Colonel Warren R. Lewis USAF Retired Colonel Warren Russell Lewis, age 86, after a distinguished military career, lost his final battle to cancer on Friday, January 13, 2006.
Warren was born in Superior, Iowa on Christmas Eve 1919. Attending Estherville Junior College when war broke out in Europe, he left his studies to join the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). To get his pilot wings, he spent a brief time with Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). After Pearl Harbor, the USAAF reprocessed all RCAF pilots into the USAAF and he was assigned to the 8th Fighter Group. He later transferred to the 475th Fighter Group in New Guinea where he served as a P-38 fighter pilot. He became a fighter pilot "ace" when he downed his 7th plane on April 3, 1944. Warren returned home in August 1944, but returned to combat in Europe in April 1945 with the 82nd and 31st Fighter Groups in Italy. After WWII, he remained in the Air Force and was promoted to Colonel on April 7, 1959. In 1966 he took command of the 31st Fighter Wing and was assigned to Tuy Hoa Air Base in Vietnam. In 1967, he returned to the U.S. and was assigned to the 12th Air Force as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations until his retirement in 1971. During his service to his county, he had a total of 1,171 combat hours, flew 591 missions and was awarded 27 Air Medals, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and two Legion of Merit medals with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
Throughout his life, Warren has made a positive impact on so many people, both in the military and in his civilian life. His huge heart was only overshadowed by his honorable military career. Besides his family, he loved to play golf with his buddies and to fish with his friend. He will be missed at Bergstrom Golf Course and Lake Granger.
His wife, Opal Arlene, preceded Warren in death. He is survived by his daughter, Linda Grottke of Fairfax, Virginia, his son, Steve Lewis, of Ozona, Texas, his grandson Kahn Lewis and great grandson Kade Lewis. He is also survived by his sweetheart of seventeen years, Edith Bergen.
Graveside services were held on Thursday, January 26, 2006, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, TX. [Published in the Austin American-Statesman on 1/24/2006.]
Warren was born in Superior, Iowa on Christmas Eve 1919. Attending Estherville Junior College when war broke out in Europe, he left his studies to join the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). To get his pilot wings, he spent a brief time with Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). After Pearl Harbor, the USAAF reprocessed all RCAF pilots into the USAAF and he was assigned to the 8th Fighter Group. He later transferred to the 475th Fighter Group in New Guinea where he served as a P-38 fighter pilot. He became a fighter pilot "ace" when he downed his 7th plane on April 3, 1944. Warren returned home in August 1944, but returned to combat in Europe in April 1945 with the 82nd and 31st Fighter Groups in Italy. After WWII, he remained in the Air Force and was promoted to Colonel on April 7, 1959. In 1966 he took command of the 31st Fighter Wing and was assigned to Tuy Hoa Air Base in Vietnam. In 1967, he returned to the U.S. and was assigned to the 12th Air Force as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations until his retirement in 1971. During his service to his county, he had a total of 1,171 combat hours, flew 591 missions and was awarded 27 Air Medals, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and two Legion of Merit medals with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
Throughout his life, Warren has made a positive impact on so many people, both in the military and in his civilian life. His huge heart was only overshadowed by his honorable military career. Besides his family, he loved to play golf with his buddies and to fish with his friend. He will be missed at Bergstrom Golf Course and Lake Granger.
His wife, Opal Arlene, preceded Warren in death. He is survived by his daughter, Linda Grottke of Fairfax, Virginia, his son, Steve Lewis, of Ozona, Texas, his grandson Kahn Lewis and great grandson Kade Lewis. He is also survived by his sweetheart of seventeen years, Edith Bergen.
Graveside services were held on Thursday, January 26, 2006, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, TX. [Published in the Austin American-Statesman on 1/24/2006.]
Colonel Warren R. Lewis USAF Retired Colonel Warren Russell Lewis, age 86, after a distinguished military career, lost his final battle to cancer on Friday, January 13, 2006.
Warren was born in Superior, Iowa on Christmas Eve 1919. Attending Estherville Junior College when war broke out in Europe, he left his studies to join the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). To get his pilot wings, he spent a brief time with Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). After Pearl Harbor, the USAAF reprocessed all RCAF pilots into the USAAF and he was assigned to the 8th Fighter Group. He later transferred to the 475th Fighter Group in New Guinea where he served as a P-38 fighter pilot. He became a fighter pilot "ace" when he downed his 7th plane on April 3, 1944. Warren returned home in August 1944, but returned to combat in Europe in April 1945 with the 82nd and 31st Fighter Groups in Italy. After WWII, he remained in the Air Force and was promoted to Colonel on April 7, 1959. In 1966 he took command of the 31st Fighter Wing and was assigned to Tuy Hoa Air Base in Vietnam. In 1967, he returned to the U.S. and was assigned to the 12th Air Force as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations until his retirement in 1971. During his service to his county, he had a total of 1,171 combat hours, flew 591 missions and was awarded 27 Air Medals, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and two Legion of Merit medals with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
Throughout his life, Warren has made a positive impact on so many people, both in the military and in his civilian life. His huge heart was only overshadowed by his honorable military career. Besides his family, he loved to play golf with his buddies and to fish with his friend. He will be missed at Bergstrom Golf Course and Lake Granger.
His wife, Opal Arlene, preceded Warren in death. He is survived by his daughter, Linda Grottke of Fairfax, Virginia, his son, Steve Lewis, of Ozona, Texas, his grandson Kahn Lewis and great grandson Kade Lewis. He is also survived by his sweetheart of seventeen years, Edith Bergen.
Graveside services were held on Thursday, January 26, 2006, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, TX. [Published in the Austin American-Statesman on 1/24/2006.]
Warren was born in Superior, Iowa on Christmas Eve 1919. Attending Estherville Junior College when war broke out in Europe, he left his studies to join the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). To get his pilot wings, he spent a brief time with Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). After Pearl Harbor, the USAAF reprocessed all RCAF pilots into the USAAF and he was assigned to the 8th Fighter Group. He later transferred to the 475th Fighter Group in New Guinea where he served as a P-38 fighter pilot. He became a fighter pilot "ace" when he downed his 7th plane on April 3, 1944. Warren returned home in August 1944, but returned to combat in Europe in April 1945 with the 82nd and 31st Fighter Groups in Italy. After WWII, he remained in the Air Force and was promoted to Colonel on April 7, 1959. In 1966 he took command of the 31st Fighter Wing and was assigned to Tuy Hoa Air Base in Vietnam. In 1967, he returned to the U.S. and was assigned to the 12th Air Force as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations until his retirement in 1971. During his service to his county, he had a total of 1,171 combat hours, flew 591 missions and was awarded 27 Air Medals, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and two Legion of Merit medals with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
Throughout his life, Warren has made a positive impact on so many people, both in the military and in his civilian life. His huge heart was only overshadowed by his honorable military career. Besides his family, he loved to play golf with his buddies and to fish with his friend. He will be missed at Bergstrom Golf Course and Lake Granger.
His wife, Opal Arlene, preceded Warren in death. He is survived by his daughter, Linda Grottke of Fairfax, Virginia, his son, Steve Lewis, of Ozona, Texas, his grandson Kahn Lewis and great grandson Kade Lewis. He is also survived by his sweetheart of seventeen years, Edith Bergen.
Graveside services were held on Thursday, January 26, 2006, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, TX. [Published in the Austin American-Statesman on 1/24/2006.]
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