Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Clarence E. (Ed) Atkinson. (1923-2021) Nineteen twenty-seven was a defining year: Lindbergh's Atlantic flight and the movie "Wings" (first Academy Award winner) conspired to inspire the boy to a life aloft. He flew his model airplanes at Bellanca Field, and bicycled to Biggs Field "just to hang around airplanes."
In 1941 at age 18, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, where he served as pilot instructor throughout World War II. At war's end 1st Lt. Atkinson became a founding member of the Delaware Air National Guard (DANG) where he advanced in a succession of administrative posts until mandatory retirement in 1983.
His Guard work was interrupted in 1951 by recall for Korea, assigned to the Fourth Fighter Wing. Returning to the Guard, he served many years as base detachment commander (full-time boss of the full-time Air Technician employees). In this capacity, Col. Atkinson led the 1962-63 transformation of the unit from a fighter squadron to a transport group.
In 1969 he was named Delaware state adjutant general, the only "blue-suited" (Air Force) officer to hold the position. Alter eight years as adjutant general, he served for seven years as US. property & fiscal officer responsible for federal property and funds allocated to the Delaware Guard, both Army and Air.
His flight logs, spanning more than 42 years, reveal 9,200 hours in 40 types and models of military aircraft, including 125 combat hours and 4,438 hours as instructor.
