Charles Pfeiffer
May 19, 1932 — May 22, 2010
Charles A. Pfeiffer was born on May 19, 1932 in Cincinnati, OH to Alfred and Elizabeth (ne Stief) Pfeiffer, who had both immigrated in 1922 from the highly industrialized region of Bergkamen/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, which boarders Belgium and the Netherlands to the west. Charles was baptized at Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church in the Cincinnati suburb of Linwood. Charles attended Our Lady of Loretto Grade School and Xavier High School in Cincinnati, OH. He matriculated at Michigan State College (majoring in Forestry management) where he received his initial military indoctrination through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and upon graduation, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force in 1954. 2nd Lt. Pfeiffer began his active duty service in early 1955. Following completion of preflight orientation at Lackland Air Force Base, TX, Lt. Pfeiffer attended primary flight training at Spence Air Base, GA; basic flight training at Williams AFB, AZ; and advanced training in the jet fighter pilot track of Class 56-M at Laughlin AFB, TX where he received his wings and rating as an Air Force pilot. Lt. Pfeiffer then received career-broadening training as a supply officer at F. E. Warren AFB, WY. His first operational assignment was as the supply officer for SACs U-2 reconnaissance program at Turner AFB, GA; followed by Barksdale AFB, LA supporting a SAC KC-97 tanker squadron, where he also flew VIP airlift in converted B-25 Mitchell bombers. In 1958, Charles Pfeiffer made his career decision with the Air Force and received a second career-broadening assignment as the Base Forestry Officer at Barksdale AFB, LA; applying his college degree in management of 19,600 acres of contiguous World War II gunnery and bombing ranges. Charles married Joan (Ne Pucinelli) an Air Force Nurse, in the Barksdale AFB main chapel on January 28, 1961. In June 1961, Charles began a tour with the Air Force Institute of Technology at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX; leading to a B.S. in Industrial Engineering in March 1964. Charles then received a directed-duty assignment to base Civil Engineering at Kadena AB, Okinawa. With the Vietnam War building up in 1965, Charles was reassigned to the command post of the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing at Kadena and checked-out in their North American T-39A Sabreliner. Many of his airlift missions were flown in support of their 18th TFW Republic F-105D/F Thunderchief fighter squadrons, already fighting from Korat and Takhli RTAFB Thailand. Charles rotated back to the United States in 1967 and received his fourth career-broadening assignment in aircraft maintenance management at Randolph AFB, TX. In this pivotal assignment, Charles priorities were: devotion to his wife Joan, who became ill with severe Multiple Sclerosis; and flying post-maintenance functional check flights in the Northrop T-38 Talon and T-39 Sabreliner, supporting the 3510th Flying Training Wing undergraduate pilot training mission. Even though his plate-was-full, Major Pfeiffer was given the additional duty as commander of the 400-man 3510th Organizational Maintenance Squadron (OMS). This command assignment rewarded Charles with great respect for his senior noncommissioned officer sergeants and a keen insight into the values of his assigned young airmen during the turbulent 60s. After a week full of command and maintenance management responsibilities, Charles weekends were taken up on cross-country instrument & navigation proficiency flights. Charles recalled that the best people he ever met in the Air Force converged at Randolph AFB during his late l960s assignment in San Antonio. In September 1970, Major Pfeiffer applied for and received a humanitarian assignment in Maintenance Quality Assurance and Flight Test section at Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany where his wife Joan was receiving treatment at an off-base German Clinic for her MS disease. Charles was then selected to a newly formed CINC USAFE-directed Maintenance Standardization and Evaluation Team (MSET). The team of nine officers and 35 top-notch NCOs evaluated USAFE aircraft maintenance procedures throughout their theatre, and provided wing, NAF, and MAJCOM commanders with their critical out-brief findings. In April 1971, Major Pfeiffer received a certificate of recognition from the Sabreliner Division of North American Rockwell for surpassing 1,000 flight hours in their T-39 Sabreliner. Major Pfeiffer completed Maintenance Management training with the Air Force Institute of Technology in October 1971, and then Lt. Col. Pfeiffer completed Air Command and Staff College (by correspondence) in May 1972. In October 1973, Lt. Col. Pfeiffer concluded his flying duties with the Air Force with the rating of command pilot. His AF Form 5 Flight Log had recorded 3,300-plus hours of total flying time during that phase of his Air Force career. Later in 1975 as MSET Team Chief, Lt. Col. Pfeiffer received a second command assignment leading the 120-man NATO 345 Air Munitions Company [Special Weapons Storage] a remote assignment at Araxos Air Base, Greece. During this assignment, logistical support was provided by HQ USAFE; however, mission-wise, operational control of their Special Weapons was directly under the control of Supreme Allied Headquarters (SHAPE). It was the most challenging and rewarding assignment of Charles Air Force career. In January 1976, Lt. Col. Pfeiffer completed Air War College (by correspondence) and was assigned with the HQ USAF Inspector Generals office at Norton AFB, CA. Promoted to full-Colonel, Charles completed National Security Management with the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in February 1977. He was then assigned in 1978 to Quality Assurance at the McClellan Air Logistics Center in Sacramento, CA where he performed various duties at the Center, such as trouble-shooter, IG, Chief of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) compliance, and emerging Environmental watchdog for the Center. While assigned in California, Charles first wife Joan was called to Heaven in 1983, as the result of her MS condition. Colonel Pfeiffer subsequently retired from the Air Force in 1985. His military awards & decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, AF Outstanding Unit Award with Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense Medal, and Vietnam Service Medal with two campaign stars. Although then-Lt. Pfeiffers initial career aspirations were for a mere three year flying commitment, he managed to parlay his skills into a thirty year Air Force career ...with no master plan, no major regrets, lots of lessons-learned, and secure in his belief that he had honorably played-the-cards that were dealt to him during his career as an Air Force commissioned officer, resource manager, and rated pilot. Charles then settled in south-central Texas in 1985 to be with friends in the greater Randolph AFB area. Shortly thereafter, Nancy Kutzner, an Air Force Flight Nurse, was assigned locally and they became 'Significant Others'. 23 years ago in February 1987, Charles and six Chief Master Sergeants from his former aircraft maintenance squadron became founding-members of the Randolph AFB retirees monthly lunch-group (a.k.a. The Hangar Doors are Open ) that continues to meet on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, and now includes 160 retirees and their spouses. Colon cancer came along in 2000, and Charles opted for intermittent hormone therapy. Charles hosted the 50th anniversary reunion of his Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 56-M in San Antonio during 2006, with many distinguished American citizens in attendance, including his 56-M classmate Gene Kranz, NASA Flight Director during the epic Apollo 13 mission Failure is Not an Option . Nancy and Charles were married on February 8, 2008, with a blessing of their wedding vows in Chapel #1 at Randolph AFB on May 9, 2008. A wedding reception followed in the Randolph Room at the Officers Club. Nancy was radiant and Charles was a most handsome groom. Charles enjoyed a good life. In his retired years, he enjoyed puttering around with his rental properties, traveling with Nancy, applying his Forestry degree training to identify and harvest edible wild mushrooms, and spending his summers Salmon fishing in the fertile seas off Alaska. A small group of Charles friends gathered with Nancy this past week in Charles hospital room to celebrate his 78th birthday and Charles rich life. Charles was alert and fully cognizant of those who were surrounding him, interacting with friends, and giving his final instructions for the days ahead. He passed away peacefully at approximately 2:30AM, Saturday morning, May 22, 2010, in San Antonio, TX due to complications related to his cancer. Colonel Charles A. Pfeiffer is survived by his second wife, Nancy (ne Kutzner) Pfeiffer of Universal City, TX. Surviving first cousins include: Sister Gertrudis Pfeiffer, Doris McSweeney, and Robert Wenzel, all of whom reside in Cincinnati, OH In the words of his proud immigrant German parents, Alfred and Elizabeth Pfeiffer: Charles, as you once again reach out to touch the hand of God ...Glck Auf und Auf Wiedersehen!! A Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 27, 2010 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Schertz Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held at 9:45 AM on Friday, May 28, 2010 at Randolph Air Force Base, Chapel 1. A Private Interment will follow the service at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: A Charity of Choice in the Memory of Col. Charles A. Pfeiffer, U.S. Air Force, Retired. Arrangements are with: Schertz Funeral Home 2217 F.M. 3009 Schertz, Texas 78154 Phone: (210) 658-9224 Fax: (210) 658-1433 http://www.schertzfuneralhome.com/index.cfm Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery 1520 Harry Wurzbach Road San Antonio, TX 78209 Phone: (210) 820-3891 FAX: (210) 820- 3445 http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftsamhouston.asp
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