Walter L. Kemp

1920 - 2018

Walter L. Kemp

Gainesville, FL - Walter L. Kemp, Retired Major U.S.A.F 98 years old, passed peacefully October 6, 2018 and joined his wife, Frances P. Kemp who passed away January 26, 2017 in Heaven.

Walt and Frances were long time residents of Murfreesboro, TN.

In 1958, when Walt was transferred back to Sewart Air Force Base, 62nd Troop Carrier Squadron (TAC), they bought a home for themselves and their daughter on Spencer Drive. This was their home for the next 55 years.

Walter was member of the local Stones River MOAA, Military Officers Association of America, The Moose Club, and Eagles Club.

Walter was born in Lewiston, Idaho in 1920, lived in Winchester, Lewis County, Idaho. He was the son of the late Constance Kemp and Leonard L. Kemp. The Kemp's were orginally from England, and homesteaded vast land located between the confluence of the Snake River and the Salmon River, and a home in Forrest, Idaho.

Brother to the late William, and several Nieces and Nephew living in the Pacific N.W.

In 2015 they moved closer to family and lived in Assisted Living in Gainesville, FL, where their Daughter Connie, her husband Mike, Grandson Todd, his wife, two Great Grandsons live in Gainesville Florida.

Memorial Services will take place next year through Woodfin Funeral Chapel at Evergreen Cemetery, Murfreesboro, TN.,

Walter served in United Air Force 1943-1964, Walter graduated in the First USAF Pilot Class in 1947, and retired as a Major with 10,000 flying hours.

Following a brief retirement, in 1965 until 1982 he became a Claim Representative for Social Security Administration in Murfreesboro,TN.

Walt and Frances traveled extensively in the post retirement years.

Walt and Frances lived in Newfoundland, Canada while Walt was stationed at Harmon Air Force Base. Then Walt continued his duties as a pilot while stationed in France for two years, and Athens, Greece for five years.

When Walt was not on assignment, the family traveled extensively in surrounding European countries.

During his career as command pilot in the following aircraft he flew: B-25. B-17. C-130. C-123. G-18 Glider. 04 Glider. Sail Plane. B29-F13 (Photo) engineer. C-82 "Flying Box Car". "The Texan". C-119- Flying Box Car-Replaced the C-82.

Walt was flying the C-130 airplane when he retired from USAF Sewart Air Force Base, Smyrna, Tennessee. Over half of his military service of 21 years was spent overseas.

Walt volunteered for the Army Air Corps, but because of the war the military needed B-29 flight engineers. He earned a flight engineer rating and a commission of 2nd Lieutenant.

Walt's first assignment was with the 20th Air Force on Guam, later transferred to Okinawa assigned to Photo Recon Sqdn with F-13 aircraft. The F-13 was a B-29 with all armor, guns, turrets removed and a Tri-Met camera system installed. With China's permission the first task was to photo map the entire East Coast of China.

Months after Hiroshima was bombed, Walt was on the crew sent from Okinawa to photo the entire area at all levels from 1,000 feet to 35,000 feet and from all directions.

Walt went to Randolph AFB, Texas for primary pilot training, then to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, for advanced pilot training. After graduation he was assigned to Troop Carrier Unit at Greenville, AFB, S.C. flying the C-82 "Flying Boxcar".

In 1948, Walt was on TDY to Resolute Bay Cornwallis Island in Far Northern Canada. Mission was to re-supply all weather stations on such places as Isachesen, Ellef Fingness, Prince Patrick Islands and Hazen Land on the North Rim of Greenland. Due to a navigational error and low fuel, the plane bellied in, gear up, on the ice near Easter Island. They were there four days before sighted by Canadian Air Force B-17 "Dumbo". They were picked up by ski-wheel C-47 and taken to Thule, Greenland. Two weeks later maintenance crew was flown in, raised the C-82 with air bags, put the gear down, and put in fuel. Walt flew the C-82 out for repairs. He then picked up another C-82 went back and finished the mission which took about six weeks.

In 1953 Walt went North again with a C-119 Unit to air drop building materials and supplies build the Ice Tunnels in the Greenland Ice cap for NORAD Radar Systems.

It has been my greatest honor to have had my parents live near us the last few years, and savor each and every moment with them before they took their final trip together.