Arizona
‘My personal hero’: Air Force Lieutenant Colonel laid to rest in Arizona
PHOENIX – A veteran was laid to relaxation in Arizona on Saturday, Sept. 17 and the service got here full with a navy flyover, a becoming farewell to the pilot who served in Korea and Vietnam.
“He was my private hero,” stated Lorna Suzanne Skousen, the daughter of Air Pressure Lieutenant Colonel Alma Skousen.
He was a hero in some ways.
He joined the Military Air Corps throughout World Struggle II when he was simply 17 with desires of changing into a fighter pilot.
“1951 was when he went by his cadet coaching and that was when he acquired to turn out to be an officer,” his daughter stated. “Being within the Air Pressure was a dream for him.”
Skousen died on Sept. 8 on the age of 96 and was buried in Mesa.
Air Pressure Lieutenant Colonel Alma Skousen
Pleased birthday! US Air Pressure celebrates seventy fifth anniversary
Throughout his lifetime, Skousen served a complete of 28 years within the navy. He was a fighter pilot within the Korean and Vietnam wars.
“He flew in Korea, he did 26 missions, he did 133 missions in Vietnam, 100 in north and 33 in south,” she stated.
“I’ve had again seaters come to me and different fighter pilots saying he was not a slacker one iota. If he was fired upon, he was taking it to them. That was his ethos and that was how he operated,” stated Curtis Skousen, his son.
Whereas he was dedicated to his nation, Skousen additionally dedicated a lot of his life to elevating his 9 kids along with his first spouse, Lorna.
MORE: The dying of Queen Elizabeth II is a stark reminder of the disappearing WWII technology
“We did not have an actual notion of it ‘trigger dad was dad. He was at all times actual pleasant,” Curtis stated.
“He was such an honorable man and was simply such an amazing instance to me and all my 5 kids,” his daughter Christine Smith stated.
Most of all, he’ll be remembered for his unconditional love and his religion.
The Lieutenant Colonel is survived by his second spouse Phyllis, his kids, 43 grandchildren, 69 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Associated studies: