Kenneth William Cordier

Col. Kenneth W. Cordier, age 87, of Plano, Texas passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. An interment service with full military honors for Colonel Cordier will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, July 12, 2024 at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, TX. Reception following at Dallas Baptist University, Pilgrim Chapel, downstairs, 3000 Mountain Creek Parkway. His Celebration of Life service will be held from 2:00-4:00 PM Saturday, July 13, 2024 at the Frontiers of Flight Museum by Love Field, 6911 Lemmon Avenue, Dallas. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Roaring Lambs Ministries, 17110 Dallas Parkway, Suite 260 Dallas, TX 75248 or online at www.RoaringLambs.org/donate

Ken Cordier was born on February 16, 1937 in Canton, Ohio. He was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Akron on July 16, 1960, and was trained as a Minuteman Missile Launch Officer in 1961, later serving as an instructor in the course before entering Undergraduate Pilot Training in January 1963. Lt Cordier was awarded his pilot wings on December 19, 1964, and then completed F-4 Phantom II Combat Crew Training. He then flew F-4s with the 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron at MacDill AFB, Florida, and then flying combat missions in Southeast Asia with the 45th TFS in January 1965 while deployed to Ubon RTAFB, Thailand. Cordier volunteered for a second combat tour in June 1966, this time flying out of Cam Ranh Bay AB in the Republic of Vietnam. On December 2, 1966, while flying his 176th combat mission, Cordier was forced to eject over North Vietnam after his F-4 took a direct hit from a surface-to-air missile. He was immediately captured and spent the next 2,284 days as a Prisoner of War before being released during Operation Homecoming on March 4, 1973. After hospitalization, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College and then requalified to fly jet fighters. From 1979 to 1981, he directed the flying operations at Sembach AB in West Germany, and was then selected to command the reactivation of Wiesbaden AB, also in West Germany. He met his future wife, Barbara Leighton, in Germany where they were married on June 7, 1980. Col Cordier served as Air Attache to the United Kingdom, based at the U.S. Embassy in London, from 1982 until his retirement from the Air Force on January 31, 1985. After his retirement, Ken represented British Aerospace in Washington, D.C., as Director of Military Aircraft. Col Cordier wears Command Pilot Wings as well as the Air Force Missile Badge, and accumulated over 2,000 flying hours in fighter aircraft during his Air Force career.

Colonel Cordier served as President of NAM-POWs and the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association. He was a past Commander of the Dallas Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars. He was a Charter Member of the Dallas Veterans Day Parade, serving as Grand Marshal twice. He served as Chairman and President of the Dallas Military Ball, was inducted into the Combat Aviators Hall of Fame, was an Honorary American Fighter Ace, and was awarded the annual DAR Medal of Honor. He was a member of Quiet Birdmen and a 32nd degree Mason. Because of his faith in Jesus Christ, Colonel Cordier was inducted into the Roaring Lambs Hall of Fame, receiving the Profiles in Courage Award.

Ken is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Barbie; a daughter, Ann Weaver; granddaughters, Hannah and Shelby of Seattle, Nicole; and a great-grandson, Alex of Hawaii. His son, Louie, predeceased him in 2006, leaving their daughter-in-law, Catherine Melby of Missouri.

A Hero's Welcome:

Time to come home dear brother

Your tour of duty through

You’ve given as much as anyone

Could be expected to do.

Just a few steps further

The smoke will start to clear

Others here will guide you

You have no need to fear.

You have not failed your brothers

You dearly gave it all

And through your selfless actions

Others will hear the call.

So, take your place of honor

Among those who have gone before

And know you will be remembered

For now, and evermore.