material officer in support of the Nike Sites( ground to air missiles). The mission of the support center was to backup Nike Sites and their maintenance of the Nike Missiles. This was a short assignment for the support center was closed after being there only six months in 1969.

Returning to Vietnam in January 1971, now as an Ordnance officer, Cliff served as the material officer, 79th Maintenance Battalion and then as a company commander of a salvage and retrograde company (567 Transportation Co. Provisional). The unit’s mission was to receive and prepare for shipment all rolling stock, and salvageable equipment from VN as the American units were extracted. In some cases some of the equipment was refurbished and given to Vietnamese units. This particular command was a lot harder than the previous tour. Commanding a unit of over three hundred, coupled with the drug problems, twenty-four hour shifts, and “the lets go home attitude” of the soldiers, proved to be a challenge and an experience to lay the ground work for his future assignments. Command and control was hampered by a serious drug problem. A small plastic vile of heroin was only about $5-10.00. This same amount heroin back in the states would bring an easy $100. or more. The 79th Battalion saved millions of dollars of equipment by returning that equipment back to the United States for future use. The Battalion receive a Meritorious Unit Citation for its efforts in the retrograde operation from Vietnam. The battalions efforts were well documented and archived at Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

Returning from this tour (1972), Cliff turned down an assignment to the Washington D.C. area and accepted an advisors assignment to an Alabama National Guard Maintenance Battalion at Tallassee, Alabama. After one year the Lanham’s were again reassigned to Germany. In August 1973, Cliff and family were off on another European adventure which lasted until December 1977.

Cliff spent the next four years in the Inspector General Office, first at Theater Army Command (TACOM) Headquarters in Worms, Germany, and then at the First Support Command in Kaiserslautern, Germany. This assignment had Cliff on the road traveling some 310/330 days a year. Sometimes the family would join up with Cliff and together they had the opportunity to visit many of the sites of Europe and England. This was an enjoyable time in having the family together.

While in Europe, Cliff became involved in the Boy Scout program along with his children. He successfully completed the Scouters Wood Badge course while in Germany. He also was an instructor at a Wood Badge course, thus receiving his third bead on his Wood Badge.

Upon return from Germany in 1977, Cliff completed The Command and General Staff School and the Logistics Management School prior to being assigned to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. Each of these schools would be equivalent to a civilian masters program. The family purchased their first home in 1977. The house was a cape cod on the out skirts of the town of Aberdeen, Maryland. Having a full basement the kids took charge of this area an spent many hours playing, movie making, TV watching and hanging out.

At the Ordnance School, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Cliff was in charge of automotive/tank maintenance instruction. Some 3000 to 4000 students came through the ten courses under his supervision on an annual basis. This was as period of educational innovation and implementation of new equipment such as the M-1 Tank and the Bradley (M-2/3) fighting vehicle. In education, courses were self-paced to allow the students to progress at a pace to meet their learning styles. Instruction time was cut between 20 and 50%. During this tour Cliff completed an MBA degree from Florida Institute of Technology and was promoted to Lt. Colonel.

In 1980 Cliff and the family moved to Virginia Beach, VA. Cliff assumed command of the Army ROTC Department at Old Dominion University. This assignment proved to be a low stress, highly rewarding period of time working with young people seeking an Army commission and more time with the family. When Cliff left Old Dominion University (ODU) there were 137 students in the program. This was a new enrollment record for the school and the program. During and after the Vietnam war enrollment fell to around 30 students.

While Cliff was assigned to ODU.

Cliff’s terminal year in the Army was spent at Ft. Monroe, TRADOC Headquarters, VA, as the installation Maintenance officer, responsible for formulating maintenance policy and procedures for all the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC’s) Training Installations.

Cliff retired from the Army in September 1985, as a Lt. Colonel. His awards and decorations included the Bronze Star with 3 oak leafs, Meritorious Service Medal/w 2olc, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Star, Expert Infantry Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ Palm and other service ribbons.

Immediately after retirement Cliff went to work for a computer manufacturing company called Systems Management of America in Norfolk, VA. After working for this firm for about a year Cliff got the urge to open his own business. After much research he selected the commercial printing business. Buying into a franchise call PIP(Postal Instant Press), Cliff took a two week crash course in ownership of a printing company. He opened his printing company in Chesapeake, Va., January 1986. For the next six years Cliff operated the printing company. His company’s growth was fantastic the first three years. Cliff’s business was ranked in the top 10% of all single store printing firms within the franchise. In 1992, Cliff decided to put the store up for sale and seek a new career in education. His $40,000 initial investment was returned five times over upon sale.

Returning to school a Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, Cliff earned another master degree in middle school (6-8) education, 1992; and started teaching in Virginia Beach Public School System in 1992. From 1992 to 1994 he taught at Brandon Middle School. Teaching seventh grade life science he found the experience rewarding and challenging. While at Brandon he was honored by being nominated for teacher of the year. Unfortunately, he was not selected. In 1994 he transferred to a newly constructed middle school called Larkspur Middle School. Teaching Life Science his first year in the new school. After teaching Life Science for three years. Cliff moved up to the eight grade to teach Physical Science in his fourth year at LMS.

Physical Science consisted of a semester of Chemistry and a semester of Physics. This change of pace and subject matter recharged Cliff and he continued to teach until June of 2003.

In June 2003 Cliff sold their home in Virginia Beach and moved to Madison, Alabama, which is 12 miles west of Huntsville Alabama. Constructing a new four bedroom home with all the design features ever wanted in a home they are now enjoying retirement in a new community. Cliff continues to play tennis in three different leagues, works on his radio control planes, works with Scouts and continues a vigorous outdoor life style.

Cliff in 2006, did his last major revision of Oran S. Lanham’s book by adding numerous pages and with emphasis concerning Thomas and Patience Sappington Lanham’s children. He also did extensive research in the Richmond, KY area and perhaps may have found the Thomas homestead and maybe Thomas and Patience graves. This journey is posted later in this book. Cliff copyrighted and published his last revision in late 2006. Over 50 copies of the book were donated to 50 libraries from Maryland to the LDS Library in Utah. His Dad’s book of about 120 pages was now 235 pages of Lanham and related family data.

In 2008, Cliff went with Kevin to Shanghai, China. This two week adventure was fantastic time with Kevin and the opportunity to visit China. Upon returning from China, Cliff was looking through some of O.S. Lanham’s WWII records and found pictures of Stroud’s visit to Shanghai in Sep and Oct 1945. Many of the places visited in 1945 Cliff and Kevin visited in 2008. It is an eerie feeling looking at the same buildings and sites 63 years after your father visited the same locations. A trip through Rockwall, Texas and Missouri in 2009 yielded more background data on the Lanham’s of Rockwall, Texas and also brothers of Sylvester Lanham. Current grave site pictures of the Lanham’s in Rockwall have been added to this revision of the Lanham history.

After working in the Boy Scout program for over 39 years, Cliff retired from the Scouting program in 2009. At the time he hung up his Scouting hat, he was the Deputy Executive Commissioner for the City of Madison and the county area around Madison.

He continues to participate on three City Advisory Boards (Hospital, Recreation and Planning Boards) as of 2012. His days are spent traveling to see the grandkids in Colorado, Florida, and Pennsylvania. On many of his trips he continues to do Genealogy research on the Lanham Family as well as related interests. He has covered a lot of the Appalachian Trail in PA, MD, VA, and SC.

Cliff have their health and continue to enjoy their children, grandchildren, and life in 2012. And as of this writing Cliff is continuing the genealogy work of Our Lanham’s.