Obituary of Maj. USAF Clarence Hanchett

Clarence G. Hanchett, Jr. Maj. USAF (Ret.),Jr. was called home by his Heavenly Father on September 16, 2014, and is now in the arms of the love of his life, Ursula. Charlie was born March 1, 1924 in Wellsville, NY. Charlie graduated from Wellsville High School in 1942 and enlisted in the Army in December, 1942. After a year of training he was deployed to Liverpool, England and was assigned to the Army D Corps 8th AF at Watford, east of London. On June 9, 1944 his unit (CM Battalion, HGs) entered Normandy, France, just west of the June 6th (D-Day) landing site. Charlie's unit established a supply distribution point at Rennes, France following General Patton's liberation of the city. He later moved through Lyon and Metz, France then finally on to Britain as part of the major Army group after Germany's surrender. He was discharged in April 1945 as a Tech Sergeant and remained in Berlin as a government civilian, participating in programs for reconstruction. It was here he met and married Ursula Bunge and their first child was born. They returned to the United States and Charlie became a non-commissioned officer in the Air National Guard. He attended Penn State University where he studied petroleum and natural gas engineering. In December of 1952 his unit was reactivated and as a Second Lieutenant joined the Korean War. Charlie was assigned to the 5th Air Force K-55 (Osan AB) Korea. Later that year his unit was relocated to Nagoya, Japan. During this time Charlie's wife and four children joined him in Japan. On Christmas 1956 he was assigned to Ethan Allen AFB, Vermont, accompanied by his wife and 5 children. They remained there for 3 years. He was then assigned to Loring AFB in Maine staying there for 18 months. In 1961 he moved his family, which had grown to 7 children, to Fairfax, Virginia. Charlie was attaché to the Foreign Language Institute. From September, 1962 through September, 1965 he was based in Bien Hoa, Vietnam as part of the Military Assistance Advisory Group 1. Following his tour of Vietnam he was assigned to Andrews AFB, MD. Charlie retired from Andrews AFB as a Major in August 1968 and worked for Fairfax County until moving with his wife to Kingwood, WV. In Kingwood he worked for many years at Bowyer's Furniture. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ursula Bunge Hanchett; his parents, Clarence G. Hanchett, Sr. and Rhea M. Hanchett; and a sister Doris Hanchett Charlie is survived by a sister, Betty Jean and husband Donald; a brother James Alan of New York; seven children and their spouses, Rosemary (and Larry Shaffer), Marsha (and Chris Rose) of Kingwood, WV, Teresa (and James Hastings) of Lewes, DE, David (and Linda Hanchett) of Clifton, VA, Patricia (and Timothy Blake) of Martinez, GA, Brandon (and Pam Hanchett) of Leesburg, VA and Kristan (and Efi Oren) of Tarzana, CA; 17 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. To honor Charlie's wishes Field Funeral Home, Masontown, WV has provided cremation services. Charlie will be inurned with military honors at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. He will be sadly missed by family and friends.