Long list of accomplishments endeared Wilson to E. Texas constituents

While former congressman Charlie Wilson has been immortalized on the silver screen for his part in battling the Cold War, it was his drive to fight for folks back home that his friends in East Texas remember.

Wilson may have had his vices — his penchant for women and a stiff drink are legendary — but those pale in comparison to the good he did while in office, according to one local civic leader and longtime friend of Wilson's.

Murphy George has known Wilson for 40 years. The two were good friends when Wilson was in the Texas legislature, and before that when Wilson worked for Arthur Temple in Diboll.

"I don't remember how we first met ...He's a longtime friend of mine, and I've been a longtime supporter of his," George said. "I think he's done an outstanding job for the community, and for all of his constituents."

Wilson is the subject of the movie "Charlie Wilson's War," starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman, based on the book by the same name.

The movie, opening in theaters today, tells the story of how Wilson, a renegade CIA agent and a Houston socialite team up to lead the largest and most successful covert operation in history, according to the movie's promotional Web site www.charliewilsonswar.net. Their efforts contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the site explains. Wilson and wife Barbara attended the Hollywood premiere of the movie Dec. 10.

While the movie is "really great" and a great conversation piece, and Wilson did a good job in Afghanistan, it's his work in East Texas that is truly memorable, George said.

"The thing that stands out for me is what he did for the people that he represented," George said.

George, with William George Produce, a food service company, said he remembers Wilson stepping in to help his business out years earlier when gasoline was being rationed. One day, the oil company that provided their fuel called to say the company's supply would be cut 50 percent.

"Well, that would have put 50 percent of our territory out of business. I just picked up the phone and called Charlie Wilson," George said.

Wilson swung into action, and before too long, George was getting a call from the president of the Houston oil company. They would be getting all of their gas.

"'I want you to call your congressman and tell him that you're happy.' That's one of the things I remember (the oil company president) saying," George said.

Something else George said he'll always remember — nearly word for word — is Wilson's retirement speech, given to a packed house at the Lottie & Arthur Temple Civic Center in Diboll.

"He said, 'You know, I want to apologize to you people because you didn't get all you deserved from Washington while I was there, and you didn't get all you wanted from Washington while I was there. But you got a heck of a lot more than you would have if I hadn't been there,'" Wilson said, according to George.

Wilson took care of the communities he served, and while you find people who want to talk about the bad habits he may have had, there might be a reason for that, George said.

"I think most of them envy him more than they criticize him for it," George said, laughing. "He's a great guy. He'll always be remembered."

The publicity surrounding the movie unfairly characterizes Wilson as a playboy who didn't do much of anything before his work in Afghanistan, said longtime friend Buddy Temple.

In fact, Wilson was instrumental in bringing about the local airport and the transit system, as well as taking good care of his constituents' personal needs, he said.

"He almost single-handedly got the Big Thicket created," Temple said. "I wouldn't exactly call that doing nothing."

Temple met Wilson around 1964, both interested in politics. Wilson was a state representative at the time, and they got to be close friends, Temple working in Wilson's campaign and Wilson helping Temple when he got into politics.

The two developed a close, personal relationship, Temple said. Temple met wife Ellen on a first date doubling with Wilson and his first wife, he said.

It's difficult to talk about someone as complex as Wilson in the course of a short interview, Temple said, describing him as the "most brilliant political mind" he'd ever encountered. Wilson has tremendous instincts and always seemed to come out on the right side of things, he said.

"Charlie was a wonderful representative. He got more done accidentally than most people do on purpose," Temple said. "...I wish he was representing us in Congress right now."

There would never be another one like Wilson, someone who combined the personal qualities he has with his ability to get things done, Temple said.

Jerry Huffman, president of the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce, said he had always been impressed with Wilson's stature, and not just his physical presence. Huffman Wilson had the ability to reach even people who started out not liking him, usually changing their minds, Huffman said.

"When he walked into a room, he exuded confidence," Huffman said. "...He just had this charisma about him."

Huffman said he learned firsthand that Wilson was "very, very interested" in taking care of his constituents, particularly veteran's issues, getting his staff deeply involved in helping people in East Texas.

It was something Turner continued, according to Huffman.

"It was just there, built in, and we did that," Huffman said.

Another person who will always remember Wilson is Al Meyer, owner of Al Meyer Ford in Lufkin.

Meyer said his dealership always made sure there was a Ford Crown Victoria at the ready to pick up the long, tall congressman upon his arrival home in Lufkin.

"He was a very tall individual and he wanted a big, comfortable car," Meyer said.

Meyer pointed out that Wilson's staff was also prompt in paying for services rendered.

"He never asked for anything free," Meyer said. "His staff was pleasant to work with, and they paid their bills, which we liked a lot."

Meyer said he met Wilson a number of times at civic events. He held Wilson in high regard because he was loved by the people and was a "working-man type" of representative, Meyer said.

"He was a local individual. He used to work with Temple-Inland and Mr. Temple supported him, and that was good enough for me," Meyer said.

Meyer, a Vietnam veteran, got to know Wilson — who served his country as a U.S. naval officer — a little better in 1990 when the congressman recommended his son Darrell J. Meyer, a high-ranking Lufkin High School graduate, for the Naval and Air Force academies.

His son, later attending the Air Force Academy, was caught up in the middle of a bureaucratic downsizing, Meyer said, when Wilson stepped in to save his son from being cut from the academy.

Wilson led a congressional inquiry, meeting with the Secretary of the Air Force, which resulted in Meyer's son being able to graduate, get in his time in service and eventually go on to a civilian career in Washington D.C.

The Meyer family will always be grateful.

"Charlie Wilson is a hero at the Meyer residence," Meyer said. "...He can do no wrong. We'll always be in his camp. He's a great citizen, and he fought for the people of East Texas."