Meet 10 Tar Heel military heroes

UNC-Chapel Hill has a longstanding history of supporting veterans on campus. Before or after they served their country, they spent time in Chapel Hill learning from professors, participating in extracurricular activities and building the values that underscore their service in the armed forces.

The Military and Veteran Student Success Center celebrates some of these service members in their new space in Student and Academic Services Building South.

Keep reading to learn about 10 Tar Heels who served in the military across the past century.

Staff Sgt. Lawrence Flinn.

Staff Sgt. Lawrence Flinn ’33

U.S. Army

With his college degree already in hand, Flinn could have commissioned as an officer, but instead enlisted when World War II began. As a graduate student in Germany, he observed some of the first concentration camps being built. He was killed in action while securing a forward command position in a German village.

Lt. Robert Conderman.

Lt. Robert Conderman ’39

U.S. Marine Corps

According to news clippings, Conderman received national attention when he left his job as a postal inspector to join the Marine Corps after his son, a Marine aviator, was killed in action during Japan’s attack on Wake Island. He served in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

Maj. William Milton Miller (left), shown here receiving a Distinguished Flying Cross.

Maj. William Milton Miller ’39

U.S. Army Air Corps

Miller served in the 8th Air Force in England during World War II, flying 30 missions over Europe and earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses and five Air Medals. At the Pentagon, he helped develop the automatic bomb release system. Miller later served in the 20th Air Force Headquarters in Guam, flying missions over Japan.

Lt. Tom Wicker, shown here at his desk.

Lt. Tom Wicker ’48

U.S. Navy

Wicker served in the Pacific Theater in World War II but is best known for his work as one of America’s most distinguished journalists. He wrote 20 books, covered the assassination of President John F. Kennedy for The New York Times and served as the paper’s Washington bureau chief. His “In the Nation” column appeared on the Times’ editorial page, then on the op-ed page, several times a week from 1966 until his retirement in 1991. He’s now in the North Carolina Journalism Hall of Fame.

Maj. Everett “Bud” Hampton.

Maj. Everett “Bud” Hampton ’50

U.S. Marine Corps

Hampton served in four major battles in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He was the lone surviving officer in his company at Iwo Jima and assumed command; he later was evacuated after being wounded. Hampton was recalled to service in the Korean War, leading Able Company 1st Marines.

Col. Kelly Francis Cook

Col. Kelly Francis Cook ’59

U.S. Air Force

Cook flew B-24s as a second lieutenant stationed in Italy during World War II and the F84-F as a captain in Korea. His last assignment was as assistant director of operations for the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing in Vietnam. He flew the F-4C Phantom. Cook was killed in action in 1967.

Capt. John “Clint” Eudy reads a magazine about the Tar Heel football team. He was an All-Conference lineman.

Capt. John “Clint” Eudy ’65, ’72 (JD)

U.S. Marine Corps

Eudy was a Morehead scholar and All-Conference lineman for the Tar Heels football team at Carolina before entering active service with the Marine Corps after graduation. He was awarded the Purple Heart and discharged after being wounded in Da Nang during the Vietnam War. He then returned to Chapel Hill, where he earned a law degree. He practiced until 1996.

Maj. Jeanne Lorraine Curtis

Maj. Jeanne Lorraine Curtis ’67 (MSN)

U.S. Air Force

Curtis served as chief nurse and assisted with flight nursing, staff nursing, research and development of aeromedical equipment and the writing of training manuals in the Vietnam era. Those duties took her to Air Force bases in Alaska, New Jersey, Texas, Japan and Greece. Curtis was a founding member of the Society of Retired Air Force Nurses.

Lt. Col. Tanya Bradsher.

Lt. Col. Tanya Bradsher ’91

U.S. Army

Bradsher made history when she became the first woman to serve as the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. During 20 years of active duty, Bradsher was assigned to the U.S. National Security Council and Office of the Secretary of Defense. She also served as deputy public affairs officer of the 8th U.S. Army, commander of the Delta Company 516th Battalion and executive officer of the First Replacement Company, 8th Personnel Support Command.

Col. Richard Martin

Col. Richard Martin ’95

U.S. Army

Across 28 years, Martin commanded at levels from company to brigade, including as chief of staff for U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command and director of the OIB Modernization Task Force at U.S. Army Materiel Command. He deployed multiple times in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. For his service, Martin received the prestigious George C. Marshall Award at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. At Carolina, Martin was instrumental in the establishment of the Army ROTC program and was the first Tar Heel Battalion graduate to hold a battalion level command in the Army.