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<em>—When Earth's last picture is painted </em></div>
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<em>and the tubes are twisted and dried </em></div>
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<em>When the oldest colours have faded, </em></div>
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<em>and the youngest critic has died,</em></div>
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<em>We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it— </em></div>
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<em>lie down for an eon or two,</em></div>
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<em> Till the Master of All Good Workmen shall </em></div>
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<em> put us to work anew.</em></div>
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<em> —Kipling</em></div>
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How vividly I recall my cadet "wife” frequently quoting this favorite passage. And how apropos it was and is, in exemplifying a life and military career that reflected limitless capacity for inspiration and accomplishment—a capacity barely tapped during his brief span with us. To have known Vern is to be certain that the Muster must indeed have plans to put him to work anew, if only in serving those remaining, whose lives touched his and who will endlessly benefit from the touching.</div>
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Vern's military career began when he left his Levelland, Texas, home in 1939 to enter the Army and prep for entrance to the Academy, and in 1940 chose to accept an appointment by his congressman, the Honorable George Mahon. The advent of World War II and its expanding aerial warfare pointed him toward Air Corps service and he was graduated with his commission, his wings, and his hoped-for assignment to fighter aircraft. How proud he was in late 1943, when his goal of being the first of his Air Corps classmates to get into action was realized. And how proud he was of the lovely Cora Jean Watson of Lubbock, Texas, whom he had just married and who would be his companion, helpmate, and inspiration for the remainder of his life.</div>
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Based in England and then France with the 366th Fighter Group, and flying the P-47 Thunderbolt, he quickly demonstrated his skill and courage by scoring two aerial victories and two ground "kills” in early 1944. Promoted to captain and slated for squadron command after less than a year of commissioned service, he was temporarily stymied when brought down by ground fire while flying a support mission for the Normandy beachhead breakout and captured by German Wehrmacht troops. It was only typical of Vern that after several months as a prisoner of war he broke away from his captors during the 1945 winter and attempted a long, dangerous, but eventually ill-fated, trek back to Allied lines.</div>
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At the European war’s end, and newly promoted to major, he resumed his career in what was soon to become the United States Air Force; and it was to be a varied course for him, Jean, and two new sons, Dyke and Kent, during the next decade. Between other assignments he earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago (1948). He then served on the faculty of the Air University until 1951, became lieutenant colonel, and spent the next three years as Assistant Air Attache, Paris, France.</div>
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During the following decade Vern served with the Strategic Air Command as B-47 Squadron Commander, Standardization Team Commander and, having been promoted to colonel in 1957, as a key man in pioneering the introduction of the intercontinental ballistic missiles into the weapons inventory. The latter endeavor included tours at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command headquarters at Omaha, and again at Vandenberg as Director of Operations, 1st Strategic Aerospace Division. He interrupted this service in 1962 to attend the National War College and additionally obtain a second master's degree from George Washington University.</div>
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In 1964 Vern directed his talents to the field of systems analysis and was rewarded with the command of the new Air Force Data Systems Design Center, which, under his control and guidance, led the Air Force into its evolutionary and expanded employment of the management systems that will serve for years to come. In 1969 he won his first star in recognition of that outstanding leadership and then resumed new duty as Director, Aircraft and Missiles, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Installations and Logistics) where he received his second star. His final assignment, in 1973, was Chief of Staff, Air Force Systems Command, from which he retired in September 1974.</div>
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Major General Vernon R. Turner, United States Air Force Retired, looked forward to a period of leisurely travel with Jean for a year or so, but fate in the form of a deadly leukemia intervened, and Vern met the only enemy that a gallant heart and a valiant fighting spirit could only delay but not overcome. An active and full life as eloquent cadet member of the Debating Society, daredevil fighter pilot, academician, jet bomber pilot, expert missileman, enthusiastic sportsman, exemplary leader and general, devoted husband and father, and loyal friend—had truly, if all too early, earned him his rest with the Master.</div>
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<em>—L.K. Nesselbush, Classmate</em></div>