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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Sep '92
Jack Quentin Kimball No.15788 Class of 1946 Died
7 August 1969 in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, aged 44 years. Interment:
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas. |
Jack Quentin Kimball was born on 25 October 1924 in Fremont,
Michigan. He grew up in Muskegon, Michigan, where his father
was vice-president and trust officer of the Hackley Union National
Bank. Jack always loved airplanes and, at age eight, collected
old magazines and newspapers to make fifty cents to pay for his
first ride when a famed transatlantic flyer visited Muskegon.
He continued his interest in flying by building model airplanes.
At Muskegon High School, Jack was editor of the school magazine
and yearbook and won a scholarship to Michigan School of Mining
and Technology in Houghton, Michigan. After one semester in college,
Jack became an aviation cadet before receiving his coveted appointment
to West Point. July 1943 saw Jack become a member of the Class
of 1946 on the banks of the Hudson. Cadet life was just another
challenge to be met for Jack. He stayed safely in the middle
of the class academically and never had problems with the system.
One of his roommates, George Griffith, recalled: "While
Jack could laugh with the best, he was also a very serious-minded
person. Anything worth doing was given his maximum effort....There
was no question that Jack would be successful at anything he
chose to do." With his love for flying, Jack jumped at the
opportunity to get into the aviation program when it was offered
in the spring of 1945. At graduation, Jack pinned on the gold
bars of a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. Following
transition training to fighters in Arizona immediately after
graduation leave, Jack served as a fighter pilot in the 61st
Fighter Squadron at Selfridge Field, Michigan. From there he
moved to Alaska, where he served as a jet fighter pilot with
the 64th Fighter Squadron until 1949. His next assignment was
to Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, where he was a jet fighter
instructor. On 19 January 1951, Jack married Gladys H.M. Staehr
in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1952, the Kimballs moved to Webb Air
Force Base, Texas, where Jack was assigned to the Pilot Instructor
Group. In early 1954, Jack departed for Korea, where he became
a command pilot of the 335th Fighter Interceptor Squadron stationed
at Kimpo Air Force Base. In February,1955, almost two years after
the end of the Korean War, Jack was the flight leader of 12 Sabre
Jets escorting an Air Force RB-45 reconnaissance plane over the
North China Sea. A contemporary newspaper clipping tells of Jack's
superior ability as a fighter pilot when eight communist MIG
fighters attacked the US formation. Jack's flight shot down two
of the MIG's and chased the remaining six back north, with no
loss of US aircraft.
From Korea, Jack became a staff officer for strategic planning
at Headquarters, Department of the Air Force. He served as secretary,
Joint Strategic Plans Committee, and received the Legion of Merit,
a signal honor for a major. From the Pentagon, the Kimballs traveled
to Norfolk, Virginia. where Jack attended the Armed Forces Staff
College. Next Jack and Gladys moved to Tyndall Air Force Base,
Florida, where Jack served as operations officer for the 4756th
Air Defense Wing and then executive officer of the 4757th Air
Defense Squadron. Moving to Hawaii, Jack became chief, Command
Policy Division at Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces. Selection
to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort
McNair, DC followed in 1964. Graduation from ICAF found the Kimballs
headed for Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, where Jack served
in Wing Operations and then as Wing executive officer in the
Air Training Command. In 1967, now a colonel, Jack received orders
back to the Pentagon to serve in the Directorate of Personnel,
Headquarters, Department of the Air Force.
As his tour in the Pentagon progressed, Jack developed a kidney
disease that at first did not appear to be serious. His condition
deteriorated, however, and Jack died at Fort Belvoir Hospital
on 7 August 1969. His survivors included his wife, Gladys; two
daughters, Lisa and Dru; son, Mark; his parents and sister Joyce.
Jack Quentin Kimball lived his life as he had dreamed when he
was a youngster. He was a jet fighter pilot, a command pilot,
a strategic planner, an instructor pilot and a colonel in the
United States Air Force. That he was destined to accomplish bigger
and greater things, there is no doubt. He demonstrated the qualities
that make the term West Pointer a symbol of what is best about
the United States. Jack Kimball earned the respect and esteem
of all who knew and served with him, and he never stopped giving
his utmost effort when something was worth doing.
Jack's family life was one devoted to his wife and children.
He was a loving husband and father, always making sure that their
future was considered in all his plans. He was thoughtful and
considerate to each person he met and formed lasting friendships.
When Jack died on that fateful day in 1969, his family lost the
bulwark of their existence. The Air Force lost one of the brighter
stars in its firmament. His friends and classmates lost someone
who stood for everything good in this world. Duty, Honor, Country--three
words that stand for West Point and describe Jack Quentin Kimball.
The Class of 1946 joins Jack's family in proclaiming. "Well
done, Jack; be thou at peace!"
'46 Memorial Article Project and his wife, Gladys
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