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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Jul '00
ANDERSON WATKINS ATKINSON * '46
No. 15413 * 31 Dec 1923 - 30 Mar 1992 Died in Niceville, FL *
Interred in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
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ANDERSON WATKINS ATKINSON was born and raised in
Fordyce, AR a small town in Southwest Arkansas. His sister, Margie
recalled: "Our father was a country doctor who died when
Andy was about ten years old. Andy graduated from Fordyce High
School as Valedictorian and then told our mother he was leaving
for New York to spend the summer working on the Hudson River
Day Line. At the end of the summer, he didn't come home but let
Mother know he was enrolling in Syracuse University but didn't
need any money because he was getting a job. He enlisted in the
Army Air Corps Cadet Program and was sent to Santa Ana, CA. He
had received an alternate appointment to West Point and was accepted."
Andy joined the Class of 1946 on 10 July 1943.
Andy was ten days late arriving in Beast Barracks
and further endeared himself to the upperclassmen by announcing
that he could land an A-6 in Central area. Classmate Lew Allen
who rose to become Chief of Staff of the Air Force, recalled:
"I remember Andy during plebe year for his marvelous sense
of humor and his inability to take hazing seriously. Upperclassmen
consistently failed to remove his grin and almost always ended
up laughing with him." Andy opted for Air Cadet training
yearling year and graduated with his pilot's wings as a second
lieutenant in the Army Air Corps.
Andy married his long time sweetheart, Shirley
Marie (Susie) Seaman two days after graduation, 6 June 1946,
at the West Point Cadet Chapel. After transition training to
single engine aircraft in AZ, Andy was assigned to the 63rd Fighter
Squadron at Selfridge AFB, MI. In March 1947, Andy's squadron
was the first to convert to jets, the P-80. In 1949, the Atkinsons
moved to Elmendorf AFB, AK where Andy joined the 66th Fighter
Squadron. In 1951, Andy moved to Griffiss AFB, NY with the 27th
Fighter Squadron flying F-86s and then F-94Cs.
In 1956, Andy received his Masters in Aeronautical
Engineering from the University of Michigan. This was followed
by an assignment with MIT's Lincoln Laboratory at Hanscom Field,
MA. Andy moved to the Pentagon in 1960, serving in the Directorate
of Operational Requirements, ODCS, Operations, HQS US Air Force.
This was followed by two years in Germany in the Office, Deputy
Chief of Staff, Operations, HQ US Air Force Europe in Wiesbaden.
From Germany, Andy attended the Industrial College of the Armed
Forces and in June 1967 became the deputy commander for operations
of the 15th Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill AFB, FL. In 1968,
Andy went to Vietnam where he served as Chief, Command Center
Branch, Seventh Air Force and then as Deputy Commander for Operations,
366 Tactical Fighter Wing, Da Nang AFB, Republic of Vietnam.
Andy flew 114 combat missions in Southeast Asia in the F-4.
Back to the States in 1969, Andy became Commander,
3560 Pilot Training Wing, Webb AFB, TX. Then in 1971, Andy became
Vice Commander, Sheppard Technical Training Wing, Sheppard AFB,
TX, Andy returned to the Pentagon in 1973 to serve on the Joint
Chiefs of Staff. He was first Chief, Pacific Division (J-3) and
then Assistant Deputy Director, Operations (national Military
Command Systems) and finally Deputy Director, Operations (current
operations). Andy's final assignment on active duty was with
the Defense Intelligence Agency as Assistant Vice Director for
Attaches and Training. He retired in 1980 as a Major General.
Retirement found the Atkinsons in Florida. Andy
dabbled in real estate for a while but soon realized that it
was interfering with his golf. He enjoyed retirement and being
able to play golf as much as he wanted.
Andy died 30 March 1992 at his home in Niceville,
FL. Survivors included his wife, Susie, sons, Randall and John,
brother, Tom and sister, Margie.
It is evident that Andy Atkinson was everything
a West Pointer is expected to be. He lived the motto in every
aspect of his life. Classmate and fellow airman, H. Lobdell,
MG, USAF, Rtd.: "Andy knew what flying was about. He was
straightforward and demanding in his professional life, but he
brought along a wry and delightful sense of humor. While he was
tough, his down-home sense of humor and 'good-old-boy' manner
took the edge off his strict and safety-conscious leadership.
These qualities made Andy, in my opinion, the best Air Force
operational flying supervisor and leader I have known. He certainly
exemplified that which we would expect of a West Point graduate.
I can give him no greater compliment. I miss the guy…not
only for his understanding of what was right and wrong, but for
the companionship he gave me and everyone around him."
Son, John and daughter-in-law, Ava, remembered:
"John's father was one of the most unforgettable characters
of our lives. He had strong moral character and projected such
in his actions. He cared deeply about his children and grandchildren
and never criticized the mistakes we made in rearing his grandchildren.
He was a good listener and a great person from whom to seek advice.
He cared a great deal about his country and was a great writer.
He believed in tough love yet had a tender heart and tolerated
thoughts, ideas and beliefs different from his own. John and
I both miss him."
To the words of praise from his friends and family,
the Class of 1946 is proud to add those few words that would
mean so much to our classmate: "Well Done, Andy; Be Thou
At Peace!"
'46 MEMORIAL ARTICLE PROJECT AND HIS FAMILY
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