Purdy, Douglas C., Colonel, (USAF, Ret.), Winter Park, Florida, died on January 23, 2014. He was Catholic and a member of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, Winter Park, Florida. He was born in Athens, Wisconsin on April 4, 1918. He was an Eagle Scout. Following graduation from McKinley High School in Marshfield, he studied engineering at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.
During World War 2, he was an aviation armament officer at Lowry AFB, Colorado, until separation from active duty in 1946. He was recalled to active duty in 1947 to attend meteorological training at New York University, N.Y. The reminder of his career was as a meteorologist.
He returned to Lowry AFB as Weather Operations Officer and then was reassigned to Offut AFB, Nebraska, as Weather Inspector for the 3rd Weather Wing.. While there, he completed the requirements for a degree from the Municipal University of Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska.
He was assigned to Fuerstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany, in 1954 as Weather Plans Officer. He was then assigned to Bitburg AB, Germany, due to the end of the American Occupation of Germany.
Upon returning to the US., he attended the Air Force Command and Staff College in Montgomery, Alabama, and was then selected to remain on the faculty there for four years.
He was assigned to the Pentagon in 1962 as Assistant for Weather and a member of the Air Staff. While there, he was promoted to colonel and reassigned to Ramstein Air Base, Germany as Staff Weather Officer. 17th Air Force was the Air Force component of the NATO Central Air Force during the Cold War. He was also Commander of the 31st Weather Squadron which provided combat weather support to the 17th Air Force at its bases in West Germany, Italy, France, and The Netherlands.
Upon returning to the United States, he became Staff Weather Officer to the Military Air Command, Scott AFB, Illinois, which provided airlift support to all U.S. forces world-wide with trans-Pacific support being a priority during the Vietnam War. He was also Commander of the 7th Weather Wing during this period. He was soon selected to be the Air Weather Service Deputy Chief of Staff/Operations overseeing world –wide forecasting and observing functions at more than 400 locations around the world. He completed his Air Force Career as Chief of Staff, Headquarters Air Weather Service at Scott AFB until his retirement in 1972.
He held the Air Force Commendation Medal and twice was awarded the Legion of Merit. He served during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He was a member of the American Legion, Post 286, Pinecastle, Florida, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Officers Association of America and the Air Weather Association.
He moved to Orlando, Florida, in 1972 upon retirement from the Air Force and then to The Mayflower Retirement Community, Winter Park, Florida, in 2002. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn, and two daughters, Michele Noullet, Spartenburg, S.C., and Susan Marlatt, Nanoose Bay, B.C. Canada, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
1 Entry
January 28, 2014
Jack Slemenda
Michele,
Our sincere condolences to you and your family at this difficult time. Treasure this sacred time together.
Jack & Katharine
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