Darrell Waring named Jefferson County's Veteran of the Month in April

FROM THE JEFFERSON COUNTY VETERAN'S SERVICE OFFICE:

Darrell Waring was born in Texas where his father was involved in military construction at the time. The family soon moved to a farm near O’Neill, Nebraska where he went to rural school in a one room school house until the fourth grade. The family again moved to Fairbury, Nebraska where Darrell attended grade school at Central Ward School. While in high school Darrell learned to fly fixed wing aircraft and upon graduation from Fairbury High School in 1960 he voluntarily joined the Air Force. His desire to fly planes did not become a reality because he was told he lacked education. He spent four weeks in Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) in Texas learning to be an “Air Traffic Controller,” which also included time spent in the control tower as a “Radar Approach Controller.” He received additional Air Traffic Controller training at Keesler AFB within the city limits of Biloxi, Mississippi for eight months. He spent his next three years as an Apprentice Air Force Traffic Controller at Perrin AFB near Sherman, Texas. During Darrell’s duty at Perrin AFB President John Kennedy was assassinated and Lyndon Johnson became president. President Johnson’s ranch

was near Austin, Texas and it was common to see President Johnson land on Air Force 1 at Bergstrom AFB. Darrell’s unit also manned a mobile control tower at President Johnson’s ranch where he often flew directly to on smaller aircraft.

Darrell spent the next 18 months at Clark AFB in the Philippines. This was the first mobile communications Air Force Group Implementer Unit. From this base he was deployed to Vietnam for 5 months where he saw the Bob Hope show and was again deployed for five month to an AFB in Thailand.

The next five years were spent as a Traffic Controller at Sheppard AFB at Wichita Falls, Texas where he started his family. After one year at an AFB in Greenland 23 miles north of the Arctic Circle, he closed out the last nine years of his career at Minot AFB in North Dakota where he served as “Air Traffic Control Superintendent,” and spent his free time coaching 5, 6 and 7 year old hockey players. During Master Sergeant Waring’s 20 years of distinguished service he was awarded: Air Force Commendation Medal twice, NCO Academy Graduate Ribbon, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon w/5 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal w/2 Bronze Service Stars, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Good Conduct Medal w/1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/Palm and Master Traffic Controller Badge.

Retirement in 1980 brought Darrell back to his roots In Fairbury. He worked three years at Delta Optical, five years at Endicott Clay Products Company, but most of the last 30 years were devoted to his own janitorial service, flying planes and using his musical talents with Gospel Music Ministry. Due to a medical set back in recent time his musical talents are now limited to playing the Pan Flute and entertaining himself with his computer where he now resides at Cedarwood Assisted Living.