Carl Weaver Obituary

Carl T. Weaver, Jr., 86 of Palm Beach Gardens, FL passed away on August 13, 2005 at home, surrounded by his family. Prior to moving to Palm Beach Gardens in 1997 Colonel Weaver resided in Colorado Springs, CO where he lived when he retired from the United States Air Force after 30 years of service as a fighter pilot. Colonel Weaver was born in Denmark, Tennessee and graduated from Jackson High School in 1938 and attended Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois for two years. He was a member of the Tennessee National Guard from 1936-1939. He entered the Army Air Corps in March 1942 as an aviation Cadet and graduated pilot school in February 1943. He was then commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Air Corps Reserve. He received his regular commission as a First Lieutenant in 1947. During WWII, from March 1943 to December 1944, he was assigned to the Southwest Pacific Theater where he flew P-40s and P-38s. During that time he flew 144 combat missions and destroyed three Japanese Zeros in aerial combat. Weaver flew the F-86 Saber jet during the Korean conflict, completing 100 combat missions, and is credited with damaging a MIG-15 in aerial combat. He also flew combat missions in South Vietnam in 1967 and 1969. In 1962 he commanded a provisional Group of F-102 Fighter Interceptors at Homestead AFB, FL during the Cuban Crisis. Colonel Weaver has seen duty in the Panama Canal Zone, Hawaii, England and Germany in addition to the tours in Vietnam, Korea and the Southwest Pacific. During his military career Colonel Weaver earned the Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, Seven Air Medals, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Two Air Force Commendation Medals and three Presidential Unit Citations. Following his retirement from the Air Force, he worked for Lockheed Aircraft International in Saudi Arabia from 1973-1976. He is survived by his devoted wife of 64 years, Dorothy Kelly Weaver, his daughter, Deborah F. Rabba of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, his son, Lance K. Weaver and his wife, Kelly of Pulaski TN; his daughter, Diane W. Page and her husband, Tim of North Palm Beach, FL; daughter-in-law, Sandra Sterling-Weaver; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by two sons, Cart T. Weaver, III and Stephen T. Weaver, and brother, Marvin. Pallbearers to serve will be Gordon Weaver, Geoffrey Rabba, John Rabba, Tim Page, Bill Emery and Joe Pruszynski. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, August 20, in the Chapel at Trintiy United Methodist Church, 9625 North Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, FL. The family will receive friends from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m., Thursday, August 18, at Howard Funeral Home, 754 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach, FL. Colonel Weaver will be buried with full Military Honors at a private ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. Donations to the Shriners Hospitals for Children at 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33609-1460 or to Hospice of Palm Beach County at 5300 East Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33407 in Colonel Weaver's memory would be greatly appreciated.