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Monday, June 4, 2018
Texas History Minute
Dr. Ken Bridges obsession.
Howard Hughes was a man who once commanded the world’s attention, sometimes for all the wrong reasons. His story is one of wealth, power, fame, and the dangers of
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr., was born in Houston on Christmas Eve, 1905. His father, Howard R. Hughes, Sr., was a wealthy inventor and businessman, owner of the Hughes Tool Company. The younger Hughes was fascinated by science and machinery. By 1917, he was one of only a handful of licensed ham radio operators in Southeast Texas. He later built the first motorcycle in Houston by himself. In spite of his privileged upbringing, he faced two heartbreaking tragedies in rapid succession: his mother died in 1922, followed by his father’s death in 1924. After inheriting his father’s fortune, he proved very adept at running the family business and wanted to expand. Fascinated by movies, he headed west to become a movie producer. In 1927, he began production of Hell’s Angels, an action film taking place in World War I which included recreations of aerial dogfights with dozens of aircraft. He learned to fly while he directed the movie, which at $3.8 million was the most expensive ever made up to that time. In 1932, he founded Hughes Aircraft. Hughes himself set a speed record of 352 MPH in 1935 in his H-1 aircraft. He followed this up in 1938 with a record round-the-world flight of 91 hours. In 1939, he bought TWA Airlines for $7 million, though federal regulators would force him to sell it in 1966 for which he reaped nearly $550 million. In World War II, Hughes Aircraft built several different types of plane for the military, many of whom Hughes himself helped design. Though generous to friends and employees and known around the world, he became known for his obsessive attention to the smallest detail. While this drive helped him become successful in movies and aviation, it steadily unraveled his personal life. For example, he would only drink orange juice he saw freshly squeezed himself or arranged peas by size. Relationships with his many girlfriends broke down quickly. In 1947, he suffered a mental breakdown, locking himself inside his personal movie theater for four months before coming out. In 1953, he established the Howard Hughes Medical Institute through profits from Hughes Aircraft. It would continue long after his death and eventually become the largest private research institution in the nation, spending hundreds of millions of dollars each year to research all
areas of health care and medical sciences. He spent the last decade of his life living in a series of hotels, having his aides run his companies by telephone and memo and avoiding any kind of public appearance. Wild rumors about his condition circulated. When he died in 1976, the once dashing figure was unrecognizable, reduced to 90 pounds with long, wiry hair, unkempt beard, and toenails that were inches long. After his death, scores of books and movies about his life abounded. Texas actor Tommy Lee Jones appeared as Hughes in a 1977 TV movie called The Amazing Howard Hughes, while Jason Robards starred as Hughes in an off-beat story about one of his alleged wills making a Nevada gas station attendant a multimillionaire in Melvin and Howard (1980). Leonardo DiCaprio starred in the 2004 film, The Aviator, which captured the early life and early mental breakdowns of Hughes. Authors and filmmakers alike tried to unravel the complicated life of a man who had every creature comfort he ever wanted but spent so many years haunted by inner turmoil. The ultimate answers to those questions died with Hughes. In the end, no matter how much Howard Hughes tried to ignore the world, the world could not ignore him. Dr. Bridges is a Texas native, writer, and history professor. He can be reached at drkenbridges@gmail.com.
Texas History Columnist Ken Bridges Announces Book Publication Dr. Ken Bridges, author of the popular Texas History Minute column, has announced the publication of a collection of his columns, Tales of Old Texas. Tales of Old Texas includes numerous stories about the state’s past, including how the lives of Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie led them to the Alamo and lasting fame. Stories from the life of Sam Houston, Deaf Smith, and Lorenzo de Zavala are also featured. The book also features the lives of Texas writers and artists such as writer Elmer Kelton, western actress Dale Evans, and singer Bob Wills. Modern civil rights leaders Barbara Jordan and Henry B. Gonzalez are also profiled. “Our history is society’s memory,” Bridges said. “And if we look at the great lives of the past, we can see what we can be in the future.” The column began in 2015 and has included such diverse lives as eccentric businessman Howard Hughes to congressman and philanthropist Mickey Leland. Bridges, a Grand Prairie native, earned his bachelors degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his masters degree and doctorate at the University of North Texas. He is a professor of history and geography in addition to writing. He and his wife, Lynn, have six children. His columns appear in 67 newspapers. Tales of Old Texas is the seventh book by Bridges. Previous books include two history textbooks, Freedom in America and And the World Changed, a world history anthology. Tales of Old Texas is available as a paperback through Amazon.com as well as in Kindle ebook format.
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Former FBI agent to speak at Texoma Patriots meeting tomorrow The Texoma Patriots will hold their monthly meeting tomorrow night (Tuesday) at Buck Snort BBQ at 224 E. Jefferson St. in Van Alstyne. Former FBI Agent John Guandolo will speak on the topic of Understanding the Threat (UTT) concerning the Global Islamic Movement. John Guandolo is an ex-FBI agent who will discuss with us the threat of the Global Islamic Movement. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement uses Guandolo to train Texas police and other law enforcement at all levels of the community on “Understanding the Jihadi Threat to America”. Guandolo started his training company - Understanding The Threat (UTT) - in 2010, following years in the counterterrorism division of the FBI, as a way to combat what he believes is an attempt by Muslim groups to overthrow the U.S. government and implement Islamic law. His company’s mission statement includes teaching people how to identify jihadis and jihadi networks in their area and provide the tools to disrupt and dismantle them. As a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he took his commission as an Officer in the US Marine Corps. He served as an Infantry Platoon Commander in combat Operations Desert Shield/Storm. From there, his assignments
John Guandolo included serving in a Reconnaissance Company and deployed to the Adriatic/Bosnia. He was a combat diver, military free-fall parachutist, and graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger School. In 1996, John joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and served at the Washington Field Office where he served on the SWAT team for over nine years. He then went on to the private sector. Currently, Guandolo is a Special Deputy Sheriff in Culpeper County, VA. He will have several of his books and DVDs available for purchase. His website is www.UnderstandingtheThreat.com. Jim Smith of Buck Snort BBQ will open the restaurant doors at 5 p.m. so you can enjoy his delicious barbecue buffet before the meeting. The Texoma Patriots encourage you to bring your friends and neighbors. There is no charge to attend.
