D. C. Vest

D. C. is survived by his wife, Ilse Vest, Sherwood, AR, daughters Theresa (Floyd, Jr.) Jones, Denver, NC, and Carol Griffin, Marion, AR, son, Ronald (Jackie) Vest, Mammoth Spring, AR, step children, Gale McVicker, North Little Rock, Gary (Donna) Collier, and Rose (Allen) Sykes, Sherwood, AR, and many loving grandchildren, great grandchildren, and extended family.

Visitation will be from 6:00 until 8:00 pm at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home on Monday, February 5. Funeral services will be at 9:30 on Tuesday, February 6, with interment to follow at Arkansas State Veteran’s Cemetery, 1501 W Maryland Ave, Sherwood, AR at 11:00 am.

Born in Sidney, Arkansas on April 16, 1932 to Roger William Vest and Zetta Rena Claxton Vest, Cordell, as he was known to friends and family back home, graduated from Sidney High School. He attended MoArk Baptist College in West Plains, Mo. and Southwest Missouri State College, Springfield, Mo. He was a member of Sidney Baptist Church.

He joined the United States Air Force on October 29, 1952 as a 2nd lieutenant, attending the Southern Airways School, Bainbridge Air Base, Bainbridge, GA. He graduated from the University of the Philippines as a 1st lieutenant on December 16, 1956.

D. C., as he was known to his fellow aviators, achieved mastery of high performance jet fighters, including the F-84, F-86, F-100, and, his favorite, F-4. His skill and leadership as a combat flight commander earned him the respect and admiration of subordinates and superiors alike. He was nominated for the prestigious Koren Kolligian Trophy for his handling of an emergency involving a fire in the engine compartment of his aircraft and ejection over the English Channel during his assignment at Wethersfield, England, 1963. His expertise earned him the position of squadron level Fighter Weapons Instructor Pilot in the F-4 at Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1966-1967. He was selected as project officer for the technical film “F-4 Flight Characteristics” as a contributor in the writing and technical correctness of the script. He also led the "Missing Man Formation Fly Over" for Lyndon B. Johnson’s funeral in 1973.

Colonel Vest’s Foreign Service included the Philippines, 1954-1956, England, 1961-1964, Vietnam, 1966, and Thailand, 1972. When the 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, NC, was tasked with deployment to Ubon, Thailand, he was selected to lead the squadron in the deployment. He earned membership in the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association “River Rats” for successfully striking heavily defended targets located in the Red River Valley of North Vietnam. Between his two deployments in 1966 and 1972 he flew a total of 336 combat missions.

Colonel Vest was awarded the Korean Service Medal, 4 Vietnam Service Medals, 25 Air Medals, the Bronze Star, 7 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and numerous other Awards and Decorations.

Prior to retirement, Colonel Vest accepted the post of Base Commander, Little Rock AFB, Jacksonville, AR.

After retirement, D. C. served as a Sergeant in the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Little Rock, AR. He was a devoted father, grandfather, and friend to all. He was passionate about his “herd” of mini ponies, to which he tended with much love every day. His devotion extended to all of his beloved dogs, along with the occasional stray that might show up at his barn door.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Wounded Warriors Project, https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/.