1941 Grad - James M. Gosa

James Marshall Gosa was born on August 1, 1923 in Seminole,
Oklahoma to Norman Mathis and Pearl Thomas Gosa. He
attended Varnum School in Seminole, and was drafted into the
United States Army in the 10th grade. James served as a
sergeant during World War II in the European Theatre of
Operations. He served as Section Leader in C Battery in the
473rd Anti Aircraft Artillery Weapons Battalion and participated
in the military operations on the southern coast of England,
Normandy, northern France, Holland, the German Rhineland,
Czechoslovakia, and Bavaria. He landed in Normandy after
the initial beachhead and consolidation successes of
Operation Overlord. His battalion was considered "unattached" - moved
where anti aircraft support was required. Therefore, he served
among various divisions and US armies, including under
Generals Omar Bradley and George Patton. While in Normandy
he actively participated in Operation Cobra, which was the major
breakout after the Allies' advances were stalemated in the French
hedgerow country. This military operation was credited with the
setting loose of General George Patton, which in turn resulted in
the destruction of the German Army in France. After his tour of
duty, he returned home and received a GED and later attended
Oklahoma A&M in Okmulgee, OK. He was a lifelong farmer
moving from Seminole to the Tipton area in 1951. On June 22,
1974, he was united in marriage to Velma Lorene Saville Boman
in Tipton, Oklahoma. He was a member of the First Baptist
Church in Tipton.
He is survived by his wife: Velma of the home; one son:
James Michael Gosa and his wife YeVon of Tipton; one
daughter: Peggy Diane Urquhart and her husband Mark of Plano,
Texas; two stepsons: Larry Don Boman and his wife Judy of
Moore, Oklahoma and Randall Keith Boman and his wife Dayne
of Lubbock, Texas; one brother: Lowell Gosa of Seminole,
Oklahoma; two sisters: Hazel Hollon of McAlester, Oklahoma
and Verla Keener and her husband Don of Van Buren, Arkansas;
eleven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother:
Ralph Gosa.