Joe Lee Todd

Major Joe Lee Todd was born on 28 September 1946 and raised in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. He graduated from College High School in 1964, studied at Oklahoma State University for two years, then enlisted in the Army. He served in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry Division for 18 months as a crew chief and mechanic assigned to the 11th Aviation General Support Company. During his combat service, Todd was awarded the Purple Heart, two Air Medals, and a Presidential Unit Citation. After Vietnam service, he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology at the University of Oklahoma in 1973.

Todd served in the Oklahoma National Guard from 1972 to 1978 and the Texas National Guard from 1978 to 1982 earning a direct commission to 1st Lieutenant in 1981. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Desert Storm in 1991 to 1992 as the 4th Brigade Civil Affairs Officer, 1st Infantry Division.

Todd began his career as a professional historian by curating several collections while serving at the Oklahoma Historical Society from 1971 to 1976. From 1976 to 1978, he was curator of the 45th Infantry Division Museum in Oklahoma City and then served as the curator of the 1st Cavalry Division Museum at Fort Hood, Texas from 1978 to 1982. From 1982 to 2001, he was the oral historian at the Oklahoma Historical Society.

During his career, Todd conducted and recorded over 2,000 personal interviews of Oklahoma’s men and women who served in World War II through the War on Terror. By capturing their stories before memories faded, Todd worked effectively to professionally preserve the historical treasure of how Oklahomans served their country to protect American liberty. Books authored by Major Todd include USS Oklahoma, Remembrance of a Great Lady (1990); Robert Huston, Oklahoma Rough Rider (1998); and The Shoemaker (2021).