History

The following chapters, organized chronologically, tell the story of Sooner Battalion, the Army ROTC program at OU, and its relation within the larger context of American and world history. Please click on a link to read about a particular time period.


The World Goes To War. OU Follows.
(1917-1921)
As the United States is drawn into the First World War, students come together to serve their country.

A Time of Peace, A Time of Growth.
(1922-1941)
With the Great War an ever-distant memory, the cadets of OU ROTC, who had missed their chance to participate in that conflict, set about preparing for the next, diversifying their studies into numerous military career fields and occupations. As the ominous Nazi tide swept through Europe, regular Army officers would prepare the young men under their charge for the hell of battle.

Catharsis: OU's Newly-Minted Officers Draw Blood
(1942-1945)
Thousands of OU alumni leave home to fight fascism in Europe and the Pacific. Some would come back with the Congressional Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award for valor. Others never came back at all.

Of Forgotten Wars and Dress Rehearsals
(1946-1965)
The ROTC program, temporarily suspended during the crisis of the Second World War, is once again established. While UN troops battle communists on the freezing plains of Korea, cadets prepare for the coming showdown in Vietnam.

Dealing with Discontent: ROTC and Vietnam
(1966-1973)
The widening conflict in Vietnam claims more and more of our nation's young people as agitation against the conflict increases. An easy and visible target for their frustrations, numerous student demonstrators choose to lash out against the cadets and cadre of the ROTC program.

Recovery
(1974-1990)
As the number of students enrolled in the program declines to a critical point, the Army and the nation seek to recover from the bleak experience of Vietnam.

Reemergence
(1991-2006)
Emboldened by the quick victory against totalitarian aggression in the Persian Gulf War, the ROTC program and the Army assert their capability and regain public support. When terrorists declare war on America, OU prepares with great care and attention the highly capable men and women who will have to fight this newest entrant in the pantheon of America's foreign wars.

Epilogue
(2006)
Cadets rediscover the heritage of their program and explain the process of historical study and its application in the Internet Age.