The Citadel

Winnie, a young single mother with two children lived in the same park where we lived . She was a native of Charleston, after we became acquainted she taught me a lot about Charleston.

We lived in North Charleston and it was not a large town at that time. Winnie and I would ride into Charleston at least a couple of times a week. Just drive around and she would give me the grand tour and spiel. 

A Flag Ceremony

The Citadel

We would usually drive past the Citadel at least once each time we went into Charleston, I was quite impressed, it was the first Military School I had ever seen. At that time it was an all male school.

Nicole (center) was the first female in the Rifle Legion

Never in our wildest dreams did we ever dream that one of our grandchildren would some day graduate from this school. Chuck and I had no children and were not even expecting any at the time.We were there in late 1957 and early 1958.

Graduation
Nicole's Parent's
Stormy and Warren pinning her bars on

But 44 years later in 2002 one of our granddaughter's, Nicole Villareal Bastian, graduated from the Citadel, she was among the first females ever to graduate, and she did it in three years!

Almost all of our family went up to see her graduate. I was lost most of the time, both Charleston and North Charleston are huge towns now. The only parts that were familiar at all were just the old Historical District and the Citadel.

I have to tell you that I was a very proud grandmother, and Chuck would have been popping buttons to watch his grandchild graduate from a Military College. Until the day he sailed on Eternal Patrol he was military to the very core of his being!

Nicole Villareal
1999 -- 2002
In Parade