Volume 10 , Issue 23

McGill Bros. - Gene & Bob

The photo on the left is a picture of the McGill Brothers, Gene (left) & Robert (right), taken out at the ranch on Hwy 14 sometime around 1944 as the McGill Bros. were standing in front of Gene's light airplane.

My Dad, Gene McGill, was many things to many people. Some people probably did not care for him or his politics. BUT... He put on no airs and was himself. He worked hard and overcame many things growing up through two world wars (WWI & WWII) and the "Dirty 30's" or "Dust Bowl" days.

Gene wasn't perfect, but who is? BUT... He had his dreams, passions and fought for the rights of the little guys. He was one of the leading forces that established the "Flying Farmers!" He was an outstanding Northwest Oklahoma Democrat of the 1950's through the earlier 1960's.

Gene came from a family with a domineering, business-like Mother and a Father who was a lefthand, fast pitcher for the Minor Southwest Texas League (1906-1907), Austin Senators, and pitched one season (1907) in the Majors for the St. Louis Browns before he headed back to Oklahoma in 1907 and went into the furniture business full time with his older brother, James McGill.

My grandpa, Bill McGill, married my grandmother, Constance Warwick McGill, in the Spring of 1910 and they had two sons, Gene (1914) and Robert (1916).

Gene's younger brother,Bob, was a handsome gentlemen and Veteran of World War II who earned the title of Major and fought overseas with the 193rd/165th & 27th Infantry Division.

Uncle Robert Lee McGill was a Lt. with the 193rd Tank Bn. for only a short time in the Hawaiian Islands around 21 October 1942. This outfit attached to 165th Inf. & 27th Inf. Divn. WWII. On Makin Island, was known as 193rd, and changed to 762nd Tank Bn., when sent on to Saipan and participated in "mop-up" operations at both locations.

Uncle Bob died young of lung cancer, 21 February 1954, while he was married to his second wife, Dr. Felicia Monfort. Whether Uncle Bob's illness was from his tour of duty during WWII, we are not sure, but suspect. Bob was only 38 years when he died in February, 1954 -- only four days before this NW Okie's 6th birthday. My memories of Uncle Bob are slim!

The McGill Bros., Gene & Bob, will be remembered fondly and perhaps not so fondly by those whose lives they touched throughout their lives.
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