FOREWORD

Contents

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Austin Thomas is the penname of Thomas A. Shelton, Sr. Tom grew up in Ft Pierce, Florida before moving with his family to Miami. After graduating from Miami Edison High School he entered military service in the Army and transferred to the Air Force as an aviation cadet. Upon release from military service in World War II, he graduated from Duke University and Georgetown Foreign Service School. He retired as a Colonel in the Air Force Reserve after service as an intelligence officer during the Korean War, and graduated from Washington College of Law at American University. He also retired from the civil service after working at the Library of Congress and the U.S. Air Force as a defense research analyst. Tom was awarded the Air Force Commendation and Defense Meritorious Service medals in 1976 and 1979. His current interests include mediation for civil court, volunteer at WQCS Radio Station, clarinet, piano and singing with Fl. Pierce Jazz Society.

Tom, who lived in Ohio For 30 years, has returned to the land of his boyhood dreams. Of Scotch, Irish and German ancestry, he says some of his ancestors were Cherokees, who were chased to Florida and Oklahoma by Federal troops. His most recent ancestors were pioneer Florida farmers who had fled south Georgia during the Civil War as General Shcnnan advanced on Atlanta.

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