On Thursday, May 26, 2016, Major General (Retired) Joseph E. Turner will present “African American Life: A Personal Perspective” in the Archives and History Library in the Culture Center in Charleston. The program, which is the first of the 2016 The Block Speakers Series, will begin at 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
Turner is a native of Charleston and the son of the late Sargent Joseph Turner and Annetta Ellis. He attended Boyd Elementary and Junior High schools and graduated in 1956 from Garnet High School. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in mathematics from West Virginia State College.
General Turner began his military career in 1961 as a second lieutenant commissioned in the Signal Corps through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). He has held many command and staff positions prior to his assignment as the commander of 335th Theater Signal Command. He served two combat duties in Vietnam, the first tour as an aviator, 17th Aviation Company, and the second as commander, HHC, 210th Combat Aviation Battalion , 1st Aviation Brigade, in Long Thanh, South Vietnam. Turner has received many awards and decorations including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (with two Oak Leaf Clusters), Army Achievement Medal, and the Air Medal (with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters).
In his civilian life Turner was a commercial airline pilot employed by Delta Airlines flying the Los Angeles, California/Honolulu, Hawaii, route and return. Turner is married to the former Norma J. Sims, and they have three sons (Dr. Alan T. Turner, Brian D. Turner and Joseph E. Turner Jr.) and eight grandchildren.
Participants may park behind the Culture Center after 5:00 p.m. on May 26 and enter the building at the back loading dock area. There also is limited handicapped parking available in the new bus turnaround.
For additional information, call (304) 558-0230.
