Boots and Benevolence
I just read the article about Old Army Lou in the fall 2019 edition of Spirit, so I thought I would relate the following story.
I am in the Class of 1970 as one of the first group of civilian students at Texas A&M; however, I was drafted at graduation in May 1970, so I joined the two-year AFROTC program at Texas A&M as a graduate student. Not many people know about that program, but it allows one to join the Corps of Cadets as a “Frog Sergebutt,” a rather unusual situation. We signed a contract to be in the Air Force, just as a normal junior would, but we were academically graduate students.
When I became a senior in the Corps (my second year in graduate school), there was a minor controversy within Squadron 13 as to whether I could wear senior boots or not. On one side of the argument was the fact that I had never been a true “Fish,” so I should not be able to wear them, while the other side of the argument said that I had already been at Texas A&M for more than five years and graduated with a bachelor’s degree, so I deserved to wear the boots. Our commanding officer, John Souders ’71, won the argument. Therefore, I needed some senior boots, fast.
One day, while in Loupot’s looking for a physics book, I saw a big pile of odd-size senior boots on the floor. They were mostly very small or very large, with a sign that read “$25 a pair.” Since I wear size 13+ shoes, I did not think I would find any that fit. However, I did find a pair I could almost wear, and about that time Lou came up to me. He told me I could probably get them slightly adjusted down the street at Victor’s or Holick’s, but he thought they might be worth more than $25. I said, “Look at that sign,” so he immediately smiled and said they were mine for $25!
As a graduate student, I was already stressed out for money, so I borrowed boot pants and spurs, etc. from guys in my outfit, and enjoyed wearing those boots during my senior year in the Corps. I now plan on donating them to the Corps of Cadets Center Boot Loan Program so someone else can use them. (Note: Those boots were previously worn by A.D. Chase ’60.)
Old Army Lou was a great guy. I saved a lot of money purchasing and selling used books at Lou’s, as well as jewelry for my mom and girlfriend. (P.S. My now-wife, Linda Kay, was my date to the 1968 Cotton Bowl, in which the Aggies beat Alabama. It was our first date!)
Gig ’em!
Dr. Ralph H. Hill Jr. ’70 ’72 ’79
Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.)
San Antonio, Texas