Thomas Hilmon "Bill" Bookout

Thomas Hilmon ``Bill'' Bookout
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX. - Born in Greenwood Springs, Mississippi on July 10, 1917, Thomas Hilmon ``Bill'' Bookout died in Corpus Christi, Texas, on October 16, 2008.
He is survived by his wife Alicia, his son Thomas Eugene, daughter-in-law Evelyn, and granddaughters Jennifer (Dave Peckham) of San Rafael, California, and Farley (Mark Pedini) of Austin, Texas as well as great granddaughter Neko of Austin. His wife of 47 years, Nell Farley of Port Aransas, Texas, had passed away in 1997. His life-long pals, his older brother Herman and his younger sister Grace, had also passed away.
After buying his first airplane in 1936, he went on to become a career Naval Aviator. In 1942 he instructed students at the Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi in primary aircraft and in PBY Catalinas. During much of World War Two he flew patrol bombers in search of German submarines off the coasts of Iceland and North Africa. Following the war he trained ``Weekend Warriors'' at Naval Air Stations in Dallas, East Greenwich, Rhode Island, New Orleans, and Chicago. He reached the rank of Captain and was the Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Station in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, shortly before he retired to Ingleside in 1963.
After retiring, he worked with the Billy Pugh Company of Corpus Christi in marketing a rescue net to various foreign militaries and to the National Aeronautical and Space Administration. NASA used the nets to retrieve astronauts from the ocean following their return from the moon. They also invented and marketed a rescue device for downed pilots in Vietnam called the Jungle Penetrator. In the 1970s he owned two ocean going shrimp boats.
After flying, fishing and dove hunting were two of his passions. He flew a private plane until the age of 80. He was a very supportive and loving father, grandfather, and husband and will be greatly missed.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, October 20, 2008, 11 AM, at the First United Methodist Church in Santa Rosa, TX.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in his honor the charity of your choice.
You are invited to sign the guestbook or leave a condolence at www.buck-ashcraft.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home.
Sign the guestbook at: http://legacy.com/ValleyStar/Obituaries.asp