More detail on this person: Lt Col Joe Edward Lindsay (Retired USAF) entered rest after a courageous battle with multiple myeloma while surrounded by family on the morning of January 28, 2022. Born October 9, 1943, in San Antonio, Texas, Joe was the eldest of eleven children. After graduating from Skidmore-Tynan HS, he received an Associate of Science degree from San Antonio Junior College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Saint Mary's University, and a Master of Arts degree in Business/Personnel Management from Central Michigan University. After being commissioned in 1965 through Officers' Training School, he completed pilot training at Laredo AFB in Laredo, TX, and Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, TX. He was immediately assigned to Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, where his primary mission was rescuing pilots whose planes were shot down by enemy forces. He was later assigned to Charleston Air Force Base, SC, where he served a brief tour as a C-141 transport pilot. While at Charleston, he was assigned to the C-5 Galaxy. Subsequent assignments were to the 436 Military Airlift Wing at Dover Air Force Base, Dover, DE, and the 611 Military Airlift Support Squadron at Osan Air Force Base in the Republic of South Korea. In addition to serving in Vietnam, he served as a pilot during the Persian Gulf War, "Operation Just Cause" in Panama, the Iranian evacuation in 1979, and numerous other campaigns and missions. As a command pilot, he logged over 7,000 hours of flying, which included almost 6,000 hours in the C-5 Galaxy, and he was a pilot on the historic first all-Black C-5 Galaxy crew in 1986. Upon retirement, Joe returned to San Antonio and was an active community leader, and volunteered his time and energy to many civic and religious affairs. Some of the many organizations included the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, Community Bible Church Men's Quest Group and the Church's Communion Team, Senior Citizen's Olympic, and Tuskegee Airmen (national and local chapters). Joe is survived by his wife, Barbara; his daughter, Candice Bonner (Anthony); grandsons: Casey Ford and Leary King; brothers: Jerome Lindsay (Demetria), Judge Sam A. Lindsay (Kathleen), and Jeff Lindsay, MD (Connie); sisters: Beverly Lindsay, Ph.D., EdD, Faye Lindsay, and Princess Lindsay; brothers-in-law: Larry Goodwin and Jeff Borth (Lisa); stepdaughters: Susan Richardson, Caryn Robling (Steve), and Liane Richardson; step-grandchildren: Stephen (Tre) Robling, Allison Robling, Lily Gatewood, and Jude Gatewood; and numerous nieces and nephews. Joe was preceded in death by parents Joe Bass Benson Lindsay and Ruth Edna Roberts Lindsay, and siblings Jackie Ray, Ruth Elaine, John Bass, and Gloria Lindsay Goodwin. Services will be held at Community Bible Church (2477 N Loop 1604 E) on Wednesday, February 23, with visitation from 9:30-10:30am, service from 10:30-11:30am, and procession to Ft Sam for interment at 1:15pm. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the charity of your choosing.
This information was last updated 02/21/2022
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association