2010-05-21
Collection: No Collection
Title
2010-05-21
Subject
Mercer, Colonel Earl Leon
Description
Obituaries published in the Augusta Daily Gazette
Creator
Augusta Daily Gazette [Kansas]
Publisher
Augusta Public Library, Augusta, Kansas, USA
Date
2010-05-25
Format
Clippings
Language
English
Type
application/pdf
Identifier
b15#82 2010
Citation
Augusta Daily Gazette [Kansas], “2010-05-21,” Digital Augusta, accessed November 26, 2024, https://augusta.digitalsckls.info/item/2041.
Text
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Earl Leon Mercer
Ret. Colonel Earl Leon Mercer, 88, Clyde,Texas, formerly of Augusta, died Friday, May 21, 2010.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the First United Methodist Church in Clyde. Interment will be at a later date in Augusta.
Mr. Mercer was born March 7,1922, in Augusta, to Roy Earl and Mary Fern (Sells) Mercer. He attended schools through high school in Augusta. He married Louise Clemons on Nov. 4,1946, in El Paso at the Ft. Bliss Army Chapel.
Mr. Mercer was a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force serving as an intelligence
officer, navigator, bombardier and pilot.
He served during World War II, Korea, ! Vietman and tthe Cold War.
During World War II, he entered the Army Air Corp Basic Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, in 1942. After graduation, he was assigned to Ft. Logan, Colo., where he was training aircraft engineers until he was called to cadet flight training in San Antonio in December, 1942. After flight training, he was assigned and flew B-17’s and B-24’s in the South Pacific where he was shot down. Upon his return, he was stationed at Dysersburg, Tenn. as instructor for B-17 combat crew training for European Missions. After completion, he trained for B-29’s at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. He then went to Ft. Bliss, Texas, for Guided Missiles and Flack Analysis Project. He flew tow targets and tracked guided missiles in White Sands and anti-aircraft firing ranges. He was discharged from the service in 1946 and returned to Augusta.
Mr. Mercer attended the University of Texas at El Paso and after completion returned to Augusta and was employed as a design engineer at Boeing Aircraft Company. In 1951, he was recalled to the U.S. Air Force for the Korean War in the B-29 aircraft and transition to the B-47 bombers. He spent numerous missions on alert in England, Africa, Spain and Iran during the Cold War. In 1957, he was assigned for duty in Evereux, France, flying C-119’s and C130’s on special air missions in Germany, France, Italy, Iran,
Turkey, Norway, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Lebanon, Belgian and Russia. At completion in 1960, he returned to the B-47 aircraft and Atlas Missiles at Shilling AFB, Kansas, until 1965 when he went to Dyess AFB, Texas. He served in Vietnam in C-130 Gun Ships.
After retiring from the Air Force, Mr. Mercer attended McMurry University School of Business.
He was employed as the head cashier with People’s State Bank in Clyde for ten years until he retired in 1986 when Earl and Louise began traveling in their motor home spending summers in Colorado, winters in Arizona and South Texas, and Septembers in Kansas for school reunions. He built an Avid Airplane in his RV garage that he flew and later donated to the Augusta Military Museum.
Earl was a 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge, a member of the Suez Shriners of North America, a charter member of the Clyde AARP where he served two years as president, a_
years as treasurer, and was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Clyde serving on the administration board as treasurer.
Mr. Mercer is survived by: his wife, Louise of Clyde; three daughters, Pam Willson and husband Phil of Clyde, Deby Kyle and husband Wayne of Hamilton, and Ann Mercer of Abilene; three grandchildren, Chris Kyle and wife Taya, Andy Orrell and wife Penny, and Jeff Kyle and wife Amy; and four greatgrandchildren, Colton Kyle, McKenna Kyle, Morgan Orrell and Tyson Orrell.
Original Format
Newspaper clippings affixed to loose-leaf notebook page
Title
2010-05-21
Subject
Mercer, Colonel Earl Leon
Description
Obituaries published in the Augusta Daily Gazette
Creator
Augusta Daily Gazette [Kansas]
Publisher
Augusta Public Library, Augusta, Kansas, USA
Date
2010-05-25
Format
Clippings
Language
English
Type
application/pdf
Identifier
b15#82 2010
Citation
Augusta Daily Gazette [Kansas], “2010-05-21,” Digital Augusta, accessed November 26, 2024, https://augusta.digitalsckls.info/item/2041.Text
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Earl Leon Mercer
Ret. Colonel Earl Leon Mercer, 88, Clyde,Texas, formerly of Augusta, died Friday, May 21, 2010.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the First United Methodist Church in Clyde. Interment will be at a later date in Augusta.
Mr. Mercer was born March 7,1922, in Augusta, to Roy Earl and Mary Fern (Sells) Mercer. He attended schools through high school in Augusta. He married Louise Clemons on Nov. 4,1946, in El Paso at the Ft. Bliss Army Chapel.
Mr. Mercer was a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force serving as an intelligence
officer, navigator, bombardier and pilot.
He served during World War II, Korea, ! Vietman and tthe Cold War.
During World War II, he entered the Army Air Corp Basic Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, in 1942. After graduation, he was assigned to Ft. Logan, Colo., where he was training aircraft engineers until he was called to cadet flight training in San Antonio in December, 1942. After flight training, he was assigned and flew B-17’s and B-24’s in the South Pacific where he was shot down. Upon his return, he was stationed at Dysersburg, Tenn. as instructor for B-17 combat crew training for European Missions. After completion, he trained for B-29’s at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. He then went to Ft. Bliss, Texas, for Guided Missiles and Flack Analysis Project. He flew tow targets and tracked guided missiles in White Sands and anti-aircraft firing ranges. He was discharged from the service in 1946 and returned to Augusta.
Mr. Mercer attended the University of Texas at El Paso and after completion returned to Augusta and was employed as a design engineer at Boeing Aircraft Company. In 1951, he was recalled to the U.S. Air Force for the Korean War in the B-29 aircraft and transition to the B-47 bombers. He spent numerous missions on alert in England, Africa, Spain and Iran during the Cold War. In 1957, he was assigned for duty in Evereux, France, flying C-119’s and C130’s on special air missions in Germany, France, Italy, Iran,
Turkey, Norway, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Lebanon, Belgian and Russia. At completion in 1960, he returned to the B-47 aircraft and Atlas Missiles at Shilling AFB, Kansas, until 1965 when he went to Dyess AFB, Texas. He served in Vietnam in C-130 Gun Ships.
After retiring from the Air Force, Mr. Mercer attended McMurry University School of Business.
He was employed as the head cashier with People’s State Bank in Clyde for ten years until he retired in 1986 when Earl and Louise began traveling in their motor home spending summers in Colorado, winters in Arizona and South Texas, and Septembers in Kansas for school reunions. He built an Avid Airplane in his RV garage that he flew and later donated to the Augusta Military Museum.
Earl was a 50 year member of the Masonic Lodge, a member of the Suez Shriners of North America, a charter member of the Clyde AARP where he served two years as president, a_
years as treasurer, and was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Clyde serving on the administration board as treasurer.
Mr. Mercer is survived by: his wife, Louise of Clyde; three daughters, Pam Willson and husband Phil of Clyde, Deby Kyle and husband Wayne of Hamilton, and Ann Mercer of Abilene; three grandchildren, Chris Kyle and wife Taya, Andy Orrell and wife Penny, and Jeff Kyle and wife Amy; and four greatgrandchildren, Colton Kyle, McKenna Kyle, Morgan Orrell and Tyson Orrell.
Original Format
Newspaper clippings affixed to loose-leaf notebook page