More detail on this person: Col. (Ret.) Joseph
H. Masterson, SR., 84, Columbus, GA, passed
away on Wednesday, November 27, 2013 from
sudden heart failure. A devout Catholic he was
anointed Last Rights by Father Daniel O'Connell of
Holy Family Catholic Church at St. Francis
Hospital, Columbus, GA.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:00 AM,
Monday, December 2, 2013 at The Church of the
Holy Family with Rev Father Daniel O'Connell
officiating. Interment will be in Ft. Mitchell
National Cemetery with full Military Honors. A
rosary will be said 5:00 PM Sunday, December 1,
2013 at McMullen Funeral Home, 3874 Gentian
Blvd. Columbus, GA 31907.
Col. Masterson was born October 18, 1929 in
Ironwood, MI to the late HJ Masterson and Rose
Sturgul Masterson. He was an only child who was
raised in Hurley, WI. He attended and graduated
from St. Ambrose Elementary School, J.E. Murphy
High School, and Gogebic Junior College. He joined
the U.S. Army in 1949 as a private and was
commissioned as Second Lieutenant (Infantry) from
Officer Candidate School, Ft. Riley, KS. During
his military career that spanned several decades,
he attended Airborne, Ranger, and fixed Wing and
Rotary Wing Flight School. His wife Joyce
(Santini) Masterson preceded him in death in 1968,
leaving him a widower with three small children to
raise. He fought in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Some of his awards and decorations include two
Silver Stars, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Bronze
Star for Valor, Army Commendation for Valor, two
Distinguished Flying Crosses, 13 Air Medals for
Valor, Ranger Tab, Master Aviator's Badge, and
Master Parachutist Badge. He also was inducted
into the OCS Hall of Fame, Ft. Benning GA.
Immediately following his heroic actions in Korea,
a rifle range was named after him. During the
Vietnam War, he flew 618 combat missions as a
helicopter gunship Company Commander and was
shot down on several occasions. His unit helped
support a nearby Vietnamese orphanage. After
retiring from the Army as a full Colonial in 1976,
he moved to Columbus, GA and became an owner,
trainer, and driver of Standardbred Race Horses.
His passion for racehorses was passed on to him
by his father, who was in the Wisconsin Race
Horse Hall of Fame and was a member of Veterans
of Foreign Wars (VFW), American Legion, 40-8,
and Purple Heart Association.
Survivors include his wife; Susan Park Masterson,
of Columbus, GA, daughter; Colonel Peggy
Masterson-Agee and husband Col. (Ret.) Edward
Agee, Decatur, AL, sons; Joseph H. Masterson, JR
(Debbie) of Smyrna, GA, Paul Masterson (Sherri) of
Columbus, GA, step-son; Lon Adams (Deanna),
California, 7 grandchildren; Joshua Masterson,
Gregory Moreno, Katelin Masterson, Jamie Moreno,
Olivia Masterson, Eileen Masterson, and Alexandria
Adams.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial
contributionsbe made to Holy Family Catholic
Church, 320 12th Street, Columbus, GA.
Those who wish may sign the online guest registry
at www.mcmullenfuneralhome.com
Published in Columbus Ledger-Enquirer on Dec. 1,
2013
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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