Boyd W. Hensley

COL. BOYD HENSLEY U.S. Air Force, Retired Colonel Boyd "Bud" Hensley passed away Nov. 20, 2011. He was born June 3, 1929, in Paint Lick, Garrard County, Ky., and was a 31-year resident of Las Vegas. He entered the U.S. Air Force in 1950, receiving his pilot's wings and commission as a 2nd lieutenant at Williams AFB, Ariz., then the nation's first jet fighter school. He graduated from Combat Crew Training School at Luke AFB, flying the F-84G. He then went to the 9th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 49th Fighter Bomber Group, Komaki Air Base, Japan, returning to Luke AFB in June 1956, and served as an instructor pilot in the F-84F and F-100 for the next six years. Col. Hensley was then assigned as an operating advisor to the 101st Fighter Squadron, 11th Fighter Wing, flying F-86s with the Republic of Korea Air Force. Upon completing this tour, he was once again assigned to Luke AFB, training German pilots in the F-104. In 1967, he was assigned to work with the U.S. Army in South Vietnam as a forward air controller. In 1968, Col. Hensley was assigned to Air Force System Command, Eglin AFB, Fla., as a flight evaluator for F-4, F-104, and F-111s. In 1971, he was assigned as commander of the Barry Goldwater Weapons Range in Gila Bend, Ariz. He was promoted to the rank of colonel and appointed deputy commander of Cannon AFB, N.M. In 1974, he was assigned to Kunsan Air Base, Korea as the base commander, and in 1975 was named base commander of Clark AFB, Republic of the Philippines. He returned to Luke AFB in 1977 and retired from the Air Force in 1979. Col. Hensley received numerous awards during his Air Force career, including two Air Medals for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and both the Bronze and Silver Star while serving in Vietnam. One of his proudest accomplishments was accumulating over 5000 hours in single engine jet aircraft F-84s, F-86s, F-100s, and F-104s. Col. Hensley was preceded in death by his parents, William Bradley and Mary Bain Hensley of Lakeland, Fla.; an older brother, William Bradley Jr.; and his beloved wife, Bettye Lehr, originally of West Memphis, Ark. He is survived by a younger brother, Howard (Connie) Hensley of West Lafayette, Ind.; two daughters, Roxann (Michael) Bonner and Gigi McCombe, both of Las Vegas; four grandchildren, Austin Bonner of Osaka, Japan, Megan Bonner, Kristen Bonner and Ryan McCombe, all of Las Vegas; and numerous nephews and nieces. Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at Palm Mortuary, 1600 S. Jones Blvd. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 W. Bonneville Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89106. Arrangements under the direction of Palm South Jones Mortuary, Las Vegas, NV.