Austin — Today, Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D. introduced the next series installment highlighting the VLB's Voices of Veterans oral history program. In this episode, we hear the story of Texas Veteran Bud Farrell.

To Listen to Mr. Farrell tell his story, visit VoicesofVeterans.org.

Mr. Farrell grew up in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during World War II. He was inspired to join the U.S. Air Force by the service of his good friend, Ed Jeffries, who served during World War II as a gunner and flight engineer. In 1951, after only one semester at Penn State, Mr. Farrell enlisted on his 18th birthday, determined to become a gunner.

After extensive technical training, he did just that and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War as a gunner on a B-29 bomber. He flew exciting and harrowing missions with a crew of men who became his brothers. After being out of the service for over 30 years, Mr. Farrell began to track down his fellow flight crew members and cherished each connection he could re-establish with his Veteran family.

Veterans interested in including their story in the Voices of Veterans oral history program can contact the VLB at 512-475-1248. Veterans can also fill out a contact form at VoicesofVeterans.org. Please note that the Veteran must be a resident of Texas at time of their interview.

Veterans can email VoicesofVeterans@glo.texas.gov to tell their stories. Please note that the Veteran must be a resident of Texas at the time of their interview.

Voices of Veterans is a state agency's first Veteran oral history program. It records the stories of Texas Veterans through their time in service and after returning home from combat.

The VLB records interviews with veterans over the phone or in person. Their interviews are then permanently archived in the Office of Veterans Records at the GLO, where they join the historical documents of other Texas heroes such as Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis.

Veterans' interviews are also available to researchers, historians, genealogists, and the public. These precious records inspire future generations and remind us of our Veterans' sacrifices.

To listen to the the over 500 archived stories of Veterans documented through the GLO's Voices of Veterans oral history program visit VoicesofVeterans.org.