Brownwood in Brown County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
S.J. "Skipper" Howard Jr.
Captain, Glider Pilot
Photographed by James Hulse, May 30, 2024
1. S.J. "Skipper" Howard Jr. Marker
Inscription.
S.J. "Skipper" Howard Jr. was born on 15 November 1913. He is a member of the Daniel Baker College Hillbilly Hall of Honor. Daniel Baker College was a Presbyterian College founded in Brownwood in 1889. Daniel Baker consolidated with Howard Payne University in 1953. At Daniel Baker College, Skipper was a triple threat back and the most feared athlete in the conference. He was an All American punter and had over a dozen punts over 70 yards. He was team captain in 1936. Skipper was also a consensus All-Conference selection. In 1937, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles as a punter and quarterback, he spent a summer pitching in the Saint Louis Browns' system for the Texas Oilers. He coached at Daniel Baker College in 1939 before volunteering for military service. In World War II, Skipper served in the Army Air Corps as a captain and glider pilot squadron commander in the elite special forces glider corps that played a major role in the allied invasion of Europe. His glider squadron was vital in the Normandy landing at Utah Beach, northern Italy, southern France, Holland, and the Rhine Valley. He was awarded seven Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, Bronze Arrowhead for the Normandy Invasion, Air Medal with two oakleaf clusters, Distinguished Unit Citation Badge, and the European - African - Middle East Campaign Medal. Skipper was honored as Brownwood's Outstanding Young Man in 1946. He received the Gold Key Award from the Brownwood Junior Chamber of Commerce, was a member of the Brownwood Kiwanis Club, was a Shriner, and was a steward at Brownwood First United Methodist Church. He died from cancer on 3 December 1971 at the age of 58.
S.J. "Skipper" Howard Jr. was born on 15 November 1913. He is a member of the Daniel Baker College Hillbilly Hall of Honor. Daniel Baker College was a Presbyterian College founded in Brownwood in 1889. Daniel Baker consolidated with Howard Payne University in 1953. At Daniel Baker College, Skipper was a triple threat back and the most feared athlete in the conference. He was an All American punter and had over a dozen punts over 70 yards. He was team captain in 1936. Skipper was also a consensus All-Conference selection. In 1937, he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles as a punter and quarterback, he spent a summer pitching in the Saint Louis Browns' system for the Texas Oilers. He coached at Daniel Baker College in 1939 before volunteering for military service. In World War II, Skipper served in the Army Air Corps as a captain and glider pilot squadron commander in the elite special forces glider corps that played a major role in the allied invasion of Europe. His glider squadron was vital in the Normandy landing at Utah Beach, northern Italy, southern France, Holland, and the Rhine Valley. He was awarded seven Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, Bronze Arrowhead for the Normandy Invasion, Air Medal with two oakleaf clusters, Distinguished Unit Citation Badge, and the European - African - Middle East Campaign Medal. Skipper was honored as
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Brownwood's Outstanding Young Man in 1946. He received the Gold Key Award from the Brownwood Junior Chamber of Commerce, was a member of the Brownwood Kiwanis Club, was a Shriner, and was a steward at Brownwood First United Methodist Church. He died from cancer on 3 December 1971 at the age of 58.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Sports • War, World II. A significant historical date for this entry is November 15, 1913.
Location. 31° 40.63′ N, 98° 59.516′ W. Marker is in Brownwood, Texas, in Brown County. It is on Burnett Road south of Memorial Park Drive, on the right when traveling north. The marker is located at the northwest section of the Camp Bowie Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2710 Burnett Rd, Brownwood TX 76801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Big Country. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Comancherνa, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
2. The view of the S.J. "Skipper" Howard Jr. Marker along the pathway
Credits. This page was last revised on June 7, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 3, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 190 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on June 4, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
