Louis Buck H Austin

Louis H. (Buck) Austin of Decatur, Alabama passed away 18 January 2016. He was 90 years old.

A US Army Air Force combat veteran of WWII, he was involved in the Pacific air campaign flying in B-25 bombers, serving as the plane's tail gunner and radio operator. Records indicate that Buck flew 13 combat sorties over Guadalcanal and the main islands of Japan before the war ended. He was wounded once by anti-aircraft fire, with pieces of shrapnel lodged that were never removed.

Buck served again during the Korean and Vietnam wars, retiring in 1966 from the US Air Force. He worked in Decatur at Chemstrand & Monsanto, retiring again in 1986.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Deborah. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Dorothea, whom he met and married in England during the Berlin Airlift while stationed at Bovington RAFB, England. Other surviving relatives include his brother Tommy Seibert of Hartselle, his son William of Tampa, Florida, his three grandchildren: Leah of Salt Lake City, Utah; Jason of Tampa; and Kirstin of Birmingham. There are two great grandchildren, Patrick and Mark, and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews, most living in Decatur and Hartselle, Alabama.

Buck will be interred in the Florida National Cemetery located in Bushnell, Florida at his retired rank of Technical Sergeant, USAF.