Ralph Scott Saunders

June 24, 1922 - December 6, 2002

Retired Air Force Major General Ralph Scott Saunders, Sr. died of upper esophageal cancer December 6 at age 80 in San Antonio, TX. He was born in Roanoke, Virginia on June 24, 1922 to Walter Lawrence Saunders of Goodview, VA and Minnie Hammersley Tibbs Saunders of Concord Depot, VA. After a whirlwind two-month courtship, he married Dorris Jean Peeler, a Texas Tech journalism junior from Levelland, TX at Aloe Field, Victoria, TX on June 9, 1945. He is survived by his wife Dorris, sons retired Air Force Colonel Scott Saunders and wife Patty of Melbourne, FL, retired Army Colonel Larry Saunders and wife Sally of Lakewood, WA, and daughter Jan Saunders and husband Ramon Palacios of Buenos Aires, Argentina, seven grandchildren Jennifer, Megan, Scott, Matt, Cris, Tim and Fran and one great grandchild Finn. He is survived by sisters Faith and husband Bill Scott of Charleston, SC, and Hope and husband Bill Kerr of Roanoke, VA, and brothers Nelson and wife Betty of Roanoke, VA, Ray and wife Naida of Tuscaloosa, AL, Andrew of Fairfax, VA, and Hiram and wife Nancy of Memphis, TN. General Saunders joined the Virginia National Guard immediately upon graduating from Jefferson High School in Roanoke in 1939. He served his country faithfully for the next 40 years, transitioning to the Army Air Corps in 1943, then the Air Force in 1948. In that time he accumulated over 11, 000 flying hours in 40 types of aircraft. In Word War II at the age of 22, he flew 35 combat missions in B-24's with 491st Bombardment Group at Metfield, England. During the Korean War, he flew 70 combat C-119 missions. In Southeast Asia, he flew 278 combat missions in C-123 and C-130's. In 1958, while assigned to the 322nd Air Division in Evreux, France, General Saunders flew C-130 airlift operations in the Lebanon Crisis. During that same period he also volunteered for a dangerous mission ordered by President Eisenhower to defy the Soviet control of the Berlin Air Corridor above 10, 000 feet by flying at 24, 000 feet. Proving his frequent luck in combat, later radio decryptions revealed the five Soviet MIG pilots challenging him, though repeatedly signaling him to land and surrender, had ultimately refused their orders to shoot down his plane. Between combat assignments, General Saunders was a squadron commander in the 314th Troop Carrier Wing at Sewart AFB, TN, and helped to develop standardization and evaluation procedures for the entire Air Force while assigned to the Pentagon. During 1962-1966 he served as operations director within the 315th Air Division, and commanded the 817th Troop Carrier Squadron, and the 6002nd Standardization and Evaluation Group in Okinawa. Senior executive positions included deputy commander of the 436th Military Airlift Wing at Dover AFB, DE, assistant deputy chief of staff for operations of Military Airlift Command at Scott AFB, IL, commander of 9th Weather Reconnaissance Wing at McClellan AFB, CA, commander of 60th Military Airlift Wing and then vice commander of 22nd Air Force at Travis AFB, CA. The capstone of his career was the opportunity in 1974 to command the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service at Scott AFB, IL. He was particularly proud to be the first rescue commander to be personally credited with a combat pilot save. He retired from that assignment in 1979 to San Antonio, Texas. He was awarded numerous decorations for his extraordinary service, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Star Medals, 12 Air Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, and two Army Commendation Medals. He was also presented the rare "Order of the Sword" Award and the prestigious "Chief's" Award by the non-commissioned officers of the Military Airlift Command, and the "Press On" Award by the National Association for Search and Rescue. General Saunders completed over three years of study at the University of Maryland and was a 1967 graduate of the National War College. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, January 7, 9:30 a.m. at Randolph AFB Chapel #1, Bldg. 102, Harmon Drive, in San Antonio. The service will be followed by an 11:00 a.m. interment at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, 1520 Harry Wurzbach Highway, and a 12:00 p.m. reception at One Park Towers Park Lane, San Antonio, Texas. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to hospice support at Vista Care Foundation, 5815 Callaghan Road, and Suite 102, San Antonio, Texas 78228. The family invites you to leave a message or memory at www.porterloring.com by selecting Visitation and Services. Select Sign Guestbook at the bottom of the individual Memorial. Arrangements with Porter Loring