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After serving time in the Air Force and graduating college, Jimmy "O'Dell" Carroll went into insurance and farming.
To e-mail O'Dell, write to: jimodellcarroll@webtv.net
Jimmy O'Dell Carroll's Biography
Written By: Jimmy O'Dell Carroll
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU AFTER HIGH SCHOOL?
I joined the Air Force the 3rd day of August 1960 and went to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas for basic training; then to Denver, CO for a year of electronics training on the new, hot plane; the f-105. Then to Spangdahlem, Germany for three years with TDY trips to Tripoli, and Libia in North Africa. I got out of the Air Force on July 20, 1964 at Mcguire Air Force base in New Jersey. Sherman Siers drove down from CN and picked me and T.G. Futch up and we drove to Coalwood,WV.
WERE YOU EVER MARRIED?
Yes, I was married 12/22/1966 to Jeanne Christian from Coalwood, WV until 12/22/1993.
DO YOU HAVE ANY CHILDREN?
I have two children - Jennifer Ann born Feb. 25,1972, and she was married and has two beautiful girls, my granddaughters Lauren Elisabeth and Julia Victoria, who had her 5th birthday recently with dinner and presents in Kingsport, TN. Jennifer graduated from University of Virginia college at Wise, VA with a degree in English /Lit. She now works at property leasing in Johnson City, TN. I have a son Matthew O'dell, born 03/01/1975, and has a Biology degree from University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. He conned me out of a ticket and two days after graduation he and a buddy were in Edinbourgh, Scotland working in a pub just down from THE CASTLE and stayed over there for six months - long enough for me to find an excuse to go for three weeks of rambling around Scotland, Orkney Islands and Ireland and England too. Matt had apparently heard enough of my three previous trips to England, Scotland and Ireland to give him a case of the "I need to go see this for myself". Needless to say we had a marvelous time of it all. I even shelled out $500 for the two of us to play 18 holes of golf at Turnberry Course, outside of Ayr, Scotland. Why not, I figured I would never be back there again with my son and have the chance to play on the # three course in U.K.
WE KNOW WHAT HOMER'S DREAMS WERE BACK THEN, WHAT WERE YOURS?
Prior to graduating from Big Creek High School I wanted to be a civil engineer and had been accepted to WVU but - no money - joined the Air Force and it changed my life - for the better. It got me out of the hills and a coal mining future and introduced me to a lot of the world, which was a great education in itself. I still have loads of good friends from the military and in fact I had a reunion at my farm in Oct. for 5 days . A good time was had by all. Now we are in the process of getting together in Lackland, Texas next June.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ROCKET BOY MEMORY?
It would have to be the fun of it all and the friendships that came of it and is still there between us. We just liked each other.
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Coalwood, WV - The Rocket Boys - Jimmy O'Dell Carroll