swald Rutledge (1914-2009) and Otto Hubert Campbell (1914-1997) were born in Chumuckla on November 24, 1914, the sons of Cuyler Hubert Campbell (1888-1986) and Bessie Swanson Savelle (1890-1955). Their father was likewise a Chumuckla native and a farmer all of this life. Otto and Oswald were #2 and #3 respectively out of ten children born to the couple. When America's entry in the war erupted after Pearl Harbor, Oswald and Otto were already in the service. They both had driven to Ft. Barrancas in Pensacola and enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on January 7, 1941. Otto was originally stationed with the 90th Bombardment Group as aircraft mechanics where he was responsible to keeping the B-24's flying and in tip top shape. However, around November 1942, both were transferred to Fairfield, California as Staff Sergeants to what was originally named the Fairfield-Suisun Army Air Base. Construction on the base began that same year and was supposed to contain medium attack bombers for protection of the West Coast. At one time, the Navy had aircraft at the base for training purposes but in October 1942, the War Department turned the base over to the Air Transport Command. At that point, the base's primary mission was ferrying aircraft and supplies to the Pacific Theater. In 1950, the base was renamed Tavis Air Force Base. It was here that both men would remain for the next two and a half years.
They were discharged from the USAAC around September 1945 and returned to civilian life like millions of others coming back from the war. Oswald & Otto went to work in civil service positions at Eglin AFB and both would eventually retire from there. Ironically, they said they were born together, raised together, graduated from high school together, farmed together, and enlisted together so why not get married together and preferably to sisters. Oswald would marry Mable Estelle Hendricks (1920-2011) in 1955 in Pensacola and Otto married Mildred Eunice Wilkinson (1920-2000) the same year (maybe same time but not sure). Sadly, when it came time to cross over the river, Otto went first in 1997 and waited for his brother Oswald to join him in 2009. Both were buried among their family in the Elizabeth Chapel Cemetery in Chumuckla.
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