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<em>Campbell Palfrey, Jr</em>., was widely known as "Poncho" to several generations of West Pointers, families, and friends. Poncho was a truly unique individual— articulate, conservative, consistent, congenial, confident, indefatigable, and blessed with an inexhaustible sense of humor. If any such records exist, Poncho broke them all in the number of his godchildren and in the number of weddings in which he participated.</p>
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Two of Ponch’s ancestral families—the Howlands and the Tilleys—came over on the <em>Mayflower,</em> and the Campbells and the Palfreys were Scottish. Campbell Palfrey, Jr., was born to CPT Campbell Palfrey, Sr., and Janie Wiggington Palfrey, in 1918. Sadly, his mother died when he was three, resulting in Ponch being raised by his father and his maternal grandparents. Ponch graduated from high school in 1936 in Jacksonville, FL, and spent the next two years at the Marion Military Institute in Marion, AL, preparing for USMA.</p>
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West Point was a breeze for Poncho, and he contributed mightily to making it a breeze for his L-Co. classmates. He became famous for gaining eight pounds in Beast Barracks. He did not become the company commander, nor the most outstanding student (albeit, a highly respectable one), nor a great athlete. Instead, he became L-Co's philosopher. His initial activity was to dub his 33 comrades with nicknames, most of which survived permanently.</p>
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As the threat of WWII grew in Europe, branch selection became of increased interest. Early on, Poncho considered the Air Corps and the Cavalry. He visualized wearing a jaunty feather in his cap, like Jeb Stuart. Later, he concluded he wanted to inflict the maximum destruction on the foe, so the heavy bombers won out. Poncho designed the Class of ’42 crest, complete with a bomb on the crossed sabres of the Cavalry.</p>
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For the <em>’42 Howitzer,</em> Poncho wrote the succinct philosophy of his beloved L-Company. Later, this became more significant in that the Class of ’42 was the last to be organized on the long-standing 12 lettered companys. L-Company, along with the other eleven, was to be lost and gone forever. Therefore, Ponchos noble words found heretofore only in the <em>’42 Howitzer,</em> merit repeating and saving for posterity, "We of L-Company do not affect an air of swash-buckling indifference, nor do we strive for the iron touch of the Prussian Guards. They are habits of the extremist, and it is a standing L-Company belief that extremism is a policy to be scrupulously avoided. Instead, we have followed a path which we believe to be based upon the finest traditions of the American soldier, that is, the inspiring of men to do their duty because it is their duty. From the observation of this policy, from mutual admiration, from common likes and dislikes, have arisen true friendships, binding and everlasting."</p>
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In May 1942, the Class of ’42 received their diplomas and commissions from the Army Chief of Staff, the esteemed GEN George C. Marshall, and the Air Corps aspirants quickly dispersed in pursuit of their wings.</p>
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Poncho excelled as a pilot. Impatient with the slow process of training, he feared being retained as an instructor and that the war would end before he got there. Both proved not to be. He received his wings in December 1942, completed his B-17 training in 1943, and joined the 447th Bomb Group (B-17s) in England later that year.</p>
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He proved to be a fine leader and in February 1944, was the first of his class to be selected to lead his group of 31 B-17s to attack Regensburg. On this mission, he was shot down, captured, and became a POW at Stalag Luft 1 on the Baltic Coast, with thousands of other Allied air officers.</p>
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Poncho soon became a respected leader at the Stalag and a "mole" in his efforts to dig out. He never forgave the Germans—not even a single German— for the harsh treatment they imposed at the Stalag.</p>
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Upon release by the Russians at war’s end, Ponch happily returned to the States to reunite with family and friends. He and Sydney Taylor "Kitty" Adair married in Jacksonville in October 1945. They had four children— Catherine "Kit" in 1946; Campbell III in 1949; Jane in 1953; and Susan in 1961—and five grandchildren.</p>
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Poncho earned his law degree from the University of Virginia Law School in 1948 and taught law at USMA during 1948-51. He declined to become an Air Force lawyer to return to important Air Force positions. During 1952-56 he served with the Secretary of the Air Force. Then, after a tour with SAC, he returned to Washington, DC, during 1962—65, as Executive Secretary of the Air Staff Board, receiving the Legion of Merit.</p>
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In 1965, during the most active period of the air operations in Viet Nam, he became the Director of Current Operations for the Pacific Air Force in Hawaii, exercising staff responsibility for almost all aspects of the campaign. His generals repeatedly recognized his signal service with impeccable efficiency reports and recommendations for promotion to general officer, but all to no avail. After volunteering twice for air command in Viet Nam, again to no avail, he retired prematurely as a colonel in 1968, receiving a second Legion of Merit.</p>
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Ponch became a very successful broker for E.F. Hutton. Under considerable family pressure to return to the family printing business in New Orleans, Ponch declined and deputized his son, Campbell III, to the business. He found the life of a broker in Hawaii to be congenial. All business was completed by noon, leaving the rest of the time available for golf, tennis, the beach and a host of other activities. He served as governor of the Mayflower Society of Hawaii, president of the West Point Society of Hawaii, president of the Air Force Society of Hawaii, president of the Investment Society of Hawaii, and was an active Episcopalian, as well as an all-around leader.</p>
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Ponch passed away in 1999 after a lengthy bout with cancer. He was laid to rest in Hawaii, followed by a celebration of life gathering at the beautiful Outrigger Canoe Club on Waikiki Beach, with Kitty, the four children, and numerous other family and friends attending.</p>
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Rest in peace, thou noble and faithful West Pointer.</p>
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<em>His roommate</em></p>