Bud Boone, 86

Clarence E. (Bud) Boone, 86, of Hammett, died Thursday, Dec. 23, 2004, at the Boise VA Regional Medical Center.

Services were held Monday Dec. 27, at Hammett Community Church. Burial followed at Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain Home. Arrangements were under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, Mountain Home.

Bud was born in Terrys Fork Virginia on Dec. 27, 1917, the son of Charles Emmett and Mary Odessa (Aldridge) Boone. He was the eleventh of twelve children -- eight sisters and three brothers.

Bud grew up in southwest Virginia and graduated from Check High School, Check, Va., in May 1936.

After graduation Bud worked for T.E Coffey Construction Company in Roanoke, Va., for the next several years.

On Sept. 12, 1940, Bud enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. Bud completed basic training at Chanute AFB, Illinois. Upon completion of basic training Bud attended the 22-week aviation mechanics course at Chanute.

Bud was stationed at Albrooke Field, Panama Canal Zone, on Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Bud's Air Corps Unit, the 29th Pursuit Squadron, 16th Pursuit Group, was returned to the U.S. in March 1944. It was reorganized into the 2nd Air Commando Group, CBI, and was shipped to the India-Burma theater in November 1944. Bud's 2nd Air Commando Group fought in the central Burma Campaign until WWII ended in 1945.

Bud spent a year in Germany TDY from 1953 until 1954 as part of the Army of Occupation.

He also spent a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1964.

Bud told his friends and family that he was lucky to have spent his entire 29-year career in aircraft maintenance, United States Air Force.

Bud was awarded numerous, medals and ribbons and citations.

Bud married Ann Dorothy Divney, a former WWII corporal, United States Army Air Force, at Orlando Air Force Base on Feb. 15, 1947.

Bud retired as a Chief Master Sergeant from the United States Air Force in Mountain Home, with 29 years active duty, on Aug. 1, 1969.

Bud was a member of the Hammett Community Church of Hammett and the VFW of Glenns Ferry.

Bud is survived by: sisters Hazel Conner, Frances Lucas, Virginia Metzler, and Amelis "Peg" Ragland, and numerous nieces and nephews, all of Virginia, and his close friends of Glenns Ferry, Hammett and Mountain Home.

Bud was preceded in death by his wife of over forty years, Ann, three brothers, and four sisters.

Memorials may be made in the name of Clarence E. (Bud) Boone to the Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Hospital PO Box 1100 Boise, ID 83701.