Branch-switching LTC grouping with a space connection

[mvmhm]

Once again, you never know what's going to walk through the doors! Recently Deborah found some military artifacts at an estate sale, and persuaded the seller to donate them to us instead (although some things had already been sold). Retired Lieutenant Colonel Jack N. Hoffman's story is without a doubt, interesting to say the least.

 

He attended West Point from July 1942 through June 1945, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Forces; he transferred to the US Air Force when it became a separate service on September 18th, 1947. He was promoted to Major In June 1959, and on 11 January 1960 he was Honorably discharged, and reappointed as a Major in the Army the next day, keeping his date of rank. He served in the Transportation Corps and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in July 1963. After he retired, he served at nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as the Assistant Chief of the Propulsion and Power Division of the C5A Directorate of Engineering.

 

After his death in March 2022 at the age of 99, his cremains were sent into space on the Celestis Memorial Spaceflight program known as the Enterprise Flight. The Celestis mission launched more than 150 flight capsules containing cremated remains, DNA samples, and messages of greetings from clients worldwide on an endless journey in interplanetary space. He was in good company – other cremains included Star Trek™ series creator Gene Roddenberry, his wife and “First Lady of Star Trek™” Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the DNA of their son Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, “Mr. Scott” James Doohan, “Dr. McCoy” DeForest Kelley, VFX maestro Douglas Trumbull, “Lt. Uhura” Nichelle Nichols, and the DNA of her son, Kyle Johnson. The DNA of Presidents Washington, Eisenhower, and Kennedy were also aboard Enterprise Flight, which successfully launched January 8th, 2024.

(Services start at $12,995 for those of you interested.)

 

Shown here a few of the artifacts in this group (there might be some more artifacts coming.)

 

His photo from the West Point yearbook and one taken circa 2010. There's a nice K2B flight suit.....

 

Mark sends

[mvmhm]

His dress blues will need the shoulder boards restored as well as his Army aviation badge...without knowing his background, the Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon at lower left would look out of place.

[mvmhm]

There's some miscellaneous insignia and flight devices... including two AAF load calculators for the A26c, as well as some gloves, aircraft photos, etc. Who knows what got away before the woman convinced the seller to take the items off the table...I'm hoping the missing insignia will turn up. They for sure have his Army dress visor hat, so keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Mark sends

[mvmhm]

LTC Hoffman's granddaughter contacted me with some more photos and his resume that filled in the blanks. She also has the missing shoulder straps and some other items she'll be bringing up next Saturday.....

 

Mark sends