Civil War ☆ WWI ☆ WWII ☆ Korea ☆ Vietnam ☆ Iraq I ☆ Iraq II ☆ Afghanistan
| Name | Narrative | Branch and Rank | Unit and Specialty | Conflict/Arena | Born/Died |
| Ronald C. Blackeby | Ronald C. Blackeby was born in a maternity home in Burlington, N J on July 21, 1942. He graduated from Palmyra High School about 1960. He wanted to go into the military and had always messed with boats on the Pennsauken and Rancocas Creeks, so he applied to the Coast Guard, but there was a three-year waiting period. He took the ASVAB test and scored very well. An Air Force recruiter offered him military Intelligence and he enlisted in the USAF. Ron was eventually sent to Air Police school at Lackland Air Base in Texas. Upon graduation, the top five in each group got their choice of assignment. Since Ron was half Italian, he chose Aviano Air Base in Northern Italy. Ron served in the 7227th Combat Support Group at Aviano AFB from 1960 to 1963. This was a former Nazi Air Base and the allies had bombed it so heavily that the base was disbursed over the area. They had even built a section under the Pordenone River to hide it from the allied bombers. Ron applied to become a K-9 handler in the Air Police and was trained on a dog given to him by the English when they left the British sector of Germany. Ron and his K-9 partner, Russ guarded an atomic weapons area and the F-100’s on the flight line. He had a car and traveled a lot throughout Italy. At his exit interview, a Major offered him money and higher rank if he would extend and go to Lackland to be trained with a new dog and go to Vietnam. He told the Major he would go if he could take his dog, Russ with him. When the Major told him no, Ron asked for a day to make up my mind. He went to the Base library and researched Vietnam - Monsoons, Leaches, and worst of all, a civil war. He declined and went back to the U.S. Ron notes that he was discharged the day President Kennedy was shot - Nov. 22, 1963. He earned the rank of Airman 2nd Class. After the war, Ron went to Glassboro State college. He met and married Phyllis and became a teacher. They lived in Palmyra for about 50 years. Ron was presented a Military Service Medal by Palmyra Borough Council in 2015. They finally left because of the impact of the light rail and moved to Delanco November 2017. The Blackebys are now enjoying their life in Newton’s Landing. Rob belongs to the American Legion. a PT Boat group, and plays accordian in the Riverside String Band. They go to the Florida Keys for the winter. | USAF A/2C | 7227th Combat Support Group Air Police | Aviano AB, Italy | 1942 - * |
Updated October 30, 2023