Lt. Col Joel J. Feigenbaum

Lt. Col. Joel J. Feigenbaum, USAF Ret, age 77 of San Antonio died Sunday, June 22, 2003 following a long bout with cancer. Joel was born in Newburgh NY on December 31, 1925. He was the only child of Murray and Mary Feigenbaum and was raised in Monticello, NY. He served in the US Air Corps as a B-29 gunner-engineer and flew 25 missions over Japan. Following WWII he attended Westminster College, attaining a BBA in 1949. Joel was recalled to active duty during the Korean conflict and was Armament Officer, 8th Fighter Bomber Wing in Suwon, Korea. In addition, he served the State Department as Chief of Psychological Warfare Officer in Saigon, Vietnam. Among his many awards and decorations are the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal with three clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and a medal presented by the government of South Vietnam. Joel served in many command positions during his tenure in the USAF. Prior to his retirement, in September 1975, he was the Director of the Department of Recruiting and Instructor Training at Lackland AFB, TX. In 1979 Joel was instrumental in activating the TX-782nd AFJROTC program at John Jay High School, San Antonio, TX. He provided caring leadership and growth potential resulting in the largest AFJROTC Unit in the world and a program of note. Joel is survived by Eleanor, his loving wife of 56 years and Ellen, his devoted daughter and his special grandsons, Aaron and Sam. There was a mutual appreciation between Joel and his second family, to include Mrs. Silk, his mother-in-law and her offspring.