More detail on this person: Col. John M. High,
USAF (Ret) (January 22, 1935 - August 9, 2009) A
man with his heart in the clouds.
John M. High III, 74, of Anacortes, passed away
unexpectedly on Sunday, August 9, 2009 at his
home. He was born in New York City, New York on
January 22, 1935, the son of Leonore E. Morrill
and John M. High II. John moved to California at a
young age where he attended John Burroughs High
School in Burbank, participating in track,
football and tennis.
He attended the University of California, Berkeley
from 1952 to 1957 where he played football, was a
member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and met his
wife of 51 years, Dorette Claire Dufour. Married
shortly after college in Winterhaven, Fl., the
young John High embarked upon his much beloved
military career as an Air Force pilot. A
distinguished graduate of Squadron Officers School
in 1963, John attended pilot training in Enid,
Oklahoma. From 1965 until 1966, he served as the
standardization pilot for the Jolly Green Giants
(Air Rescue Helicopters) in the Vietnam War and
saved downed American pilots trapped behind
enemy lines. He subsequently was assigned to
Okinawa Japan as Commander with rescue
responsibility for U.S. Forces in the Ryuku
Islands. Following a tour in the Pentagon, John
was assigned to be Commander of the 22nd Military
Airlift Squadron. This unit operates the C-5A
airplanes, the largest aircraft in the world, on
transport missions around the globe. After 23
years of service in the Air Force and having moved
his family 14 times all over the world, John High
retired as a full Colonel with an MBA from the Air
War College. His awards and decorations include
the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Air Medals and
Meritorious Service Medal.
After his Military service John worked in
marketing at the Hughes Aircraft Company in Los
Angeles, where he served as the liaison between
the company and the Air Force. After 10 years of
service, he retired to Sandpoint, Idaho, where he
and his wife, Dorette, owned and operated the
Bottle Bay Resort for 12 years. Dorette and John
High moved to Anacortes, Washington in 2001.
John M. High III is survived by his wife Dorette,
two sons, John IV of Sacramento, CA and Steve
and his wife Katie of Newport Beach, CA, two
grand-daughters, Mary and Ann, and sister,
Leonore Jackson.
A private family graveside with full military
honors will be held at Tahoma National Cemetery in
Kent, WA.
Arrangements are in the care of Evans Funeral
Chapel and Crematory, Inc., Anacortes, WA and
the San Juan Islands.
To share memories of John please sign the online
guest register at www.evanschapel.com
Also found him listed at the co-pilot on a HH-3
crew from Det. 5, 38th ARS, along with William R.
Uhl (P), Donald J. Jones (FE) and Robert J. Ward
(PJ), that rescued A-1E (call sign "Sandy 12")
pilot, Robert I. Bush, from a rice paddy in Laos
on May 25, 1966.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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