Monday, November 19, 2001

Jacqueline Carmack

Nee Jacqueline Nevard, from Eyke

Jacqueline recently passed away in the St. Louis, MO area.   Jackie worked as the cashier/secretary at the B/W Officers Club 57-59 and her father and mother ran the Eyke general store in the 50s.

Jackie married Larry Carmack (stationed at Woodbridge Base, Weather) in 1959 in Ipswich.  Jackie's sister and brother-in-law, Pat and Willie Lightfoot owned the fish shop at Crown Point near Martlesham during the 60s and 70s.

Jackie had many friends in the Woodbridge/Melton area and I wanted them to know she never forgot them or her roots.  She was a lady and will be sadly missed by all who knew her on both sides of the Atlantic.

Larry Carmack, loving husband and best friend.

25 March 2001

Poppy Smith

Poppy worked at the USAF Clinic, RAF Bentwaters, as Appointments Clerk from 16 January 1967 until her retirement on 31 May 1987.  She was loved and respected by all who worked with her and received numerous letters and awards for outstanding performance.

In 1983 she was honoured in the Queens New Years Honours List with the award of a Commendation by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, RAF Support Command.

When she first started at the Clinic in 1967 she worked in an old 1944 built building but moved to the new Clinic in October 1981.

Poppy lived all her life in Blaxhall until 1983 when she and her husband moved to Woodbridge.  She died suddenly on 13 September 1991 and is still missed by many.

by Poppy's daughter Stella Sokolis (previously Stella Rose, nee Smith)

Notified by Floyd Walden, Rogue River, Oregon:
This might be of interest to some of the old RAF Woodbridge people (Old Tigers). Lt. Col James E Hill was base CO and the 79th CO when I arrived there in July 1955.

General James E Hill

Retired Dec. 31, 1979, Died May 20, 1999

Link to biography:

16 December 1999

Janis, daughter of Basil and Gladys Smith of Fourwinds, Tunstall, informed Ron Burrell that Janis's Mum died last week and was buried at Eyke Church. Gladys worked on Bentwaters at Billeting for many years. Ron and Pam say that Gladys was a real Suffolk sweetie.

Basil Smith was also a British firefighter on Bentwaters for many years, worked with Tom Beal at the BW firestation.

Perhaps people who remember Gladys and Basil, might want to send a card to

Basil Smith
Fourwinds
Tunstall
WOODBRIDGE
Suffolk
IP12 4EH

Ron is sure that Basil will appreciate that and getting in contact with fellow former firefighters.

Colonel Miles A Connor

passed away December 14 1999

Colonel Connor was the original 81st Air Base Group Commander

Born and raised in Pueblo,   Colorado, attended college then served in the CCCs.  Joined the Army Air Corps and completed a distinguished 35 year career in the United States Air force.

The funeral mass was celebrated on Friday December 17 1999 at 10:00am at St John Neumann Catholic Church with Father Howard Krick as the celebrant.

Interment will be held at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Colorado, with Full Military Honors

Maj. Thomas H. Amos

Viet Nam MIA, remains recovered this year.

Maj. Amos was stationed at RAF Bentwaters from 10/66-8/69.

THE POW/MIA E-MAIL NETWORK (c)

The write-up sent to the League office by Pat Amos Dunlap and her husband, Frank, regarding the ID on Major Tom Amos, USAF, one of the 7 Americans whose names have not yet been announced by DOD, but likely will be today, November 3rd. Pat is the League's OK Coordinator. In talking with me last evening, Pat and Frank were very complimentary about the efforts made by CILHI, JTF and USAF personnel, how hard they worked to obtain a successful ID and what it means to their family. Of course, I know all of you are very thankful that they could finally end so many years of uncertainty. - Ann Mills Griffiths

Here is the info sent to the Springfield, Missouri newspaper:

THOMAS HUGH AMOS former Springfield Aviator, son of Dr James Amos, former Springfield, Greene County Health Officer and Missouri State Health Officer, who was lost in Vietnam during April 1972 and carried as Missing In Action (MIA) for many years, will finally be returned for burial).

Thomas Hugh Amos was born on September 25, 1940 in Fulton, Missouri. Tom was the third child of Dr. James Roy and Marie Mulcare Amos. He attended Helias High School in Jefferson City, Missouri for three years and was graduated from Parkview High School, May 1958, in Springfield, Missouri. Tom was graduated from Drury College in Springfield, Missouri, August 1963, with a BA degree in Biology.

Tom married Virginia A. "Ginny" Johnson in Springfield, Missouri on June 23, 1962. Tom and Ginny had two children. Julie Ann Amos was born in Enid, Oklahoma on March 26, 1965 and James William Amos was born in England on May 30, 1967.

Tom joined the Air Force in November 1963 and attended Officer Training School in San Antonio, Texas. He received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in February 1964. He entered Pilot Training during February 1964 at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma. He completed Pilot Training in March 1965 where he receiving his Pilot rating and wings.

After pilot training, Tom was assigned to Davis Montham AFB, Arizona for check out in the F-4, Phantom, and a top of the line fighter-bomber.

Tom had assignments at MacDill AFB, Florida then to Okinawa for several months prior to assignment in Thailand where he was flying combat missions in Vietnam from February to August of 1966. It was during this tour that Tom earned The Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the highest decorations awarded to flyers. On April 26, 1966, Tom's aircraft was part of a four-ship formation providing cover for friendly aircraft making bombing runs deep within enemy territory. His aircraft was severely damaged by hostile fire and he was able to guide his crippled aircraft away from enemy territory to a safe recovery.

In October 1966, he was reassigned to RAF Station Bentwaters, England where he stayed for nearly three years. During this tour, he was upgraded to aircraft commander in the F-4C aircraft. In August 1969 he was reassigned to Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. While at this assignment he was upgraded to an instructor pilot and flight examiner. In late March of 1972 Tom was sent to Korea as part of a military build up. Three weeks later he was flying combat missions in Vietnam.

Tom was flying a night combat mission on April 20, 1972 when his plane went down in action with the enemy, near the Laos boarder. The following morning, Dr James R. Amos received a call from the Air Force advising him of Tom's situation. Search efforts in the crash area failed to establish any results.

Initially, Tom was listed as Missing in Action (MIA). His status was later changed to presumed Killed in Action (KIA). Tom was promoted to the grade of Major posthumously. After 21 years, two local natives found the crash site in a mountainous region in Laos and recovered some remains and dog tags in 1993. Additional remains were recovered during three excavations conducted by a joint U.S. and Laos military teams in 1998. During the summer of 1999 the Air Force announced that a positive DNA match had been made on remains recovered from Tom crash site.

His mother, Mrs. Marie Amos of Lebanon, Missouri; his daughter, Julie Ashurst of Springfield, Missouri and a son, James Amos of St. Paul, Minnesota, survive Tom. He has two grandchildren; Robert Ashurst and Samantha Ashurst of Springfield, Missouri. He has three sisters; Mrs. Pat Dunlap of Edmond, Oklahoma, Mrs. Jill Mitchell of Crane, Missouri and Mrs. Debbie Schirber of Stillwell, Minnesota.

A funeral Mass was celebrated on Saturday, November 6th at 10 AM at St. Agnes Cathedral in Springfield, Missouri. Burial was at St. Mary's Cemetery next to his wife, Ginny.

Msgt Homer M Garrigus USAF Ret

Oct 2,1999 Tom Kirby received a call from Martha Remick, sister to Msgt Home M Garrigus USAF Ret, that he had passed away.   He was interrred Oct 4,1999 with a full Military funeral. Sgt Garrigus was one of the top NCOs at Woodbridge. He died of cancer.

Sgt Garrigus holding Guard Mount (picture courtesy of Bob Kirby)

11 September 1999

Roy Pryor

WEST CHESTER, Ohio (AP) - Roy Pryor, a nationally prominent test pilot during the Cold War, died of cancer Thursday. He was 80.

Pryor, a native of Dolores, Colo, began his aviation career with Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica, Calif. In World War II, he joined the Army's air cadet program and won his wings as a fighter pilot. With the 81st Fighter Group, stationed in Hawaii, he flew P-51s and P-47s.

After the war, he remained in the service three more years, just for the opportunity to fly the new jets. He became an Air Force engineering test pilot, testing new systems as they became available for jet aircraft.

Pryor joined the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and was elected a fellow in the society for his many contributions to the science of flight.

Senior Master Sergeant Carl Anthony Koller, USAF (retired)

1912 – 1999

See Derrick Booth's Memorial Page

From the EADT Saturday 6 June 1998

Brian Hayes

Long illness claims Life of Photographer

One of Suffolk's best known photographers, who in nearly a quarter of a century pictured hundreds of weddings, has died in hospital, aged 61.

Brian Hayes, whose Studio 550 business was in Spring road, Ipswich, was an American by birth who began taking photographs while he served with the U.S. Air Force in Italy.
He travelled to England in 1969 to research his family roots, stayed and married Sue whom he met in London.
He worked for five years selling insurance, initially at USAF Ruislip and then at the twin airbases of Bentwaters and Ipswich.

When he achieved a residence qualification enabling him to start his own business, he turned to photography and started his Ipswich studio, opened by Bobby Robson.
During the past quarter of a century, he became a well-loved figure in the area.

Since 1977, he has undertaken the official portraits of every Mayor of Ipswich and in 1985-6 he was president of Ipswich Rotary Club, the only American to hold the post.
In recent years Brian became very ill and had to travel everywhere with an oxygen tank.   In 1986, he was diagnosed as suffering from brittle asthma and scans revealed he was suffering from emphysema and needed continuous oxygen and steroid medication.

He said at his retirement: "I get out of breath even if I move and the steroids I am on don't help my weight."
Brian is survived by Sue and four children; Mike, Val, Chris, Laura and Deborah.

There was a private funeral on Tuesday followed by a service of thanksgiving at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, at 4:30pm.

Donations can be sent to the Brittle Asthma Fund - which helps Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham, which has the only specialist hospital unit in the UK dealing with the illness - c/o Farthing Singleton & Hastings, 650 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich IP4 2PW.

Linn: So sorry to read about Brian Hayes. We go back many years, knew each other at South Ruislip in the late 60’s, early 70’s. Lost touch until I was assigned to Bentwaters in 79, I walked into Studio 550 to get some photo work done and lo and behold there was that smiling face. In 1985 I was recognized by the Anglo-American Award Committee as the "American" of the year for my work in the local communities, at the banquet Brian was introduced as the new president of the Rotary Club, we had a fun evening. If you should bump into Sue in your travels please say hi for me. Many thanks, Danny Wills (Bentwaters 59-63 & 79-90)