Charles Harold Back was the son of Charles H. and Ella (Caudill) Back. He married Florence Henderson in June 1946. They had four children: Kathy Back, Charles H. "Chuck" Back, Stephen R. Back and Robert K. Back.
- - - - - -
The following is a summary of an article that appeared in the July 22, 1987, issue of The Mountain Eagle (Whitesburg, KY) as published in the book "A Back Family History" by Custer, Kenneth, and Troy Back and Dexter Dixon:
[Three brothers:] Klair Back, Charles Harold Back, and John Verdell Back, of Letcher County, Kentucky, all did well in their military careers. They served during three wars: World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. All three reached the rank of Colonel and held the highest commands possible for that rank.
Perhaps they were motivated, at least in part, to follow a military career because of family tradition. Their father, Captain Charles H. Back, served under the command of General "Black Jack" Pershing in the wars against Pancho Villa on the Mexican border. He reared his sons in the military tradition.
Klair Back, the oldest of the brothers, took flying lessons while attending Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. He joined the Air Corps in 1939. During World War II, he was assigned to train pilots, first in Georgia, then in 1943 as an instructor at West Point. After the war, he served as attache' to Greece for three years. For this service he earned the Greek Cross. During the Korean Conflict, he commanded the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, for which he was awarded the Presidential Citation. Colonel Klair Back retired from the Air Force in 1968.
Charles Harold Back, the second of the three brothers, joined the Air Corps in 1940, just after graduating from Georgetown College. He was trained first as a pilot, then switched to bombardier, navigator and administrator. On a mission in the Aleutian Islands during World War II, his plane was damaged and the crew had to parachute to safety. Later, he was promoted to Captain and assigned as assistant adjutant of the Walla Walla Army Air Base in the state of Washington. In 1946, he was sent to Japan as part of the military government established by the United States for that country after the war. He returned to the U.S. in 1949 to be assigned as a bombardier in the Strategic Air Command in Fucon, Arizona. Later he earned a Master's degree in Industrial Management from the University of Pittsburgh. He then became part of the Logistics Command at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. He returned to Japan in 1958, and he flew as a navigator into Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Charles Harold Back retired in 1968 as a Master Navigator at the rank of Colonel.
John Verdall Back, the youngest of the brothers, was a fighter pilot for his entire career in the Air Force. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1941. He flew fighter aircraft in three wars: he spent two tours of duty in Europe during World War II; he continued as a fighter pilot throughout the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War, switching from the P-40 Curtis War Hawk propeller planes to jets. In all he flew 236 missions, 104 in combat. Colonel John Verdall Back retired as a Command Pilot in 1970.
After retirement from the military, all three brothers had successful civilian careers: Klair with the Health Department in Sumpter, South Carolina; Charles Harold as an instructor at Parks Air College at St. Louis University; and John Verdall for Maricopa County, Arizona. Klair Back died in 1987. He was brought back to his native Letcher County for burial in the Sandlick Cemetery at Whitesburg, Kentucky.
- - - - - -
The following is a summary of an article that appeared in the July 22, 1987, issue of The Mountain Eagle (Whitesburg, KY) as published in the book "A Back Family History" by Custer, Kenneth, and Troy Back and Dexter Dixon:
[Three brothers:] Klair Back, Charles Harold Back, and John Verdell Back, of Letcher County, Kentucky, all did well in their military careers. They served during three wars: World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. All three reached the rank of Colonel and held the highest commands possible for that rank.
Perhaps they were motivated, at least in part, to follow a military career because of family tradition. Their father, Captain Charles H. Back, served under the command of General "Black Jack" Pershing in the wars against Pancho Villa on the Mexican border. He reared his sons in the military tradition.
Klair Back, the oldest of the brothers, took flying lessons while attending Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. He joined the Air Corps in 1939. During World War II, he was assigned to train pilots, first in Georgia, then in 1943 as an instructor at West Point. After the war, he served as attache' to Greece for three years. For this service he earned the Greek Cross. During the Korean Conflict, he commanded the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, for which he was awarded the Presidential Citation. Colonel Klair Back retired from the Air Force in 1968.
Charles Harold Back, the second of the three brothers, joined the Air Corps in 1940, just after graduating from Georgetown College. He was trained first as a pilot, then switched to bombardier, navigator and administrator. On a mission in the Aleutian Islands during World War II, his plane was damaged and the crew had to parachute to safety. Later, he was promoted to Captain and assigned as assistant adjutant of the Walla Walla Army Air Base in the state of Washington. In 1946, he was sent to Japan as part of the military government established by the United States for that country after the war. He returned to the U.S. in 1949 to be assigned as a bombardier in the Strategic Air Command in Fucon, Arizona. Later he earned a Master's degree in Industrial Management from the University of Pittsburgh. He then became part of the Logistics Command at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. He returned to Japan in 1958, and he flew as a navigator into Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Charles Harold Back retired in 1968 as a Master Navigator at the rank of Colonel.
John Verdall Back, the youngest of the brothers, was a fighter pilot for his entire career in the Air Force. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1941. He flew fighter aircraft in three wars: he spent two tours of duty in Europe during World War II; he continued as a fighter pilot throughout the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War, switching from the P-40 Curtis War Hawk propeller planes to jets. In all he flew 236 missions, 104 in combat. Colonel John Verdall Back retired as a Command Pilot in 1970.
After retirement from the military, all three brothers had successful civilian careers: Klair with the Health Department in Sumpter, South Carolina; Charles Harold as an instructor at Parks Air College at St. Louis University; and John Verdall for Maricopa County, Arizona. Klair Back died in 1987. He was brought back to his native Letcher County for burial in the Sandlick Cemetery at Whitesburg, Kentucky.
Charles Harold Back was the son of Charles H. and Ella (Caudill) Back. He married Florence Henderson in June 1946. They had four children: Kathy Back, Charles H. "Chuck" Back, Stephen R. Back and Robert K. Back.
- - - - - -
The following is a summary of an article that appeared in the July 22, 1987, issue of The Mountain Eagle (Whitesburg, KY) as published in the book "A Back Family History" by Custer, Kenneth, and Troy Back and Dexter Dixon:
[Three brothers:] Klair Back, Charles Harold Back, and John Verdell Back, of Letcher County, Kentucky, all did well in their military careers. They served during three wars: World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. All three reached the rank of Colonel and held the highest commands possible for that rank.
Perhaps they were motivated, at least in part, to follow a military career because of family tradition. Their father, Captain Charles H. Back, served under the command of General "Black Jack" Pershing in the wars against Pancho Villa on the Mexican border. He reared his sons in the military tradition.
Klair Back, the oldest of the brothers, took flying lessons while attending Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. He joined the Air Corps in 1939. During World War II, he was assigned to train pilots, first in Georgia, then in 1943 as an instructor at West Point. After the war, he served as attache' to Greece for three years. For this service he earned the Greek Cross. During the Korean Conflict, he commanded the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, for which he was awarded the Presidential Citation. Colonel Klair Back retired from the Air Force in 1968.
Charles Harold Back, the second of the three brothers, joined the Air Corps in 1940, just after graduating from Georgetown College. He was trained first as a pilot, then switched to bombardier, navigator and administrator. On a mission in the Aleutian Islands during World War II, his plane was damaged and the crew had to parachute to safety. Later, he was promoted to Captain and assigned as assistant adjutant of the Walla Walla Army Air Base in the state of Washington. In 1946, he was sent to Japan as part of the military government established by the United States for that country after the war. He returned to the U.S. in 1949 to be assigned as a bombardier in the Strategic Air Command in Fucon, Arizona. Later he earned a Master's degree in Industrial Management from the University of Pittsburgh. He then became part of the Logistics Command at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. He returned to Japan in 1958, and he flew as a navigator into Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Charles Harold Back retired in 1968 as a Master Navigator at the rank of Colonel.
John Verdall Back, the youngest of the brothers, was a fighter pilot for his entire career in the Air Force. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1941. He flew fighter aircraft in three wars: he spent two tours of duty in Europe during World War II; he continued as a fighter pilot throughout the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War, switching from the P-40 Curtis War Hawk propeller planes to jets. In all he flew 236 missions, 104 in combat. Colonel John Verdall Back retired as a Command Pilot in 1970.
After retirement from the military, all three brothers had successful civilian careers: Klair with the Health Department in Sumpter, South Carolina; Charles Harold as an instructor at Parks Air College at St. Louis University; and John Verdall for Maricopa County, Arizona. Klair Back died in 1987. He was brought back to his native Letcher County for burial in the Sandlick Cemetery at Whitesburg, Kentucky.
- - - - - -
The following is a summary of an article that appeared in the July 22, 1987, issue of The Mountain Eagle (Whitesburg, KY) as published in the book "A Back Family History" by Custer, Kenneth, and Troy Back and Dexter Dixon:
[Three brothers:] Klair Back, Charles Harold Back, and John Verdell Back, of Letcher County, Kentucky, all did well in their military careers. They served during three wars: World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War. All three reached the rank of Colonel and held the highest commands possible for that rank.
Perhaps they were motivated, at least in part, to follow a military career because of family tradition. Their father, Captain Charles H. Back, served under the command of General "Black Jack" Pershing in the wars against Pancho Villa on the Mexican border. He reared his sons in the military tradition.
Klair Back, the oldest of the brothers, took flying lessons while attending Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. He joined the Air Corps in 1939. During World War II, he was assigned to train pilots, first in Georgia, then in 1943 as an instructor at West Point. After the war, he served as attache' to Greece for three years. For this service he earned the Greek Cross. During the Korean Conflict, he commanded the 3rd Air Rescue Squadron, for which he was awarded the Presidential Citation. Colonel Klair Back retired from the Air Force in 1968.
Charles Harold Back, the second of the three brothers, joined the Air Corps in 1940, just after graduating from Georgetown College. He was trained first as a pilot, then switched to bombardier, navigator and administrator. On a mission in the Aleutian Islands during World War II, his plane was damaged and the crew had to parachute to safety. Later, he was promoted to Captain and assigned as assistant adjutant of the Walla Walla Army Air Base in the state of Washington. In 1946, he was sent to Japan as part of the military government established by the United States for that country after the war. He returned to the U.S. in 1949 to be assigned as a bombardier in the Strategic Air Command in Fucon, Arizona. Later he earned a Master's degree in Industrial Management from the University of Pittsburgh. He then became part of the Logistics Command at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. He returned to Japan in 1958, and he flew as a navigator into Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Charles Harold Back retired in 1968 as a Master Navigator at the rank of Colonel.
John Verdall Back, the youngest of the brothers, was a fighter pilot for his entire career in the Air Force. He joined the Army Air Corps in 1941. He flew fighter aircraft in three wars: he spent two tours of duty in Europe during World War II; he continued as a fighter pilot throughout the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War, switching from the P-40 Curtis War Hawk propeller planes to jets. In all he flew 236 missions, 104 in combat. Colonel John Verdall Back retired as a Command Pilot in 1970.
After retirement from the military, all three brothers had successful civilian careers: Klair with the Health Department in Sumpter, South Carolina; Charles Harold as an instructor at Parks Air College at St. Louis University; and John Verdall for Maricopa County, Arizona. Klair Back died in 1987. He was brought back to his native Letcher County for burial in the Sandlick Cemetery at Whitesburg, Kentucky.
Inscription
US AIR FORCE LTC WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
