<p>
The loss or Ed left a great void in the hearts of his wife, his children, and his parents. This is a void that is only partially filled by memories. In the case of his wife, there are memories of his devotion to her and the children and of the pleasures and successes that they enjoyed together. In the case of his parents, the void is tempered, first, by the wonderful family that is left to them, his wife Joan and three fine children, two sons, Stephen and Patrick, and a daughter, Sharon, and second, by the memories of their pride and pleasure in the growth and accomplishments of a marvelous only son. His wife Joan has extended to Ed’s father the honor of writing this memorial for which he is grateful.</p>
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Ed was born in Houston, Texas, on 16 October 1934. He spent his early years in travel. His father held a civil service position with the Federal Government involving continuous travel, and he did not maintain a fixed home but drove with Ed and his mother to different assignments in the family automobile. By the time Ed was of primary school age he had traveled over most of the United States. During his first two years of primary school he attended schools in Houston, Texas, Washington, D.C., New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago. Academics came easily for Ed, and he maintained top averages in these and other schools. Travel imbued Ed with an independence and self sufficiency which he retained during all of his life.</p>
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Following the outbreak of World War II, Ed’s parents moved to Washington, D.C., and it was there that Ed completed his primary and high schooling and became enthusiastic about the idea of becoming a West Point Cadet and a career officer.</p>
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After graduation from grade school, academically at the top of his class, Ed won a scholarship, by competitive examination, to St. Johns College (high school) in Washington, D.C. He graduated at the top of the class of 1952. Because of his academic standing, he was awarded an Archdiocesan Scholarship to Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He was also awarded academic scholarships to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, New York, and Chicago University at Chicago, Illinois. All of these scholarships were declined by Ed in favor of West Point for which he was given a principal appointment by Senator McCarran of Nevada for entry to the Academy in 1953. Since Ed had graduated from St. Johns in 1952, he elected to take a one-year preparatory course at the Sullivan School. On the examination for entrance to West Point in 1953 Ed made a total academic point score of 2280 compared to a passing requirement of 1350. With reference to this, the published statement of the Sullivan School for the 1952-1953 academic year reported: “One of our boys received one of the highest total marks ever received on the West Point entrance examination. His total mark was 2280, ten points higher than the number one Presidential.”</p>
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Ed entered West Point on 7 July 1953. He and his parents enjoyed his four years at the Academy. Looking forward to letters and planning visits to the Academy added to the pleasure of his parents. They boasted with pride to their friends of his accomplishments and worried about the many demerits which he accumulated with his inherent independence by deviating from prescribed rules. In keeping with his name, he may be known at the Academy for being "Quilled’’ and also for cheerfully walking off the resulting demerits on the area.</p>
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Academics at West Point were easy for Ed. He was on the Dean's List and was a Star Man for each of the four years. He graduated tenth in the Class of 1957 and elected to enter the Air Force.</p>
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Upon completion of primary and basic pilot training, Ed was awarded his pilot’s wings at Webb Air Force Base in Texas and was assigned to the Day Fighter Gunnery School (F-86F) at Williams Air Force Base near Phoenix, Arizona, where he became a member of the Mach Busters Club. It was while Ed was there that he met Joan Cooper of Phoenix, a fine girl, whom he married upon completion of his assignment at Williams.</p>
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After the honeymoon in April 1959, Ed was assigned to bomber training at McConnell Air Force Base. Upon completion of this assignment he and Joan spent three and a half years in SAC at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base where he served as co-pilot on a B-47 bomber.</p>
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Ed entered the California Institute of Technology as a graduate student in September 1963. He was awarded a Master of Science in Aeronautics Degree in June 1964 and was assigned as an instructor in the Department of Mathematics at the Air Force Academy. He was Assistant Professor of Engineering Mechanics at the Academy in 1966 when he requested a leave of absence for a tour of duty in Vietnam with the understanding that he would return to his assignment at the Academy when the tour was completed. His reasons for volunteering were to contribute to a cause in which he believed and to gain experience which would be invaluable in his teaching at the Academy.</p>
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Ed left for Vietnam on 27 October 1967. He was assigned to the Fourth Air Commando Squadron at Bien Hoa and flew his first mission as a co-pilot of an AC-47 on 15 November 1967. He was transferred to the 14th Air Commando Squadron "B” flight, Phan Rang Air Base, on 12 January 1968. During his relatively short period in South Vietnam Ed had completed more than sixty missions. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart and three Air Medals.</p>
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The Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded for Ed’s action as an AC-47 Pilot in defense of a Special Forces Camp near Loc Ninh, Republic of Vietnam on 29 November 1967. Ed was also posthumously awarded an Air Force Commendation Medal for his teaching at the Air Force Academy, particularly for outstanding abilities and efforts which resulted in superior understanding on the part of the students of fundamental engineering concepts and specifically the relevance and importance of these important concepts to basic engineering applications in the United States Air Force.</p>
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Ed was co-pilot on an AC-47 aircraft returning from a night mission on 15 February 1968 when it crashed in rugged hostile country approximately twelve miles southwest of his air base. There were no survivors. The recovery crew reported that the aircraft had been hit by ground fire, and this apparently caused the crash.</p>
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Ed was deeply religious and possessed an inherent desire to help others. All who knew him will agree with the following tribute which was written to Joan by a classmate stationed in South Vietnam: “One of the greatest tragedies of war is that our finest people are called upon to make the greatest sacrifices. Luckily, and through the grace of God, many of our Nation’s finest do return. They return to grasp the reins of leadership. Ed is one of those who will not return. It is not only your loss, but it is a loss to America and free men the world over.</p>
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“Ed was one of our finest. He was exceptional; for he was outstanding in every task he undertook. Ed was a rare combination of academic and athletic abilities blended with common sense and high ideals. He could do and did everything extremely well. The top was the only limit for Ed because he was a fierce competitor who utilized his inborn and developed abilities. He was a brave comrade and trusted friend. Ed epitomized the ideals of West Point: ‘Duty, Honor, Country.'</p>
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“He was devoted to his family and to his God. What more could be said of one man, one of our most able young leaders on his way to the top.</p>
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‘To me, Ed was much more than a loyal friend. Perhaps the words have not yet been invented which express the profound comradeship I felt with him and the respect I had for him as a fellow officer and as a man. In our younger days, those desperately trying days when we were earning our pilot wings, an unseverable bond grew between us. We roomed together, drank together, and laughed together. We shared triumph, disaster, and turmoil. We talked often about many things and shared our aspirations. Through thick and thin we survived. Yes, Ed was much more than a friend.</p>
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“And now he has been struck down on the ladder of success, on his path to the stars. Surely this fits into the great plans of the Master of Men. Ed did not die in vain. He is a monument to those of us who knew him and to free men everywhere. Now he is close to God.”<br />
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