Lt. Col. Ray Edwin Codding, 44, a USAAF Vietnam War casualty. He was only ten days away from going home in retirement. He was survived by his wife, Irma G. (Mattson) Codding, who was residing at 15525 Eaton Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, at the time of his death.

CODDING ROAD, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was dedicated in Lt Col Ray Codding's honor on Nov. 9, 1990. He received the Bronze Star, the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and Vietnam Service Medal.

Before his Vietnam assignment, Colonel Codding was stationed at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, where he worked for Base Operations and Training. Accordingly, the posthumous presentation of the Bronze Star was conducted in the base commander's office at Tinker.

The citation that accompanied the Bronze Star read in part:

"Colonel Codding distinguished himself by meritorious service as a senior duty officer, Aircraft Control Center, 834th Air Division, Vietnam, which engaged in ground operations against an opposing armed force from November 1967 to September 1968. During this period, Colonel Codding's extensive professional knowledge made a significant contribution to tactical airlift in support of Free World Forces. Frequently airlift was the only possible method of providing vitally needed logistics to remote outposts. The quality of his numerous command and control decisions, made under extreme pressure, enhanced mission effectiveness during three major enemy offenses, specifically Khe Sahn, the A Shau Valley and Kham Due. The exemplary leadership, personal endeavor and devotion to duty displayed by Colonel Codding in this responsible position reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force."

His final mission ended on October 21, 1968. A native Oklahoman, Lt. Col. Ray E. Codding was aboard a C-47 transport that crashed in the central highlands of South Vietnam, 30 miles south of Ban Me Thuot in Darlac Province. The aircraft, which departed from Tan Son Nhut Air Base, belonged to the 460th Tac Recon Wing and was en route to Hong Kong via Danang, carrying a load of R&R personnel, including Ray. While en route, the pilot declared an emergency, stating that the port engine had failed and that the propeller would not feather. He requested and received vectors for an emergency landing at Ban Me Thuot, but instead hit a mountainside at the 2300 foot level." Twenty-three military and civilians were killed in the crash.

The Chicago news report listed Ray as one of the passengers, not the pilot or a crew member (although he was a command pilot), headed for R&R before retiring in ten days. (See caption under photo of the C-47 Transport like the one in which Ray crashed.)

Ray Edwin Codding was born August 7, 1924 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Charles Ray Codding and Iva Icyfeen Morelock.

Lt Colonel Codding was a graduate of Capitol Hill School in Oklahoma City and had completed three years of college, taking night courses with the University of Maryland, Florida State University and Colorado State University.

He married Irma Geraldine Mattson on November 8, 1947, a fellow military WAC while both based in Panama.

In spite of their age difference, Irma and Ray were an adoring couple. They attemped to have children, but a daughter and twin sons were born stillborn due to their RH incompatibility.

Ray was a career military officer. He entered service in October 1942 and earned his Pilot's Wings at Pampa Army Airfield, Texas, in the spring of 1944. He was a command pilot with 10,000 hours to his credit, and had more than 25 years military service. He was stationed at Panama 2 yrs, Athens, Greece; Weisbaten, Germany; and Rhein-Mein, Germany. He was assigned in the personnel office at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. for 2-1/2 years and later became Deputy Personnel Officer for the Air Force Logistic Command at Wright Patterson Air Force Base at Dayton, Ohio. His last permanent assignment was at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, for one year prior to his assignment in Vietnam. Ray flew Bob Hope on all of his tours to Vietnam. The first 13 years were in Personnel Administration, the remaining years were spent in aircraft operations.

Service record:

:1942-1945, OK Army National Guard (ARNG)

:1946-1947, United States Army Air Forces (USAAF)

26 Feb. 1946 as a Master Sergeant. He served in the USAAF, rising to the rank of Lt. Colonel, until his death on 21 Oct 1968 at the age of 44.

:1967-1968, 834th Air Division

:1967-1968, 377th Combat Support Group,

1967-1968, C-123 Provider

1967-1968, C-130 Hercules

1967-1968, C-7 Caribou

1967-1968, T-38 Talon

1968-1968, C-47 Skytrain/Dakota

1967-1968, 377th Air Base Wing

He is memorialized at the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. (Panel W 40,Line 10) and the Colorado Freedom Memorial (Panel: 18, Column: 2, Row: 17).

Ray's nephew remembers that he was a very outgoing, friendly, thoughtful, and charming man.

Joe Martin remembers:

"I went to Vietnam in December 1967 and was assigned to the 834 Air Division. Lt Colonel Codding was one of my bosses at the Headquarters group. I remember him as a kind, caring, and very well-liked individual. We were all in shock when we heard about his untimely death."

Maj Thomas O. Crockett remembers:

"I served with Lt Col Codding in the 815th Air Div Command Post. I will always remember his sharing of goodie boxes from home with all his co-workers. What a shame to be killed while waiting to go home. His original flight home was cancelled."

Interment Oakland Hills Cemetery, Michigan.