Earl L. Huggins

Colonel Earl L Huggins, US Air Force (retired), passed away on June 15, 2018 at age 92. He was a long time resident of Las Vegas, moving here with his family in 1973. He was known by relatives and friends by the nick name “Jack”.

He was born September 20, 1925 on a ranch in Idaho close to West Yellowstone, Montana to parents Earl W. and Leona M Huggins. He grew up in western Montana, attending a one room Grade School in Monida, Montana and graduating from High School in Missoula, Montana in 1944. Right after graduation he entered the US Army, took basic Infantry Training at Camp Hood, Texas and soon was on the front lines in Europe. He was an Infantry man with the 45th Infantry Division of General George Patton’s Third Army during the “Bulge”, crossed the Rhine into Germany and ended up helping free the prisoners from the Dachau Concentration Camp near Munich. He received a battlefield promotion to Staff Sergeant as a Squad Leader. He left active duty in 1946 and remained in the Army Reserve, attending Montana State College and working part time until qualifying for the US Air Force Aviation Cadet Program in 1949.

He spent the next 24 years in the Air Force serving in many different capacities and in many different places. During the Cold War, he was assigned to the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing that flew the RB-45 throughout the world from bases in Europe and Japan. During the Korean War he flew reconnaissance missions out of Japan over Korea, China, and Russia. Other duties included training, recruiting, and operations that kept him on the move throughout the US. In the middle of all this he met his wife, Marnell (Sunny), during a ferrying mission to Norton AFB, California in 1952 and they were married in 1954. During the Vietnam War he spent 16 months flying Tactical Air Support in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. On a second tour, he flew long B-52 missions out of Guam to Vietnam. His last assignment was as the Base Civil Engineer and as Commander of the Civil Engineering Squadron at Minot AFB, North Dakota. His military career spanned 29 years and he served as both an Enlisted man and as an Officer, retiring as a Colonel.

He was a graduate of the USAF Command & Staff College, received a BS in Mechanical Engineering Degree from Arizona State University with a USAF scholarship, and did post graduate studies in Business at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Even though he was a Master Navigator with over 7000 hours of worldwide flying and the recipient of many awards, his most cherished award was the Combat Infantry Badge earned serving with Patton’s Third Army in Europe. He was fond of saying he loved the Air Force but was really just an Army grunt at heart. His citations include: Three Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Star Medals, five Air Medals, two Commendation Medals, a Presidential Unit Citation, two USAF outstanding unit awards and numerous campaign ribbons for World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, and the Cold war.

After retiring from the US Air Force in 1973, he attended UNLV and then worked as a Real Estate Broker for 18 years specializing in land sales. In 1992 he retired to his workshop and enjoyed his favorite hobby of woodworking. He was a conservative person, an avid reader, and loved to write letters to the editor and politicians. He was a family man and enjoyed years of touring, camping, boating and fishing with his wife and children. He was active with his children in Scouts, Y Indian Guides, Little League and all of their school activities.

He is survived by two daughters, Darla Italiano of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Sharon Huggins of Southern California; a son, Robert Huggins, of Henderson, Nevada; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father in 1985, his mother in 1998, his only brother Albert in 2003, and by his beloved wife Marnell in 2015.

He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Military Officers Association, and the Air Force Association. He was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association as a private pilot and a longtime supporter of Hospitalized Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed American Veterans, The Red Cross and all organizations that support the Armed Forces of America.

Private services will be held at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City, Nevada.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation.