John Lee Golden

Colonel, United States Air Force (Retired), John Lee Golden, passed away in his Montgomery home in the early morning hours of November 9, 2022. In his long career, he distinguished himself in peace and in war.

His career began when he entered the US Air Force Academy in the class of 1964—which would be just the sixth class to graduate from the Academy.

He completed pilot training in 1965 and initially flew C-130s with the 36th troop carrier Squadron at Naha Air Force Base, Okinawa. Just over a year later he received an assignment to F-4 Phantom Jet training following which he and his wife Joanne reported to Misawa Air Force Base, Japan, where as an F-4 Aircraft Commander he flew a variety of missions to include frequent rotations to South Korea and Taiwan both of which were tense over possible Chinese or North Korean attack.

After volunteering for Vietnam in mid-1969, John was sent to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand, and then shortly thereafter to Phu Cat Air Base in Vietnam to fly F-4s. He arrived in Vietnam just months after the bloody Viet Cong Tet offensive. During his tour at Phu Cat, the base came under periodic enemy sapper and rocket attack. He flew the majority of his F-4 missions against North Vietnamese enemy forces in South Vietnam many of which entailed challenging support for American troops in combat where it was imperative to deploy weapons with extreme accuracy as they were often directed against enemy forces just yards from American lines. He flew over 100 missions in Thailand and South Vietnam earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses and the Air Medal with Six Oak Leaf clusters.

On his return from Vietnam, he spent just over a year from 1970 to 1971 at Myrtle Beach as an instructor pilot in the AT-33 following which he returned to the F-4 as an instructor pilot at Luke Air Force Base outside of Phoenix, Arizona. During this period, he experienced a painful back injury as a result of an aircraft incident. Although he lived with pain thereafter, he refused to let the pain keep him from flying and serving superbly as an Air Force officer with major unit and national responsibilities.

After Luke, he attended the Naval Post graduate school in Monterey, California, where he completed a Master’s Degree in National Security Affairs (graduating summa cum laude) and became proficient in Swedish following which John and Joanne moved to Stockholm where he became the Assistant Air Attaché and was dual hatted to Finland to backfill the vacant Air Attaché position there.

From Stockholm, John entered the Air Force Air War College and became a distinguished graduate which put him in the top ten percent of a very select group of officers.

His next assignment was to F-4s at Moody AFB, Georgia where he served as the 347th Wing Assistant Director of Operations before being named commander of the 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron, an integral part of the 9th AF Rapid Deployment Force with specific responsibility to prepare for deployment to the Middle East. After a distinguished tour as the 68th Commander he received an appointment to be a senior fellow at the prestigious Atlantic Council in Washington DC where he met and worked with many high level American and European leaders during the final intense years of the Cold War.

In 1985, John became the Deputy Inspector General of the Defense Intelligence Agency—the DOD counterpart to the Central Intelligence Agency. In this assignment he dealt with the most sensitive and important matters involving national military intelligence

In 1986 John and Joanne made a second move to Stockholm where John became the Defense Attaché to a country that although neutral was really the guardian of NATO’s northern flank against Russia. At the same time as he was dealing with Swedish issues, he also took on those of Finland as he was dual hatted again—this time as the Defense Attaché.

Following the Nordic tour, John and Joanne returned the US when John was assigned as an instructor at the Air Force Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama, where he received special commendation from the War College Commandant for his work in preparing select senior officers for high level command and staff positions in the Air Force and throughout the Defense Department.

Ever since John’s flying injury 20 years previously, he had suffered through numerous operations and endured continuous pain but refused to let either from interfering with his energetic devotion to duty. In 1992, however, he felt he had no choice but to accept medical retirement. When he retired, he was presented the Legion of Merit—one of the Nation’s high decorations awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.

Although he ended his military career in 1992, he continued to serve his nation when he became a Congressional District Manager for Representative Tom Delay, Republican Representative for the 22nd District of Texas. In 1994 he accepted an offer to move into the civilian business world as manager of a struggling Sugar Land private airport where he made major improvements, introduced new marketing methods, and supported a major disaster relief exercise staged from his airport.

After several successful years managing the airport, he and Joanne returned to Montgomery.

John Golden was a superb pilot and an extraordinarily impressive officer and gentleman who was an inspiration to those around him. He was devoted to the Air Force and his Country. Despite the pain resulting from the Luke Air Force Base incident and consequent back injury, he never gave into the pain but continued to take on the highest responsibilities while always remaining cheerful and energetic. He was always honest with himself and his comrades and was willing and able to make the hard choices to do what was right regardless of the consequences. Very simply, he distinguished himself in the air and on the ground and in war and in peace. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Device.

Colonel Golden is survived by Joanne, his wife of almost sixty years; John and Joanne’s daughter Elizabeth Huntebrinker and her husband Richard, and their four children Tyler, Chad, Elizabeth, and Dyson who live in Kansas City, Missouri; his sisters Janet Klug and Janelle Golden; and his sister-in-law Janet Brown.

A Celebration of Life Gathering will be held at Alabama Heritage Funeral Home, 10505 Atlanta Highway, Montgomery, Alabama on Sunday, November 13, 2022. Visitation will begin at 2 PM followed by a Remembrance Service at 3 PM with reception to follow. Inurnment will take place at the US Air Force Academy Cemetery in Colorado at 10 AM on December 2, 2022. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the American Red Cross or to a charity of your choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.AlabamaHeritageFH.com for the Golden family.