TINSETH WARREN D

CW4 Warren D. Tinseth was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 03/22/2014 at the age of 80.2 from Heart failure
San Antonio, TX
Flight Class 59-3
Date of Birth 01/08/1934
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 179 ASHC in 67-68, HHC/228 ASHB 1 CAV in 69-70
This information was provided by Pat Richardson

More detail on this person: We sadly announce the closing of another flight plan - Warren D. Tinseth, 1934-2014, died Saturday morning, 22 March 2014. He just wore out! Warren was fondly referred to as "the Great White Father" by many of us "RLO's" who worked with him at the "Fightin' Five Oh" - the 507th Med Co (AA) when there were 13 aircraft, two platoons, and the maintenance platoon at the Old Charles L. Kelly heliport on Fort Sam Houston. Warren was a gentleman! Pure and simple. He was confident in all he did. He was a mentor and respected by everyone who worked around him. And he was a friend. Rest in Peace, brother.

Memorial Services for CW4 Warren Tinseth - a great aviator, DUSTOFF Association Member, and one of the true gentlemen who ever wore a uniform are as follows:

The family has requested the following: The family would like to collect some of your memories about Warren (or both Warren and Joyce), whether they are old Army stories, tales from the university, or other personal remembrances. I have hopes of compiling them in a way that we can share with others. (This certainly would not preclude anyone from speaking during the memorial service!) Since he was such a world traveler, please be as specific as you can about dates and places. Send your stories to me, Jen Sansbury, at jsansbury@earthlink.net. Thank you in advance!

Obituary: Decorated U.S. Army aviator Warren Dale Tinseth, Sr., 80, took his final flight on Saturday, March 22, 2014. He died at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston due to complications resulting from a five-month battle with congestive heart failure.

He was born Jan. 8, 1934, in Duluth, MN, to Otto and Gladys (Almos) Tinseth, and attended Duluth Central High School. Growing up, he enjoyed playing hockey and worked at a golf course.

Warren joined the Minnesota National Guard in 1949 at the age of 15. During a two-week camp in Brainerd, MN, he went to a roller-skating rink and fell in love at first sight when he saw a local girl, Joyce Carol Walker. They married on Feb. 23, 1952, a union which lasted nearly 59 years until her death in 2010.

Warren entered active duty as a Sergeant First Class in 1953. The following year, he enlisted in the regular U.S. Army, planning to spend 20 years in the military and retire young. However, he didn't retire until 1980, as a Chief Warrant Officer W-4, having been deployed two times each to Korea and Vietnam and serving three tours in Germany.

In 1958-59, he attended warrant officer flight school. During the next two decades as a pilot, he flew both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. He also became an instructor pilot, an instrument flight examiner, and an aviation safety officer. He enjoyed mentoring new pilots and was well-respected by fellow aviators.

Among his assignments, he served with Co. C of the 5th Regimental Combat Team in Korea in 1954; the 196th Transportation Company, deployed to Quin Yong, Vietnam, then infused with the 179th Transportation Company in Pleiku in 1966; and HHC 228th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Division in Phouc Vien, Vietnam, from 1969 to 1970.

Warren was assigned twice to Fort Sam Houston, first from 1972 to 1977 with the 507th Medical Company in support of the Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic (MAST) Project providing helicopter ambulance service to South Texas. In 1978, he returned to Fort Sam, serving as the Aviation Safety Officer to the Flight Detachment at Randolph Air Force Base prior to his retirement.

He received high honors for his military service, including the Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Bronze Star Medals and the Purple Heart, along with a number of other commendations.

He pursued higher education during his military service, earning a Bachelor of General Studies from the University of Nebraska, Omaha, in 1972, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma in 1976.

After retiring from the military, he embarked on a second career working for the State of Texas, first as the fire and safety officer for the San Antonio State Hospital and State School. In 1984, Warren went to work for Southwest Texas State University, now Texas State University, as the safety officer. He served as the director of risk management and safety from 1992 until his second retirement in 2003.

In his spare time, Warren taught courses in industrial safety, nursing home administration, and safety engineering technology at Southwest Texas, St. Philip's College and San Antonio College. He also was a food critic extraordinaire and enjoyed golfing and making annual trips back to Minnesota.

He belonged to the Kerrville Hangar of the Quiet Birdmen, the Alamo Chapter of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, the Dustoff Association, the Army Aviation Association of America and the Military Officers Association of America. As a Mason, he was a member of Army Lodge No. 1105, the Alzafar Temple of San Antonio, and the Scottish Rite-Valley of San Antonio.

Warren is survived by his three children, daughter Glenda Vancil and son-in-law Gerald of Killeen, son Warren "J.R." Tinseth, Jr. and daughter-in-law Diane of San Antonio, and daughter Julie Tinseth of San Antonio; three grandchildren, Jen Sansbury, Jessica Weese-White, and Emily Tinseth; and two great-grandchildren, Kayla and Braylen White. He is also survived by his brother, George A. Tinseth of Sacramento, CA., and by many nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, and his sister, Donna Anderson.

A memorial service to celebrate Warren's life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 4, 2014, at Alamo Heights Baptist Church, 6501 Broadway in San Antonio. His cremated remains will be buried at a later date at his final resting place, Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Sauk Rapids, MN.

In lieu of flowers, his family requests that donations be made in his honor to http://honor.americanheart.org/goto/wtinseth ( American Heart Association)

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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