James Winston Duffy

April 13, 1943 ~ January 16, 2019 

After five long years of fighting MLS and AML caused by Agent Orange, James Winston Duffy slipped gently away at 8:25 p.m. on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.

James was born in Lincoln, Nebraska April 13, 1943, the son of John G. Duffy and Jean R. Duffy.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Regina Duffy, his sons James B. Duffy (Karen) and Benjamin L. Duffy (Kathrin) and daughter Angela M. Duffy. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Alora D. Duffy Preece, Brennon J. Duffy, Conall B. Duffy, Aziah I. Andrews, Xiomara H. Duffy, Syprus J. Duffy and Azalya B. Duffy. He was preceded in death by his parents, his half-brother John R. Duffy, his brother William L. Duffy and his sister Doris J. Duffy.

James joined the US Air Force on January 16, 1961 and married Regina B. Smith on August 12, 1961. The next 22 years were filled with moves every two years from state to state and then to Europe. They lived in Massachusetts, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Spain, England and Germany. He was also in Viet Nam twice and Thailand once. He also received an Associate Degree while in the Air Force.

James was always active. He liked buying and fixing cars, it didn’t matter old cars or news ones. He learned to fly planes and helicopters and became a licensed pilot of both after he retired from the Air Force. He was an excellent aircraft mechanic.

After he retired from the Air Force, he started his own business, Aviation’s Specialties, at Hinckley Airport in Ogden and built two hangars to use for his own business. He and his family built a garage at home to store cars and for a place to work on them, and then he and the family built a cabin at Sunridge.

James loved trivial, stupid jokes, and unusual facts, he loved to study the history of the country and wars. Every night he watched the news and argued with the TV about what they were wrong about.

He couldn’t miss a good auction and collected guns, old toys and models of planes. He belonged to AOPA and the NRA. Above all, he loved his family and tried to pass on all of his knowledge on fixing building and developing.

He flew everything from his Ercoupe to his Russian Yak. He loved fast cars and motorcycles. He always had a project going. This year he decided to fulfill his dream and he bought5 a new 2018 black Corvette, it is fast and he loved it.

He also had his fair share of mishaps, but figured any landing you can walk away from is a good landing regardless of how and where you landed.

We thank Diana Perrin Ward for notifying us of Jim's passing.  Below is the biography Jim posted on his Profile Page which you may also read on his "In Memory" page.  Jim wanted to tell his own story in his own way.  What an outstanding contribution Jim made to the USAF and to our country.  

Jim wrote:  Joined Air Force 1961, attended helicopter maintenance school, Sheppard AFB, Tx. Assigned to Otis AFB, Ma. as H-21 mechanic after a year worked and flew as a crewmember on CH-3B helicopter. Aug 63 assigned to Malmstrom AFB, MT as helicopter flight mechanic CH-3B, H-19 and UH-1F, 1st son born here Mar 64. Aug 64 assigned to F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo mechanic/flight mechanic UH-1F, 66-67 Flight Mechanic CH-3C (Jolly Green) 20th helicopter Sq., 14th Air Commando Wing Saigon, Viet Nam. In 67 assigned back to F.E. Warren AFB, WY and attended Escape and Evasion school Fairchild AFB, Spokane Wa. Jungle Survival school Clark AFB, Philipines. Feb 68 assigned to Air Rescue detachment as Flight Mechanic HH-43 B/F Ubon, Thailand. Assigned to Indian Springs Nevada as flight engeneer UH-1F and flew in support of Department of Defense Atomic test sight and Air Force Weapons test. In 69 transferred to Whellus AB, Libya as Flight Engneer HH-43B. Closed Whellus then to Zaragoza AB Spain with helicopter for gunnery range support/air rescue, 2nd son born here. Shipped to Bitburg AB, Germany Flight engineer HH-43B/F, daughter born here Jan 15,1972. July of 73 went to Hill AFB, Ut as HH-3 and ch-3c shift supervisor. In 1974-75 to Nakom Phonom as helicopter maintenance supervisor on CH-53C's. Spent 18 days on USS Midway in support of the evacuation of Saigon, flying more than 2000 people out before and during the fall of Saigon. Flew from Midway to Utapao Thailand where we sling loaded F-5's and F-37's of the former Viet Nam air force to the Midway for transportation else where we returned to Nakom Phonom. A few days later we were tasked with recovering the crew of the USS Mayaguez. We flew back to Utapao with 9 Heliopters, but one crashed killing 23 aboard. I was scheduled to fly on but was bumped off at the last minute and flew down to Utapao on a C-130 that was carring all out maintenace equipment. This was a busy time we had 5 helicopters shot down, recovered 3 of them. After spending a month there doing repairs, I returned to NKP. They shipped our helicopters to Germany and I went to Hill AFB, UT and supervised maintenance on the H-53 helicopters for the 1550th Test and Training wing that was moved to Kirkland AFB, NM in early 76. I stayed at Hill in the 6514 Test Squadron as Flight Chief for H-3 and H-53 helicopters untill 1978 when I moved to FAF Bentwaters, UK as H-53 line chief 67th Air Rescue Squadron. In 1979 I went back to Zaragoza Spain as Maintenance superintendent for the 67 Air Rescue detachment HH-1N helicopters. In 1981 I made Senior Master Sergeant and transferred to the 388th Fighter Wing (F-16's) Hill AFB, UT. Early 1982 I went TDY to Cairo West, Egypt for four months as maintence Supt. f-16's. I retired from active duty 1 Nov. 1982. During active duty I was awarded Senior Aircrew wings, Meritorious Service medal, Air Medal, Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal, 3 Air Force Commendation Medals, AF Good conduct medal w/6 OLC. AF Presidential Unit Citation, AF Outstanding Unit award, Small arms expert marksmanship ribbon, NCO Professional Education Ribbon, ADF expeditionary medal w/1OLC(VietNam),Combat readiness medal, AF Longevity Service Ribbon w/4 OLC,National Defense Service Medal,VietNam Service medal with 3 devices, Republic of VietNam Cross of Gallantry w/devise, Republic of Viet Nam Campaign medal with 3 Stars,