Obituary for Lt. Col. Jimmie Scruggs, USAF (Ret)
Lt. Col. Jimmie Scruggs, USAF (Ret) went to be with the Lord on September 7, 2023, in La Vernia, Texas at the age of 91.
Jimmie was born February 29, 1932, in Fruitland, TN and grew up on the family farm. He attended Fruitland Baptist Church every Sunday with his family and accepted Christ as his savior at age 13. Jimmie attended grammar school in a 3-room schoolhouse in Fruitland and then moved to Peabody High School in Trenton, TN graduating in 1950. He joined the U. S. Air Force and completed basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. Texas, then went on to complete Aircraft Mechanic Training School at Goodfellow AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas where he was selected to be an instructor at the school he just finished. Jimmie was then accepted as an Aviation Cadet in 1953 and graduated in 1954 as a 2nd LT Air Force Pilot. He served tours at Lackland AFB, Goodfellow AFB, Nellis AFB, Elmendorf AFB, James Connelly AFB, Chanute AFB, Charleston AFB, Naha AFB, Orlando AFB, US Embassy, Rangoon, Burma, Vietnam, and Randolph AFB. Some of his most significant assignments were at Charleston AFB as one of 3 Aircraft Maintenance Control Officers in charge of 100 C-124 cargo planes, 100 C-121 passenger planes flying cargo and passengers to Europe and points in between and South America. His team launched 12-15 C-124’s and 12-15 C-121’s 24/7 with no accidents in the 3 years he was there. He spent 3 years as the Chief Maintenance Inspector on The Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Team out of Orlando AFB inspecting the maintenance facilities worldwide. Jimmie served 1 tour in Vietnam as the Assistant Chief of Maintenance/Staff Maintenance Officer for all C-130 Hercules which were stationed at Cam Rahn Bay where there were 25 to 125 aircraft under his control for maintenance and rotated out of Taiwan and Clark AFB in the Philippines. Jimmie’s last assignment was the Air Training Command at Randolph AFB. He was the Chief Aircraft maintenance Inspector with the Inspector General for all the bases in command, where he received The Bronze Star and numerous other medals and citations for distinguished service. Jimmie entered the USAF as a private and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel with 24 years of service. After retiring from the USAF he received his Masters in Education from Southwest Texas State University and his Masters of School Administration from Trinity University and spent 24 years as a teacher and administrator.
Jimmie is survived by his wife, Gladys Terrill Scruggs; son, Michael Scruggs (Cathy); daughter, Angela Thurman (Mark); 2 stepdaughters, Terri Real (Donald), Kerri Trainer (Damon); grandchildren, Madison Scruggs, Mollie Nelson (Josh), Haley Thurman, Megan Thurman and Nick Thurman; step grandchildren, Megan Real Coldeway (Jeff) and Kyle Real (Francine), Colin, Haley and Austin Trainer; brother, Jerry Scruggs (Jenny); nephew, Stephen; niece, Sandra Scruggs. He is predeceased in death by his parents, Sam Scruggs and Lois Stokes Scruggs; sisters, Sue and Katherine; brothers, Billy and Bobby Scruggs.
Graveside services will be held at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery 9:30 am, Wednesday, September 13, 2023. Private burial for immediate family only.
In lieu of flowers the family ask that donations be made to the Gideons International Southeast Camp, San Antonio, Texas.
Jimmie was born February 29, 1932, in Fruitland, TN and grew up on the family farm. He attended Fruitland Baptist Church every Sunday with his family and accepted Christ as his savior at age 13. Jimmie attended grammar school in a 3-room schoolhouse in Fruitland and then moved to Peabody High School in Trenton, TN graduating in 1950. He joined the U. S. Air Force and completed basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. Texas, then went on to complete Aircraft Mechanic Training School at Goodfellow AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas where he was selected to be an instructor at the school he just finished. Jimmie was then accepted as an Aviation Cadet in 1953 and graduated in 1954 as a 2nd LT Air Force Pilot. He served tours at Lackland AFB, Goodfellow AFB, Nellis AFB, Elmendorf AFB, James Connelly AFB, Chanute AFB, Charleston AFB, Naha AFB, Orlando AFB, US Embassy, Rangoon, Burma, Vietnam, and Randolph AFB. Some of his most significant assignments were at Charleston AFB as one of 3 Aircraft Maintenance Control Officers in charge of 100 C-124 cargo planes, 100 C-121 passenger planes flying cargo and passengers to Europe and points in between and South America. His team launched 12-15 C-124’s and 12-15 C-121’s 24/7 with no accidents in the 3 years he was there. He spent 3 years as the Chief Maintenance Inspector on The Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Team out of Orlando AFB inspecting the maintenance facilities worldwide. Jimmie served 1 tour in Vietnam as the Assistant Chief of Maintenance/Staff Maintenance Officer for all C-130 Hercules which were stationed at Cam Rahn Bay where there were 25 to 125 aircraft under his control for maintenance and rotated out of Taiwan and Clark AFB in the Philippines. Jimmie’s last assignment was the Air Training Command at Randolph AFB. He was the Chief Aircraft maintenance Inspector with the Inspector General for all the bases in command, where he received The Bronze Star and numerous other medals and citations for distinguished service. Jimmie entered the USAF as a private and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel with 24 years of service. After retiring from the USAF he received his Masters in Education from Southwest Texas State University and his Masters of School Administration from Trinity University and spent 24 years as a teacher and administrator.
Jimmie is survived by his wife, Gladys Terrill Scruggs; son, Michael Scruggs (Cathy); daughter, Angela Thurman (Mark); 2 stepdaughters, Terri Real (Donald), Kerri Trainer (Damon); grandchildren, Madison Scruggs, Mollie Nelson (Josh), Haley Thurman, Megan Thurman and Nick Thurman; step grandchildren, Megan Real Coldeway (Jeff) and Kyle Real (Francine), Colin, Haley and Austin Trainer; brother, Jerry Scruggs (Jenny); nephew, Stephen; niece, Sandra Scruggs. He is predeceased in death by his parents, Sam Scruggs and Lois Stokes Scruggs; sisters, Sue and Katherine; brothers, Billy and Bobby Scruggs.
Graveside services will be held at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery 9:30 am, Wednesday, September 13, 2023. Private burial for immediate family only.
In lieu of flowers the family ask that donations be made to the Gideons International Southeast Camp, San Antonio, Texas.