E. E. VAN VALKENBERG
November 24, 1927 ˜ February 7, 2022

Mr. Van Valkenberg was born in Dodge City, KS on Nov. 24, 1927. His home was in Colorado Springs. During his teen years he moved to Washington State where he went to school, worked in parking lots, the post office, and the shipyard. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy as he feared being drafted. Serving for 3 years before returning to Washington and working for PUD for a year before joining the Air Force Reserves.

Van spent more than 37 years as an airborne radio operator. He logged more than 14,000 hours of flight time, saw almost every country in the world, became the first Air Force Reservist to win the Commendation Medal for heroism in flight in peacetime, served 23 years as communication director on Air Force One, where he worked with U.S. presidents and heads of state all over the world.
Van also enjoyed skiing, hiking, roller skating, cycling and sky diving and even had 2,041 jumps as recorded in his logbook. He retired as chief master sergeant.

Van joined the Air Force Reserves at Portland Air Base in March 1950. He was ordered to active duty during the Korean War, Cuban Crisis and the war in Vietnam. He was later transferred to the Air Forces VIP squadron at Andrew Air Force Base, MD, where in 1963 he was assigned to Air Force One, the president's Boeing 707 flying command post. He was in charge of one of the world's most sophisticated airborne communications centers. Duties required to maintain direct communications with Washington, D.C., at all times from anywhere in the world. In addition, Van designed the communications systems aboard the two command ships and had to be able to fix anything that went wrong with other electronic systems, such as the internal navigation system, on the plane in flight.

During his years he was "the hearing ear" for presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, and Bush.

He also once volunteered as radio operator to ferry a twin-engined C-119 transport from France to the United States where they lost power in one engine and were able to return to France. They replaced the engine and tried again. Again, they lost an engine and were able to reach the Azores. After replacing that engine once again after takeoff the engine blew up. They were able to feather the propeller, but they couldn't hold altitude. After throwing out all their baggage and emergency gear, keeping only a life raft, they were about ready to bail out when they managed to drag into Newfoundland for a landing.

Committal will be held at Park Hill Cemetery on Thursday, March 24, at 13:00 with military honors.