Clyde Sallee - Lawman legend of Medicine Park

It was back in 1959 when I first met Clyde Sallee. I was 14 back then and very impressionable. Clyde lived down the road toward Lawton from the Merry Circle. I knew he was Medicine Park’s Constable but not much more than that. I figure he was in his late twenties or maybe earl thirties but I could see he was all cowboy. That day in 1959 I was walking by his plce and he was out front brushing his horse. I remember the horse was beautiful, a quarterhorse with white blze and stockings. I walked over and complimented him on his horse and that started a conversation between a boy and the local cop. He asked me what I was going to do after high school and I immediately told him I was going in the Navy just like my big brother did when he turned 17. Clyde told he spent a tour in the Navy but decided to not make it a career. We rattled on about the Navy and his horse and finally, I walked on down the road to wherever I was heading. Clyde had clearly made an impression on me and across the next 45 years I became both a sailor and a quarterhorse riding cowboy myself.
In the old West, cowboys, especially cowboys turned lawmen, left an indelible impression on Americana that would help mold our country into a hearty, rugged place where freedom loving, hard working people could and eventually did flourish. Clyde Sallee was one of those cowboys in my opinion.
I heard so much about his exploits as Constable of Medicine Park, I was awestricken. I specifically remember one time when five soldiers from Ft Sill were driving recklessly thru the Hotel area and Clyde just happened to be parked there at the time. It was about 2 am and he figured they were drunk and rowdy. The chase was on and the pursuit ended out toward the ‘y’ on 49 when Clyde finally ran them off the road into a ditch. When he walked up the car they had gotten out and immediately jumped him. Apparently they thought he was a hayseed country bumpkin they didn’t have to worry about. Five minutes later they were all five unconscious and the Sherrif from Lawton showed up and carried them off to jail. Clyde Sallee became a Medicine Park law enforcement legend that night. Nobody was ever surprised to hear that Clyde had busted another bad guy from that time on and there were several similar occasions. Ironically, nobody ever laid a fist on him or harmed him in any way.
I lost track of Clyde when I joined the service and moved away from the Park. He was one heck of a good guy. I guess he would be 75 or 80 today. If anyone knows where he went or came of him, I would sure love to hear from them.