Texas

From the Archives: East Texas veterans who served on D-Day

Published

2 years ago

June 5, 2024

From the Archives: East Texas veterans who served on D-Day

EAST TEXAS (KLTV) – As the world pauses to reflect on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy that changed the course of World War II, the passage of time highlights another somber reality. The personal stories of those who served during this turning point in the war will soon fade into history.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, fewer than 119 thousand of the 16.4 million Americans who served in World War II are still living. In fact, these statistics show 131 WWII veterans die with each passing day. The National World War II Museum’s information shows 5,842 of the remaining WWII survivors are from Texas.

Even fewer are the number of living veterans whose service had a direct connection to the landings at Normandy France in June 1944. This includes the soldiers who landed on Gold, Juno, and Sword beaches, as well as the those involved in the air bombardment, paratrooper drops, and those serving aboard ships positions along the coastline.

Of the 140 thousand American service members involved, the National D-Day Memorial in Virginia estimates about a thousand are still living. The youngest, who were in their teens in 1944, would now be approaching 100.

Over the course of journalist Joan Hallmark’s 44 years at KLTV, one of her lasting contributions was documenting the stories of countless veterans, many of whom served in World War II.(Source: KLTV staff)

The stories of many East Texas veterans who served at Normandy were documented through KLTV’s long-running ‘Freedom Fighters’ series, reported by journalist Joan Hallmark, who retired in 2018.

These first-hand accounts preserve vivid details about their combat service and perspectives.

The following videos from the KLTV archives are a selection of nearly two dozen East Texas veterans who served during the D-Day invasion.

Gordon Barker | Hideaway, TX

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Gordon Barker was one of only a handful of servicemen to be at both D-Day and the signing of the peace treaty with Japan. Original airdate: July 19, 2013.

Gordon Barker was still a teenager when he witnessed some of the most important events in our nation’s history. Original airdate: July 26, 2013.

Royce Peacock | Troup, TX

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From the time Royce Peacock landed on Normandy Beach the week after D-Day, he was battling the enemy. Original airdate: March 19, 2010.

Ron Ruff | Pittsburg, TX

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War was erupting around the world when Ron Ruff joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1940. Original airdate: September 8, 2014.

Bill Spurgeon | Carthage, TX

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Bill Spurgeon arrived in Normandy on D-Day and went on to fight in the biggest battle of the war, the “Battle of the Bulge.” Original airdate: June 4, 2010.

Jesse Casady | Tyler, TX

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During his 95 years of life, Jesse Casady made history for our country in both war and in peace. Original airdate: February 13, 2015.

Bill Prindible | Hideaway, TX

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Although Bill Prindible trained as a fighter pilot, his role in WWII was changed to transport aircraft for the big invasion. Original airdate: October 9, 2009.

Bud Taylor | Tyler, TX

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Bud Taylor went on the fight in the Pacific and to bombard the French coast on D-Day. Original airdate: December 7, 2012.

Chuck Bice | Tyler, TX

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As a member of the 300th Combat Engineers, Chuck Bice helped build both the first and last bridges of WWII. Original airdate: June 6, 2014.

Charles Monroe | Athens, TX

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Charles Monroe was 18 when he arrived in France on June 13, D-Day 7 of the Normandy Invasion. Original airdate: January 16, 2015.

Ted Heller | Bullard, TX

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Ted Heller became part of history on June 6th of 1944 as he piloted a group of paratroopers into France. Original airdate: June 11, 2010.

John Jennings | Mount Pleasant, TX

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John Jennings was a gunner on an LCI landing craft delivering troops to Omaha Beach in the Normandy invasion. Original airdate: January 2, 2015.

Bud Williams | Garrison, TX

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Bud Williams was one of five brothers to fight in World War Two. Original airdate: June 3, 2011.

Bud Taylor, James Barrett, and Bud Williams

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Bud Taylor, James Barrett, and Bud Williams served on the French coast during the D-Day invasion. Original airdate: June 1, 2012.

Jack Reynolds | Henderson County, TX

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Jack Reynolds arrived on Normandy’s Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, “D-Day.” Original airdate: March 7, 2014.

Jack Jackson | Tyler, TX

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Jack Jackson was barely out of his teens when he became one of the first pilots to fly into enemy territory on D-Day. Original airdate: November 21, 2014.

James D’Zelle | Hawkins, TX

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James D’Zelle arrived on the Normandy coast on D-Day plus 2 of 1944. Original airdate: September 17, 2010.

Homer Garrett | Tyler, TX

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Homer Garrett served during D-Day in World War II. His LST hit a mine just before landing at Utah Beach in June of 1944. Original airdate: May 30, 2014.

John Flowers | Smith County, TX

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John Flowers was a gunners mate aboard the USS Rockaway, on June 6,1944, “D-Day”. Original airdate: May 16, 2014.

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Texas A&M vs. Louisville volleyball final score, stats highlights

Published

51 minutes ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Texas A&M vs. Louisville volleyball final score, stats highlights

After dropping the first two sets, No. 3 seed Texas A&M (25-4) stormed back to beat No. 2 seed Louisville (26-6) 3-2 in the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament Friday night.

Texas A&M moves on to play Sunday against either No. 1 Nebraska or No. 4 Kansas, who play at 9:30 p.m. ET Friday night. Here’s how the Sweet 16 heavyweight match played out:

FINAL: Texas A&M wins 3-2, taking final set 15-12.

No. 3 Texas A&M completed a reverse sweep against No. 2 Louisville to advance to the regional final for the first time since 2001 after winning the fifth set, 15-12. The Aggies were able to swing the momentum of the game with their blocking ability, led by Ifenna Cos-okpalla’s 12 total blocks.

Texas A&M’s Logan Lednicky (20 kills, 10 digs on .245 hitting), Kyndal Stowers (16 kills, 11 digs on .282 hitting) and Emily Hellmuth (12 kills on .226 hitting) each recorded double-digit kills.

“We just weren’t finishing the last end of the set,” said an emotional Lednicky, who was three blocks away from a triple double. “We’re like, we’re not letting them sweep us. We know how to grind, we know how to dig it. We saw it in the TCU match and we did just that last one.”

Tensions boiled over in the fifth set. Louisville head coach Dan Meske earned a yellow card for swatting the ball because he thought the referee missed a carry call during a long rally Texas A&M won to go up 12-10.

Louisville’s Chloe Chicoine finished with a game-high 26 kills hitting .300 in the loss.

No. 3 Texas A&M took a 17-8 lead after holding No. 2 Louisville to a -.143 hitting percentage to start the fourth set with its defensive prowess. The Aggies stretched their lead to as many as nine points, but Louisville went on a 7-1 run to come within three points of Texas A&M. The Aggies didn’t relinquish the lead this time. Texas A&M finished the fourth set on a 4-0 run to force a decisive fifth set.

Texas A&M held Louisville to .000 hitting in the fourth set. The Aggies hit .267 and recorded nine blocks. Texas A&M’s Logan Lednicky (18 kills on .333 hitting), Kyndal Stowers (14 kills on .243 hitting) and Emily Hellmuth (10 kills on .200 hitting) each have double-digit kills. Ifenna Cos-okpalla is up to 11 blocks.

The Aggies are going for the reverse sweep, the team’s first since September 2024.

No. 3 Texas A&M head coach Jamie Morrison said his team needed to do a better job at finishing at the end of the set if they wanted to extend their season against No. 2 Louisville after giving up leads in the first two sets. The Aggies did just that in a third set that featured 15 ties and five lead changes.

The Aggies had a 23-21 lead in the third set before Louisville tied it up at 23-23 following back-to-back kills from Chloe Chicoine. Texas A&M’s Kyndal Stowers responded with a pair of kills herself to give the Aggies the set, 25-23.

Texas A&M’s Logan Lednicky (14 kills on .333 hitting), Stowers (11 kills on .259 hitting) and Emily Hellmuth (10 kills on .261) each have double-digit kills as the team is collectively hitting .292.

Meanwhile, Chicoine is up to 19 kills on .405 hitting. Cara Cresse added seven blocks.

New set, same scenario. Much like the first set, Texas A&M was the first team to reach 15 points. The Aggies had a 21-16 lead in the second set, before Louisville staged another comeback. The Cardinals went on a 9-1 run to take the lead and clinch the second set, 25-22, to take a 2-0 lead over Texas A&M.

Louisville capitalized on 14 total blocks and three aces. Chloe Chicoine (11 kills on .400 hitting) and Payton Petersen (10 kills on .563 hitting) led the Cardinals in kills.

Logan Lednicky has nine kills, while Emily Hellmuth and Kyndal Stowers each have seven kills for Texas A&M.

No. 3 Texas A&M had control of the first set and was the first team to 15 points, but No. 2 Louisville went on a 5-0 run to tie it up at 17-17. Five more ties ensued before Louisville ultimately created some separation to take the first set, 25-23. Louisville hit .457 and had two players with six or more kills — Payton Petersen (seven kills on .778 hitting) and Chloe Chicoine (six kills on .600 hitting).

NCAA volleyball tournament regionals schedule

All times Eastern

Friday, Dec. 12

Saturday, Dec. 13

Sunday, Dec. 14

TBA | No. 1 Texas vs. No. 3 Wisconsin
Regional final, TBD

NCAA women’s volleyball bracket

Find the full NCAA women’s volleyball tournament bracket on the NCAA website.

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UConn vs. Texas Prediction, How to Watch, Odds, Channel

Published

13 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

UConn vs. Texas Prediction, How to Watch, Odds, Channel

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

The No. 5 UConn Huskies (9-1) will attempt to continue a five-game winning streak when they host the Texas Longhorns (7-3) on Friday, December 12, 2025 at PeoplesBank Arena. The contest airs at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Keep reading to get all you need to know ahead of wagering on the UConn-Texas matchup.

UConn vs. Texas How to Watch & Odds

When: Friday, December 12, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET
Where: PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford, Connecticut
TV: FOX
Streaming: FOXSports.com, FOX Sports App and FOX One (Try free for 7 days)

UConn vs. Texas Prediction

The Huskies are holding opponents to just 60.4 points per game while averaging 91, giving them one of the strongest scoring margins in the country. Their defense has been particularly sharp, limiting opponents to 37.4% shooting from the field.

Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr. continue to set the tone. Ball is averaging 15 points per game, and Reed Jr. has provided steady interior production with 14.8 points and 5.4 rebounds. Their consistency has been central to the Huskies’ early-season dominance.

The Longhorns have shown they can score, averaging 85.8 points per game, but their defense has struggled, allowing opponents to shoot 48.5%. That could be an issue against a UConn offense that moves the ball well and attacks efficiently.

UConn’s home court-advantage and Texas’s 2-2 road struggles tilt the matchup toward the Huskies.

Pick ATS: Texas (+16.5)
Pick OU: Over (145.5)
Prediction: UConn 81, Texas 69

Prediction provided by FOX Sports’ Sports AI. Download the FOX Sports App for free access to Sports AI.

UConn vs. Texas Betting Insights

Betting Line Implied Predictions

Based on the spread and over/under, the implied score for the matchup is Huskies 81, Longhorns 64.
The Huskies have a 95.9% chance to win this meeting per the moneyline’s implied probability.
The Longhorns have an 8.3% implied probability to win.

Key Spread Facts

UConn has compiled a 3-7-0 record against the spread this season.
Texas has won six games against the spread this year, while failing to cover four times.
UConn has covered the spread once this season (1-4 ATS) when playing as at least 16.5-point favorites.

Key Total Facts

The Huskies and their opponent have broken the 145.5-point mark four times this year.
Longhorns games have gone over 145.5 points on eight occasions this season.
The total for this matchup is 145.5 points, 23.4 fewer than the combined scoring average of the two teams.

Key Moneyline Facts

UConn has won six of seven games when the moneyline favorite this season (85.7%).
Texas has split the two games it has played as underdogs this season.
UConn has played as a moneyline favorite of -2326 or shorter twice this season, and won both.
Texas has not entered a game this season with longer moneyline odds than +1103.

UConn vs. Texas: Recent Results

Huskies vs Longhorns Recent Games
Date	Favorite	Spread	Total	Favorite Moneyline	Underdog Moneyline	Result
12/8/2024	Longhorns	-1.5	141	-121	+101	76-65 UCONN

UConn vs. Texas: 2025-26 Stats Comparison

	UConn	Texas
Points Scored Per Game (Rank)	79.8 (137)	89.1 (21)
Points Allowed (Rank)	61.7 (10)	73.2 (189)
Rebounds (Rank)	9 (234)	11.7 (49)
3pt Made (Rank)	7.7 (203)	8 (175)
Assists (Rank)	17.9 (38)	14.6 (179)
Turnovers (Rank)	8.8 (10)	11.5 (167)

UConn 2025-26 Key Players

Huskies Leaders
Name	GP	PTS	REB	ASST	STL	BLK	3PM
Solomon Ball	10	15	3.3	1.6	0.8	0.3	2
Tarris Reed Jr.	5	14.8	7.6	1.4	1.2	1.6	0
Alex Karaban	10	13.4	5.4	2.2	0.9	1.2	2
Silas Demary Jr.	10	10	4.5	5.1	1.8	0.2	0.3
Eric Reibe	10	9.6	4.6	0.3	0.3	1.3	0.3

Texas 2025-26 Key Players

Longhorns Leaders
Name	GP	PTS	REB	ASST	STL	BLK	3PM
Matas Vokietaitis	10	15.9	6.6	0.2	0.4	1.1	0
Dailyn Swain	10	15.7	6.9	3.5	1.6	0.3	0.7
Jordan Pope	10	12.5	2.1	3	0.3	0.1	2.4
Tramon Mark	10	9.9	2.8	2.5	0.7	0.6	1
Simeon Wilcher	10	9.4	2.4	1.9	0.7	0.5	1.6

FOX Sports used technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar to create this story.

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Texas Football Opt-Outs: Who’s Likely Playing and Who’s Out for the Citrus Bowl

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Texas Football Opt-Outs: Who’s Likely Playing and Who’s Out for the Citrus Bowl

At this point in time, opting out of bowl games is nothing new, but Texas is going to have more opt-outs in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan than many—self included—expected. This problem pales in comparison to what’s going on in Ann Arbor, but the amount of lost experience will be something for Texas to overcome, primarily on defense.

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