LT COL, US AIR FORCE,
WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM

Lt. Colonel Les D. Lanier, 92, of Germantown passed away January 16, 2010. Born July 27, 1917 to Terresita Marie Reine and Leon Tremont Lanier, he was one of nine children. Colonel Lanier graduated from Amite High School, Amite, Louisiana in 1934. After a brief stint working in the family printing business, he attended Louisiana State University from 1938-1940 and later completed a degree in Engineering from University of Omaha in 1960. He then enlisted with the Louisiana National Guard 106th Cavalry in 1937 and the Army Air Corps in 1940. As a second lieutenant Colonel Lanier served as a flight instructor at Greenville AFB, Smyrna AFB, and Maxwell Field (Alabama). As a B-29 Aircraft Commander in 1945 he was assigned to the 20th Air Force on Guam. Colonel Lanier's last mission in World War II was a flyover of the USS Missouri where General Douglas McArthur was presiding over the surrender of the Japanese. Colonel Lanier married Sybil Arlene Hamilton of Lucy, Tennessee on October 3, 1942. They had two sons Boyd Lee Lanier and Jeffery Hamilton Lanier. After World War II Colonel Lanier returned to civilian life for a short time before being recalled to active duty in 1953. He was assigned to Strategic Air Command in the 95th Bomb Wing (Biggs AFB) as an Aircraft Commander in B-36 and B-52s and served as Wing and Air Division Director of Safety until 1962. In 1962 he was transferred to the United States Air Forces in Europe to serve as Director of Ground Safety until 1965. At that time he returned to the Eglin AFB where he served as Range Safety Officer until he retired in 1967. Colonel Lanier remained in active employment until 1981. He worked in various capacities including: Civil Service Safety Officer with the Air University, Maxwell AFB (Alabama), the Directorate of Contract Administration Service (Boston, MA), and a Supervisor for Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Colonel Lanier was preceded in death by his son Jeffrey Hamilton Lanier. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Sybil Hamilton Lanier, one sister Rose Marie (Jerry) Lanier Pulliam, son Boyd Lee Lanier and his wife Wendy, grandchildren Ian D. Lanier, Dylan Lanier, Katherine Lanier, Holly Lanier, Erin Lanier, and five great-grandchildren. Visitation will be Thursday, January 21, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Memorial Park Funeral Home. Funeral services will be Friday, January 22, at 11:00 a.m. at West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery. Memorial Park Funeral Home (Published in The Commercial Appeal on January 20, 2010)