Tom Robbins (1932–2025), Even Cowgirls Get the Blues author

Tom Robbins was a novelist known for quirky cult favorites like “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” and “Skinny Legs and All.” 

Joe Engle (1932–2024), NASA astronaut and X-15 test pilot

Joe Engle was a pilot and NASA astronaut who was one of just 12 pilots to fly missions on the North American X-15, an experimental spaceplane.

Bill Cobbs (1934–2024), actor known for Night at the Museum

Bill Cobbs was an actor known for many of his nearly 200 roles on film and TV, including parts in “Night at the Museum,” “Demolition Man,” “The Bodyguard,” “The West Wing,” and "I’ll Fly Away.” 

Bob Schul (1937–2024), America’s sole 5,000m Olympic champion

Bob Schul was a renowned long-distance runner who was the U.S.’ only ever 5,000m Olympic champion, winning the gold in 1964.

William Anders (1933–2024), astronaut who took Earthrise photo

William Anders was an astronaut who orbited the moon on Apollo 8 and took the iconic “Earthrise” photograph from space.

Clarence “Bud” Anderson (1922–2024), last surviving WWII triple ace

Clarence “Bud” Anderson was a celebrated U.S. Air Force pilot who was the last surviving triple ace of WWII and the highest scoring P-51 Mustang pilot in his squadron.

Dr. Cyril Wecht (1931–2024), famed forensic pathologist

Dr. Cyril Wecht was a longtime forensic pathologist who became a high-profile public official after working on landmark cases like on the assassination of President , the killing, and death. 

Dick Rutan (1938–2024), first pilot to fly non-stop around the world

Dick Rutan was a pilot who, in 1986, became one of the first two pilots to circumnavigate the globe in a non-stop flight without refueling.

Rev. Cecil Murray Sr. (1929–2024), Los Angeles civil rights leader

Rev. Cecil “Chip” Murray Sr. was a minister and civil rights leader who emerged as a calming voice during the Los Angeles Riots of 1992.

Joe Flaherty (1941–2024), actor in Freaks and Geeks, SCTV

Joe Flaherty was an original cast member of “SCTV” who went on to memorable roles in “Happy Gilmore” and “Freaks and Geeks.”

Thomas Stafford (1930–2024), NASA commander on mission with Soviets 

Thomas Stafford was a NASA astronaut who served as commander in the 1975 Apollo Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), the first joint mission between the U.S. and Soviet space programs.

Terry Everett (1937–2024), U.S. Rep. from Alabama

Terry Everett was a Republican who represented southeast Alabama in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2009.

Roger Donlon (1934–2024), first Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient 

Roger Donlon was a U.S. Army veteran who was given the Medal of Honor for his valor in the Vietnam War.

Lt. Col. Bob Pardo (1934–2023), daring aviator known for Pardo's Push

Bob Pardo was an aviator and military fighter pilot whose efforts to get his wingman’s heavily damaged Phantom fighter jet out of enemy airspace over Vietnam became known as Pardo’s Push.0

Jack Hogan (1929–2023), star of TV’s Combat! 

Jack Hogan was an actor best known for playing PFC William G. Kirby for five seasons and 112 episodes on television’s “Combat!” a World War II drama that ran from 1962 to 1967.

George Cohon (1937–2023), founder of McDonald’s Canada

George Cohon was the founder of McDonald’s Canada who later brought the iconic hamburger chain to Russia.

Frank Borman (1928–2023), commander of historic Apollo 8 mission

Frank Borman was an astronaut who commanded Apollo 8, the first mission to fly around the moon. 

Lt. Gen. Claudius “Bud” Watts III (1936–2023), past president of The Citadel 

Lt. Gen. Claudius “Bud” Watts III was a United States Air Force veteran who served as president of The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina, from 1989 to 1996.

Karol Bobko (1937–2023), first Challenger space shuttle pilot

Karol Bobko , aerospace engineer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut, was the first person to fly three different space shuttle missions, as well as the first pilot of both the Atlantis and the ill-fated Challenger.

Brian Shul (1948–2023), celebrated aviator and SR-71 pilot 

Brian Shul was a Vietnam-era attack pilot who barely survived being shot down, only to come back as a celebrated SR-71 pilot before becoming an acclaimed public speaker and photographer. 

Harold Brown (1924–2023), U.S. Air Force officer, Tuskegee Airman

Harold Brown was a U.S. Air Force veteran who flew missions in World War II and the Korean War. He was one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, the group of primarily Black pilots who earned an outstanding combat record despite military segregation.

Colonel Joseph Kittinger (1928–2022), pioneering aviation hero

Colonel Joseph Kittinger was a retired Air Force command pilot who set a record in 1960 for the longest freefall skydive.

Gerald Stern (1925–2022), award-winning poet

Gerald Stern was a poet who won a National Book Award in 1998 for his collection “This Time: New and Selected Poems.”

James McDivitt (1929–2022), NASA astronaut who led first U.S. spacewalk mission

James McDivitt was a NASA astronaut who commanded the Gemini 4 and Apollo 9 missions.

Alexander Jefferson (1921–2022), Tuskegee Airman

Alexander Jefferson was a U.S. Air Force veteran who served as a Tuskegee Airman in World War II.

A Memorial Tribute to U.S. Veterans Who Died in 2021-2022

This Memorial Day, we set out to share the incredible true life stories of the American war vets who died in 2021 and 2022. This eight-minute tribute video is a very special mini-episode of Legacy's "Immortalized" series, honoring the brave men and women who served in World War II, the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Charles G. Boyd (1938–2022), only Vietnam POW to become a four-star general

Charles G. Boyd was a retired four-star general in the U.S. Air Force and a homeland security expert.

Alan Ladd Jr. (1937–2022), producer who greenlit “Star Wars”

Alan Ladd Jr. was a producer and movie executive who greenlit “Star Wars” and produced “Braveheart.”

Gail Halvorsen (1920–2022), “Candy Bomber” in the Berlin airlift

Gail Halvorsen was a United States Air Force pilot known as the “Candy Bomber” for dropping candy over Berlin from his airplane during the Berlin airlift in 1948.

Dennis Smith (1940–2022), firefighter and bestselling author

Dennis Smith was a New York City firefighter and author whose bestselling books included “Report from Ground Zero.”

Charles E. McGee (1919–2022), Tuskegee Airman who flew in three wars

Charles E. McGee was a Tuskegee Airman who flew combat missions in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Honor your veteran's memory with a free, permanent Military Times tribute

Legacy.com is pleased to announce the successful launch of a new relationship with the Military Times that offers families a free way to honor and share their veteran’s life story.

Bill Wynne (1922–2021), photojournalist who trained WWII hero dog Smoky

Bill Wynne was a photojournalist and U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II, who trained the war hero dog Smoky.

Robert Ashby (1926–2021), Tuskegee Airman who was the first Black pilot for Frontier Airlines

Robert Ashby was a U.S. Air Force veteran who served as a Tuskegee Airman during World War II before becoming the first Black pilot hired by Frontier Airlines.

Richard Hall Jr. (2021), Tuskegee Airman

Richard Hall Jr. was a U.S. Air Force veteran who served with the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II.

Theodore ‘Ted’ Lumpkin (1919–2020), Tuskegee Airman

Theodore ‘Ted’ Lumpkin was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, the Black pilots and support staff who served with distinction in World War II. He served as an intelligence officer, giving mission briefings to pilots during a combat tour in Italy. He retired from the Air Force Reserves as a lieutenant colonel.

Chuck Yeager (1923–2020), first human to go faster than the speed of sound

Chuck Yeager was a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general who was the first human to break the sound barrier.

Frank Macon (1923–2020), Tuskegee Airman

Frank Macon was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, the Black pilots and support staff who served with distinction in World War II.

Rudolph “Val” Archer (1929–2020), Tuskegee Airman who served in three wars

Rudolph “Val” Archer was one of the last remaining Tuskegee Airmen, the elite group of black pilots and support staff who served during World War II.

George W. Biggs (1925–2020), Tuskegee Airman who flew in three wars

George W. Biggs was a U.S. Army Air Corps and U.S. Air Force veteran who flew as a Tuskegee Airman in World War II.

Roy Charles Hammond (2020), legendary soul singer

Roy Charles Hammond was a legendary soul singer known as Roy C. His best-known song was “Shotgun Wedding,” a top 20 R&B hit in 1965.   

Col. Steve dePyssler (1919–2020), only known American to serve in four wars

Col. Steve dePyssler was a U.S. Air Force veteran who was the only known American to have served in four wars.

Zeke Bratkowski (1931–2019), Bart Starr’s backup

Quarterback behind Starr during the Packers dynasty years.

How Veterans Grieve

Honoring their fallen comrades is a uniquely powerful experience for America's military veterans.

Bob Kingsley (1939–2019), country music radio legend

Longtime host of “Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40.”

MIA Vietnam vet's son flies his remains home 52 years later

A full military funeral will be held for Col. Roy A. Knight Jr. on Aug. 10 in Weatherford, Texas.

Dorothy Olsen (1916–2019), one of WWII's last surviving Women Airforce Service Pilots

Dorothy Olsen was one of the last surviving WASPs, women pilots who flew non-combat missions for the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. The WASPs—Women Airforce Service Pilots—were stationed across the U.S., ferrying planes from factories to airbases, test-flying new and recently repaired planes, and training new pilots in order to free up male Army Air Forces members to fly combat missions. Olsen had earned her private pilot’s license after a childhood dreaming of flight, and she joined the WASPs in 1943, the year they were first established. She was one of just 1,074 women to complete the WASP training program. Though they were of vital importance to the war effort, the WASPs weren’t officially military, and their contributions went largely unrecognized for decades. It wasn’t until 1977 that they received veterans’ benefits, and in 2010 they were collectively presented the Congressional Gold Medal.

Robert Friend (1920–2019), one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen

One of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, Robert Friend directed the U.S. Air Force’s Project Blue Book investigating UFOs.

Stories of D-Day Veterans We Said Goodbye to This Year

Seventy-five years after the D-Day invasion of World War II, families and nations are honoring the service members who fought in one of the war's most famous battles.