|
(5).gif)
Ted Norris Clay, COL, USAF, Ret
Born: April 16, 1930
Passed: February 11, 2012
Colonel Ted Clay was our Deputy Commander of Maintenance (DCM) in the late 1970s and early 1980s and was well liked by all.
Mrs. Clay notified Barry Wilder of his passing:
 CLAY, Ted Norris, 81, of Lake Placid, Florida, passed away Saturday, February 11, 2012, in Sebring. He was born April 16, 1930, to Norris M. and Hulda (Niemi) Clay in Quincy, Massachusetts, and had been a resident of Sebring since 1981, coming from Virginia. He was a member of the Highland Park Homeowner's Association; the Elks; VFW; American Legion and Highland Park Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as Chief. He was a Colonel in U.S. Air Force, serving from 1951 to 1980 in both the Korean War and Vietnam War. He was a Basic and Advanced Pilot; Pilot Instructor and Test Pilot for numerous aircraft, including the C5A; Combat Crew TNG; Maintenance Tech Officer on the C5A and Aerospace Maintenance Director for 12 years. During his career he was awarded the Legion of Merit; Meritorious Service Medal; Air Medal; Air Force Commendation Medal; Army Good Conduct Medal; Air Force Longevity Service Award with one Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster; National Defense Service Medal with Star; Korean Presidential Unit Citation; Air Force Presidential Unit Citation; United Nations Service Medal and Air Force Outstanding Unit Award. He is survived by his wife, June D. Clay of Lake Placid; daughters, Krista Lynn (Ed) Bunger, Abilene, TX; Katherine Dawn Clay, Lake Placid and Lisa Jane Clay, Meridian, ID; sons, Michael Norris (Karen) Clay, Old Town, FL and Mark Douglas Clay, Lawton, OK; 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Arrangements have been entrusted to Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home Sebring, Florida 33870 863-385-0125 www.stephenson nelsonfh.com
http://www.legacy.com/guestbook/tbo/guestbook.aspx?n=ted-clay&pid=155908379&cid=full
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=clay&GSfn=ted&GSbyrel=all&GSdy=2012&GSdyrel=in&GSob=n&GRid=87036862&df=all&
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/tampabaytimes/name/ted-clay-obituary?id=17860435
|
Willford (Willie) Biggs (1974)
Man, that news has ruined my week. I loved that man. Grouchy as hell, but I loved him. Especially loved to see him drive his little blue Ghia out on the ramp to a C5, climb to the top of a B1 stand, take the tools out of the mechanics hand, and start twisting wrenches. God speed my friend. See you on the other side.
Willie Biggs
Richard "Fig" Figueroa (1976)
The news on Col CLAY, is unfortunate and sad. I remember him on many occasions coming out on the Flight line. One was a wet drizzly rainy day on Pit 4 walking up to the C5 number #3 ENG with a no start problem while I was changing a CIT sensor and re indexing the CIT feedback cable to the FUEL control. One I remember was NO start on STARTER control valve. You name it and he was there getting dirty with us. He would climb the B-5 stand ask me what I was doing and hold the flashlight for me. Then I remember he would stand on the HANDRAIL to help me disconnect the HOLD open ROD of the L/H cowl door to help close the it. WHAT A OFFICER!! He knew the C-5/C141 AIRCRAFT and his Enrouters. He would later wait it out with us GIs till the PLANE Blocked. Hell, there were moments he would climb up in to the FLIGHTSTATION arguing with the AIRCRAFT commander on Unfounded write ups. I would remember him in action on the flight line helping us ENROUTERS on the quick turns when we encountered problems with the flight crew. ANYWHO!! In my whole career I never came across such a Dynamic Officer and yet a Colonel assigned as our DCM. He was there at our ENROUTE functions drinking BEERS. Allot of good and fun memories of COL CLAY, yeah like that VW he drove around the flight line. When Stan sent me the bad news, It all came back in remembering him from the OLD SCHOOL ENROUTE, the corp Elite years. WHAT A LOSS to us all not being able to see him at our next ENROUTE REUNION
My sincere condolences to his family------------FIG