Col. Charles Jones

Col. Charles Jones flew his final mission in the early morning hours of March 24, 2020, in the Picture Rocks neighborhood west of Tucson, Ariz.

Col. Jones' military career began when he was a lead navigator for a flight of B-17s from Iceland to England as second lieutenant, which landed at the assigned base on time. The following flights were scattered from Scotland to all over England.

Dave's entire crew was assigned to the ultra-secret 8th Air Force Weather Recon Command for the war. Flying stripped down, unarmed B-17 over the North Atlantic from Lands' End, England to the Azores sending back weather reports.

After Victory in Europe Day, Dave was assigned as Post Engineer to rebuild the bombed German Air Base at Munich, for allied use. In 1947, Dave returned stateside and joined the Reserve Navigation Command. In 1948, he was recalled to active duty with the Air Force Atomic Energy Command at Sandia Base, where he taught members of the military services, the FBI,

The Secret Service, OSS, and others; what to expect and how to survive nuclear attack. With the start of the Korean War, the need for navigators drew Dave to Harlingen AFB, where he was assigned as Commander of a Navigation Training Squadron. While there, Dave met and married the love of his life, Margaret Snavely.

Dave and Margaret's military life began with a need to change the wedding date by a week because of the order to Haneda AFB, Tokyo. Assigned to Military Airlift Command as route briefing officer, Dave briefed all air crews flying from Haneda to New Delhi, India, Alaska, and the Transpacific, on the navigation problems and Loran sites.

Dave returned to the states with Continental Command Reserve Navigation Command; first, Brooks field, TX and then as a Commander at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Dallas and at O'Hare International Airport. In 1962, a new weapons system, 390th Titan II Missile Wing, tapped Dave to be a Combat Missile Commander and, later, Wing Safety Officer. Dave 's Titan II missile crew was the first active-duty Titan crew to fire a live missile.

In 1966, Col Jones was assigned to the Air Force War College, with a following assignment as commander of a BOMAC RAM Jet Inceptor Missile Squadron at Duluth.

In 1969, Dave was sent to Vietnam first as Headquarters Squadron Commander for the 7th Air Force and later as Protocol office for Gen. George Brown.

Dave returned to the 390th Titan Missile Wing a Deputy Commander for Operations in 1970. He was sent to Fairchild Air Force Base in 1972 to be deputy base commander and the as base commander during Expo 74.

Col. Jones retired July 31, 1974, with more than 30 years active duty and three wars.

During his military service, Col .Jones was awarded the following medals: Bronze Star, Meritorious Service, Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Commendation with two OLC, Army Good Conduct, American Campaign, WWII Victory, Army Occupation, National Defense Service with OLC, Vietnam Service with two OLC, Republic of Vietnam Campaign, and European-African-Middle East with OLC.

Dave continued his service and giving back in to retirement.

First, the Spokane Lilac Festival, where he soon became the Lilac Float Builder, translating Mike Moore's sketches into the queen's floats, which were shown at the Portland, Ore., Rose Festival, Seattle's Seafare, Apple Festival and many of the small-town parades across Washington. Additionally, the float was shown on the 4th of July parade in Butte, Mont., the Calgary Stampede, and the Edmonton Klondike Days.

When Dave learned that many of the small towns didn't have a float committee, he hosted clinics on float building to help them get started.

The Medical Lake School District asked Dave to run for the school board, a position he held until his last child graduated from Medical Lake High School.

Dave was then asked to be a member of the Relicense committee for Avista's Post Falls Dam. This led to being a member of the Aquifer Protection Committee and the County Water Quality Board. The county called on Dave to be on the Spokane County Planning Board.

For years, Dave was Cathy McMorris Rodgers' sign chairman, putting up signs and delivering them across the district.

Col. Jones is survived by his wife of 66 years, Margaret; and children, Jennifer (Garry) Howland, Jackie-Ann (Steve), Chuck (deceased) (Lynette), Larry (deceased) (Belinda), Bruce (Mona), and Jon; 13 grandchildren; 8 great-granddaughters; 2 great-grandsons and a great-great-grandchild due in November.

A memorial service for Col. Jones will take place at 1 p.m. Jul.y 5 at Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake. A potluck Celebration of Life well-lived will be at 2:30 p.m. at 20502 W. Mc Farlane Road, Medical Lake.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Col Jones' name may be sent to:https://secure.givelively.org/donate/medical-lake-dollars-for-scholars/col-charles-dave-jones-memorial-scholarship or to the Jonas Babcock Homeless Vet Project, c/o Susan Harms, 622 E 23rd Ave., Spokane, 99203.