It was 1953.

America was embroiled in the Korean War.

And there was Hugh Branscum, just a 20-yearold farm boy in Kingfisher County when Uncle Sam called his name.

Originally from Okemah, Branscum had come to Kingfisher, while still in high school, looking for summer work in the wheat harvest.

Along with two of his buddies, Branscum got hired on to work on farms east of Kingfisher and he returned the following two summers.

With the last being his senior year, Branscum decided to remain in Kingfi sher, staying with his boss, Prem Jech, and graduated from Big Four High School in 1951.

During that time he met the love of his life, Betty Lou Bamberg.

When the draft call came, Branscum said Betty wanted to get married, “but I was afraid to, because I thought I might not make it home.”

Sent to basic training at Camp Roberts in California, Branscum said he was told, “You boys won’t be able to go back home…because we’ll go right on to Korea.”

During his four months of Army basic training, Branscum said the Korean War was beginning to die down and his infantry company was given two weeks leave before reporting to Camp Kilmer in New Jersey.

“They put us on a ship there and I went to Germany,” Branscum said.

Since the war was coming to an end, he said the company was split in half with some going to Europe and the others to Korea.

While in Germany, Branscum said he was involved in cleaning up behind World War II.

“There was still a lot of to be done over there,” he added. “Since I had experience running a motor grader, we did a lot of rebuilding roads and cleanup work.”

Other time in Germany was spent training on an M42 tank and preparing camouflage nets for military use, Branscum said.

After his two years of service, Branscum said he received a U.S. Army Good Conduct Medal and returned home as a Sergeant First Class.

Back in Kingfisher, Branscum went to work for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, farmed, married his sweetheart and eventually settled on his wife’s family homestead in 1963.

The couple had two daughters, Linda Wallace (Tim) and Kathy Lou Gilliland (Dan), five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

In 1998, the Branscums moved into Kingfisher, with Linda and Tim taking their place on the homestead and, in 2013, Betty passed away.

Referring to himself as “just a farmer,” now almost 92 years old, Branscum said he stays active and still tries to go out to the farm every day and do a little work when he can.

Throughout the years, Branscum always remained very patriotic and earlier this year received a certificate for being one of the longest serving members of the Keith Lowry-Henry Ellyson Post No. 5 of the American Legion.

For 70 continuous years, Branscum has been a member of the local American Legion Post, serving in varying capacities.

One of the many significant contributions Branscum has made to Kingfisher County and the American Legion was spearheading the effort for the development of the military memorial at Kingfisher Cemetery honoring all Kingfisher County veterans.

In the early 2000s, while in Coldwater, Kan., Branscum said he and his wife visited the town’s military memorial and were thoroughly impressed.

“I thought that was the nicest thing,” Branscum said. “They listed all the boys, not just the ones that lost their lives…everyone that served in that county.”

Inspired by what he observed, Branscum wanted to build something similar to honor the veterans of Kingfisher County and brought the idea to an American Legion Post No. 5 meeting.

“In 2004, I asked the commander if we might build something like that in Kingfisher and the boys all thought it would be a pretty good deal, so we started asking for donations,” Branscum said.

Needing about $300,000 to complete the project, Branscum said the donations came in quickly at first, but began to stall with about $150,000 still needed.

A 1/2 cent sales tax for six months was passed by voters on its second attempt, which provided the needed funds and about $100,000 more which the city invested to be used for any maintenance on the memorial, which includes etching new veteran names every year.

Branscum served as the committee chairperson for the development of the memorial and also as commander of the local post during its final year of construction and was awarded the Kingfisher Citizen of the Year in 2008. Dedicated on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 2007, the military memorial has veterans’ names etched in 16 granite walls, plaques remembering individual veterans killed in action, emblems of the American military branches in the center, American, Oklahoma and American Legion post flags illuminated and flying overhead and a battlefield cross in memory of those who gave their all.

Honoring veterans of Kingfisher County, the memorial lists those who were killed in action from World War I (36), World War II (47), Korea (3) and Vietnam (2), as well as 4,719 other county veterans who honorably served their country, with names being added yearly.

Additionally, there are burial plots available at the memorial for Kingfisher County veterans who wish to be buried there free of cost, Branscum said.

Thankful for all those who’ve served, Branscum said, “I think it would be good if everybody would go into the service and serve a couple of years. I think they would come out a better person.”

Organized in 1919, the American Legion works to enhance the well-being of America’s veterans, their families, the military and communities through devotion to mutual helpfulness.

In addition, the local Post No. 5 provides scholarships each year to graduating seniors, honors a firefighter, deputy and police officer of the year, recently purchased a large flag to be displayed at the newly renovated Vernie Snow Aquatic Center and is involved in many other community service projects.

At the upcoming Memorial Day ceremony, members of the local American Legion Post No. 5, led by Commander James Kale, will hold their annual tribute at the Kingfisher County Military Service Memorial to honor the servicemen and women who were killed in action and those who’ve put their lives on the line in service to the country throughout the years.