Colonel, U.S.A.F. retired Julian Oswald Hodges

Colonel, U.S.A.F. retired Julian Oswald Hodges of Madison, Fla., a native of Headland in Henry County, passed away early Monday morning, Aug. 13, 2007, at Madison. He was 88. Funeral services will be Thursday in the Holman-Headland Mortuary Chapel in Headland at 11 a.m. (C.D.T.) with the Rev. Norman C. Simmons and Dr. Cecil M. Sanders Jr. officiating. Graveside services with military rites will follow in Memory Hill Cemetery in Dothan. The family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m. (C.D.T.) Thursday at the mortuary in Headland. The family will also receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. this evening at his home, 287 N. W. Hamburg Road in Madison, Fla. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Headland "Together We Build Fund", 301 E. Church Street, Headland, AL 36345. Col. Hodges was born and reared in Headland, youngest child of the late Alexander A. Hodges and Martha Holland Hodges. He was a graduate of Headland High School. Col. Hodges enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1941. During his Air Force career, he served as a pilot in World War II and Korea and also served in the military during the Vietnam Conflict. His military schooling included training in the aircraft maintenance school in Wichita Falls, Texas, instructor training at the University of Illinois, pilot instrument training at Shreveport in Louisiana, Military Government School in Gettysburg, Pa., Air Tactical School at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Fla., Aircraft officers training at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul Ill., and air command and staff school at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. Col. Hodges was chief of maintenance and served tours of duty in Japan, Korea, Morocco and Germany. After the Korean War, he developed the concept of a field training wing for maintenance and aircraft personnel. For this accomplishment, Col. Hodges was awarded the Legion of Merit. He served as an air aide to Generals Archer and Dean while in Korea and General Kenny at Maxwell Air Force Base. Because of a medical condition, Colonel Hodges was discharged from the Air Force in 1967, 11 years and 11 months before serving his full career. After his retirement from the Air Force, he attended Valdosta State University earning a B. A. Degree in Sociology and a Masters Degree in History. He was a member of the Rantoul Masonic Lodge No. 470 in Rantoul, Ill., a 32nd Degree Mason, Valley of Danville in Danville, Ill., a Shriner in Madison and also a life member of the D.A.V. Colonel Hodges was a former Patron of the Order of the Eastern Star in Seoul, Korea. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Headland. Col. Hodges was preceded in death by his first wife Ruth Wade Hodges; a daughter, Martha Jo Hodges; three sisters, Sarah Hodges Taylor, Martha Hodges Furr and LaDellion Hodges Cvikel; five brothers, F.T. Hodges, Tullis Hodges, Glenwood Hodges, Rupert Hodges and Grey Hodges. Surviving relatives include his wife Catherine Smith Hodges of Madison; two daughters, Sarah L. Leverett of Berkley, Calif., Juli-Ann Morrison of Amarillo, Texas; three grandchildren, Haskell Morrison, Sarah Keith Morrison and Cybele Leverett; five great-grandsons, Alan Morrison, Alex Morrison, William Benson, Zachary Morrison and Fisher Benson. Holman-Headland Mortuary, (334) 693-3371, is in charge of arrangements.