MICHAEL THOMAS DODSON
As written by Mary Foster Dodson

My husband, Mike, was born in the Harken Hospital, Osceola on 22 April 1949. His mother was Carolyn Madge Dodson, daughter of Floyd and Daisy Swain McQuern of Osceola. His father was James Alson Dodson, son of James and Ruth Ola Hayes Dodson of Sherman, Texas, He attended schools in Osceola, graduating in 1967, and one year at Iowa State University in Ames.

Knowing that he would be called to the draft soon, Mike enlisted in the Air Force and was sent to Lackland AFB {Air Force Base) in San Antonio, Texas in August 1968. After two months of basic training, he was transferred to Sheppard AFB at Wichita Falls, Texas for technical school. Mike was trained as a reciprocating engine aircraft maintenance specialist, He was a class leader and an honor graduate. When training was completed, he was sent to Hurlburt Field, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, an auxiliary field to Eglin AFB, Destin, Florida. This was part of the TAC (Tactical Air Command) system and Eglin was the largest AFB at that time. At Hurlburt, Mike worked on the AlE Douglas Sky Raider fighter which was used extensively in Vietnam. From there, Mike was sent to the Panama Canal Zone and was part of the Air Force southern command. He was in Transient Alert which handled all non-base assigned aircraft including planes from all over the world and on one occasion, Mike told Prince Phillip of the UK (United Kingdom) where to park his plane and received a beer for his effort. Mike was transferred to the Space and Missile Command at Los Angeles International Airport for his final year in the service. While there, he was again in Transient Alert. He was discharged as a Staff Sergeant (E-5) in 1972.

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Last Revised June 1, 2015