November 9, 2024 Issue, Page 14 of 18

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2B SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2024 The Elk City News Mark Stansberry front of the Oil Patch Warrior Ardmore Memorial Park in downtown Ardmore. Courtesy photo. Mark Stansberry with actor Barry Corbin, narrator of the “Sherwood Gray Frederickson and Mark Stansberry work on the documentary of Forest: Top Secret.” Courtesy photo. “Sherwood Forest: Top Secret.” Courtesy photo. Documentary Memorializes Oklahoma Roughnecks’ Heroic Contributions to WWII Victory By Sheryl Ponce Since the release of the film, Sherwood Forest. The sculpture dedication effort. I was part of Sherwood Forest during World interest in making sure this was Stansberry and Frederickson is symbolic of the roughnecks the committee, but he was the War II, in 19437’ he said. produced. He said this was one As Executive Producer/Pro- have been nominated for a 2023 who went to Sherwood Forest in leader of making sure that it hap- The mission had to be top of his better films because of ducer of documentary “Sher- d Emmy. “Sherwood 1943. I didn't know a whole lot pened,’ Stansberry continued. secret and in camouflage. They the message. We had an Emmy wood Forest: Top Secret,” PBS. ‘op Secret,” was inducted about that story at the time. They Alloway continued to serve as lived in a monastery in Sher- -winning director along with an org, Elk City native Mark Stans- into the Oklahoma Movie Hall asked us to contribute to the chairman and Stansberry served wood Forest. It was a very Emmy nominated actor, Barry berry in association with Os- of Fame, along with Stansberry project, and they actually went with him as president, 2003- low-profile mission because of Corbin, narrator, they both did car-winning Producer Gray and Frederickson as the pro- over (to England) in 1991. The 2009, of The Energy Advocates. the danger. an outstanding job. Corbin has Frederickson, exposed the story ducers, The pair have both been statue was erected in England. During his tenure as president, “Some of the equipment did been in well over 200 films in- of how Oklahoma roughnecks’ individually inducted into the ‘There's a museum there as well. Stansberry spoke about the not reach England because it was duding ‘Urban Cowboy? ‘War top-secret mission to drill for oil Oklahoma Movie Hall of Fame The statue and members of the roughnecks’ contribution to the destroyed. Within a year, their Games, and most recently ‘Yel- made victory possible in WWII. for their contributions to the film Energy Advocates got my inter- war effort, which spurred his aim was to drill about 100 wells lowstone) and “Tulsa King.” he Although the story impacted the industry. est because I really didn't know interest in bringing the story to or to get the wells to produce noted. war's outcome, it seems to have Stansberry has wanted to have anything about it at the time, that the public because little has been 3000 barrels ofoil per day. And Stansberry said that about remained top secret to the world, this story told since the 90s when was over 30 years ago,” Stansber- known about the top-secret mis- they did it. There was no doubt 25 percent of the copies of the As an energy expert, Stansber- he was asked to be a member of ry explained. sion. that the oil was significant. The footage/images came from ar- ry has wanted to tell the story for the International Society, the En- In about 2000, or ten years lat- “In 1943, the British were oil from Sherwood Forest was chives in England, and it has years, and he accomplished that ergy Advocates, The organization er, the Energy Advocates wanted needing help in their oil produc- used for D Day. The war efforts actual footage from WWII that with the late Gray Frederickson. was founded in 1974 because to erect a statue in Ardmore be- tion. The British, in Sherwood played a great part, by not only their crew colorized. About 58 The documentary that can be of the oil embargo. There was a cause many of the initial leader- Forest, were only producing be- by the soldiers on the ground, members of the cast and crew seen on OETA was written and group of Oklahoma oil men and ship of oil came from that area. tween 150 to 300 barrels of oil but the women who sacrificed were from Oklahoma, with only directed by Greg Mellott. It was energy leaders who started the Lloyd Noble was one of the key per day. That was not enough while husbands went over there. two that came from California. narrated by actor Barry Corbin. organization, and they would people, as well as some others to do much when it comes to a One gentleman did lose his life Stansberry said the film came to- With Stansberry as the Exec- travel around the country talking that helped launch the rough- war effort, they needed more oil. on the rig. He was the only per- gether in about a year and a half, utive Producer/Producer, they about energy. necks to Sherwood Forest. ‘They didn't have the technology/ son that had been buried in a although they had been trying to credited the Oklahoma History “They (Energy Advocates) “That year (2000) Energy Ad- expertise to get it done as qui British military graveyard at that get it produced for several years. Center, Oklahoma Oil and Nat- asked me to be a member of the vocates started a campaign effort as they needed it. So the Britis time” Stansberry added. The film shows the signifi- ural Gas (OERB), the Samuel organization. I started attending to erect a statue in Ardmore, and sent over an official who was Stansberry took the story to cance to the outcome of WWII, Roberts Noble Foundation, the meetings about 1990, it (the or- they asked if Td help with that, so putting the war effort together, Frederickson, and together they and this film documents Okla- Oklahoma Historical Society, the ganization) was based in Tulsa. landing in New York. He wound Idid. I helped on the fundraising put it on film. They brought to- homas roughnecks’ determina- Kirkpatrick Foundation, among While I was at a meeting, there side of making sure there was a up arriving in Ardmore at the gether an award-winning team tion, perseverance, true grit, and others for the ability to bring was a gentleman, Jay O’Melia, statue in Ardmore. There was a steps of Lloyd Noble’s house and that debuted as a World-Pre- patriotism. Those traits seem to the project to fruition. The doc- who was a sculptor. He came dedication in Ardmore’s Memo- said they needed his help. Lloyd miere on Dec. 29th, 2022. continue to be true of the pro- umentary has been dedicated to to the meeting, and he talked rial Park, downtown, in honor Noble said, yes that he wanted “Gray (Frederickson) had ties fession. For more information the memory of Gray Frederick- about the ‘Oil Patch Warrior, a of the Oil Patch Warrior and the to help. He put together a list of to oil, his great grandfather was about viewing this documentary son who lost his battle with can- sculpture that he wanted to put roughnecks, Energy Advocate Oklahoma oilmen and about 44 a founder of ONG and his father for schools and for group set- cer while completing the film. in Nottinghamshire, England, at Chairman, Mac Alloway led the roughnecks. They went over to was an oilman. He took a great tings, go to wwwokhistory.org “The highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of bearing arms For those fighting.. for ones country. For those waiting for someone to return.. - George S. Patton Jr. For those who never made it home.. For those putting their family to rest.. an vy you, PUBLIC SERVICE bt croc! COMPANY OF OKLAHOMA LEREN~ 1204S Main St, An AEP Company EIk City, OK 73644 (380) 225-8473 BOUNDLESS ENERGY”