Colonel Lloyd K. Houchin served his country through a 29-year career as a USAF officer. He attended Southern Illinois University, graduating in 1956 at the age of 20, and commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant into the USAF. Completed pilot training and proceeded to his first operational unit flying F- 100s (Huns) at Itazuke Air Base, Fukuoka, Japan. From his unit in Japan, he was deployed to Korea and Okinawa to sit nuclear alert.
His second Hun tour was at England AFB, LA, and of the four-year assignment, Lloyd was deployed for almost three years. During the erection of the Berlin Wall, he deployed to Germany for 4 months. He also deployed for nuclear alert in Turkey, responded to the Cuban missile crisis by sitting alert at Homestead AFB in FL, and deployed for two combat tours in Vietnam. While stationed at England AFB, he also attended Squadron Officer School, graduated from Fighter Weapons School as Top Gun, and graduated from the U.S. Army Parachute Course.
Houchin’s next assignment was as an exchange pilot with the British Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hunters. In this assignment, he trained new RAF pilots to become fighter pilots at RAF Chivenor, North Devon, England. Selected to major below the promotion zone and selected for attendance at Air Command Staff College (ACSC) at Maxwell AFB, AL. Upon graduation from ACSC, he was assigned to Nellis AFB, NV to fly F-111s.
The F-111s were grounded for a major wing box rebuilding modification so Lloyd volunteered for another tour to Vietnam. He trained as a UH-A Huey helicopter pilot and became a Vietnamese Air Force Wing Commander advisor, flying combat missions out of Da Nang for a year. Following this Vietnam tour, he spent four years on the ACSC faculty at Maxwell AFB, authoring several articles on fighter tactics and interdiction. He was also the research director for The Battle for the Skies Over North Vietnam which was published in a book entitled Tale of Two Bridges and the Battle for the Skies over North Vietnam. Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Offutt AFB, NE was the next assignment as a senior controller in the SAC command post and then executive officer for the Director of Operations.
Three years later, Lloyd was assigned as the Director of Operations and then Wing Vice Commander of a Minuteman Strategic Missile Wing at Whiteman AFB, MO. During this assignment, he was appointed as the Chief of the Safety Investigation of the Titan nuclear missile explosion near Little Rock (Damascus), AR in 1981. His final military assignment was as the Commander of the ROTC detachment at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Colonel Houchin retired from active duty in 1985. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal with 13 oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and several Vietnamese medals and campaign ribbons.
Upon retirement from the Air Force, he worked as an investment broker, a Certified Financial Planner, and a Trust Specialist with A.G. Edwards. After a successful career of more than 20 years of helping clients obtain their investment objectives, he was forced to retire in 2005 due to the onset of lateral sclerosis, a form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He died 18 July 2007.
Lloyd was a charter member of the Super Sabre Society.
Lloyd K. Houchin (Col USAF, Ret) “Headed West” on July 18, 2007.
Retired Colonel Lloyd K. Houchin USAF, 71, of Lebanon, Ill., born Nov. 14, 1935, in Osceola, Ark., passed away peacefully Wednesday, July 18, 2007, at his home.
Col. Houchin moved to Karnak, Ill., from Osceola in 1940. He graduated from Karnak High at the age of 16, in 1952.
Lloyd was an Air Force ROTC cadet at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill., where he graduated at the age of 20 with high honors and was commissioned in the Air Force as a second lieutenant. He married Mary Kathryn Mitchell from Tamms, Ill., on May 25, 1956.
He attended flight school and became a fighter pilot with his first assignment flying F-100s at Itazuke Air Base Fukuoka, Japan. During three years at Itazuke, Lloyd was deployed from his home base for 16 months, sitting on nuclear alert in Korea and Okinawa. While in Japan, Lloyd and Mary had their first child, Ramona.
Following the Itazuke assignment, Lloyd was assigned to England AFB, Alexandria, La. At the height of the cold war and while assigned at England AFB for four years, Lloyd was deployed for almost three years. In response to the building of the Berlin Wall, his squadron deployed to Germany for four months. He also deployed for nuclear alert in Turkey, attended Squadron Officer School, and responded to the Cuban Missile Crisis where he sat alert in Florida prepared to attack Cuban missiles. He also graduated from the Air Force Fighter Weapons School “Top Gun,” the U.S. Army Parachute Course, and deployed flying the F-100 for two combat tours to Vietnam. During this assignment, Lloyd and Mary had their second child, Mitch.
Lloyd’s next assignment was for two years as an exchange officer to the British Royal Air Force (RAF), flying Hawker Hunters. In this assignment, he trained new RAF pilots to become fighter pilots at RAF Chivenor, North Devon.
After the British exchange tour, Lloyd attended Air Force Command Staff College (ACSC)and then flew F-111’s at Nellis AFB, Nev. During this assignment, the F-111’s were grounded for a major wing box rebuilding modification so Lloyd volunteered to go back to Vietnam. He trained as a helicopter pilot and became a Vietnamese Air Force Wing Commander advisor and spent a year flying combat in UH-A, “Hueys” out of Da Nang.
Following the Vietnam assignment, Lloyd spent four years on the faculty of ACSC at Maxwell AFB, Ala., where he authored several articles on fighter tactics and interdiction. He was also the research director for ” The Battle for the Skies Over North Vietnam” which was published in a book entitled Tale of Two Bridges and the Battle for the Skies over North Vietnam.
After ACSC, Lloyd was assigned to Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Offutt AFB, Neb., where he was a senior controller in the SAC command post and executive officer for the Director of Operations. After over three years at Offutt, he was assigned to Whiteman AFB, Mo., where he was the Director of Operations and Vice Commander of a Minuteman Strategic Missile Wing. While at Whiteman AFB, he was also appointed the Chief of the Safety Investigation of the Titan Nuclear Missile explosion near Little Rock (Damascus), Ark., in 1981.
His final military assignment was as commander of the ROTC Detachment at the University of Illinois, Champaign. Lloyd retired from the Air Force in 1985, after a 29-year career. His military decorations include The Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal with 13 Oak Leaf Clusters, and Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, several Vietnamese medals, and campaign ribbons.
Upon retirement from the Air Force, he immediately began working for A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., where he became an investment broker, a Certified Financial Planner, and a Trust Specialist. After a successful second career of more than 20 years of helping clients obtain their investment objectives, he was forced to retire due to the onset of primary lateral sclerosis, a form of the more commonly known amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease).
He was preceded in death by his father, Lloyd S. Houchin; his mother, Edna, nee Egner, Houchin Sielbeck; and his stepfather, Louis Sielbeck.
Surviving are his wife, Mary Kathryn, nee Mitchell, Houchin; a daughter, Col. Ramona Dolson USAF, of Scott AFB, Ill.; a son, Ret. Lieu. Commander Mitchell (Deborah) Houchin of Plattsmouth, Neb.; two grandsons, Alex and Steven Houchin.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the ALS Association, 27001 Agoura Road – Suite 150, Calabasas Hills, Calif., 91301 or to BJC Hospice, 1 Memorial Drive, Alton, Ill., 62002.
Upon his request, Lloyd’s body was donated to Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Mo.
