Dallas Chapter

The chapter was organized in 1948, founded by LTC John L. Briggs, its first commander. An earlier Dallas Chapter of MOWW existed in the 1920's-1930"s era, but ceased to exist and chapter records for that period have not survived. Col. Charles R. Smith, LTC Royal W. B. Cowan and Robert L. Thornton, Jr. were among 18 charter members.

The chapter membership grew to 25 by the end of year, 50 in 1950 and 100 in 1960. It remained there until the membership limit was removed and it reached 200 in 1978. The current membership is 440 minus the deceased perpetual members leaving 302 living members the second largest living chapter membership in the Order.

In 1963 Capt. Eugene de Kieffer inaugurated The Massing of Colors ceremony, which became an annual event in Dallas. The Dallas Chapter has been in leadership with the Massing and the Veterans' Day Parade for the past eight years. The overall chairman and most of the committee chairs have been Dallas members. Dallas area Chapters held the National Mid-winter convention in winter of 2007 with CAPT. Rollie Stevens as the Chairman.

Dallas was the site for the 1972 National Convention with Col. Robert G. Ford as the host Commander. The National Convention returned to Dallas in 1985 with Capt Skip Allman as Commander and Capt Clovis Brakebill as convention chairman.

Major General Harley B. West became the first National Commander in Chief from Dallas in 1972-73. Lt Helen M. Brakebill became the chapter's first woman member in 1978 and Col. Al Hoebeke became the first commander of the newly organized Region VIII, which held its first convention at the Baker Hotel in Dallas. The Dallas Chapter won the Heilbron Memorial Cup for best Chapter in Region VIII four out of five years in a row. 2003 - 2005 and again 2006 - 2008.

In 1981-82 the Texas Department of MOWW was organized, becoming one of the four largest in MOWW, larger in membership than eight of the MOWW Regions. Dallas's own Col. Earl O. Cullum became the first Texas Department Commander and Clovis H. Brakebill the first Adjutant. During the balance of the decade of the 80's and 90's the Dallas Chapter has been selected as the outstanding large chapter in the Nation a number of times in a row. The Dallas Chapter won it five out six years. 2002 - 2004 and 2005 - 2008

The Chapter established a Henry R. Lyon Memorial Fund in 1971 to help deserving military students and support JROTC programs in the local area high schools.

The Harley B. West Memorial Fund was established in 1984 to use earnings to support Patriotic Projects such as The Massing of the Colors and the Youth Leadership Programs. In the 1990's, the Dallas Chapter members helped form Chapters in East Texas, Fort Hood, The Pinson Memorial, and North Texas Chapters. Dallas chapter members are perpetual members of several other chapters they helped to start. We are currently looking at Texas A&M in College Station for a new chapter.

Members of our chapter became directors in the Dallas Military Ball Foundation, which sponsored the annual event. The President this year is a chapter member. The Dallas Chapter has been a leader in the local area and plan to continue to be active with the Youth Leadership area. As a member Capt Rollie Stevens, Current Past National Commander, helped get leadership programs going and funded in Texas in 1995. It has grown from one conference to six this past year and some 340 youth.

Consider the Dallas Chapter and become part of a history of being out front and on the leading edge.

Should you have additional historical information about the Dallas Chapter of the MOWW, please contact the Commander of the Dallas Chapter.