NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Ericca Reynolds (reynoldse@nsula.edu)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

9/25/2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES-It's been 60 years since the 1942 Louisiana State Normal College football team clinched the L.I.C. Championship. After winning that championship, the entire football team left school to serve their country in World War II.

A reception honoring those athletes as well as all students who attended Louisiana State Normal College will be held during Homecoming festivities at Northwestern State University Oct. 19. The reception will precede the annual Homecoming Banquet and include a special short program honoring some of the WWII veterans as well as the 1942 Normal football team.

The program will feature such alumni as Alton Lloyd Townsend, a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Townsend was inducted in to the Army Air Corps in 1942. He served in India and China as a pilot and participated in campaign of the China Defensive and the Japan Offensive. Townsend is a recipient of the Purple Heart and the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre of Operations Medal with two battle stars. He was a prisoner of the Japanese for nearly two years.

Another noted veteran is Lt. David Bramlett. The most decorated veteran among NSU alumni, he received five Purple Hearts and two Silver Stars and other awards during his time in the Army, serving in France, Africa, Sicily and Germany. After leaving the Army in 1946, he returned to school and finished 12 hours to graduate with a degree in business. Bramlett died in 1991.

Many men who joined the service decided to marry before leaving home. Dwight
Morris, who joined the Air Force while attending Normal, returned to Natchitoches to marry his sweetheart after earning his wings. He named his B-26 bomber after his wife, Melba Jean. He later retired as a full colonel. Morris died in 1988.

These three alumni are among many whom gave up time to completing their college education to serve the United States. The NSU Alumni Association invites everyone to join in a tribute to all the veterans and athletes of this time.

For more information and to make a reservation contact Theophile Scott at (318) 869-4621 or the NSU Alumni Association at (318) 357-4414 or (888) 799-6486.

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