Col, USAF (Ret) Walter E. Carson II, 88, USAF headed west March 16, 2015. Wally served during WWII and the Korean and Vietnam wars. His service was at Community Lutheran Church, with his Eulogy by MajGen (Ret) Neil Eddins.
Wally is interred at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
Wally soloed in 1943 and was Issued a pilot license at 16. He volunteered in Sept for the 510th at Michigan State. Next he flew at Randolph as a flight officer (blue bar), and later at Loring Field to fly P-63, and last as a pinball (target) against B-29’s.
After the big War, he flew P-51’s as a AF Reservist at Navy Opa Locka from 1945-49. He was recalled in 1949 and joined the USAF as a 2nd Lt IP at Craig AFB. Six weeks later went to Williams AFB for Jet training in the T-33 & F-80.
His following assignments after were:
- K-13 Korea
- Nellis AFB F-94B
- Charleston AFB, 36th TFW
- Bitburg AB F-100 A&C
- 4526th CCTS/CC F-105, Nellis AFB,
- 80th TFS Yokota
- 421th Korat RTAFB, F-105
- 421 TFS/Asst DO Nellis AFB
- Retired Nov 1969
A quotation from Wally:
“Nyla Grace (Finney) Carson became the absolute love of my life. No one can write the meaning of what she meant to me, and to so many others. How lucky can one guy get”
compiled by Pete Peterson who remembers Pinball operations as manned flying target for gunnery practice. The aircraft was generally painted bright orange to increase its visibility. All armament and the regular armor was removed from these RP-63 aircraft, and over a ton of armored sheet metal was applied to the aircraft. This was fitted with sensors that would detect hits, and these hits were signaled by illuminating a light in the propeller hub where the cannon would have been. This earned the aircraft the unofficial nickname of Pinball.