Virgil George England Collection loc.natlib.afc2001001.111840 England Virgil George interviewee OK MO The veteran is affiliated with the Cherokee Nation. The veteran is an alumni of the Chilocco Indian School. Male American Indian and Alaskan Native Cold War Veteran 1955-1958 Enlisted Army 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division Fort Carson, Colorado; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Arkansas E-4 No https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.111840/ “Well, I've always thought that all the tribes, the Pawnee tribes and the Cherokees and the Choctaws, Tonkawas, I mean, all the tribes, they just seem to have a greater appreciation towards veterans.” (Audio interview, 47:12) George England, a tribal member of the Cherokee Nation, grew up attending the Chilocco Indian School in Oklahoma, and utilized the discipline he learned there during his time in the Army. England elected to attend jump school, becoming a paratrooper and served with the 101st Airborne Division. A chance encounter with the bandmaster of the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team Band gave him the chance to play the clarinet in the band at the National Cherry Blossom Festival and other events around the country from 1955 to 1958. England also notably served with the 101st Airborne forces deployed to maintain order during the desegregation of Central High School in 1957. An active member of the Chilocco Alumni Association in addition to his tribal community post-military life, England continually felt support from his family and his tribal community as a veteran, particularly at a period when other U.S. veterans were overlooked. Virgil England at time of interview Audio DVD 1 item Oral history interview 04/08/2017 Computer File CD 1 item Multiple types of electronic files 04/08/2017 Manuscript Transcript 1 item Transcription of audio recording 04/08/2017 Thunder Julie interviewer Milligan Sarah contributor Oklahoma Oral History Research Program, Edmon Low Library, Oklahoma State University contributor AFC/2001/001/111840 England Virgil George Cold War Personal Narratives United States. Army. Virgil George England Collection(AFC/2001/001/111840), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress DLC-AFC 2018-07-11 2021-06-03 loc.natlib.afc2001001.111840 Virgil George England Collection 2018 https://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/bib/111840 mixed material sound recording-nonmusical software, multimedia mixed material England, Virgil George England, Virgil George Fort Carson, Colorado [service location] Fort Bragg, North Carolina [service location] Fort Campbell, Kentucky [service location] Arkansas [service location] Cold War--Personal Narratives United States. Army. Veterans History Project