NEWMAN JOE B

COL Joe B. Newman was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 03/07/2008 at the age of 76.3 from Lung Cancer
Georgetown, TX
Flight Class 59-4
Date of Birth 12/06/1931
Served in the U.S. Army
Call sign in Vietnam DARK HORSE 6
This information was provided by Returned Invoice

More detail on this person: Joe Bob Newman Joe Bob Newman, son of Robert F. and Daisy Newman, was born in Clarendon, TX, on Dec 6, 1931. The family moved to Phillips in the Texas panhandle when Joe was very young. Robert worked for Phillips Petroleum, and Daisy was a school teacher. Phillips primarily housed employees of the company. Robert volunteered to coach the high school football team. When very young, Joe attended football games wearing his pajamas, traveling to away games on the team bus, which the coach had to drive. Joe excelled in football, basketball, and track at Phillips High School. Graduating in 1949, he received a football and basketball scholarship to West Texas State College. While playing there, he suffered a series of knee injuries. In 1951, when North Korean invaded South Korea, Joe and several teammates enlisted in the Air Force. Following basic training, Joe was assigned to Amarillo AFB as a company clerk. He was the only one who could type. Joe received a congressional appointment to West Point in 1952 and entered with the class of 1956. He struggled with plebe math and was turned out at the end of first semester. He returned to West Texas State to study math and French. He passed the re-entrance exam and re-entered West Point in September 1953 with the Class of 1957 in Company M-2. Joe kept a low profile. Many of his classmates did not realize Joe was a recognized member of their class. Because of his football experience, Joe was drafted every year to play intramural football on the M-2 team. He faithfully supported M-2 even though at high risk of disabling knee injuries. He was known as the "Alonzo Stagg" of M-2. After graduation, Joe married Nancy Board, his high school sweetheart. He was commissioned in Field Artillery, and he and Nancy started their lives together at Branch School at Ft. Sill where Joe tutored Carl Vuono in basic gunnery. Joe suffered severe knee damage in Jump School, skipped Ranger School, and went straight to Ft. Hood to an ADA Batallion that converted to FA after returning from Germany. Being the only FA qualified officer, Joe ended up teaching basic gunnery to the entire batallion. In 1959, Joe and Nancy moved to Ft. Rucker for primary fixed-wing training where, in addition to earning his wings, his son Robert was born. With new pilot's wings, the Newmans moved to Kitzigen, Germany, and the 3rd Aviation Company. Joe's flying hours were minimized by his CO, who loaded Joe up with administrative duties. Joe threatened to wear a paper clip in place of his wings. He returned from Germany in 1962 to attend the FA Advanced Course and Nike Herc Course. Assigned to the 13th Artillery Group in southern Florida, he commanded ADA Batteries during the Cuban missile crisis, including convoying a nuclear warhead to Key West. In 1964 the unit returned to Ft Sill, where daughter Cara was born. In 1965 the family moved to Ft. Leavenworth for C&GSC. Memorial https://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/21 420/[11/21/2013 8:38:29 PM] Following Leavenworth, Joe went back to Ft. Rucker for rotary-wing transition training. In late 1966 Joe was assigned as a troop commander in the 1/4 Cav, 1st Division in RVN. Joe had the flying assignment he longed for. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, three bronze stars, the Meritorious Service Medal, five Air Medals, and an Army Commendation Medal with V-device, flying many hours in a hostile environment. After RVN, Joe joined the staff and faculty at the Helicopter School at Ft. Walter, TX. His family resided in Ft. Worth, and Joe commuted every day. In 1969 Joe attended ADP school at Ft. Benjamin Harrison. He was then assigned to DCSOP at CONARC. In 1971, Joe went back to RVN as S3 of the 12th Aviation Group. He did not fly as much, but he still managed to accumulate the Legion of Merit and an Air Medal with V-device. In 1973 Joe earned a MSA in ADP from George Washington University. He also had back surgery because of an RVN helicopter crash. He suffered back and knee pain the rest of his life. Following graduation he was assigned to DCSOPS in SHAPE. The family moved to Belgium where the children attended Belgian schools and became bi-lingual. In 1978 Joe became the Commanding Officer of the Command and Control Support Agency at the Pentagon. Joe retired as a full colonel in 1982. Continuing to reside in Fairfax, VA, Joe worked for the Systems Research and Applications Company. He traveled extensively installing Army command and control systems around the world that supported Army operations during three subsequent Middle East conflicts. In 1997 he retired from SRA and became a private consultant. He worked to insure that Army computer systems would survive the predicted meltdown brought on by the approaching Millennium. Joe retired for a final time in 1999, and he and Nancy moved to Sun City in Georgetown, TX. They contributed their time and talents to literacy projects, mentoring children, being active in their church, and enjoying their retired time together. Throughout his careers, Joe volunteered to coach little league football and baseball and to be a Boy Scout leader and activity coordinator. Joe bravely fought a long and difficult battle with lung cancer, finally joining the ghosts of the Long Gray Line on Mar 7, 2008. Joe's favorite advice to family and friends was, "Make life an adventure." He made his own life an adventure and a service to others. A true Texas Gentleman, Joe is sorely missed by his family, friends, and classmates. Everyone can say with confidence that Joe's was a job well done.

Burial information: Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, Killeen, TX

This information was last updated 09/09/2019

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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