COLONEL ORAN C. STOVALL

Colonel Oran C. Stovall began his career in the Texas Army National Guard in 1930 when he enlisted in Company B, 1st Battalion, 111th Engineer Regiment in Bowie, TX after graduating from John Tarleton College with a degree in Engineering in 1929.
COL Stovall spent most of his military career in the 111th, serving in positions from Private to Lieutenant Colonel. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in 1936 and entered federal service with the 36th Division on November 25,1940. He deployed with the 36th Division to North Africa on April 13, 1943.
On September 9, 1943, soldiers of the 36th Division became the first to fight on the European continent with the landing at Salerno, Italy. On D+3, the commander of the 111th was relieved and COL Stovall was placed in command of the battalion with dual responsibility as Division Engineer. In this position, COL Stovall would become one of Major General Fred Walker's most competent and trusted commanders and Division staff officers.
In May of 1944, COL Stovall’s engineers worked through the night and under enemy fire to build a road up the slopes of Monte Artemisio after its capture by the 36th Infantry Division. Troops, guns, supplies and forward observers using this road cut the supplies lines to the Anzio front forcing the Germans to retreat and led directly to the capture of Rome on June 4.
In August 1944, COL Stovall landed with his battalion in southern France where they hastily constructed a road which cleared the way for the 442nd RCT's relief of 1st Battalion 141st Infantry, the "Lost Battalion." COL Stovall was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in December 1944 and selected to transfer to the 343rd Engineer Regiment to construct bridges in Germany.
After the War, COL Stovall remained on active duty and was assigned as the Post
Engineer at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in 1946-47. He was promoted to Colonel and reassigned
as the United States Property and Disbursing Officer at Camp Mabry, in Austin, Texas.
He remained at Camp Mabry until his retirement on August 31, 1953. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Italian Military Cross of Valor, French Croix de Guerre w/silver star and plume, and many others.
COL Stovall returned to Bowie and remained an active supporter of the Texas Guard in
retirement. He served as the President of the 36th Division Association. He led the effort to recognize the Division with a permanent marker on the State Capitol grounds.
COL Stovall became a prominent citizen of Bowie and was involved in the Bowie State
Bank, Rotary Club, and volunteered at voting sites. He was often asked to speak at events
and lead military parades. He spent the next forty years as a "Citizen Weatherman" and
was recognized by the National Weather Service with the Thomas Jefferson Award for
"continuous and exceptional public service" and the John Campanius Holm Award for
outstanding accomplishments. He was named the Bowie "Citizen of the Year" in 1992.

Texas Army National Guard

2025