More detail on this person: Lieutenant Colonel William Foster `Dick' Dixon was born 24 September 1923 in Emanuel County, Blundale, Georgia. He was preceded in death by his parents Willis and Stella Waller Dixon, a sister Mildred Dixon Collins and brother Willis A. Dixon Jr. Lieutenant Colonel Dixon initially began his military service on 2 April 1943 in the United States Marine Corps. As a Marine, he served with the 242d Torpedo Bomber Squadron, 4th Marine Division in WWII in the Pacific Theater. He achieved the rank of Corporal and was honorably discharged on 4 March 1946. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Science from Georgia Teachers College, he taught and coached at the Swainsboro High School in 1950. Lieutenant Colonel Dixon was subsequently mobilized in the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Field Artillery for service in the Korean War. He completed his tour in Korea as a First Lieutenant and decided to continue serving his country as an officer in the US Army. Lieutenant Colonel Dixon's numerous assignments following Korea included: Flight School in 1953 at San Marcos Texas and Fort Sill Oklahoma; 11th Airborne at Fort Campbell Kentucky then Augsburg Germany; Fort Sill as an Aviation Instructor in the Artillery School; Fort Rucker Alabama in the Fixed Wing Department; Aviation Liaison in the Joint U.S. Military Mission for Aid to Turkey (JUSMAT) in Ankara Turkey; Commander, 227th Aviation Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Vietnam; U.S. Army Aviation School Secretary of the General Staff (SGS) then Director, Department of Standards and Instructor Training, Fort Rucker; and the Department of the Army Regional Representative to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in Los Angeles for the Western, Northwest/Alaska and Rocky Mountain Region prior to his retirement on 1 January 1976. His many awards included the Legion of Merit (One Oak Leaf Cluster), Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (Numbers 1 thru 8), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (One Oak Leaf Cluster), Vietnam Service Medal, RVN Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, RVN Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Battle Stars, UN Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal (One Oak Leaf Cluster), Good Conduct Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Master Army Aviator Badge. Lieutenant Colonel Dixon is survived by Kate, his wife of 60 years and daughters Joan Dixon Veazey, Diane Dixon Wiggins, Debbie Dixon Bridget Dixon Smith, Katy Dixon Johnson, sons William (Bill) Dixon, Col Richard Dixon (retired), and T. J. Dixon, a sister Teresa Dixon Parker, and brothers Robert Dixon, Clark Dixon, and Rev. Burton Dixon a large, loving family who miss him deeply. A memorial service was held Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 3:00 PM at Meyers Funeral Chapel, Blue Springs, MO. Interment will be in the Arlington National Cemetery. In Lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Wounded Warriors.
Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery
This information was last updated 06/24/2019
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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