George Thomas Coker

George Thomas Coker is a retired US Navy Commander, honored with the Navy Cross for his leadership as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, and a Distinguished Eagle Scout noted for his devotion to Scouting.

George Coker was born in Amarillo, Texas in 1943. In 1951, his family moved to Linden, New Jersey, where he became a New Jersey high school state wrestling champion in the 142160lb weight class and played high school varsity football at Saint Benedicts Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey. Coker attended Rutgers University from 19611963, where he also wrestled. While at Rutgers, he participated in an aviation officer cadet program and was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy. After his release from Vietnam, he returned to college and graduated from the University of San Diego in 1976 with a BS in political science. He studied education and mathematics at Old Dominion University from 1982 to 1986. Coker is married and has three children two daughters and a son. George Coker was a subject in the 1974 Academy Award winning documentary Hearts and Minds. In the film, he notably addresses a class of elementary school children, and in response to a childs question asking what

Source: Wikipedia