Cusher is Veteran of the Month

Corneal Cusher is Choctaw Nation’s Veteran of the Month.

Cusher was born in Talihina, Okla., and attended Smithville schools until 10th grade. He then graduated from Haskell. He went to vo-tech school at Okmulgee and studied to be a diesel mechanic.

He entered military service June 1961 and attended boot camp in San Antonio, Tx.

He completed his mechanic schooling in Amarillo and went on to serve three years in Altus, Okla., on a ground crew for KC-135 (flying gas stations), flying support to Okinawa. His favorite part was traveling for training missions for refilling in the air. He spent several weeks in Spain during the Cuban Missile Crisis and obtained the rank of Airman Second Class. He said his favorite tour of duty was his time at Altus, Okla., performing regular mechanic duties.

He returned to Tulsa, Okla., as an aircraft mechanic for Spartin Aircraft and moved to their machine shop. He worked as a concrete finisher in Smithville, traveling to various places. He went back to school in Talihina to learn carpentry, building houses, churches, commercial buildings and finishing concrete.

Cusher married Linda in 1963 and had three children, Bobby Eugene, Randy Leon, and Cindy Carol. He married Darlene in 1986. She is employed at the Battiest Community Center and is a 33-year employee.

The Choctaw Nation holds our veterans in the highest esteem and appreciates their sacrifices and contributions to preserve our freedoms and the way of life we hold dear.