Charles Storm, commander for the Keith Lowry-Henry Ellyson Post No. 5 American Legion, will serve as speaker for the post’s annual Memorial Day program at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 27, at the Kingfisher Cemetery.

Past post commander Kenneth Tollison will serve as emcee for the program, which also will recognize military personnel from Kingfisher County who are currently serving or have committed to serve in any branch of the U.S. military.

Music will be provided by Vocal Sounds of Oklahoma, the a capella group formerly known as OK Chorale, a feature of the local Memorial Day program for more than 20 years.

Storm and American Legion Auxiliary President Gladys Hopkins will place wreaths at the foot of the Kingfisher County Military Service Memorial.

The local American Legion color guard will end the ceremony with a Salute to the Dead, followed by Taps.

Storm was born in Kingfisher in 1946 and spent his early years on the family farm northwest of Kingfisher.

He attended school at Dover, graduating in 1964.

He was active in all phases of FFA, but especially enjoyed speech and parliamentary procedure.

In 1963, he was awarded the Junior Master Farmer Degree from the Oklahoma FFA Association and in 1967 received the American Farmer Degree from the National FFA Foundation.

After graduating from Dover, he attended Oklahoma State University, graduating with honors with a degree in animal science in January 1969.

At OSU, he participated in the Minutemen Precision Drill Team, the varsity and ROTC rifle teams and the Alpha-Zeta National Service Fraternity and also met his future wife, Karen.

At the time of their graduation and marriage, the country was in the midst of a protracted war in Southeast Asia and on April 8, 1968, Storm joined the U.S. Navy.

He reported for duty in Newport, R.I., on Feb. 8, 1970, and received his commission as an ensign in the U.S. Navy on June 7, 1970.

His first duty assignment was the Naval Communication Station, Washington D.C., where he served in the Pentagon as a communications watch officer for the Chief of Naval Operations.

In April 1971, Storm began an extensive Vietnamese language and cultural training program in Annandale, Va., and later in San Diego, Calif., to prepare him to serve as a food supplement advisor to the Vietnamese Navy.

He served in that position throughout South Vietnam from May 1972 until the cease-fire was signed in February 1973.

For his work in Southeast Asia, the People’s Republic of Vietnam presented him its National Technical Service Award and inducted him into their Tran Hung Dao Society (Tran Hung Dao was a 13th century Vietnamese navy hero).

Upon returning home, he received the Naval Commendation Award and a Meritorious Unit Citation with Gallantry cross from the Navy. In presenting his commendation, Admiral B.A. Clarey, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, wrote: “As an advisor to the Vietnamese Navy’s Food Supplement Program, Lt. Storm’s initiative, professionalism, and devotion were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Navy.”

Upon completion of his military service, Storm returned to the Kingfisher area, where he and his wife raised three boys, Matt, Jay and Carl, on the same farm and in the same house where Storm grew up.

The Storms have nine grandchildren.

Storm has served the community on the Kingfisher Co-op Elevator’s Young Farmer Advisory Board, the Kingfisher Rural Water District’s board of directors, and the Farmers Co-op Supply board of directors, two years as president.

He served two years as manager of Kingfisher Chamber of Commerce.

AtKingfisherFirstBaptist Church, Storm has served as a Sunday School teacher and director, deacon, trustee and on many church building and properties committees.

He served on the building committee which facilitated the move of FBC from its old location downtown to its current site on 13th street.

An avid reader and perpetual student, Storm said he fell in love with history and politics as he served throughout the U.S. and overseas.

Now retired, he said he still loves to read, travel and tell a good story.