Charles "Chuck" Shankland

1939 - 2023

Charles "Chuck" Shankland

Decorated South Dakota Airman dies.

Colonel Charles "Chuck" Shankland, a highly decorated U.S. Air Force Colonel, career Intelligence Officer and Defense Contractor Executive, has died at the age of 83.

Colonel Shankland was born in Eureka in 1939 and was the son of former South Dakota State Senator Foster C. Shankland and Vivian (Garber) Shankland. He was raised in Rapid City, attending Rapid City High School where he played Varsity Baseball and graduated in 1957. He then attended South Dakota State University, where he was Class President and graduated in 1961 and would go on to get a graduate degree from the University of Oklahoma. In 1961, he married his college sweetheart, Sharon Emily Ogstad, of Irene.

Colonel Shankland's Air Force Intelligence Officer career began in 1961 at the Strategic Air Command Headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska, followed quickly by an overseas assignment to Taipei, Taiwan in the Democratic Republic of China. Next was his first assignment at the Pentagon and then overseas to a combat duty tour in Vietnam where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

After the tour in Vietnam, (then Captain) Shankland returned to South Dakota State University as an Air Force ROTC Instructor & Professor. While there he led the SDSU ROTC detachment to Top honors in the country in 1972. After a promotion to Major and a 2nd assignment at the Pentagon, he and his family were off to another overseas assignment, 3 years in Stuttgart, Germany. Then, having been promoted to Colonel, he was back to Omaha where he served as Director of Intelligence at the Strategic Air Command Headquarters, then to Hawaii as a member of the Commander in Chief Pacific's staff. His final military tour of duty was back at the Pentagon after he was selected to serve as the Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. A couple of his most noteworthy Intelligence efforts included the Chernobyl Nuclear meltdown, and the shoot down of Korean Air 007. During his extensive Air Force career, Colonel Shankland was awarded 11 medal citations, including the Bronze Star, Defense Superior Service Medals, Legion of Merit, and Meritorious Service Medals.

Following his storied military career, retired Colonel Shankland continued to serve as a Program Director at U.S. defense contractor Northrup-Grumman, and held positions on two Defense Department Committees, the Armed Forces Communications and Electronic Association and the Strategic Development Committee.

Following the death of his beloved wife of 58 years, Sharon, retired Colonel Shankland spent his last few years near family in Door County, Wisconsin. He is survived by his son Scott (wife Jennifer) Shankland, daughter Stephanie (husband Todd) Lord, and 6 cherished grandchildren, Scott Jr., Reagan and Steven Shankland, and Matthew, Michael, and Megan Lord.

Colonel Shankland and wife Sharon Shankland will be buried together with full Military Honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC later this year.