Green Valley, AZ
Born in Wayne County, Mississippi, son of a Methodist minister, home was many places during his formative years. His parents, Rev. Charles Equen and Martha Ragsdale Downer, eventually settled in Jackson where Charles graduated from Central High School in 1936. In 1940 he graduated from Mississippi State College and shortly thereafter became a lieutenant in the newly-established Army Air Corps. Military duty took him to Georgia, Alabama, South Dakota, New Mexico, Okinawa, California, Ohio and Washington, DC.
His proudest achievement was serving as Project Officer for the SR-71, the Blackbird, fastest and highest-flying of all the world's aircraft.
Among Col. Downer's many commendations, the Legion of Merit, bestowed at the Pentagon during his four years of active duty there, was most significant.
Following retirement from the Air Force in 1969, he joined the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense as Director of Defense Industrial Resources. Later years were served as Consultant to Industry.
Col. Downer and his wife, the former Helen Harned of State College, were married 69 years and were parents of four children.
Survivors are: Dr. Patricia Downer of Tucson, Arizona, Diane Schock and Cathy Dorman of Fort Collins, Colorado; five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
A son, AF Lt. Col. Charles Paul Downer, Jr., died in a plane crash in 1982 at age 37. A scholarship was established in his memory at his alma mater, designated for Aerospace Engineering majors. It is hoped that these will continue: Mississippi State University Foundation, P.O. Box 6147, Mississippi State, MS 39762, Attn: Downer Memorial Scholarships.
Published in Clarion Ledger on March 13, 2011
Born in Wayne County, Mississippi, son of a Methodist minister, home was many places during his formative years. His parents, Rev. Charles Equen and Martha Ragsdale Downer, eventually settled in Jackson where Charles graduated from Central High School in 1936. In 1940 he graduated from Mississippi State College and shortly thereafter became a lieutenant in the newly-established Army Air Corps. Military duty took him to Georgia, Alabama, South Dakota, New Mexico, Okinawa, California, Ohio and Washington, DC.
His proudest achievement was serving as Project Officer for the SR-71, the Blackbird, fastest and highest-flying of all the world's aircraft.
Among Col. Downer's many commendations, the Legion of Merit, bestowed at the Pentagon during his four years of active duty there, was most significant.
Following retirement from the Air Force in 1969, he joined the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense as Director of Defense Industrial Resources. Later years were served as Consultant to Industry.
Col. Downer and his wife, the former Helen Harned of State College, were married 69 years and were parents of four children.
Survivors are: Dr. Patricia Downer of Tucson, Arizona, Diane Schock and Cathy Dorman of Fort Collins, Colorado; five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
A son, AF Lt. Col. Charles Paul Downer, Jr., died in a plane crash in 1982 at age 37. A scholarship was established in his memory at his alma mater, designated for Aerospace Engineering majors. It is hoped that these will continue: Mississippi State University Foundation, P.O. Box 6147, Mississippi State, MS 39762, Attn: Downer Memorial Scholarships.
Published in Clarion Ledger on March 13, 2011
Green Valley, AZ
Born in Wayne County, Mississippi, son of a Methodist minister, home was many places during his formative years. His parents, Rev. Charles Equen and Martha Ragsdale Downer, eventually settled in Jackson where Charles graduated from Central High School in 1936. In 1940 he graduated from Mississippi State College and shortly thereafter became a lieutenant in the newly-established Army Air Corps. Military duty took him to Georgia, Alabama, South Dakota, New Mexico, Okinawa, California, Ohio and Washington, DC.
His proudest achievement was serving as Project Officer for the SR-71, the Blackbird, fastest and highest-flying of all the world's aircraft.
Among Col. Downer's many commendations, the Legion of Merit, bestowed at the Pentagon during his four years of active duty there, was most significant.
Following retirement from the Air Force in 1969, he joined the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense as Director of Defense Industrial Resources. Later years were served as Consultant to Industry.
Col. Downer and his wife, the former Helen Harned of State College, were married 69 years and were parents of four children.
Survivors are: Dr. Patricia Downer of Tucson, Arizona, Diane Schock and Cathy Dorman of Fort Collins, Colorado; five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
A son, AF Lt. Col. Charles Paul Downer, Jr., died in a plane crash in 1982 at age 37. A scholarship was established in his memory at his alma mater, designated for Aerospace Engineering majors. It is hoped that these will continue: Mississippi State University Foundation, P.O. Box 6147, Mississippi State, MS 39762, Attn: Downer Memorial Scholarships.
Published in Clarion Ledger on March 13, 2011
Born in Wayne County, Mississippi, son of a Methodist minister, home was many places during his formative years. His parents, Rev. Charles Equen and Martha Ragsdale Downer, eventually settled in Jackson where Charles graduated from Central High School in 1936. In 1940 he graduated from Mississippi State College and shortly thereafter became a lieutenant in the newly-established Army Air Corps. Military duty took him to Georgia, Alabama, South Dakota, New Mexico, Okinawa, California, Ohio and Washington, DC.
His proudest achievement was serving as Project Officer for the SR-71, the Blackbird, fastest and highest-flying of all the world's aircraft.
Among Col. Downer's many commendations, the Legion of Merit, bestowed at the Pentagon during his four years of active duty there, was most significant.
Following retirement from the Air Force in 1969, he joined the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense as Director of Defense Industrial Resources. Later years were served as Consultant to Industry.
Col. Downer and his wife, the former Helen Harned of State College, were married 69 years and were parents of four children.
Survivors are: Dr. Patricia Downer of Tucson, Arizona, Diane Schock and Cathy Dorman of Fort Collins, Colorado; five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
A son, AF Lt. Col. Charles Paul Downer, Jr., died in a plane crash in 1982 at age 37. A scholarship was established in his memory at his alma mater, designated for Aerospace Engineering majors. It is hoped that these will continue: Mississippi State University Foundation, P.O. Box 6147, Mississippi State, MS 39762, Attn: Downer Memorial Scholarships.
Published in Clarion Ledger on March 13, 2011
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