Foil: 63 Panel: 3 Column: 1 Line: 77

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Joseph Blankinship

Col. William (Bill) Johnson Blankinship passed away April 12, 2008, in the care of Hospice of Volusia County, Port Orange, Fla., after a brief struggle with cancer.

Bill was born Jan. 4, 1928, in Newcastle, Ky. He proudly served in the United States Air Force for 29 years, graduating from the first post-World War II pilot training program, the Class of 48A. During his service, he flew 16 different types of aircraft and accumulated more than 9,000 hours of flight time. Bill's time in the Air Force was distinguished by flying more than 250 missions of the Berlin Airlift in 14 months for which he was awarded the Air Medal. In his service career he was also decorated with the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the nation's second highest peace time decoration, the Legion of Merit, for his role as second-in-command of the Air Force Logistics Command bringing this command into the computer age.

Upon retirement from the service he worked with Ronan Aviation of Danville, KY. He received his civilian instructor pilot rating and a B.A. in Airport Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1979. Until his death he was an aviation claims adjustor for Sample International Inc. in Daytona Beach.