Edward "Ec" C. Hoagland Jr.

Edward Carl Hoagland, Jr. (EC) was born on May 6, 1920, deceased on August 9, 2014. EC is survived by his wife ReJean, son Edward Carl Hoagland III, daughter Alice (and her husband Gary), brother William (and his wife Adeline), and his five grandchildren, (Edward Carl IV, Julia, Jamison, Sasha and Morgan as well as several nieces and nephews.

EC was born in Louisville KY and attended Male High School where he was a member of the golf team caddying and playing frequently at his grandfathers golf course now known as Harmony Landing Golf Club. This was the beginning of a life long love of the sport. He loved telling tales of his early childhood and his adventurous best buddies, John Porter Sawyer and Whitney O’Bannon.

He was not a reluctant warrior when he joined the Army Air Corp during World War II. EC learned to fly and was well know for his skills and finesse with virtually any aircraft. He was a fighter pilot and instructor. It is possible that he was one of the first aviation feminists as he frequently commented on the superior skills women possessed when landing a plane. He flew 50 missions in WWII and 100 in the Korean War where he was awarded multiple honors and medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross. EC continued his career with the Air Force during peacetime; traveling with his family to multiple locations around the world. He was a test pilot at Wright Paterson Field with Chuck Yeager as well as Bud Anderson who became a World War 2 Triple Ace. His children remember him flying over their home, dipping his wings as he flew by. He loved this part of his life; the stories were many and always told with skill and humor. He was the definition of a raconteur.

“In September of 1941, one of my closest friends and I decided to enlist in the Air Corps and ended up at Keesler Field in Biloxi, Mississippi. On Sunday December 7, 1941 we found ourselves on leave enjoying a break and a wonderful breakfast at the Buena Vista Hotel when suddenly the hotel radio interrupted it’s regularly scheduled program too announce ‘Pearl Harbor has been attacked by the Japanese.’ This was followed by a bulletin ordering all military to return to their base immediately! We quickly checked out of our hotel to return to Keesler Field. Base security was lax prior to Pearl Harbor and we usually didn’t carry any identification. By the time we arrived back at Keesler Field, the place was in turmoil with the Air Police scurrying about searching everyone coming in. Since we didn’t have any identification we were put in the detention hold area we would have to remain there until someone could personally come by to identify us. As a result, we spent the night of 7 December 1941 in a detention block. We were released the next morning when Master Sargent Rosebourough came and claimed us. Thank God he wasn’t out of the country …. Or we might have spent the whole war there!

EC found himself in the Air Corps First Officer Candidate School in Miami Beach, Florida. “Since we didn’t have an upper class, our military and academic instructors were mostly Junior Field Artillery Officers from Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, wearing their military uniforms with the ‘Sam Brown’ belts and riding boots. They were indeed sharp and strict instructors.”

Then came Aerial Observation School at Brooks Field, Texas, where he earned his wings as an Aerial Observer and Aerial Gunner, followed by pilot training earning his pilots wings. After flying single engine aircraft and P-51 Mustang fighters during World War II, the allure of the blue skies was stronger than Kentucky bluegrass. “I realized I loved flying and other associated duties and decided the Air Force was a career for me.”

In 1946, just prior to the Air Force becoming a separate service, a small number of Air Force regular commissions were made available to active duty reserve officers on a competitive basis. EC applied, completed all the required tests and required interviews, and accepted a regular Air Force Commission.

While stations at Andrews AFB, he met, dated, and married the late Julia Kenney, daughter of the late Air Force Four Star General George C. Kenney, who had served under General Douglas MacArthur as Commanding General of the Allied Air Forces, Southwest Pacific, in World War II.

In 1949 while EC was still at Clark AFB in the Philippines, he served as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Jarred V. Crabb, Commanding General, 13th Air Force. Whole serving as aide to General Crabb, EC had the honor of escorting the legendary Charles A. Lindberg on a personal tour of Clark Field and the aircraft operations area. He said Lindberg was an extremely intelligent, low key and courteous gentleman.

“As a Captain and the Squadron Operations Officer, here comes this impressive young second lieutenant named James Allen. I recall saying to myself – this Lieutenant is going places in the Air Force.” Allen was assigned duties as EC’s assistant operations officer – the place they went was a war over Korea flying 100 missions in P-51 Mustangs. James Allen later became the US Air Force Academy’s seventh Superintendent.

After EC retired from the Air Force in 1962, he and his family moved to Colorado where he began his second career with United Airlines as a flight instructor through 1986. He had a unique ability to teach with clarity and precision. He loved working with fellow pilots and they with him.

He was temporarily laid off from United Airlines and work with Freddie Smith in the training program for Federal Express then to work flying for Delta Air Transport out of Antwerp, Belgium for eighteen months.

During this time EC began to work as an Air Force Liaison Officer, occasionally travelling to remote locations in Colorado to recruit high school students for the Academy. EC said, “The most important things I stress to both ALO’s and young people is; Honor; Ethics; Integrity; Accountability; Responsibility, and Service before Self.”

He was awarded multiple annual awards as a Liaison Officer and was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award, 2 years ago from the Air Force Academy. He told stories of early aviation at that ceremony where his wife and children saw many young pilots asking for more from this then 92 year old aviation pioneer. EC also loved the Academy football games, first by going to every home and away game, and in later years watching them on television. Those 3 hours were sacrosanct … don’t call unless its halftime!! He loved being a member of the Academy Quarterback Club. In addition, he was a 32nd degree Mason.

EC was a quiet but persistent athlete. He played golf most of his adult life and continued to better himself with weekly lessons well into his 70’s and early 80’s. His swing was graceful and precise. His children vividly remember him shooting a 78 on his 78th birthday. EC was also well known for his walking. In his 60’s and 70’s he had a ritual of walking as many miles as his age on the 3-4 days surrounding his birthday … tent camping along the way and always ending at the Air Force Academy football field 50 yard line. In later years, he would take his dogs walking around Chatfield Dam (Colorado) every day, sometime twice a day. He drove his perfectly maintained 1996 Red Ford Mustang up until 3 days before he died.

EC was lucky to have been deeply loved by two special women - his first wife, Julia (deceased in 1976) and his current wife, ReJean Peeples. Both of these ladies saw him through different phases of his life and grounded him in ways that he would never know. In later years he enjoyed his nightly cocktail ritual of only vitamin water while sitting on his front porch with ReJean and his beloved dogs.

He will be missed. His abundant humor and stories will resonate. Those wishing to donate in his memory may do so in EC's name to the Colorado Humane Society, 2080 S. Quebec St., Denver, CO 80231, Phone: 720-241-7125, online: http://coloradohumane.org/donate.

However, if EC were here, he would say the best way to honor his life is to walk … just walk.

Funeral service Wednesday, August 13, 2014 at 10:30AM, with visitation at 9:00AM at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary in Centennial, Colorado.

Burial at Arlington National Cemetery at later date.

Arrangements under the direction of Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, Centennial, Colorado.