Larry Dillingham

Major General Larry D. Dillingham, 83, of Universal City, went to be with his Lord Sunday, January 21, 2018.

Larry was born December 1, 1934 in Everly, Iowa.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Louise Dillingham, her daughters, Cheryl (Van Tuyl) and husband Doug Jividen and Trisha (Van Tuyl) and husband Bruce LaCharite and their families; and his brothers and their spouses, Lanny and Ardine Dillingham, Dennis and Linda Dillingham and Randy Dillingham.

He was predeceased by his parents, Verlin and Alice (Jelden) Dillingham, and his son, Larry D. Dillingham, Jr.

An avid Spurs fan he reminisced about his high school baseball and basketball teams which featured all the Dillingham boys. He earned a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University in 1965 and a master's degree from Auburn University in 1977.

He began his military career as an aviation cadet in May 1955 and received his pilot wings and commission in August 1956 at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. He completed Squadron Officer School in 1964, Air Command and Staff College in 1975 and Air War College in 1977. He retired in August 1991 after 35 years of service.

He completed F-89 advanced interceptor training at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., in May 1957 and was assigned to James Connally Air Force Base, Texas, as an F-89 and T-33 instructor pilot. In November 1959 General Dillingham was assigned to Detachment 1, 8th Air Postal Squadron, Wheelus Air Base, Libya, where he served as detachment commander and T-33 instructor pilot. General Dillingham transferred to Vance Air Force Base, Okla., in December 1962 as a T-37 instructor pilot. After completing flying safety officer and advanced safety management courses at the University of Southern California, General Dillingham was assigned to Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, in April 1966 as a member of the initial six-man cadre that established the German air force undergraduate pilot training program. He also served as wing and Technical Training Center flying safety officer. After completing F-4 training at George Air Force Base, Calif., he was assigned to the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at Da Nang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, as wing flying safety officer. From November 1969 to November 1970 he flew more than 170 combat hours over the Republic of Vietnam, North Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. In December 1970 he was assigned to the Air Force Manpower and Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, as rated career development staff officer. He then served as resource manager, and later as chief of the Special Category Assignment Section. The general returned to Sheppard Air Force Base in November 1974 and served as T-38 squadron commander in the German undergraduate pilot training program. Upon graduation from the Air War College in June 1977 he was assigned to the 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, as deputy commander for resource management. In July 1978 he assumed command of the 47th Air Base Group at Laughlin. From March 1980 to June 1982 General Dillingham served as commander of the 82nd Flying Training Wing at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., the free world's largest pilot training base. He then was assigned as deputy director for operations in the National Military Command Center, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C. In July 1983 he became deputy director for current operations. In June 1985 the general was assigned as deputy commander of 6th Allied Tactical Air Force, Izmir, Turkey. He served as the assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. in June 1987.

The general was a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and German Air Force Aviation Badge.

The funeral service will be at Schertz Funeral Home at Noon on Monday, February 5, 2018 with visitation at 11:00 am. Interment will be at Ft Sam Houston National Cemetery at 1:45 pm.

The family would like to thank his physician, Dr. Robert Kruger, JBSA Lackland; the staff at the Legacy at Forest Ridge who cared for Larry during the last 13 months; and a special thanks to Heart to Heart Hospice.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 10223 McAllister Freeway, Suite 100, SA, 78216.

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