When John Logan Allen was born on 4 Feb 1917, in Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas, his father, Wilbur Clinton Allen, Sr. (1885–1944), was 31, and his mother, Nellie P Huddleston (1888–1974), was 28. He was the younger of two brothers:
●Wilbur Clinton Allen, Jr. 1915–1944, Major US Army Air Corps
●John Logan Allen 1917–1985, Lt Colonel US Air Force
His father’s career as manager of variety 5/10-cent stores meant that the family would move a lot during their lifetimes. Before he was born, his parents lived in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio, where his father was a manager of Woolworth's Variety Store. By early 1915, the family lived in Cairo, Alexander County, Illinois, where the father had been transferred as manager of another F W Woolworth store. By the time his older brother Wilbur was born on 17 Jul 1915, the family had been transferred again to the father’s birthplace of Harrisburg, Saline County, Illinois. With the birth of John Logan Allen on 4 Feb 1917, the family lived in Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas. And within 4 months in Jun 1917, they had all moved again to Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado. In 1922, they moved to Denver, Denver County, Colorado; and finally a more stable move occurred in 1926 when the family finally settled for a few years in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. John attended his early years of high school in San Antonio; but he finished high school in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, where he graduated as a 1934 Yellow Jacket from Memphis Technical High School. Later in Memphis, he met his future bride-to-be, Erlyne Tidwell, and they were married on 31 May 1941. Their family was blessed with four daughters—Carolyn, Lorraine, Beverly and Laura.
At the age of 25, he was serving as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps (later became the U.S. Air Force), having received training as a flight navigator and later served with the Strategic Air Command (SAC). During World War II, his plane was shot down, and he was taken prisoner and kept by the Germans as a Prisoner of War (POW) until the end of WW II. In November 1944, while he was a POW, his only brother was killed at the age of 29 while on a military pilot mission in France; and only 6 days later their father died at age 59. One cannot imagine the grief the mother endured while all alone in San Antonio without her husband and two sons.
John's wife, Erlyne, was a southern lady with a gift of hospitality, and she loved to invite guests to their home for meals, especially after Sunday worship service. Each meal included multiple courses served at a beautifully set table. Erlyne preferred attending to everyone else and rarely sat to eat with her guests but dished up more helpings of food for everyone else. The photos in their family album of many of those extensive dinners included the humorous caption by John, "Another Allen Ho-Hum Dinner!"
Being used to moving during his life, John’s family was stationed in many military locations including Albrook Air Force Station in Curundú, Panama; and while there, they often invited lots of military guys home for dinner, one of whom was Tom Netherton who later joined the Lawrence Welk Show and became a well known singer with his deep baritone voice. Other military assignments included Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York; Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Spokane County, Washington; and Bien Hoa Air Base in Vietnam. One of his non-flying assignments started in 1970 when he was a Lieutenant Colonel and was the Professor of Aerospace Studies at Central Washington State College in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington, where he was in charge of a 2-year Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, training cadets to be future U.S. Air Force officers. Military assignments after that were Thule Air Base in Greenland; Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas; and Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, before retiring after a 35-year military career.
John was a born-again Christian and served as a Deacon in Southern Baptist churches wherever he was stationed in the U.S. While in Greenland and Nevada, his family stayed in Ellensburg, Washington, in the home they purchased in 1970 where he continued to live after retirement until his death. He died at home at the age of 68 on 2 Jul 1985. His earthly remains are buried in High Valley Memorial Park while his soul in Heaven awaits the Trumpet Call of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
●Wilbur Clinton Allen, Jr. 1915–1944, Major US Army Air Corps
●John Logan Allen 1917–1985, Lt Colonel US Air Force
His father’s career as manager of variety 5/10-cent stores meant that the family would move a lot during their lifetimes. Before he was born, his parents lived in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio, where his father was a manager of Woolworth's Variety Store. By early 1915, the family lived in Cairo, Alexander County, Illinois, where the father had been transferred as manager of another F W Woolworth store. By the time his older brother Wilbur was born on 17 Jul 1915, the family had been transferred again to the father’s birthplace of Harrisburg, Saline County, Illinois. With the birth of John Logan Allen on 4 Feb 1917, the family lived in Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas. And within 4 months in Jun 1917, they had all moved again to Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado. In 1922, they moved to Denver, Denver County, Colorado; and finally a more stable move occurred in 1926 when the family finally settled for a few years in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. John attended his early years of high school in San Antonio; but he finished high school in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, where he graduated as a 1934 Yellow Jacket from Memphis Technical High School. Later in Memphis, he met his future bride-to-be, Erlyne Tidwell, and they were married on 31 May 1941. Their family was blessed with four daughters—Carolyn, Lorraine, Beverly and Laura.
At the age of 25, he was serving as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps (later became the U.S. Air Force), having received training as a flight navigator and later served with the Strategic Air Command (SAC). During World War II, his plane was shot down, and he was taken prisoner and kept by the Germans as a Prisoner of War (POW) until the end of WW II. In November 1944, while he was a POW, his only brother was killed at the age of 29 while on a military pilot mission in France; and only 6 days later their father died at age 59. One cannot imagine the grief the mother endured while all alone in San Antonio without her husband and two sons.
John's wife, Erlyne, was a southern lady with a gift of hospitality, and she loved to invite guests to their home for meals, especially after Sunday worship service. Each meal included multiple courses served at a beautifully set table. Erlyne preferred attending to everyone else and rarely sat to eat with her guests but dished up more helpings of food for everyone else. The photos in their family album of many of those extensive dinners included the humorous caption by John, "Another Allen Ho-Hum Dinner!"
Being used to moving during his life, John’s family was stationed in many military locations including Albrook Air Force Station in Curundú, Panama; and while there, they often invited lots of military guys home for dinner, one of whom was Tom Netherton who later joined the Lawrence Welk Show and became a well known singer with his deep baritone voice. Other military assignments included Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York; Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Spokane County, Washington; and Bien Hoa Air Base in Vietnam. One of his non-flying assignments started in 1970 when he was a Lieutenant Colonel and was the Professor of Aerospace Studies at Central Washington State College in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington, where he was in charge of a 2-year Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, training cadets to be future U.S. Air Force officers. Military assignments after that were Thule Air Base in Greenland; Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas; and Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, before retiring after a 35-year military career.
John was a born-again Christian and served as a Deacon in Southern Baptist churches wherever he was stationed in the U.S. While in Greenland and Nevada, his family stayed in Ellensburg, Washington, in the home they purchased in 1970 where he continued to live after retirement until his death. He died at home at the age of 68 on 2 Jul 1985. His earthly remains are buried in High Valley Memorial Park while his soul in Heaven awaits the Trumpet Call of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
When John Logan Allen was born on 4 Feb 1917, in Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas, his father, Wilbur Clinton Allen, Sr. (1885–1944), was 31, and his mother, Nellie P Huddleston (1888–1974), was 28. He was the younger of two brothers:
●Wilbur Clinton Allen, Jr. 1915–1944, Major US Army Air Corps
●John Logan Allen 1917–1985, Lt Colonel US Air Force
His father’s career as manager of variety 5/10-cent stores meant that the family would move a lot during their lifetimes. Before he was born, his parents lived in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio, where his father was a manager of Woolworth's Variety Store. By early 1915, the family lived in Cairo, Alexander County, Illinois, where the father had been transferred as manager of another F W Woolworth store. By the time his older brother Wilbur was born on 17 Jul 1915, the family had been transferred again to the father’s birthplace of Harrisburg, Saline County, Illinois. With the birth of John Logan Allen on 4 Feb 1917, the family lived in Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas. And within 4 months in Jun 1917, they had all moved again to Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado. In 1922, they moved to Denver, Denver County, Colorado; and finally a more stable move occurred in 1926 when the family finally settled for a few years in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. John attended his early years of high school in San Antonio; but he finished high school in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, where he graduated as a 1934 Yellow Jacket from Memphis Technical High School. Later in Memphis, he met his future bride-to-be, Erlyne Tidwell, and they were married on 31 May 1941. Their family was blessed with four daughters—Carolyn, Lorraine, Beverly and Laura.
At the age of 25, he was serving as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps (later became the U.S. Air Force), having received training as a flight navigator and later served with the Strategic Air Command (SAC). During World War II, his plane was shot down, and he was taken prisoner and kept by the Germans as a Prisoner of War (POW) until the end of WW II. In November 1944, while he was a POW, his only brother was killed at the age of 29 while on a military pilot mission in France; and only 6 days later their father died at age 59. One cannot imagine the grief the mother endured while all alone in San Antonio without her husband and two sons.
John's wife, Erlyne, was a southern lady with a gift of hospitality, and she loved to invite guests to their home for meals, especially after Sunday worship service. Each meal included multiple courses served at a beautifully set table. Erlyne preferred attending to everyone else and rarely sat to eat with her guests but dished up more helpings of food for everyone else. The photos in their family album of many of those extensive dinners included the humorous caption by John, "Another Allen Ho-Hum Dinner!"
Being used to moving during his life, John’s family was stationed in many military locations including Albrook Air Force Station in Curundú, Panama; and while there, they often invited lots of military guys home for dinner, one of whom was Tom Netherton who later joined the Lawrence Welk Show and became a well known singer with his deep baritone voice. Other military assignments included Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York; Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Spokane County, Washington; and Bien Hoa Air Base in Vietnam. One of his non-flying assignments started in 1970 when he was a Lieutenant Colonel and was the Professor of Aerospace Studies at Central Washington State College in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington, where he was in charge of a 2-year Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, training cadets to be future U.S. Air Force officers. Military assignments after that were Thule Air Base in Greenland; Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas; and Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, before retiring after a 35-year military career.
John was a born-again Christian and served as a Deacon in Southern Baptist churches wherever he was stationed in the U.S. While in Greenland and Nevada, his family stayed in Ellensburg, Washington, in the home they purchased in 1970 where he continued to live after retirement until his death. He died at home at the age of 68 on 2 Jul 1985. His earthly remains are buried in High Valley Memorial Park while his soul in Heaven awaits the Trumpet Call of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
●Wilbur Clinton Allen, Jr. 1915–1944, Major US Army Air Corps
●John Logan Allen 1917–1985, Lt Colonel US Air Force
His father’s career as manager of variety 5/10-cent stores meant that the family would move a lot during their lifetimes. Before he was born, his parents lived in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio, where his father was a manager of Woolworth's Variety Store. By early 1915, the family lived in Cairo, Alexander County, Illinois, where the father had been transferred as manager of another F W Woolworth store. By the time his older brother Wilbur was born on 17 Jul 1915, the family had been transferred again to the father’s birthplace of Harrisburg, Saline County, Illinois. With the birth of John Logan Allen on 4 Feb 1917, the family lived in Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas. And within 4 months in Jun 1917, they had all moved again to Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado. In 1922, they moved to Denver, Denver County, Colorado; and finally a more stable move occurred in 1926 when the family finally settled for a few years in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. John attended his early years of high school in San Antonio; but he finished high school in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, where he graduated as a 1934 Yellow Jacket from Memphis Technical High School. Later in Memphis, he met his future bride-to-be, Erlyne Tidwell, and they were married on 31 May 1941. Their family was blessed with four daughters—Carolyn, Lorraine, Beverly and Laura.
At the age of 25, he was serving as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps (later became the U.S. Air Force), having received training as a flight navigator and later served with the Strategic Air Command (SAC). During World War II, his plane was shot down, and he was taken prisoner and kept by the Germans as a Prisoner of War (POW) until the end of WW II. In November 1944, while he was a POW, his only brother was killed at the age of 29 while on a military pilot mission in France; and only 6 days later their father died at age 59. One cannot imagine the grief the mother endured while all alone in San Antonio without her husband and two sons.
John's wife, Erlyne, was a southern lady with a gift of hospitality, and she loved to invite guests to their home for meals, especially after Sunday worship service. Each meal included multiple courses served at a beautifully set table. Erlyne preferred attending to everyone else and rarely sat to eat with her guests but dished up more helpings of food for everyone else. The photos in their family album of many of those extensive dinners included the humorous caption by John, "Another Allen Ho-Hum Dinner!"
Being used to moving during his life, John’s family was stationed in many military locations including Albrook Air Force Station in Curundú, Panama; and while there, they often invited lots of military guys home for dinner, one of whom was Tom Netherton who later joined the Lawrence Welk Show and became a well known singer with his deep baritone voice. Other military assignments included Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York; Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Spokane County, Washington; and Bien Hoa Air Base in Vietnam. One of his non-flying assignments started in 1970 when he was a Lieutenant Colonel and was the Professor of Aerospace Studies at Central Washington State College in Ellensburg, Kittitas County, Washington, where he was in charge of a 2-year Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, training cadets to be future U.S. Air Force officers. Military assignments after that were Thule Air Base in Greenland; Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas; and Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, before retiring after a 35-year military career.
John was a born-again Christian and served as a Deacon in Southern Baptist churches wherever he was stationed in the U.S. While in Greenland and Nevada, his family stayed in Ellensburg, Washington, in the home they purchased in 1970 where he continued to live after retirement until his death. He died at home at the age of 68 on 2 Jul 1985. His earthly remains are buried in High Valley Memorial Park while his soul in Heaven awaits the Trumpet Call of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
