Alumni Obituary – Robert Don Greer

Robert D. Greer, Class of 1952, passed away in his home in Haltom City, Texas on November 24, 2019. Bob was the eldest son of Robert and Opal Greer, Academy Classes of 1926 and 1928, respectively.

He joined the Air Force in 1953 and received his wings and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1955. He initially flew fixed-winged aircraft but transitioned to helicopters in 1959. The Air Force’s mission for helicopters is rescue.

In 1967, he earned an MBA from the University of Oklahoma and shortly after, was ordered to Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, assigned to Udorn Air Force Base in Thailand. In the Air Force helicopter crews were known as the Jolly Greens. As commander, he and his crew routinely flew rescue missions, primarily into North Vietnam, rescuing downed American pilots.

On two different occasions, he commanded a crew on rescue missions encountering severe weather conditions and considerable hostile ground fire. The rescue missions were successful, and for each of these two missions, Bob received the Distinguish Flying Cross. He served his country well with honor and distinction.

After leaving the Air Force in 1968, he took a position as a Marketing Engineer with Bell Helicopter Corporation, a division of Textron in Hurst, Texas. He retired from Bell in 1990 and enjoyed golf and cruising.

He served a two-year term as national president of the Jolly Green Pilots Association, and he served for ten years as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner for the City of Haltom City. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Ft. Worth, Texas.

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Central Christian College of Kansas is a four-year collegiate institution that strives to offer Christ-centered education for the whole person through four core characteristics: heart, soul, mind, and strength. Its history dates back to 1884, and it is located in the friendly town of McPherson, Kansas. Central is a strategically small college that offers over forty areas of residential study and a thriving online program for non-traditional students. To learn more about Central, go to centralchristian.edu/about. Visit the Foundation of Central Christian College to see what projects and events are coming up.