I called his Washington DC office to talk to a staffer about a concern I had about an issue dealing with military families. I had called his office because he was on The Armed Services Committee in Congress.

I had a 10 minute emotional statement about the issue and I finished my statement by asking the staffer to make sure “Sonny” got my concern. I was shocked when he said,”this is Sonny. I like to take calls on the weekends”. He said he had a very good Retired Colonel working for him and he would have the Colonel investigate the issue and call me back after he has information on it.

The Colonel called me back in a few days and he said he had requested Congressional Library to research the issue and he told me what they had to say on the issue.

I was honored to talk to him and was very impressed how he listened to me for at least 10 minutes – maybe longer.

Jimmy Hardenbrook

I was born and raised in Meridian living on Country Club Drive with one of the fairways of the Northwood Country Club behind our house.

I don’t remember or having been told when Sonny purchased the duplex next door to us. He kept one of the apartments for himself when he was back in town from Washington DC. He often would come over to say hello to my parents. This was especially the case following the death of my oldest sister in January 1970.

He even sponsored me as the Primary Candidate to the USAF Academy in 1973 even though I was not ultimately selected. Later, while I was on active duty with the Air Force my father passed in 1986 . . . I was told that it was from the personal efforts of my father’s employer and Sonny who made the arrangements to have my Dad buried in the VA Veterans Cemetery in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Richard Blanton

My first meeting with Sonny occurred in 1967 when he made his first visit to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. All Mississippi midshipmen were mustered to meet with him. As one of his constituents I was given the opportunity to help show him around. Not long afterwards I received the adjacent photo.  I was to learn later that Sonny always followed up on his meetings with constituents.  Many times after that first meeting our paths would cross. Every time he would say “hello Billy,” like we were old friends. Indeed, Sonny made friends of nearly everyone he met…and remembered their names.

Years later, from 1991 through 1995, it was my privilege to work closely with Sonny on efforts to save Meridian Naval Air Station from closure. These pressure-packed, intense battles with the Navy and Pentagon before the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission let me see Sonny’s true character up close. Through it all he remained a man of honor, guided by faith, strong patriotism, and unwavering perseverance. But it would be his extraordinary knack to make true friends, his good will fellowship, that made the difference.

The adjacent photo shows us and community leaders in 1995 with the late Admiral Jeremy Boorda. Our team’s case was strong, but it was ultimately Sonny’s fellowship that got the ear of then Chief of Naval Operations Boorda. That led Boorda to publicly disagree with his boss, the Secretary of the Navy, about NAS Meridian in sworn testimony before the BRAC commission – an extraordinary occurrence that allowed the base to survive its third consecutive BRAC round.

During this period our community learned important leadership lessons from Sonny. We embedded his leadership approach in the Leadership Lauderdale program and, later, its components – faith, fellowship, patriotism, and perseverance – would become the guiding principles of The Montgomery Institute.

It was a privilege to know and work with Sonny and be his friend. I’ve never met a more remarkable man.

Bill Crawford

Like most folks in Meridian, I knew Sonny. Not well, but I knew the man and I knew he represented our area in Congress really well.

In July 1981, I was one of the assistant scoutmasters of the Choctaw Area Council National Jamboree Troop. Four of us adults were taking our area troop of about 30 boys, to the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A. P. Hill, Virginia. Fort Hill is near Fredericksburg, and so, a side trip to Washington was planned on the way to the Jamboree. I am assuming that the Scout Executive in Meridian arranged the Washington “touristy trip” as I know none of the adult Scout leaders did it.

We arrived in Washington by train on a very rainy Saturday morning and boarded a bus that took us to the capitol building. We had been told that Sonny’s office had set up a tour of the building for us. We adults assumed we might be met by a young aide from Sonny’s office for a routine tour.

We got the surprise of our lives when we got off the bus! In addition to Mr. Vance being there to greet us, Sonny was there too. Sonny took us places in the capitol that normal tourists don’t get to go. He escorted us to the floor of the United States House of Representatives. He let the Scouts sit at various desks in the House. He pointed out the initials carved in the desks by men that we (Scouts and adult leaders) had only read about in history books! We didn’t get the 50 cent tour. We got the 50 dollar tour!

After we left the capitol we emphasized to the Scouts (I think some of the older boys realized this already) that we had been treated to a special tour by OUR congressman – a man that we all greatly admired and respected. We made sure the boys knew that this was no ordinary tour.

This story of mine shows again what Sonny was all about. He never forgot where he came from. He was one of us.

Bob Chatham

As a child growing up in East Mississippi, “Sonny” Montgomery was “our” Congressman. To us, in rural Newton County, he was bigger than life.

After high school I enlisted in the Air Force and went off for basic and then technical training. Once that was completed, I (age 18) was headed home to Mississippi for leave. Needless to say, having never been far from Mississippi before, I was feeling pretty full of myself. As I arrived via plane at Jackson, I headed down the jet way. I’d been traveling for a while (in uniform) and didn’t take the time to button my collar, tie back my tie or button my coat. I am quite sure I looked a mess.

Mississippi Congressman and Brigadier General G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery, c1991.

When I entered the gate terminal I recognized a man standing there and waiting to board his own flight. I had never met him, personally, but there was no mistake that it was Sonny Montgomery, probably on his way back to Washington. I tried to keep walking but he said, in a gentle but firm voice, “Young man, it is our job to set the example”. I could say nothing but “Yes Sir”. I knew what he meant. He was talking about those of us in uniform.

With that, I headed straight to nearest restroom to straighten myself up. When I came out, he was still standing there. He simply smiled and gave me his signature “thumbs up”. Without a word, I headed as quickly as I could to meet my parents who were waiting to take me home.

I could not have known on that day when I met Sonny “personally” for the first time that our paths would cross again many times. Because of his support of the military and our education benefits, I was able to go to college and later became an officer in the Navy. I even have advanced degrees because of the Montgomery GI Bill. One of my fondest memories during active duty was to be able to come back to Mississippi and be the first Commanding Officer of the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Naval Reserve Center in Meridian. By then Sonny and I had become friends and he was a mentor to me. I was able to introduce him, tell this story during the dedication ceremony and tell him that at “his” Center, “It will always be our job to set the example”.

He remembered and, yes, I got a “thumbs up” that day too.

Randy Reeves