Cover photo for Lt. Col. USAF Ret. John Haines's Obituary
Lt. Col. USAF Ret. John Haines Profile Photo

Lt. Col. USAF Ret. John Haines

d. June 28, 2017

Lt. Col. USAF Ret. John Haines

Lt. Col., USAF, Ret. John Haines, age 97, a Biloxi resident since 1970, died on Wednesday, June 28, 2017. He was born on February 2, 1920 in Kingston, New York and was of the Lutheran faith. Mr. Haines graduated Kingston High School, NY in 1938 and subsequently attended Moran’s Business School. He married the former Joan P. Quick at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on September 26, 1943 in Kingston, NY. He worked for Colony Liquor Distributor for 8 years in the positions of clerk, accounts receivable, and bookkeeper from 1938 to 1942, and sales representative from 1946 to 1951 in Ulster, Sullivan and Green Counties, NY. Pvt. Haines entered military service on April 13, 1942 and was temporarily assigned to Ft. Dix, NJ; Miami Beach, FL; Tyndall AFB, FL; and Maxwell AFB, AL awaiting training. He was a Veteran of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He completed his 28 years of military service as a Lt. Col. in the U.S. Air Force. Haines took aviation cadet training in July 1942 at Maxwell AFB, AL; Primary at Ocala, FL (PT-13); Basic at Shaw AFB, SC (BT-13); and Advanced at Spence AFB, Moultrie, GA (AT-6), graduating on April 29, 1943 (Class 43-D), Commissioned Second Lieutenant and issued pilot’s wings. He served as an Instructor Pilot to Cadet students and to Civilian Instructor Pilots (BT-13 and AT-6) at Cochran Air Base, Macon, GA. In 1945, he took B-24 Training at Courtland AFB, AL and Smyrna AFB, TN. In 1945, he completed B-29 Air Craft Commander Training at Maxwell AFB. From 1946 to 1951, he served in the Active Reserves at Stewart AFB, Newburg, NY. On May 1, 1951, he was involuntarily recalled to Stewart AFB as Operations and Flying Safety Officer. In 1953, he completed C-119 Training in SC. In July 1953, ferried a C-119 to his first assignment in Japan at Ashiya Air Base, where he was Operations Officer in the 50th Troop Carrier Squadron (“Red Devils”). From January 1954 to August 1956, he was based at Fuchu and Tachikawa Headquarters 315th Air Division, Tokyo, Japan in Transport Movement Control and Combat Operations. In August 1956, he was assigned to Headquarters Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) Safety Division, in Baltimore, MD. In January 1961, he transferred to Andrews AFB, Washington, DC renamed Air Force Systems Command. In August 1962, Haines was assigned to 49th Tactical Fighter Wing (F-105) at Spangdahlem AFB, Germany as Chief of Safety. In August 1965, he was assigned to Air Proving Ground Center, Eglin AFB, FL as Director of Safety. Then, in August 1968, he was transferred to Air Force Plant Representative Office, Lockheed Plant, Marietta, GA, in the C-5 Development Program. On November 1, 1969 Haines retired as a Lieutenant Colonel Command Pilot. Mr. Haines’ wife and daughters traveled with him to most of his USAF assignments, including those to Japan and Germany. As a family, they took full advantage of “R&R” travels in Europe and Japan to the cities of Paris, London, Copenhagen, Oslo, Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples, Pisa and central cities north and south of Tokyo, Japan. On June 1, 1970 Mr. Haines was employed Civil Service Safety Division, Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS (Safety Division and Traffic Safety Education Office). In 1982, he retired with 40 years credit in the Army Air Corps/USAF. Since his retirement, Mr. Haines volunteered at the Popp’s Ferry (Margaret Sherry) Library (1986-1991). He was familiar to many of his Sunkist neighbors riding his bicycle on summer evenings. He also enjoyed going out with friends and fellow Veterans sharing many colorful stories about: “flame-outs” in single engine jets over Kansas in the middle of the night and over the Mediterranean Sea; engine failure at 1500 feet with ejection in northern Germany; numerous landings in minimum weather conditions to nearly zero-zero conditions in some cases; and playfully scaring his mother with airplane “acrobatics” over his home-town on his first cross-country flight after pilot graduation. It was not unusual for the engine to cut out when inverted in early military aircraft. Mr. Haines’ neighbor at the time, the Kingston Chief of Police, protected his identity. He is preceded in death by his wife of 69 years, Joan Patricia (Quick) Haines; his parents, Mrs. Martha (Elting) Haines and Fred Haines of Kingston, NY; his brothers, Cecil Haines, Oliver Haines and Howard Haines; and his sister, Marion Haines Birk. Survivors include his two loving daughters and sons-in-law, Larraine and Sheldon McCloskey of Biloxi, MS and Leslie and Mike Clarke of Knoxville, TN; his four grandchildren, Kelly McCloskey (Curt) Moore of Winter Springs, FL; Jaclyn Clarke (Jimmy) Delaney, Lindsay Clarke, and John Michael (Sarah) Clarke, and his great-granddaughters, Anne Haines Clarke, Emma Clarke and Madilyn Delaney, all of Knoxville, TN; his brother, William Haines of Rougemont, NC; his sisters-in-law, Helen Haines of Goshen, NY, Barbara Craig of Tillson, NY, Kaye Quick of Kington, NY, and his brother-in-law, Donald Quick of Kingston, NY; as well as numerous nephews and cousins. Special appreciation and thanks to St. Joseph’s Hospice Nurse Mary and Aide Yvetta, as well as Home Instead caregivers, Joy, Lynn, Kim and Jackie for their kindness and care. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the National Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org Visitation will be on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 from 12:00 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church 2090 Pass Rd. Biloxi. Funeral Mass immediately following at 12:30 p.m. Procession to Graveside Service with Full Military Honors at the Biloxi National Cemetery following Mass. The Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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Past Services

Visitation

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

12:00 - 12:30 pm

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church

2090 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS 39531

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Mass of Christian Burial

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Starts at 12:30 pm

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church

2090 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS 39531

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Cemetery

Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home - Gulfport

59 Wayside Rd, Stuart, VA 24171

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