Col. John W. Rawlings Jr., 87
EGREMONT, Mass. â€' Retired Air Force Col. John W. "Jack" Rawlings Jr., 87, of Under Mountain Road, South Egremont, died Saturday, April 11, 2009, at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington.
Born in Pueblo, Colo., on June 8, 1921, son of John William and Dorothy Hoag Rawlings, he was raised in Las Animas, Colo., where his father was president of First National Bank. He attended schools there and then the New Mexico Military Institute for one year before entering the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, graduating in June 1943.
Co. Rawlings was a decorated bomber pilot, racking up 527 hours of combat missions in World War II and the Korean War and flying 45 missions in the Berlin Airlift. Besides serving his country, his most rewarding moment was participating in the airlift and supplying thousands of people with coal and other necessities.
He retired in 1972 after 33 years of service. His last assignment was administrator for the Special Weapons Lab at Sandia Base, N.M., now part of Kirtland Air Force Base.
Earning his wings in the Army Air Forces at Stewart Field, N.Y., he was assigned to various bases for training — Mather, Calif., where he flew B-25s; Roswell, N.M., and Peyote, Texas, for B-17s; Clovis, N.M.; Great Bend, Kan., for B-29s, and Kearney, Neb., awaiting assignment overseas. He was sent to Saipan, from which he flew 35 combat missions against Japan.
He spent a year at 15th Air Force Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., as an intelligence officer, then as an intelligence officer in Germany, where he also flew A-26s and participated in the airlift.
His next assignment was at Tactical Air Command Headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Va. He was sent to Korea for temporary duty, flying two combat missions. While at Langley, he was in charge of the flight section of C-47s, B-25s, P-51s and T-6s. He was then sent to Kirtland as TAC representative to the Air Force Special Weapons Center, where he was involved with the development of the first of a new design series of nuclear weapons for tactical use.
He returned to Langley AFB as the assistant to the commander, armament development division, advising the lieutenant general on issues related to the Mace missile system. He was then put in command of Joint Task Group Johnston Island and of Bikini Atoll for the special cleanup of nuclear debris. He returned to Sandia Base as the JTF-8 vice cmmander in charge of the THOR missile testing and launch at Johnston Island.
His awards included the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, Asiatic/ Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Korea Service Medal, Medal for Humane Action, U.N. Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Army of Occupation Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.
After retiring, he eventually moved to North Egremont, where he was active in the community, serving on the Finance Committee, Zoning Board of Appeals and as a volunteer firefighter.
His first wife, the former Anne Bartholf, whom he married Oct. 19, 1944, died on Nov. 15, 2003.
He leaves his wife, the former Cora Virginia Reed Beattie; a daughter, Madeline "Lynne" Sjoquist and her husband, Fred, of Tucson, Ariz.; a son, retired Lt. Col. Stephen H. Rawlings and his wife, Beckie, of North Egremont; a stepdaughter Kimberley C. Beattie of Sheffield; a stepson, Jonathan E. Beattie of South Egremont; a brother Robert H. Rawlings, and five grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his sister, Dorothy Nelson.
FUNERAL NOTICE â€' The family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 21, from 4 to 7 at Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home in Great Barrington. Burial will be held at a later date at West Point.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., through the funeral home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Remembrances, memories and reflections may be sent to the family through www.finnertyandstevens.com.