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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Jo Anne (Saunders) Sorenson

Joseph Henry Saunders--Biosketch

Joseph Henry Saunders was a civilian employee of the United States Air Force at McCellen Air Force Base in Sacramento California. When he retired in 1970, he was the Air Force Logistics Command System Manager of the Spacetrack System directing the research and development, engineering, acquisition and maintenance of the tracking system. The Spacetrack System consisted of worldwide radar installations, cameras, and computers functioning together to monitor all the man made objects orbiting around the earth and to identify any new object immediately upon it's arrival.

Mr. Saunders began his career with the Air Force in 1940 and worked through increasingly responsible positions in logistics. In 1950 he managed the worldwide supply, deployment, and maintenance of the F86D Sabre jet fighter and training aircraft such as the T-33.

Joseph Henry Saunders was born November 12, 1911 in Sacramento, California and resided in Sacramento most of his life. He attended local schools and graduated from Sacramento High School in 1930. His mother, Anne (Wasley) Roscrow, was born in Grass Valley California and his father, Joseph Henry Saunders Senior, was born in Cornwall, England and immigrated to the United States as a young man. Mr. Saunders attended both Sacramento City College and California State University, Sacramento and many Air Force courses and training. He was married to Alice Josephine (Moorse) for 71 years. They had two daughters, Jo Anne Sorenson and Sharon Whitehouse and four grandchildren.

Mr. Saunders and his wife traveled extensively after retirement. He joined a retired men's organization called SIRS and used his extensive logistics experience to plan and lead group trips throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. He was an active member for over 30 years.

Mr. Saunders died two days after his 98th birthday proud of his family and the contributions he made to the safety and security of Americans though his long service to the Air Force.