Wallace H. Blackwell Jr.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Wallace H. Blackwell Jr., of Sagamore and Rockville, Md., passed away on Jan. 14, 2009, in Rockville.

He was the devoted husband of Titika Blackwell; beloved brother of Alice Cooper of Sagamore, Regina Garvin of Sandwich, and Nancy Cannon of Albion, R.I., and the late Clarence Blackwell; loving father of John Blackwell, Lovettsville, Va., and Elizabeth McCann, Lowell, Maine. He is also survived by eight grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Sagamore Cemetery, Ben Abbey Road and Sandwich Road, Sagamore, on Wednesday, April 8, at 1 p.m.

Born on July 31, 1924, in Sagamore, he graduated from Bourne High School in June 1942 and entered University of New Hampshire that fall. He volunteered for U.S. Army Pilot Training in December 1942, graduating as a pilot and second lieutenant in January 1944. He received B-17 pilot and combat crew training, and was assigned to the Eighth Air Force in England in July 1944. He flew his first combat mission over wartime Europe on July 31, 1944, his 20th birthday. He flew his 35th and final combat mission in December 1944, then returned to UNH, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering in June 1949.

Mr. Blackwell began federal employment as a geodetic engineer for the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Washington, D.C., in June 1949. He was involved with the calculation and determination of the geodetic positioning of survey networks, becoming an expert in the application of computers to geodetic surveys. He transitioned to computer applications for scientific work in 1966 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and retired in 1982.

A very active member of the 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association, he served this group of proud WWII veterans in many roles since 1993, including president from 1998 until his death.