- Date Of Birth: January 21, 1921
- Date Of Death: January 27, 2011
- State: Texas
January 21, 1921 – January 27, 2011
Lt. Col. Harry Alexander White, Jr. USAF (Ret) passed away on 27 Jan. 2011 at the age of 90. He was born at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio on 21 Jan 1921. Harry”s father was a retired Army Major who settled in Yreka, CA. Following graduation from Yreka HS, Harry, Jr. Joined the Army Air Corps from the Univ. of CA, Berkely. He flew B-24s with the 392nd Bomb Gp in England and was shot down three times, crash landing, ditching and bailing out earning him membership in the “Catapillar Club” and not much enthusiasm from crews wanting to fly with him. He did receive the Distinguished Flying Cross and several Air Medals. Harry was a dual rated command pilot and flew B ” 47s for 9 years in Strategic Air Command. He served in AU, ATC, CAP, USAFE and in a Joint Advisory Group mission in Seoul, Korea. Harry was selected to command the 17th SOS AC 119G at Tan Son Nhut AB in Saigon Viet Nam flying combat missions in his second war. His son, then 1st Lt White, arrived the same day and they lived next door during their 1970 SEA tour. Harry retired in 1971 to Sacramento, moving to San Antonio in 1999. He was truly a Patriot and a hero. One general officer said ” he would stand out of a crowd in civilian clothes as “the leader.”” His sense of humor was legend. He left us all with a smile. He will be truly be missed and loved. Harry leaves a son, H. A. “Terry” White, III, Col USAF (Ret) and his wife Cynthia of Fair Oaks Ranch; daughter, Deborah of Auburn, CA; granddaughter Shannon and grandson, Brian of Birmingham, AL; sister, Bev Dempsey of Salem, OR, sister, Gayle Cusick of Carmichael, CA; brother, Creighton and his wife, Dorothy of Santa Rosa, CA. Nieces and nephews abound.
