DENNIS HUDSON Col. James Dennis Hudson USAF Ret. age 91 died Friday, March 29, 2013 at Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden Columbus. Services will be held Wednesday, April 03, 2013 at 2:00 PM at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with Minister Billy Ferguson officiating, burial with U.S. Air Force Honors will follow at Friendship Cemetery . Visitation will be held at the funeral home Wednesday one hour prior to service. Col. Hudson was born on Wednesday, February 08, 1922 in Vernon, AL to the late Hubert and Ovella Ward Hudson. He was a member of the 7th Street Church of Christ. He was a graduate of S.D. Lee High School; he then enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corp. at Columbus AFB in 1942. He flew B24 bombers with the 8th Air Force during WWII with 30 missions over Germany. After the war he attended Mississippi State University studying pre-med when he was recalled to active duty for the Berlin Airlift flying C-54s. He graduated next from the Military Aviation School of Medicine in San Antonio, TX in 1950, and immediately entered the Korean Conflict, stationed in Japan. Afterwards he was stationed at the Pentagon for four years in medical intelligence. Next he went to the Air War College in Montgomery, AL, and then was assigned to London, England in 1957 as military intelligence officer, receiving spy photos from the U-2 flight over Russia during the Cold War. He served two tours in Viet Nam, first time as commander of the Monkey Mountain Radar Site in 1965, and the second time in 1968 as the squadron commander of the 41st tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron. He served as base commander at Suffolk County AFB in Long Island, K.I. Sawyer AFB, in Marquette, Michigan, and Rome AFB in Rome, New York. He served two years as Military Air Group advisor in La Paz, Bolivia. The Pentagon granted him special permission to wear the Bolivian Air Force Wings beneath his USAF Wings. He retired in September of 1974 after 30 years. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his brother Lanny Hudson. Survivors include: His Wife of 66 years: Margaret Frazier Hudson Columbus MS One Son: Dennis Hudson, Jr, Columbus, MS Two Sisters: Faye King, Winter Garden, FL Doris Wingfield, Orlando, FL Two Brothers: Thomas Waverly Hudson, Newnan, GA Maury Hudson, Leesburg, FL The Pallbearers will be: United States Air Force Honor Guard The Honorary Pallbearers will be: General Joe Fant, Dr. Saul Vydas, Judge Bob Lancaster In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to: Donor's Choice
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dennis Hudson, please visit our flower store.
