EDUCATION Dr. Van and his Cessna Cardinal on his private airport.
U. S. Navy - 1945-46-47
North Oklahoma Jr. College 1948-50 Cumberland University Tennessee, Law School, 1950 Central State College, Oklahoma, B.A. 1950-51 Oklahoma University Law School, 1951 -52 Wichita State University, Kansas, 1955-56 University of Oklahoma - M.Ed. 1961 University of Oklahoma - Ph.D. 1964 EMPLOYMENT1952-63 High School Football Coach and English teacher -During those years I taught a total of 9 years in Oklahoma, Imperial Valley, California; Chula Vista. California, and Wichita, Kansas.
1954-56 - Material Planner for Boeing Aircraft, Wichita, Kansas. 1961-63 - Flight Instructor at Wichita, Kansas. !963-64 - Ph.D. Fellowship at the University of Oklahoma 1964-1993 - Professor of Special Education and Psychology at the University of Central Oklahoma, also during those years I was a psychologist for 12 years for a Psychiatric Adolescent Hospital, and had a part time private practice psychology office. 1993-to present - Professor Emeritus at UCO, traveling the world doing World War Two research and authoring books related to WW II. 2000 and 2007 - Taught college English and Psychology at sea on board two different Nuclear Aircraft Carriers - USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72, and the USS Ronald Reagan CVN-76. We were in and out of many ports. I flew from Guam and landed on the deck of the Reagan in Feb-07 and weeks later catapulted off the flight deck to fly to Okinawa to catch a civilian airline home. | Short Biography Dr. Van Osdol is the author of 2 WW II non-fiction books - "Famous Americans in WW II" and "Famous Faces of WW II" and two novels set in WW II and Post WW II-"From Whence They Fell - A Paradox of Love and War" and a sequel "The Ultimate Human Evil - ODESSA"- Organization der ehemallgen SS Angehorigen" (Organization of former Nazi SS Members) ---- He is a collector of WW II memorabilia including a 1942 US Navy Jeep and a 1945 Navy NC65 training plane, both restored to drive and fly. Dr. Van has a collection of over 2000 Nose Art photos from WW II airplanes and over 2000 photos of movies about WW II. He is interested in contacting those who have similar interests of sharing WW II stories. Dr. Van has researched WW II sites all over the world from the River Bridge Kwai in Thailand to Hitler's Eagle Nest near Dachau. He visited the V-2 and V-3 sites in Belguim and France, Auschwictz concentration camp in Poland, Normandy D-Day five times, and many other sites.
"I am a navy vet from 1945-47 and an active pilot with commercial flight instructor ratings. Recently, Feb. March 2007 I was a PACE instructor on board the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. Flew on board and landed on the carrier from Guam then on to Japan, Hong Kong, Korea and catapulted off the flight deck to Okinawa. I also have flown many tours with the Texas Raiders B-17 Flying Fortress. One favorite tour was in 1997 from Houston to Canada and on to Alaska to celebrate the 50th USAF Birthday. I am still an active pilot and fly my Cessna Cardinal and the restored Aeronca Navy NC65. Please contact me at VANOKC@AOL.COM or phone 405-341-1053 home or airport office 405-282-3254. If you are interested in my books I will mail them to you and you can then pay upon receipt. "From Whence They Fell" and "The Ultimate Human Evil - ODESSA" are more than 20 bucks in the bookstore, but I will mail one for 18 dollars. "Famous Faces of WW II" is 21 dollars in the bookstore. I can mail one for 10 dollars. My friends are varied by profession and age. I am a Professor Emeritus at the University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma, and a Ph.D. Licensed psychologist. I no longer practice psychology other than teaching for the Navy PACE (Program at sea college education) program on board sea going navy ships. I have completed two different assignments on the aircraft carriers USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72 and one of the newest carriers, USS Ronald Reagan CVN-76. I have my office and military collection in my airplane hangar on a private grass strip about 7 miles north of Edmond, Oklahoma. I spend time at the airport nearly every day. phone 405-282-3254. |
