More detail on this person: James E. Spaulding James E. Spaulding Bakersfield Californian, The (CA) - Tuesday, May 6, 2003 CA United States James E. Spaulding Services: Friday, May 9, 10:30 a.m. CW-4 James E. Spaulding, 78, of Arroyo Grande died Saturday, May 3, 2003, from total body cancer. A Funeral service will be held Friday, at 10:30 a.m. at Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach. Jim was born July 2, 1924, in Iowa. He served 26 years in the military starting in WW II in the Pacific Theater as a fighter pilot of P-38, P-39, P-40, and P-47s. He received numerous air medals and campaign ribbons with five battle stars, including Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and Army Commendation Medal. In 1950, he served in Korea performing maintenance on rotary and fixed wing aircraft. He finished Army Helicopter Pilot School in 1951, getting his Army Aviation Wings flying H-19 and H-34. He helped develop the first sling loading techniques for helicopters. At the age of 45, Jim was sent to Vietnam as Chinook line pilot in an assault helicopter company. In all, he flew nine different types of helicopters. Jim worked 20 years for AT&T as a Toll Transmission Man. He built many boats, from eight to 25 feet, as a hobby and he loved to fish and camp. At the age of 65 he helped crew the tall ship Californian from Hawaii to Port Angeles, Wash. Jim was a wonderful husband and loved by many. Jim leaves his wife of 54 years, Josephine; daughter, Sandra Bailey and husband Dick; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; sister, Shirlee West and niece, Sharin; sisters-in-law, Wanda Lord and Alice Tarr; nephews, James Lord and wife Tam, William Lord and Larry Burk.
Burial information: Arroyo Grande Cemetery, Arroyo Grande, CA
This information was last updated 08/26/2020
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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