John Virgil Snyder

John Joined the U.S. Army in 1969 and retired his Military career with the AirForce in 2003. He loved cars... especially Mustangs and Challengers.

John is preceded in death by his Parents; Virgil and Bertha Snyder and Sisters; Mae Koll, Darlene Snyder, and Christine Snyder.

He is survived by his Daughter; Christina Glenn and Husband Eli of Cleveland, OK, Granddaughters; Candace and Madison Glenn of Cleveland, OK, Sister; JoAnne Hines of Billings, MT, Nephew; Loye Ashton of Tucson, AZ, Niece; Kimberly O'Keefe of Leesburg, VA, Good Friend and Chaplain Assistant of the 507th; Charles Dixon, His Comrades of the 507th Air Refueling Wing, and Ghost Riders.

In John's own documented words, his long Military Journey is as follows:

I went into the US ARMY on June 26 1969 and tock Basic Training at Fort Lewis, Washington where I got expert with the M-14 and graduated in Aug 1969. I then went ¾ of a mile where I took my infantry training where I got expert with the M-16 and the M-60 machine gun and graduated in Oct 1969, and got my MOS of 11B10 (Infantry). I was then sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for further infantry training and left for South Vietnam in Feb 1970 as an infantry man. I was stationed at Cam Ron Bay, South Vietnam for two weeks on guard duty. Then I was sent to I corps to the 1015 ABN DIV. where we went through a week long introduction in country and sent to Camp Eagle with C Company 2/502 infantry 101* ABN DIV. So in March 1970 I drew my M-16 and gear and went to the jungle of South Vietnam. In the early part of April in a fire fight with the NVA I had my first confirmed kill witnessed by two other people and awarded the Combat Infantry Badge. In May we had a three and a half day battle (May 4-7) for a hill held by the NVA. We took the hill but lost 80% of the company in doing so. After putting my friends in body bags and securing the area, I went to the rear and reenlisted to go into helicopters. I went to B Company 5th Trans at Phu Bau, South Vietnam, where I OJT’d on helicopters until late Aug 1970 when I went to A Company 158' AVN BN Assault Helicopters 101* ABN DIV. (GHOST RIDERS) at Camp Evans. They put me in maintained for three weeks and then they sent me to a two week school in Phu Loi and when I came back they gave me a helicopter, so with my maintenance background they gave me helicopter UH-1H 78-15768 to be a crew chief and door gunner on and assigned me a door gunner. I flew combat missions until Nov 1970 were I earned my crewmember badge. I flew until Nov 25, 1970 when I was sent home on emergency leave because my father died.

I was reassigned to Fort Rucker, Alabama working with helicopters on night landings until Feb 1971 when I reenlisted to go back to South Vietnam. In March 1971 I went back to A Company 158' AVN BN Assault Helicopters 101* ABN DIV, the (GHOST RIDERS) where I flew as a crew chief and door gunner and I flew combat missions until Dec 1971 when we stood down and came back to the states. During that time on my first and second tour I was shot down three times and was forced down because of battle damage 47 times. When we stood down in Dec of 1971 I had orders for the 82nd ABN DIV at Fort Bragg, North Carolina but the 1015 ABN DIV keep the 158 and what was left of the personnel and sent us to Fort Campbell, Kentucky where we landed on Dec 25 1971.

I spent from Dec 25 1971---- Nov 27 1973 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. I flew with the 15gth AVN BN while it was rebuilt. I started with the instrument school and flew seven months with them and then went to the field with the 158' AVN BN in war games.

I was assigned to B Company 158'* AVN BN and flew for the Battalion Commander for six months winning the Silver Eagle Award. I then flew for the Company Commander for another six months and then flew the rest of the time for the 1s Flight Platoon Commander.

I left active duty on Nov 27 1973 and went to the Minnesota Army National Guard and went to the 1st Squadron 194' Cav at Milaca, Minnesota. After two months I went to B Company 47 AVN BN at St Paul, Minnesota, and flew with them until June 1975 when I went to the Arizona Army National Guard at Phoenix, Arizona with the 997 AVN Company (AST HEL) and flew with them until Oct 1975 and left them to go to the North Dakota Army National Guard at Valley City, North Dakota and was assigned to the HHC 141ST ENGINTER BN, based out of Bismarck, North Dakota. I stayed with them until June 1976 and went to the Oklahoma Army National Guard at Lexington, Oklahoma and was assigned to B Company 445'' AVN BN (ASSAULT HELICOPTER) where I earned my Senior Crewmember Badge. I stayed with them until Sept 1980 when I left the ARMY and went to the AIR NATIONAL GUARD at Tulsa, Oklahoma and was assigned to the 138' TAC FIGHTER GROUP. I was then sent to Lowery AFB, Colorado for munitions school were I earned my new AFC 46110. I came back to Tulsa and the 138th Cam Squad and work in the bomb dump where I got my basic Munitions Maintenance Badge. I stayed with the 138th TFG until May 1985 when I went to the AIR FORCE RESERVE and came to Tinker Air Force Base and joined the 507 TAC FIGHTER GROUPE as a 46170 munitions troop and went to work for SMSgt Loyd Domer. While in the 507' bomb dump I earned my Senior Munitions Maintenance Badge and my Senior Mussel Badge. Because of my back surgery in 1990 I was force to find a new home and I found it in the Information Management Specialist field and was sent to school at Kessler AFB, Mississippi.

I went to school from Feb to March 1991 and was award the AFC of 70210, you know it today as a 3A010. I served in this field from March 1991 ---June 1992 when I started doing the job of Weapons Assure for the 465th TAC FIGHTER SQUARDON and did this until the change over to the KC-135R and the Tanker World. I then went into the FMO shop and did the orders for the crew and did the tracking of all there flying requirements and also did the mobility job of making sure they got their shots and chem. gear training and etc. In Aug of 1995 I went back to STAN EVAL shop and my 3A0 training. In April 1999 I went to Kessler AFB, Mississippi and got my seven level and came back as a 3A070 and got my Senior Information Badge. In April of 2000 I came back to ops in the FMO shop and went to school from Oct ---Nov 2000 and earned my AFC as a 1C010 and the basic Operation Recourse Management. I got my 5 level in April of 2002, and ended my military career on Jan 14 2003.

I earned the following awards in my military career:

Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm

Army Service Ribbon

Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (rifle)

Armed forces Reserve Medal - with 1 device

Air Force Longevity Service - with 6 devices

Army Overseas Service Ribbon - with 2 devices

Humanitarian Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal - with 3 devices

National Defense Service Medal - with 1 device

Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal - with 7 devices

Good Conduct Medal

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award - With 4 devices

Distinguished Presidential Unit Citation

Air Force Achievement Medal - with 2 devices

Army Commendation Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal

Air Medal - with 13 devices

Air Medal with V device

Meritorious Service Medal

Bronze Star

Combat Infantry Badge

Senior Crewmember Wings

Senior Missile Badge

Senior Munitions, Maintenance Badge

Senior Information Specialist Badge

Basis Operations Resource Management Badge