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Polkinghorn
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07/23/2003
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Colonel James W. Polkinghorn, USAF (Ret.), born in 1913, Cedar Falls,
Iowa, died July 20, 2003 in San Antonio. He graduated from the
University of Kansas in 1937, and was the advertising manager of the
Borger Daily Herald in Borger, TX. Drafted in 1941, he was commissioned
a 2nd Lt. MAC in 1942. After World War II service in Africa, Italy,
France and the Pacific, he transferred to the USAF as a Major in 1949.
During his service career, Col. Polkinghorn served in numerous
administrative and staff positions including Chief of the Medical
Service Corps and Assistant Surgeon General for Medical Administration.
His numerous decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal; the
Legion of Merit; the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf
cluster; the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany and Japan); the National
Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star; the World War II Victory Medal;
the Campaign Medals for all three World War II Theaters of Operations;
the RVCM; the VSM with three bronze stars; the AFLSA with one silver
and one bronze oak leaf cluster and the Chief Medical Service Corps
Insignia. Col. Polkinghorn's previous assignments included: Executive
Officer to the Surgeon General; Executive Officer Tilton General
Hospital (3750 beds) Fort Dix, NJ; MacDill AFB, FL, and Offutt AFB, NE;
Chief Management Engineering and then Executive Officer Armed Forces
Medical Procurement Agency; Chief of Medical Administrative Services,
Office of the Surgeon, Pacific Air Forces and the same position at
Military Air Transport Service. Following his retirement from the U.S.
Air Force in 1972, Col. Polkinghorn worked with the Georgia Department
of Health as the first Executive Director of a Comprehensive Health
Planning Agency and Director of a Maternal and Infant Health Planning
Project. In 1987, he and his wife, the former Mary Kathryn Gorman of
Amarillo, Texas moved to San Antonio. In addition to his wife of 62
years, Col. Polkinghorn is survived by his daughter, Sharon Turner
Buchanan-Parker, of Exeter, NH, and Lynda Hamilton of Martinsburg, WV;
six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. The family will receive
friends from 3-9 P.M., on Wednesday, July 23rd at Porter Loring
Mortuary for a Visitation. GRAVESIDE SERVICE THURSDAY JULY 24TH 9:00
A.M. FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS
MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL FOLLOW INTERMENT - 10:30 A.M. AIR FORCE VILLAGE
II HIGH FLIGHT CHAPEL If desired, a donation to the American Heart
Association or the American Cancer Society may be sent in lieu of
flowers. The family invites you to leave a message or memory at
www.porterloring.com by selecting Visitation and Services. Select "Sign
Guestbook" at the bottom of the individual Memorial. Arrangements with
Porter Loring Mortuary. |
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Most notices that appear in the Express-News
and online are arranged through local funeral homes. To place
an obituary notice directly with the newspaper, fax text to 210-250-3749
or email text and photos to: obits@express-news.net
For more information and detail call 210-250-2363 Mon-Fri 8:30
to 5:30.
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