Biography gleaned from www.westpointaog.org
Graduate United States Military Academy Class of 1938
Pilot during the Berlin Airlift.
Nicholas Horace Chavase was born on 22 January 1915 in Henderson, North Carolina to Sidney R. and Nancy L. Chavasse. Nick grew up in Henderson where he graduated from high school in 1932. He joined the North Carolina National Guard and served for two years. He rose to the rank of staff sergeant in the Service Company, 105th Medical Regiment. Chavase received his appointment to West Point through the National Guard.
Graduated United States Military Academy class of 1938 he was assigned to Randolph Field, Texas for pilot training. It was here that he married Francis Gardner in the post chapel. Fran died in 1974 they were married 35 years. Lt. Chavase got his wings in August 1939 at the Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field and transferred to the Air Corps from the Cavalry. He entered the Air Corps as a weather officer (meteorologist).
His first assignment was as a weather instructor at Randolph Field, where he served until 1941. From 1941 to 1944 he was supervisor of weather training at Goodfellow Field, Texas; a student at UCLA in an Advanced Weather Officers Course; Base Weather Officer at Drew Field, Florida; and Chief Weather Training Division, Weather Directorate Headquarters AAF. In August 1944 he became the first commander of the newly-created 55th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range) Weather with its base at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma. As commander, he organized training and equipped the unit to be an effective combat-ready outfit. There first overseas assignment in April 1945where they established operating bases in Okinawa, Iwo Jima and Guam with headquarters in Guam. Their operations provided current, accurate and reliable weather forecasts for fighters and bombers attacking the Japanese home islands. As commander of this unit, he flew a number of combat missions in recognition of his efforts, was awarded the Air Medal and the Bronze Star. He also is credited with having been among the first weather pioneers as a Hurricane Hunter. He returned in March 1946 to Washington, D.C. to serve as chief of Reconnaissance Liaison Section, Headquarters, Air Weather Service and later as Chief of Operations, Air Weather Service Headquarters, USAF.
Post war assignment during the Berlin Air lift July 1948 to Wiesbaden, Germany. He commanded the 2105th Air Weather Group, a position he held until 1952. Here again, reliable weather forecasts were of supreme importance. Nick was awarded the Legion of Merit.
He was reassigned to the Pentagon as chief of staff, Headquarters, USAF, Air Weather Service from 1952 to 1956. This was followed by a stint as commander of the 1st Weather Wing in Hawaii, where his responsibilities included supervision of the Air Force Weather Network in the entire Pacific Theater (1957-1960). From 1960 to 1963 he commanded the 2nd Weather Group at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, directly involved with joint U.S. Army-Air Force Tactical Operations and war games. The fact that the Cuban Crisis also occurred in this interval only made this assignment doubly interesting and challenging. In 1963 he was ordered back to the Pentagon to be chief meteorologist and head weather officer for the Air Force Chief of Staff. He served in that capacity until he retired in 1967.
The family retired just outside Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs, Maryland. In his early years of retirement the military "space available" flight schedules were his only time-tables. He traveled the world at his whim and leisure. Hobbies included skiing the slopes of the Rocky Mountains and was an avid skier. He attended every Class of '38 reunion from the 25th on! He lived by the Academies motto, Duty Honor Country.
Nick died very suddenly at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on 6 August 1993 of cancer. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. He was survived by his three daughters, and two sons. He also had eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Graduate United States Military Academy Class of 1938
Pilot during the Berlin Airlift.
Nicholas Horace Chavase was born on 22 January 1915 in Henderson, North Carolina to Sidney R. and Nancy L. Chavasse. Nick grew up in Henderson where he graduated from high school in 1932. He joined the North Carolina National Guard and served for two years. He rose to the rank of staff sergeant in the Service Company, 105th Medical Regiment. Chavase received his appointment to West Point through the National Guard.
Graduated United States Military Academy class of 1938 he was assigned to Randolph Field, Texas for pilot training. It was here that he married Francis Gardner in the post chapel. Fran died in 1974 they were married 35 years. Lt. Chavase got his wings in August 1939 at the Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field and transferred to the Air Corps from the Cavalry. He entered the Air Corps as a weather officer (meteorologist).
His first assignment was as a weather instructor at Randolph Field, where he served until 1941. From 1941 to 1944 he was supervisor of weather training at Goodfellow Field, Texas; a student at UCLA in an Advanced Weather Officers Course; Base Weather Officer at Drew Field, Florida; and Chief Weather Training Division, Weather Directorate Headquarters AAF. In August 1944 he became the first commander of the newly-created 55th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range) Weather with its base at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma. As commander, he organized training and equipped the unit to be an effective combat-ready outfit. There first overseas assignment in April 1945where they established operating bases in Okinawa, Iwo Jima and Guam with headquarters in Guam. Their operations provided current, accurate and reliable weather forecasts for fighters and bombers attacking the Japanese home islands. As commander of this unit, he flew a number of combat missions in recognition of his efforts, was awarded the Air Medal and the Bronze Star. He also is credited with having been among the first weather pioneers as a Hurricane Hunter. He returned in March 1946 to Washington, D.C. to serve as chief of Reconnaissance Liaison Section, Headquarters, Air Weather Service and later as Chief of Operations, Air Weather Service Headquarters, USAF.
Post war assignment during the Berlin Air lift July 1948 to Wiesbaden, Germany. He commanded the 2105th Air Weather Group, a position he held until 1952. Here again, reliable weather forecasts were of supreme importance. Nick was awarded the Legion of Merit.
He was reassigned to the Pentagon as chief of staff, Headquarters, USAF, Air Weather Service from 1952 to 1956. This was followed by a stint as commander of the 1st Weather Wing in Hawaii, where his responsibilities included supervision of the Air Force Weather Network in the entire Pacific Theater (1957-1960). From 1960 to 1963 he commanded the 2nd Weather Group at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, directly involved with joint U.S. Army-Air Force Tactical Operations and war games. The fact that the Cuban Crisis also occurred in this interval only made this assignment doubly interesting and challenging. In 1963 he was ordered back to the Pentagon to be chief meteorologist and head weather officer for the Air Force Chief of Staff. He served in that capacity until he retired in 1967.
The family retired just outside Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs, Maryland. In his early years of retirement the military "space available" flight schedules were his only time-tables. He traveled the world at his whim and leisure. Hobbies included skiing the slopes of the Rocky Mountains and was an avid skier. He attended every Class of '38 reunion from the 25th on! He lived by the Academies motto, Duty Honor Country.
Nick died very suddenly at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on 6 August 1993 of cancer. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. He was survived by his three daughters, and two sons. He also had eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Biography gleaned from www.westpointaog.org
Graduate United States Military Academy Class of 1938
Pilot during the Berlin Airlift.
Nicholas Horace Chavase was born on 22 January 1915 in Henderson, North Carolina to Sidney R. and Nancy L. Chavasse. Nick grew up in Henderson where he graduated from high school in 1932. He joined the North Carolina National Guard and served for two years. He rose to the rank of staff sergeant in the Service Company, 105th Medical Regiment. Chavase received his appointment to West Point through the National Guard.
Graduated United States Military Academy class of 1938 he was assigned to Randolph Field, Texas for pilot training. It was here that he married Francis Gardner in the post chapel. Fran died in 1974 they were married 35 years. Lt. Chavase got his wings in August 1939 at the Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field and transferred to the Air Corps from the Cavalry. He entered the Air Corps as a weather officer (meteorologist).
His first assignment was as a weather instructor at Randolph Field, where he served until 1941. From 1941 to 1944 he was supervisor of weather training at Goodfellow Field, Texas; a student at UCLA in an Advanced Weather Officers Course; Base Weather Officer at Drew Field, Florida; and Chief Weather Training Division, Weather Directorate Headquarters AAF. In August 1944 he became the first commander of the newly-created 55th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range) Weather with its base at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma. As commander, he organized training and equipped the unit to be an effective combat-ready outfit. There first overseas assignment in April 1945where they established operating bases in Okinawa, Iwo Jima and Guam with headquarters in Guam. Their operations provided current, accurate and reliable weather forecasts for fighters and bombers attacking the Japanese home islands. As commander of this unit, he flew a number of combat missions in recognition of his efforts, was awarded the Air Medal and the Bronze Star. He also is credited with having been among the first weather pioneers as a Hurricane Hunter. He returned in March 1946 to Washington, D.C. to serve as chief of Reconnaissance Liaison Section, Headquarters, Air Weather Service and later as Chief of Operations, Air Weather Service Headquarters, USAF.
Post war assignment during the Berlin Air lift July 1948 to Wiesbaden, Germany. He commanded the 2105th Air Weather Group, a position he held until 1952. Here again, reliable weather forecasts were of supreme importance. Nick was awarded the Legion of Merit.
He was reassigned to the Pentagon as chief of staff, Headquarters, USAF, Air Weather Service from 1952 to 1956. This was followed by a stint as commander of the 1st Weather Wing in Hawaii, where his responsibilities included supervision of the Air Force Weather Network in the entire Pacific Theater (1957-1960). From 1960 to 1963 he commanded the 2nd Weather Group at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, directly involved with joint U.S. Army-Air Force Tactical Operations and war games. The fact that the Cuban Crisis also occurred in this interval only made this assignment doubly interesting and challenging. In 1963 he was ordered back to the Pentagon to be chief meteorologist and head weather officer for the Air Force Chief of Staff. He served in that capacity until he retired in 1967.
The family retired just outside Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs, Maryland. In his early years of retirement the military "space available" flight schedules were his only time-tables. He traveled the world at his whim and leisure. Hobbies included skiing the slopes of the Rocky Mountains and was an avid skier. He attended every Class of '38 reunion from the 25th on! He lived by the Academies motto, Duty Honor Country.
Nick died very suddenly at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on 6 August 1993 of cancer. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. He was survived by his three daughters, and two sons. He also had eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Graduate United States Military Academy Class of 1938
Pilot during the Berlin Airlift.
Nicholas Horace Chavase was born on 22 January 1915 in Henderson, North Carolina to Sidney R. and Nancy L. Chavasse. Nick grew up in Henderson where he graduated from high school in 1932. He joined the North Carolina National Guard and served for two years. He rose to the rank of staff sergeant in the Service Company, 105th Medical Regiment. Chavase received his appointment to West Point through the National Guard.
Graduated United States Military Academy class of 1938 he was assigned to Randolph Field, Texas for pilot training. It was here that he married Francis Gardner in the post chapel. Fran died in 1974 they were married 35 years. Lt. Chavase got his wings in August 1939 at the Advanced Flying School, Kelly Field and transferred to the Air Corps from the Cavalry. He entered the Air Corps as a weather officer (meteorologist).
His first assignment was as a weather instructor at Randolph Field, where he served until 1941. From 1941 to 1944 he was supervisor of weather training at Goodfellow Field, Texas; a student at UCLA in an Advanced Weather Officers Course; Base Weather Officer at Drew Field, Florida; and Chief Weather Training Division, Weather Directorate Headquarters AAF. In August 1944 he became the first commander of the newly-created 55th Reconnaissance Squadron (Very Long Range) Weather with its base at Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma. As commander, he organized training and equipped the unit to be an effective combat-ready outfit. There first overseas assignment in April 1945where they established operating bases in Okinawa, Iwo Jima and Guam with headquarters in Guam. Their operations provided current, accurate and reliable weather forecasts for fighters and bombers attacking the Japanese home islands. As commander of this unit, he flew a number of combat missions in recognition of his efforts, was awarded the Air Medal and the Bronze Star. He also is credited with having been among the first weather pioneers as a Hurricane Hunter. He returned in March 1946 to Washington, D.C. to serve as chief of Reconnaissance Liaison Section, Headquarters, Air Weather Service and later as Chief of Operations, Air Weather Service Headquarters, USAF.
Post war assignment during the Berlin Air lift July 1948 to Wiesbaden, Germany. He commanded the 2105th Air Weather Group, a position he held until 1952. Here again, reliable weather forecasts were of supreme importance. Nick was awarded the Legion of Merit.
He was reassigned to the Pentagon as chief of staff, Headquarters, USAF, Air Weather Service from 1952 to 1956. This was followed by a stint as commander of the 1st Weather Wing in Hawaii, where his responsibilities included supervision of the Air Force Weather Network in the entire Pacific Theater (1957-1960). From 1960 to 1963 he commanded the 2nd Weather Group at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, directly involved with joint U.S. Army-Air Force Tactical Operations and war games. The fact that the Cuban Crisis also occurred in this interval only made this assignment doubly interesting and challenging. In 1963 he was ordered back to the Pentagon to be chief meteorologist and head weather officer for the Air Force Chief of Staff. He served in that capacity until he retired in 1967.
The family retired just outside Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs, Maryland. In his early years of retirement the military "space available" flight schedules were his only time-tables. He traveled the world at his whim and leisure. Hobbies included skiing the slopes of the Rocky Mountains and was an avid skier. He attended every Class of '38 reunion from the 25th on! He lived by the Academies motto, Duty Honor Country.
Nick died very suddenly at Walter Reed Army Medical Center on 6 August 1993 of cancer. He was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery. He was survived by his three daughters, and two sons. He also had eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
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