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Airman, community 'voice' remembered

  • Published
  • By Chrissy Cuttita
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Sept. 8, 2006 --  Tyndall lost a dear Air Force family member Saturday with the passing of Maj. Gen. Larry Fleming, 31 years and one day after he retired from the Air Force. 
    
He was well known for his active voice on the base and in Bay County, where he lived since shortly after he retired. 

"He was active, no question about it," said retired Maj. Gen. Carl Peterson. "He was always looking at what we were doing and how it affects future generations. He'd always do his research and never back off a position." 
    
Though the two friends did not hold official titles downtown, General Peterson called himself and General Fleming "neighborhood experts." 
    
On base, the Retirees Activities office has definitely been influenced by General Fleming. In fact, he was primarily responsible for setting it up in 1978 and for often monitoring and manning it until just one week ago. 
   
"I thought he was a great individual," said retired Chief Master Sgt. Doyle Wade, RAO volunteer. "He was always looking out for the military."
General Fleming's first experience at Tyndall was as a student at the Air Tactical School in 1947. While attending training here, he was assigned as a fighter pilot to the 1st Fighter Group at March Field, Calif. 
    
A decorated war veteran, General Fleming served in World War II with the 55th Fighter Group in England, flying the P-51 Mustang and is credited with 197 combat hours in 38 missions.  
    
During the Vietnam War era, he flew the A-1 Skyraider with the Vietnamese after being transferred to the Republic of Vietnam as adviser to the Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Vietnamese Air Force, at Tan Son Nhut Airfield in January 1968. It was at this assignment he met General Peterson. 
    
"We all worked together; he told us what to do and we did it," said General Peterson, who remembers his friend as someone who was serious about work but also had a humorous side. 
    
Their careers crossed a second time at Tyndall before owning post-retirement homes down the road from each other in Panama City. 
    
General Peterson remembered assuming command from General Fleming in 1973 at the Air Defense Weapons Center, Aerospace Defense Command here. There were 96 aircraft on Tyndall's runway including F-106s, T-33s, a few air rescue helicopters and additional aircraft here for air-combat and live-fire training. General Fleming left the busy airfield here to command the 24th North American Air Defense Command Region and the 24th Air Division at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. from February 1973 until June 1974. 
    
His last assignment was chief of staff, U.S. Southern Command with headquarters at Quarry Heights, Canal Zone in 1974. 
   
"He was a good friend, a great Soldier and Airman who flew 7,000 flying hours with only one accident," said General Peterson. 
    
General Fleming's military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem, and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with oak leaf cluster. 
    
"He was honest and straight forward. He was a loving husband and father," said General Peterson. "We'd both call each other daily at 6 a.m. We never started out together but we ended up together (in life)." 
    
General Fleming was born in 1922, in Green Bay, Wis., where he graduated from high school in 1941. He then attended St. Norbert's College, West DePere, Wis. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in November 1942 and began his active military career in January 1943 as an aviation cadet. 
    
He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and received his pilot wings in Jackson, Miss., in March 1944, and then attended P-40 pilot training.
Services for General Fleming were held Wednesday, and a memorial mass was held at St. Dominic's Catholic Church. 
   
"General Fleming was an outstanding member of our faith community," said Father Peter Zalewski, pastor of St. Dominic Catholic Church in Panama City where General Fleming was a member. "He was quite active in helping others and was a great example to other retirees. 
    
"He was an exemplary model of using the talent, skills and abilities he developed in military service to continue to serve the community around him after active duty," said Father Zalewski.