Lt. Col Stanley James Boren (ret) was born June 17, 1922 in Mounds City, IL, to Fred and Nora Boren, one of eight children. Stan graduated from Mounds City High School in 1940 and joined the Army after graduation. He was filling salt and pepper shakers when Pearl Harbor was attacked and the call went out to anyone who had flight experience, which Stan had since his best friend’s father had a plane and Stan had learned to fly while still in High School.
Stan graduated from flight school in Ellington Field, Texas in 1942 and was sent to Page Field for further training and there met Doris Boren. Stan finished his training at Page Field and was sent to Avon Park, FL for further training. He and Doris were married in Sebring, FL on January 28, 1943. Stan flew as a Staff Sargent during the war with the Army Air Corps and later was commissioned a 1st Lt. when the Air Force was created.
Stan was thrown into the war after graduating from his training at Avon Park, he flew 64 missions during the war and flew over Italy, Sicily, Germany, North Africa, and France from April 1943 to June 1944. He flew a B-26 named Sunny’s Dream, after his wife of 52 years whose nickname was Sunny.
After the war he started training future pilots and was assigned to President Truman’s detail in Washington DC for five years. His career was highlighted by the people he met and few with over the years, he flew Presidents, Generals, and made friends with all who knew him. He flew with Doolittle around France checking on his flyers.
Stan and Doris had one child, Donna Jean, born on February 13, 1956 in Orlando, FL.
During the Vietnam War he was the pilot that was involved in moving two Elephants given to the village of Tra Bong by the Green Berets, about which the movie Dumbo Drop was made, he was to transport the elephants by C-130 to a field outside the village then they were helicoptered into the village. It was a successful operation and Stan was heard to say that he hoped they didn’t wake up and start moving around in his plane.
Stan loved flying, be it model planes, bi-planes, or the real thing. During the course of his life he had 63 cars, loved them and motorcycles, which he probably had close to 20 over his life.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Nora, seven siblings, first wife Doris, second wife Mary Jane, and grandson Dustin Skinner. He is survived by his daughter Donna, grandchildren Jessy, Trena and Hydee and three great grandchildren.
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