Retired U.S. Air Force Col. John E. Ford III, a 22-year resident of Redlands, died Aug. 13, 2008 at his home in Redlands after a seven-year fight with bladder cancer. He was 70.
He retired 16 years ago as vice commander for Headquarters Air Combat Camera Service at Norton Air Force Base after a decorated Air Force career spanning 37½ years.
Ford was born Dec. 12, 1937, in Englewood, N.J. He earned his bachelor’s degree in cinematography from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1959 and his master’s degree in education from Southern Illinois University in 1974.
He was a distinguished graduate of Squadron Officers’ School (1970) and a graduate of Air Command and Staff College (1974), National Security Management Course, National Defense University (1982) and the Air War College (1984).
His many Air Force assignments took him to Orlando Air Force Base in Florida, Clark Air Base in the Philippines and the Republic of Vietnam where he was the first combat camera officer in Vietnam in December 1961.
He went back to Vietnam in 1967 after having been in the Air Force Reserve for 4½ years. He stayed in the combat theater for 2½ years. For the majority of the time he was a commander of a combat camera detachment.
He was also assigned to Langley Air Force Base, Va., and Scott Air Force Base, Ill., where he was a war plans officer writing the plan that brought home U.S. prisoners of war.
He was then assigned to the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino and Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, the Pentagon again, and finally Norton Air Force Base. While here, he was deployed to Desert Storm and served on Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf’s operations staff and was commander of all combat camera forces in Desert Storm.
Ford retired Sept. 1, 1992, with 28 years eight months active duty and eight years 10 months reserve service, for a total of 37½ years. He had 124 combat missions and 329.5 combat hours in Southeast Asia and the Persian Gulf region.
His military decorations include the Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Republic of Vietnam Medal of Honor, First Class.
Following his retirement from the Air Force, he taught eight years in the Junior ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) program at Hemet High School where he mentored several young men and women who went on to serve in Iraq.
He was active as a discussion leader for Bible Study Fellowship for eight years, and was an active 20-year member of Trinity Evangelical Free Church of Redlands.
He served as president of the Redlands Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution and often marched in ceremonies with the commander in chief’s guard dressed in Revolutionary War uniform.
He was a past chairman of the board of the Memorial Honor Detail of Riverside National Cemetery, was a former member of Kiwanis Club of Redlands and the Redlands Chamber of Commerce and was active with PTA.
Survivors include his wife, Sherry L. Ford, and a daughter, Shonna L. Ford, both of Redlands.
Services were held at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008 at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside, meeting at staging area 1.
Memorial donations may be made to Officers’ Christian Fellowship, 3784 South Inca, Englewood, CO 80110-3405 (directed to account 9310).