dpd0710
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On the bottom of this issue's page 35, there is a question to Mike Voigt from Walt Tatom of Del City.
Walt Tatom taught my defensive tactics class when I went through the CLEET Basic Reserve Officer Academy back in the 80's, in Hugo.
He was also one of the firearms instructors when I went through the Basic Police Officer Academy about a year later, and again when I became a firearms instructor a few years later than that. He certainly knew how to control muzzle flip, so I have no idea why he asked that question.
He was one of those men, like Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid, he looked very unassuming, but could put you on your back on the floor with all the wind out of you, without breaking a sweat.
He passed away about two years ago, and Oklahoma law enforcement is missing a great a man. I copy and pasted the following from his obituary.
Walter Dewey Tatom, Jr., 84 of Del City, Oklahoma died October 19, 2011. Walter was born June 7, 1927 in Mountain View, Oklahoma the son of Walter Dewey Tatom, Sr. and Jennie Viola Haley Tatom. Walter was one of the original members of the Green Berets and served three tours in Viet Nam. He retired from Law Enforcement with OSBI and held a 9th Degree Black Belt in Ju-Jitsu. Walter is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Betty Pearl Tatom; infant son, Glenn; sister, Jeanelle Wilson. Walter is survived by three sons, Michael, Rick and Scott Tatom; 3 Grandchildren, Eric, Hannah and Keith; 2 Great Grandchildren, Kyla and Alexander; numerous nieces, nephews, other family and friends. Entered the Navy during WWII at age 17and served in the South Pacific on the aircraft carrier Antietam. He became one of the original Green Berets and served honorably for twenty-two years including three combat tours in Vietnam obtaining the rank of Master Sergeant. He was involved in covert missions around the world including Pakistan and the Middle East in covert operations with the CIA in Communist-held Eastern Europe. He was a member of a group of Army Special Forces members trained in weapons, martial arts tactics and survival. He rappelled from the top of the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, Texas in the early 1960's in a 17-story free-fall. He was a Master Paratrooper and won numerous awards including Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantryman's Badge. He rescued the pilot from a downed burning plane in Vietnam and was put in for the Congressional Medal of Honor, but because it was not a declared war in the early 1960's, he received the Soldier's Medal, America's highest peacetime award. He was in an explosion inside a building in Saigon and rescued several people trapped in the rubble. After Vietnam, while working at the Oklahoma Fairgrounds Speedway, he saved a man's life from a fiery wreck. After retiring from the Army, he returned home and became an Agent for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation where he worked on the Fugitive Apprehension Task Force. He became a Firearms Instructor for the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training where he trained countless police recruits in the proper use of firearms and self-defense. After retirement, he spent time as a Reserve Police Officer for the Del City Police Department. He became a ninth-degree black-belt in Ju-Jitsu and was a Master in close-combat self-defense including knife fighting, stick fighting and sword fighting. The techniques he developed are still in practice to this day by many martial arts students and experts around the world. His favorite holiday was Christmas because he grew up in poverty and worked the cotton fields of southwestern Oklahoma during the Depression and wanted to lavish gifts on his children. Everyone who met him liked him and thought a lot of him. He was very personable and could be very charming. He especially enjoyed his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
On the bottom of this issue's page 35, there is a question to Mike Voigt from Walt Tatom of Del City.
Walt Tatom taught my defensive tactics class when I went through the CLEET Basic Reserve Officer Academy back in the 80's, in Hugo.
He was also one of the firearms instructors when I went through the Basic Police Officer Academy about a year later, and again when I became a firearms instructor a few years later than that. He certainly knew how to control muzzle flip, so I have no idea why he asked that question.
He was one of those men, like Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid, he looked very unassuming, but could put you on your back on the floor with all the wind out of you, without breaking a sweat.
He passed away about two years ago, and Oklahoma law enforcement is missing a great a man. I copy and pasted the following from his obituary.
Walter Dewey Tatom, Jr., 84 of Del City, Oklahoma died October 19, 2011. Walter was born June 7, 1927 in Mountain View, Oklahoma the son of Walter Dewey Tatom, Sr. and Jennie Viola Haley Tatom. Walter was one of the original members of the Green Berets and served three tours in Viet Nam. He retired from Law Enforcement with OSBI and held a 9th Degree Black Belt in Ju-Jitsu. Walter is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Betty Pearl Tatom; infant son, Glenn; sister, Jeanelle Wilson. Walter is survived by three sons, Michael, Rick and Scott Tatom; 3 Grandchildren, Eric, Hannah and Keith; 2 Great Grandchildren, Kyla and Alexander; numerous nieces, nephews, other family and friends. Entered the Navy during WWII at age 17and served in the South Pacific on the aircraft carrier Antietam. He became one of the original Green Berets and served honorably for twenty-two years including three combat tours in Vietnam obtaining the rank of Master Sergeant. He was involved in covert missions around the world including Pakistan and the Middle East in covert operations with the CIA in Communist-held Eastern Europe. He was a member of a group of Army Special Forces members trained in weapons, martial arts tactics and survival. He rappelled from the top of the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, Texas in the early 1960's in a 17-story free-fall. He was a Master Paratrooper and won numerous awards including Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantryman's Badge. He rescued the pilot from a downed burning plane in Vietnam and was put in for the Congressional Medal of Honor, but because it was not a declared war in the early 1960's, he received the Soldier's Medal, America's highest peacetime award. He was in an explosion inside a building in Saigon and rescued several people trapped in the rubble. After Vietnam, while working at the Oklahoma Fairgrounds Speedway, he saved a man's life from a fiery wreck. After retiring from the Army, he returned home and became an Agent for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation where he worked on the Fugitive Apprehension Task Force. He became a Firearms Instructor for the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training where he trained countless police recruits in the proper use of firearms and self-defense. After retirement, he spent time as a Reserve Police Officer for the Del City Police Department. He became a ninth-degree black-belt in Ju-Jitsu and was a Master in close-combat self-defense including knife fighting, stick fighting and sword fighting. The techniques he developed are still in practice to this day by many martial arts students and experts around the world. His favorite holiday was Christmas because he grew up in poverty and worked the cotton fields of southwestern Oklahoma during the Depression and wanted to lavish gifts on his children. Everyone who met him liked him and thought a lot of him. He was very personable and could be very charming. He especially enjoyed his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
