Neil L. King

Neil L. King

Army Air Corps

NEIL
L.
KING

Sep 1, 1910 - Nov 2, 1983
BIRTHPLACE: Greeley, Colorado

SOLDIER DETAILS

HIGHEST RANK: Captain
DIVISION:
Army Air Corps
,
93rd College Training Detachment, 1559 AAF, 1550 AAF, Air Transport Command
THEATER OF OPERATION:
Pacific
American
SERVED: Feb 11, 1942 -
Apr 22, 1946
HONORED BY: Son, Terry Neil King and Daughter, Kathy Lynn Turner

BIOGRAPHY

Neil was born in Greeley, Colorado on Sep 1, 1910, but was raised in and became a life-long resident of Denver, CO. Prior to his military service during World War II, he was employed at the First National Bank of Denver. He enlisted in the US Army Air Force on Feb 11, 1942 at Lowry Field in Denver. After graduating from Officer Candidate School in Miami, Florida, his first assignment was at Strother Army Air Field in Winfield, KS from Nov 1942 until Feb 1943. In Mar, he was assigned to the 93rd College Training Detachment (Air Crew) at Black Hills Teachers College in Spearfish, SD as Adjutant and Personnel Officer. He assumed command of the 93rd a year later in Mar 1944. Then, in Jun he was assigned to the 3031st Army Air Force (AAF) at Mather Field in Sacramento, CA as Public Relations Officer. In March 1945, he was assigned to the 1559th AAF (Air Transport Command) at Tacloban, Philippines as Personnel Service Officer and in August to the 1550th AAF (ATC) at Manila, Philippines. Between April and August 1945, he received temporary duty assignments at Biak; Morotai; Halmahera; Brisbane, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. In Nov 1945, he was assigned additional temporary duty assignments at Canton, China; Okinawa; Saipan; Guam and Tokyo, Japan. In Dec 1945 he was assigned to ATC Headquarters at Hickam Field, Hawaii. He returned to the United States aboard the U.S.S. Gosper (APA-170) in January 1946 and was discharged from active duty on Apr 22, 1946 at the rank of Captain. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service from Mar to Aug 1945 in Leyte, Philippines. He continued to serve his country as a Reserve Officer and was officially discharged on May 20, 1955. After returning home, he resumed his occupation as a banker at the First National Bank of Denver where he served as Vice President in the Advertising, Public Relations and Civic Affairs departments. He was a 1952 graduate of the Stonier School of Banking at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. After more than 50 years in the banking industry, he retired in Sep 1975. He was active in many business, civic, and social organizations and was an avid golfer and a Colorado history buff. During his assignment at the 93rd College Training Detachment, he met and married Joan Sunderland who was a resident of Spearfish, SD. Neil and Joan were happily married for 39 years, with two loving children, until his death on Nov 22, 1983.