Luther Millsap Obituary

Born in Meadow, TX, on November 21, 1928 to Jack and Rene Millsap. Mr. Millsap attended Phillips High School where he excelled in football in the position of Center, and graduated in 1946. After working for Phillips Petroleum as a derrick man, he moved to Cisco, TX to go to college where he continued his football career until receiving a scholarship at Midwestern University in Wichita Falls, TX. There he met his wife, Barbara A. Millsap. While at Midwestern University as a first string center, he worked nights as a derrick man, went to school during the day, and had football practice in the afternoons. Unable to keep his grades up to standard at this pace he was finally drafted by the Army, but quickly enlisted in the Air Force instead. Once in the Air Force, he went to Cadet school and ended up at Good Fellow Air Force Base, AZ where he flew the T-6 in pilot training, and Williams Air Force Base where he learned to fly T-28s, and T-33s. For his first duty assignment, he was stationed at Perrin Air Force Base in Sherman, TX and began to fly the F-86d. In 1954 he flew F86s again in Sioux City, IA as part of the 8th Fighter Interceptor Squadron which then shipped out to Bentwaters, England. While at Bentwaters, with the 512th FIS in 1957 his squadron won the esteemed Hughes Trophy, the highest Air Force award for air defense fighter achievement, flying the F-86 for the Air Defense Command. From 1958-1963, then Lieutenant Millsap was stationed at Davis Monthan AFB where he flew F-86, F-89, and F101 aircraft. In 1963, duty called him to K.I. Sawyer AFB in Marquette, MI. where he was Flight Commander from 1963-1965. Then, it was on to Tyndall AFB, Panama City, FL. It was while he was in Tyndall AFB at the Combat Crew Training Squadron that he volunteered to fly the F-4 Phantom in the Viet Nam war. After attending survival schools in Clark AFB in the Philippines, and in Fairchild, AK he was sent initially to Tan Sanut, Saigon, and ultimately to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. There, he flew 100 reconnaissance missions over downtown Hanoi with only a pistol for protection- which was no defense against surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and MIG 21s. On one mission, after losing an engine (1 of 2) to a SAM, he continued on successfully completing his mission. For this he was decorated with a Silver Star and also received the Legion of Merit award. After returning from the Viet Nam conflict, Colonel Millsap was Chief of Maintenance, and Operations Officer at the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in Grand Forks, ND. From there, he took a position for a short time on the Inspector General Team (IG) in Colorado Springs, CO before being given the position of Squadron Commander of the 48th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in Langley AFB, VA from 1972-1973. In 1973 Colonel Millsap returned to Colorado Springs, CO and worked at the Chidlaw Building on the Inspector General Team. His last position before retiring was that of Deputy Director of Operations at Cheyenne Mountain (NORAD). After retirement, Colonel Millsap worked at the El Paso County Courthouse for Judge Rebecca Bromley. Colonel Millsap is survived by his wife, Barbara A. Millsap, daughter Shelley Daughton, and sons Donald, and Michael Millsap, all of Colorado Springs, sisters Laverne Chandler of Kerrville, TX, Ginger Steele of Houston, TX, and brother Jack Millsap of Odessa, TX. Grandchildren include, Holly Dempsey, Kelley Millsap, Hannah Millsap, Tanner Millsap, and Riley Daughton, and Great-grandchildren Toryn, and Blake Dempsey. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 2, 2012, at the Shrine of Remembrance "America the Beautiful" Chapel. Private Inurnment will be at Fort Logan National Cemetery Columbarium. Memorials in Gene's memory may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. Online Condolences: ShrineOfRemembrance.com