Saturday, January 17th, 2026
1:00 PM
Sonny Branham will speak about the life of his father, Millard F. Branham, who was a sailor on the USS Tulsa from 1928-1932. Branham later retired at the rate of Chief Petty Officer after serving 20 years in the US Navy.
On display at this event will be Millard F. Branham’s scrapbook that chronicles his service in the Navy. It tells the story of his first ship, the USS Tulsa, and includes photos of American and foreign ships, cartoon clippings, snapshots of friends and shipmates at special events, and more.
Branham’s scrapbook was featured in December’s Collection Chronicles mailing.
Professor Ulysses “Sonny” Branham is in his 26th year at ORU and has more than 25 years of experience in journalism, small business ownership, and the banking industry. He and his wife were the youngest publishers of a Kentucky weekly newspaper, earning state and national awards, and leading Branham to become the youngest president of the Kentucky Weekly Newspaper Association. After a successful banking career that culminated as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Branham transitioned to higher education, teaching at ORU and other institutions while mentoring students through leadership roles, internships, and nationally recognized programs. He has authored two American government textbooks, served on numerous community and university boards, and encourages students to integrate Christian character into public leadership.