More detail on this person: Colonel Jerry
"J.W." Thurman, 68, U.S. Army retired, of
Elizabethtown, died Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, at
Hardin Memorial Hospital in Elizabethtown. Colonel
J.W. Thurman enlisted into the U.S. Army in March
of 1966. He was commissioned a second lieutenant
and attended the field artillery basic course in
May of 1967. After flight school, Colonel Thurman
was deployed to the Republic of South Vietnam
where he was assigned to 2nd Squadron 11th
Armored Cavalry Regiment.
Colonel Thurman then branch transferred to Armor
branch, serving tours in armored and cavalry
assignments in Europe and in the United States.
He commanded A Company 2-32 Armor, 3rd
Armored Division at Kirchgoens, Germany in 1975.
In 1984 to 1986, he was the Squadron commander
of the 3rd Squadron 12th Cavalry, 3rd Armored
Division at Budingen, Germany. Colonel Thurman
had several assignments at the Armor School and
Fort Knox where he was the chief of tactics and
director of the command and staff department. His
most notable achievement was his establishment of
the Armored Scout Platoon Leaders Course where
he help shape young officers and
non-commissioned officers in armored
reconnaissance. The course has a JW Thurman
Award named after him for the most outstanding
Class Graduate.
Colonel Thurman's last duty assignment was as the
G3 Operations Officer, 2nd U.S. Army at Fort
Gillem, Georgia. - Colonel Thurman's awards and
decorations include the Distinguished Service
Cross, Legion of Merit 2 OCL, Distinguished Flying
Cross 2 OCL, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart 2
OCL, Meritorious Service Medal 4 OCL, Air Medal
23 with V device, Army Commendation Medal,
Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct
Medal, National Defense Service Medal 2 OCL, Viet
Nam Service Medal 4, Humanitarian Service Medal,
Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon 2
OCL, Republic of Viet Nam Campaign Medal,
Republic of Viet Nam Cross of Gallantry with Palm
and the Army Aviator Badge.
He also was inducted into the Field Artillery OCS
Hall of Fame at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Colonel
Thurman retired from the Army after more than 27
years of distinguished and honorable service to
the United States of America. J.W. was a member
of American Legion Post 113 and V.F.W. Post
10281.Survivora include his wife, Donna Thurman of
Elizabethtown; daughter and son-in-law, Jerri
Christine and Christopher Berry of Palm Coast,
Florida; son and daughter-in-law, Cmdr. James
Patton and Beth Thurman of Fort Worth, Texas;
brother and sister-in-law, retired Gen. James D.
and Dee Thurman of Salato, Texas; four
grandchildren, Justyn Christine Berry, Austyn
Nicole Berry, William Porter Thurman and James
Gray Thurman; two great-grandchildren; the mother
of his children, Ellen Hack of Palm Coast,
Florida; brother-in-law, Bruce Johnson of
Elizabethtown; and two nieces, Jaime Brown of Fort
Riley, Kansas, and Laura Johnson of
Elizabethtown.The funeral is at 10 a.m. Friday,
Feb. 27, at Nelson-Edelen-Bennett Funeral Home in
Radcliff with Chaplain Hugh Dukes officiating.
Burial follows with full military honors will be
in Kentucky Veterans Cemetery-Central in Radcliff
Ky.
During his time at Ft Knox serving at the Armor
School, he had many motto's with his saying's and
he signed them "Uncle J.W."
Burial: Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central,
Radcliff, Hardin County, Kentucky, USA
Burial information: Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central, Radcliff, KY
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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