| Military Service |
John Milton RoseMy Dad's father served his country well. In March 1943 he entered the US Arm Air Corps aviation cadet program and received a commission as 2nd Lieutenant and his pilot wings at Marianna FL in Jan 1944.During World War II he served first as an instructor pilot at Marianna and then as a fighter pilot at Howard Field, Panama Canal Zone. He left active military service in May 1948 and returned to Davidson College, but was called back to active duty in Oct 1950. Assigned to the 156th Fighter Bomber Squadron, he went to England where he served as commander of the 512th Tactical Fighter Squadron and later as operations officer with the 406th Fighter Bomber Wing. Returning to the United States in Oct 1954, he attended a jet qualifying course and advanced flying school (Interceptor) and was then assigned to the 75th Fighter Interceptor Squadron and the 2nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron (ADC) at Suffolk County Air Force Base NY. In Dec 1955 he was assigned as Reserve Training Officer in the 464th Troop Carrier Wing, Pope Air Force Base NC. From Feb 1957 to Nov 1960 he was assigned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base NC, where he served with the 83rd Fighter Day Wing as commander of wing maintenance squadron and later was Chief of Maintenance for the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing. In Nov 1960 he was transferred to Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines, as Maintenance Control Officer and later was Chief of Maintenance for the 405th Fighter Wing. He returned to the United States in Jan 1963 with assignment to the 836 Air Division, MacDiII Air Force Base FL. He was then selected under Operation Bootstrap to return to Davidson College, where he completed requirements for his Bachelor of Arts degree in Jul 1963. He returned to MacDill and was Chief of Maintenance for the 15th Tactical Fighter Wing. In Aug 1965 he entered the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base AL. In Jul 1966 he was transferred to Thailand where he was assigned as Assistant Director of Material for the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base. His next assignment was in Jul 1976 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base OH where he became Director, Electronic Warfare, for HQ Air Forces Logistics Command. He was transferred to Tinker Air Force Base OK in Aug 1970 as Director of Material Management, Oklahoma City Air Material Area and in Jun 1972 became Vice Commander. In Jul 1973 he assumed command of the Defense Logistics Services Center at Battle Creek MI. His military decorations and awards include: the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon, and the Presidential Unit Citation Emblem. He is a command pilot. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General with date of rank Jul 27, 1972. In Aug 1975 he retired from military service. Samuel Browder LatimoreAnother great family member who has served military time is my great-grandfather, Samuel Browder Latimore. He was originally drafted into the Navy but volunteered for the Marines. He went to boot camp at Paris Island, South Carolina and after completion he was sent to Camp Lejeune in California. From there he went with the 5th Marine Division to Hawaii. Sam participated in the invasion at Iwo Jima and was in a tank. Understand that Iwo Jima was a small island consisting only of rock and volcanic ash. The reason for the invasion was take control of the island and use the air strips that the Japanese had built so the US could launch long range bombers from there to bomb the island of Japan. The Japanese knew the island would be invaded and had over a year to prepare by building elaborate underground tunnels and defenses to withstand aerial bombing. The Japanese defended the island at all costs fighting to the death. There were very few Japanese soldiers to surrender and over 24,000 Japanese soldiers were killed in action. The US forces had over 8000 soldiers killed. After Iwo Jima he was sent to Okinawa and also went to either Hiroshima or Nagasaki for occupation of Japan after the atomic bomb. Sam was honorably dischardged in 1945. Upon discharge his rank was corporal. The US Government paid him about $50-100 a month while in the service. Many people consider his generation the "Greatest Generation" of americans for their service to America. Freedom comes at a very high price, sometimes having to fight and die for it so that our children and their children can live as you and I do. |
