John E. Downey
Preferred Name: Jack
Nickname/Call Sign:
Date of Birth: June 29, 1930 (June 23, 2018)
Highest Military Grade Held: Colonel
Hometown: Whitefish, MT
Biography
John “Jack” Downey loved his early life in Whitefish, Montana where he managed Whitefish Lake swimming, waterskied in Cypress Gardens, FL with an acrobatic team and received a football scholarship to the University of North Dakota.
As a USAF career fighter pilot, Jack flew the F-86, F-4, and F-100 and was a team member of the World Champion William Tell Gunnery Team. He was also Flight Commander of many squadrons, developed air refueling testing, developed low-level photo reconnaissance of SAM sites in Cuba, and supported President Kennedy’s embargo during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Jack was honored with pilot wings by the Chinese Air Force. In addition, Jack was actively engaged in the Vietnam Conflict. He ended his USAF career as an Executive Secretariat at the Pentagon and received and Daedalian for his last tour of duty prior to retiring in June of 1973.
After retirement, Jack was a General Contractor/Developer in VA, MD, and DC. He was arbitrator/Mediator for construction hearings as well as a Construction Management Consultant n Jupiter, FL in the 1990s.
Jack and his wife spent their time between Annapolis, MD and Jupiter Island, FL and moved to Palm City, FL in 2000. In 2017 they moved back to Palm City to be near their daughter, Paige Noel.
Source: https://www.davidcgross.com/notices/ColJohn-Downey
Units Assigned
1957-1958 461st Fighter Day Squadron, Hahn AFB, Germany
1958-1960 36th Tactical Fighter Wing
1960 Cannon AFB, NM
1960 4521st CCTS Nellis AFB, NV
1962 4452nd Stan Eval Squadron, Waco TX
1964 4450th Stan Eval Sq Langley AFB, VA
1968 523rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Clark AFB, Phillipines
1968 352nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Phan Rang Air Base, Vietnam
1969 Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam
Awards & Decorations
Flight Info
F-100
Military Education
Civilian Education
Col. John E. Downey “Headed West” June 23, 2018
Col. John E. “Jack” Downey, passed away peacefully on June 23, 2018, in St. Petersburg, FL. Jack is survived by his wife, Marilyn DeWitt Eddy and his children Kristen Crider, John E, Downey, Jr., Paige Noel, Stacy Westbrook, Diane New, and Denise Kid.
Jack loved his early life in Whitefish, Montana where he managed Whitefish Lake swimming, waterskied in Cypress Gardens, FL with an acrobatic team and received a football scholarship to the University of North Dakota.
As a USAF career fighter pilot, Jack flew the F-86, F-4, and F-100 and was a team member of the World Champion William Tell Gunnery Team. He was also Flight Commander of many squadrons, developed air refueling testing, developed low-level photo reconnaissance of SAM sites in Cuba, and supported President Kennedy’s embargo during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Jack was honored with pilot wings by the Chinese Air Force. In addition, Jack was actively engaged in the Vietnam Conflict. He ended his USAF career as an Executive Secretariat at the Pentagon and received and Daedalian for his last tour of duty prior to retiring in June of 1973.
After retirement, Jack was a General Contractor/Developer in VA, MD, and DC. He was arbitrator/Mediator for construction hearings as well as a Construction Management Consultant n Jupiter, FL in the 1990’s.
Jack and his wife spent their time between Annapolis, MD and Jupiter Island, FL and moved to Palm City, FL in 2000. In 2017 they moved back to Palm City to be near their daughter, Paige Noel.
Full military honors were conducted at the Veterans Administration Bay Pines National Cemetery in August 2018
Source: https://www.davidcgross.com/notices/ColJohn-Downey
- Biography
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Biography
John “Jack” Downey loved his early life in Whitefish, Montana where he managed Whitefish Lake swimming, waterskied in Cypress Gardens, FL with an acrobatic team and received a football scholarship to the University of North Dakota.
As a USAF career fighter pilot, Jack flew the F-86, F-4, and F-100 and was a team member of the World Champion William Tell Gunnery Team. He was also Flight Commander of many squadrons, developed air refueling testing, developed low-level photo reconnaissance of SAM sites in Cuba, and supported President Kennedy’s embargo during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Jack was honored with pilot wings by the Chinese Air Force. In addition, Jack was actively engaged in the Vietnam Conflict. He ended his USAF career as an Executive Secretariat at the Pentagon and received and Daedalian for his last tour of duty prior to retiring in June of 1973.
After retirement, Jack was a General Contractor/Developer in VA, MD, and DC. He was arbitrator/Mediator for construction hearings as well as a Construction Management Consultant n Jupiter, FL in the 1990s.
Jack and his wife spent their time between Annapolis, MD and Jupiter Island, FL and moved to Palm City, FL in 2000. In 2017 they moved back to Palm City to be near their daughter, Paige Noel.
Source: https://www.davidcgross.com/notices/ColJohn-Downey
- Units - Education - Awards - Flight Info
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Units Assigned
1957-1958 461st Fighter Day Squadron, Hahn AFB, Germany
1958-1960 36th Tactical Fighter Wing
1960 Cannon AFB, NM
1960 4521st CCTS Nellis AFB, NV
1962 4452nd Stan Eval Squadron, Waco TX
1964 4450th Stan Eval Sq Langley AFB, VA
1968 523rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Clark AFB, Phillipines
1968 352nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Phan Rang Air Base, Vietnam
1969 Tan Son Nhut Air Base, VietnamAwards & Decorations
Flight Info
F-100
Military Education
Civilian Education
- Images
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- Video
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- Headed West
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Col. John E. Downey “Headed West” June 23, 2018Col. John E. “Jack” Downey, passed away peacefully on June 23, 2018, in St. Petersburg, FL. Jack is survived by his wife, Marilyn DeWitt Eddy and his children Kristen Crider, John E, Downey, Jr., Paige Noel, Stacy Westbrook, Diane New, and Denise Kid.
Jack loved his early life in Whitefish, Montana where he managed Whitefish Lake swimming, waterskied in Cypress Gardens, FL with an acrobatic team and received a football scholarship to the University of North Dakota.
As a USAF career fighter pilot, Jack flew the F-86, F-4, and F-100 and was a team member of the World Champion William Tell Gunnery Team. He was also Flight Commander of many squadrons, developed air refueling testing, developed low-level photo reconnaissance of SAM sites in Cuba, and supported President Kennedy’s embargo during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Jack was honored with pilot wings by the Chinese Air Force. In addition, Jack was actively engaged in the Vietnam Conflict. He ended his USAF career as an Executive Secretariat at the Pentagon and received and Daedalian for his last tour of duty prior to retiring in June of 1973.
After retirement, Jack was a General Contractor/Developer in VA, MD, and DC. He was arbitrator/Mediator for construction hearings as well as a Construction Management Consultant n Jupiter, FL in the 1990’s.
Jack and his wife spent their time between Annapolis, MD and Jupiter Island, FL and moved to Palm City, FL in 2000. In 2017 they moved back to Palm City to be near their daughter, Paige Noel.
Full military honors were conducted at the Veterans Administration Bay Pines National Cemetery in August 2018
Source: https://www.davidcgross.com/notices/ColJohn-Downey