COLUMBIA - A Memorial Service for Brig. Gen. Stanley V. Hood, Sr. will be held at Shandon Baptist Church on August 31, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. A private burial will be held at Fort Jackson National Cemetery. Visitation will be immediately following the service at the church. Memorial service will be conducted by Rev. George Wright. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family.
General Hood died August 25, 2018. Born in Blytheville, AR on February 5, 1928, he was the son of the late Samuel McKee Hood and Iva Lawfield Hood. He attended the University of Arkansas, University of Arizona, and University of Southern California. General Hood was a graduate of the Air Command & Staff College of the Air University as well as the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He also trained at New York University in Industrial Safety as well as Nuclear Safety at Lowery AFB, Co. He was an Air Force veteran of the Korean War and was recalled to active duty in 1961/62 and sent to Moron, Spain due to the Berlin Crisis. In the South Carolina Air National Guard he first served as a traditional Guardsman as a fighter pilot. Other assignments on full time duty with the ANG included Air Defense Alert, Instructor Pilot in numerous fighter aircraft, Armament & Electronics Officer, OPS Officer of 157th FIS, 157th FS Cmdr, 169th FG Commander, and final assignment as Commander of South Carolina Air National Guard. As an Air Force Civil Servant, Stan served as Instructor Pilot, Director of Flight Operations followed by Commander of McEntire Air National Guard Base. McEntire had over 1300 Reserve Guardsmen and more than 350 full military.
General Hood was a life Member of the Air Force Association, Military Officers Association of America, and the F-86 Sabre Jet Association, National Guard Association of US, National Guard Association of SC, also a member of a Fraternity of Military Pilots called Daedalians, the American Legion Post 6, Carolinas Historical Aviation Commission at Charlotte Airport, Celebrate Freedom Foundation, Eighth Air Force Association, Richland County Sherriff’s Association, Fort Jackson Officers’ Club and Golf Club, a charter Member of the All Ranks Club at McEntire, as well as a proud honorary member of the McEntire Chapter of NCO Academy Graduates Association. Stan was one of the founding members of the SC Air National Guard Retirees and Former Members Breakfast Club. He served as President of the National Guard Association of SC as well as President of the Lower Richland Ruritan Civic Club. Within the Air Force Association, he served as Columbia Chapter President, State President, National Vice President/Southeast, and more recently a three year tour as a National Director, Air Force Association. During Basic Flight Training in the USAF, Stan was also honored to be selected as the Cadet Group Commander.
At the age of 12 he was a passenger in a J-3 piper Cub piloted by his older brother on the afternoon (CST) of December 7, 1941. Upon landing they saw a large gathering of men around an auto listening to the reports of the ongoing attack on Pearl Harbor. As a teenager, Stan washed and waxed aircraft for rides and sometimes instructional flights by his Instructor brother. As a result of earning his Private Pilot License at age 17, he was given a checkout flight in a number of different aircraft. This allowed him to fly “shotgun” with various new senior citizen pilots who had bought brand new aircraft immediately after WW2. His primary duty in the endeavor was to insure that the new pilots didn’t kill themselves, and especially to monitor the landings since a few of the customers seemed to think the runway was 50 feet higher than it really was. Stan said that this was his first introduction to being an instructor pilot.
As a young Capt, in 1961 he was involved with checking out foreign pilots from Pakistan, Japan, and Taiwan while his unit was flying the supersonic Mach 2 F-104 Starfighter. One pilot in particular was a young Japanese pilot by the name of Yamamoto, the son of Admiral Yamamoto, the planner of the Peal Harbor attack. Stan said that Capt Yamamoto was indeed a fine pilot, but that Stan was delighted to beat him at Table Tennis every time and that was truly enjoyable because the Japanese pilots took such great pride in playing and winning the game. General Hood was combat ready in a number of aircraft including the F-80, F-86, F-104, F-102, the A-7 Corsair 2, and the world class F-16 Falcon which he was privileged to fly the last three years of his career in the Air Force and ANG. Other military aircraft during forty years of flying included the T-34, T-6, T-33, Cessna 310 (U-3), Beach C-45, and the famous Douglas C-47 “Gooney Bird” as well as numerous civilian aircraft.
The 157FS/169FG had NATO assigned “beddown” bases alternately in Germany, Norway, and Korea. General Hood led over water flights for wartime exercises in Hawaii and Norway. He also led his unit back from another NATO exercise in Great Britain and over Europe. He also enjoyed proudly telling non-military friends about the many calls to active duty in the Southwest Asia AOR that his former unit so successfully accomplished. Also about the smartness and dedication of the Swamp Foxes of South Carolina, recognized throughout the Air Force as the Best of all the tactical fighter units in the Reserve Forces. He took great delight in bragging about the unprecedented reliability of aircraft serviced and maintained by the men and women of the South Carolina Air National Guard as well as the combat proficiency of its pilots and the always ready support forces of Communications, Logistics, and Security. His military awards included the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal. He cherished the professional relationship he had with all his fellow Air Force and Air National Guardsmen and women, but especially mentors Generals McEntire, Morrell, Patterson, COL Sam Finklea, Sr., Col. Homer Keisler and Col. Jack Moak, CMS Roy Wiedemann, CMS Bill Connelly, CMS Ed Boozer, and Command Chief JC Hatchell, Sr. The personal guidance of BGen. James H. Tuten and BGen. Charles L. Blount given to General Hood throughtout his Command years was never forgotten and held a special place in his heart.
General Hood graduated from Blytheville, AR High School where he served as co-Capt of the football team and held membership in the National Honor Society and the National BETA Club. He also played baseball on the Blytheville American Legion’s very first team. He attained the rank of STAR Scout and later served as a founder and adult leader of an Air Explorer Scout Troop as well as a member of the Regional Scout Committee.
General Hood served as a Deacon in First Baptist of Sumter, Capitol View Baptist and Shandon Baptist, both of Columbia. While a college student he served as a Bible teacher of nine year old boys in Tucson, AR. At Shandon, Stan served as Sunday School Department Director for Adults. He also served as the Head Usher until age 75. Shandon also tasked him as Chairman of the physical move of the entire church from 819 Woodrow to the present Forest Drive campus in 1995.
Stan took great pride in bragging about the many successes of his children and grandchildren. At the close of 62 years of marriage to Alvenia he said that she not only complemented his military career but that her success as a retail business owner added greatly to the financial stability of the family. Indeed it was a love affair from beginning to this temporary separation.
General Hood is predeceased by his wife Alvenia Winegard Hood and is survived by sons, Col. Stanley Vincent Hood, Jr. (Karen) and Samuel Mark Hood (Susan) of Columbia, SC; daughter, Ruby Hood Raine (Michael) of Little Rock, AR. Grandchildren, Austin Hood (Nicki), Leigh Hood Ladd (Gray), Rachel, Laura, and Katie Hood, all of Columbia, SC, Joshua Raine (Jennifer) of Watauga, TX, Jacob Raine (Emily) of Little Rock, AR, and Rebekah Kuhn (Logan) of Memphis, TN. Great-Grandchildren, Angesom Samuel Ladd and Elsie Reece Ladd of Columbia, SC and Levi Joshua Raine of Watauga, TX, plus several nieces and nephews in whom Stan took great pride. He was predeceased by four brothers and three sisters.
Memorials may be made to Heartworks and Jubilee Academy, 3390 Pine Belt Road, Columbia, SC 29204, South Carolina National Guard Foundation (or SCNGF) PO Box 7606, Columbia, SC 29202 or to Shandon Baptist Church Building Fund, 5250 Forest Drive, Columbia, SC 29206.
Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.
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