uring the late 1940s and the divulges nothing about his education. D1950s, I worshiped with Ruben’s I contacted my friend Will Lee (Willie) family at the White’s Chapel Christian Jr., Ruben’s youngest brother, and Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church asked him about Ruben’s education in Earlsboro every Sunday morning. and his service during World War II. I had known the Rivers family since Willie Jr. directed me to his brother childhood, particularly Ruben’s Robert, who had known Ruben best parents and younger siblings. I met and had served in France with him the older girls when they occasionally during the war. returned to worship with their Ruben came from a large family. His parents during the holidays. Although parents, Will Lee Sr. (1890-1985) and Ruben’s story of heroism in World Lillian Thompson Rivers (1896-1980), War II has been told many times in were early Oklahoma pioneers. Will Oklahoma and nationwide, I learned Sr. was born in Waldo, Arkansas. By of Ruben and his courage between 1910 his family had moved to western Seminole County, near Earlsboro. Lillian was born in Vernon, Alabama. Her family migrated to Oklahoma in 1913 and moved to Boley. Will Sr. and Lillian were married in 1915 and settled in Hotulka, between Earlsboro and Tecumseh, on a 160-acre farm. There they reared twelve children. Three of their fifteen children died in infancy; Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers, World War II Ruben was the third who lived to Medal of Honor recipient. Courtesy Defense- adulthood. His siblings, besides Robert Link.mil, “Army Finally Recognizes WWII Black and Willie Jr., were Grace A. Woodfork Heroes.” (1916-2004), Dewey A. Rivers (1922- The burial site of Staff Sergeant Ruben 1975), Bernice Paysinger (1924-2010), Rivers in St. Avold, France. Courtesy of Zack Anese Woodfork (1928-2007), Thelma Sigler, Historian, 103d Infantry Division, 409th (Winrow) Jackson (1929-), Melvin B. Regiment, D-Company (Heavy Weapons). Rivers (1930-1944), Linzy L. Rivers (1931- 2006), Vera May Beal (1932-2009), and Mae Lee Hill (1935-). Robert Anderson Rivers grew up on the At Willie Jr.’s suggestion, I family farm and attended a segregated telephoned Robert in 2007 and elementary school in Hotulka. flooded him with questions about 2007 and 2010, when I was researching himself and Ruben—their schools, the history of Pottawatomie County’s their friends, and their time in schools. During the course of my the war together. My interview research, several people asked me with Robert proved to be exciting. where Ruben had attended high Having known many of the same school. The intense interest in his people in and around Hotulka and education prompted my curiosity Earlsboro, and having shared similar about him. I read the book Hit Hard experiences, our talk was like visiting by Capt. David J. Williams, who was with a long-lost friend. An affable Ruben’s commanding officer in World conversationalist, Robert shared War II and an eyewitness to Ruben’s little-known stories about Ruben and actions during the war. The book himself during my interview. Robert describes Ruben’s military service but informed me that their brother Dewey 2929 35