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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Oct '55
James Bjarne Furuholmen NO. 15978
Class of 1946 Killed in Aircraft Accident in Jacksonville,
NC February 15, 1955, aged 29 years |
At Arlington Cemetery, on February 18, 1955, family
and friends gathered in the Memorial Chapel to say good-bye to
Captain James B. Furuholmen, fatally injured while performing
the duty he knew and loved best. Jim’s last flight
was a night navigation training mission from Cherry Point MCAS
to Shaw AFB, South Carolina. Shortly after takeoff from
Cherry Point, Jim notified the tower that he was at 17,000 feet,
1,000 feet on top of all clouds, and proceeding on course to
Shaw. He was found the next day near the wreck of
his jet trainer about 60 miles from Cherry Point. In trying
to deadstick his crippled aircraft into a small civilian field
he apparently waited until too late to successfully bail out.
Jim was an Army Brat, the son of Colonel
Bjarne Furuholmen of the Class of 1924. As a child Jimmy
lived the interesting and happy life of the pre-war army family,
as his family moved from station to station -- Schofield Barracks,
Fort Bragg, Washington, to name only a few. After graduating
from high school Jim attended Vanderbilt University, in the state
he was fond of calling home -- Tennessee, and while there was
initiated into Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
He never lost sight for a moment of his main purpose
in life -- to attend the Military Academy -- and finally obtained
his appointment and entered on July 1, 1943 with the Class of
1946.
At West Point Jim thrived on cadet life,
as he arrived well-briefed on all phases of cadet activities
dating back to the years when his father was stationed there.
J.B. enjoyed all the many facets of our existence at West Point,
parades, hops, inter-murder, tactics, trips and, to a lesser
degree, academics. Most of all Jim enjoyed the warm companionship
of his friends in H-1 Company and the rest of the Corps, the
bull sessions after supper before call to quarters, the week-end
leaves with their welcome relief from the sometimes tedious life
in barracks, and the week-ends of dragging for football games
and big hops. While a cadet, Jim realized his second ambition
to be accepted for flying school and received his wings at graduation
with the other members of his class. One of the proud
moments of Jim's life was at graduation when he was formally
welcomed into the Long Gray Line by members of the Class of 1924
-- his father's classmates -- with a formally inscribed scroll.
In July after graduation Jim, assisted
by his friends and classmates, married the former Ann Hoover
in a gay and happy ceremony in Washington, D. C.
Reporting to Williams Field in Arizona later that month, Jimmy
started to learn the serious but exhilarating business of flying
fighter type aircraft. From Williams Field, the Furuholmens
moved to Shaw AFB, South Carolina, where Jim continued to practice
his favorite trade as a fighter pilot. Here at Shaw his
first child, Ruth Ann, joined the family at their converted barracks
apartment -- the apartment that was the center of social activity
for all the junior officers on the base. It was here that
people came to believe that no social gathering at the club was
a success until it concluded at the Furuholmens; eating a midnight
meal, and following Jimmy's lead in singing all the old Air Force
songs.
Jim was transferred to the Far East in
1948 and was assigned to the Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron
at Yokota AFB near Tokyo; and started into the business that
was destined to be the high point of his career. Ann and
Ruth Ann joined him at Yokota in early 1949. Here in 1950
"Barney," James B., Jr., entered the scene as Jim and
his family enjoyed the pleasant life exploring Japan. By
the time of the outbreak of the Korean War, Jim had become one
of the most skilled tactical reconnaissance pilots in the Air
Force and was sent immediately to combat to aid in accomplishing
this vital mission.
After completing his combat tour, Jim and
Ann and the children were sent back to Shaw AFB, where Jim spent
the remaining years of his life teaching the intricate skills
of tactical reconnaissance to pilots enroute to Korea.
After a short one year tour with the Marine Corps at Cherry Point,
Jim returned to Shaw where be was stationed at the time of his
death.
Although Jim is gone. We who knew
him can never forget him. He loved the life he led -- his
boyhood in the army, his life at West Point, and his career in
the Air Force. Jim was a man's man in every sense
of the word from the early days of his life to the end.
He took pride in the unofficial motto of' the Tactical Reconnaissance
Pilot -- “Alone, unarmed and Unafraid"; although in
Jim's case he was never alone in the true sense, armed as he
was with his confidence in himself, and his knowledge that he
was doing a job that he liked to do and that needed to be done.
We who are left behind have gained strength from Jim and his
approach to life -- strength to continue the job and carry it
through to the end -- secure in our knowledge that our most eloquent
tribute to Jim is to remember him as he was: strong, generous,
and living life to the hilt without regret or apology for any
trial that came his way.
Randy Adams, Phil Farris and Twill Newell.
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