Page 80 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2024 - Online Magazine
P. 80
ceLeBratinG 10 YearS VeteranS
2020
naVY
eDition
wwii
The nonagenarian “On August 29 2017, a crowd of
is pretty humble friends, family, veterans and well-
about his wishers [attended a] ceremony
accomplishments, at the Silent Wings Museum in
not least of Lubbock. Three highly decorated
which are his Navy men came to honor former
technological Navy ARM2C (Aviation Radioman
skills. He 2nd Class) Andy Winnegar. While
developed the all three outranked Winnegar at
website and the time of his separation from
Facebook page for the Navy in 1946, all were in awe
the Market Street of his service record. Andy was
Geezers – a group receiving the Navy’s 8th highest
whose name he medal, the Distinguished Flying
coined for the Cross, six additional Air Medals,
“In 1967, I moved to Lubbock and loosely organized and the aforementioned citation –
opened Lubbock Stereo Center. coffee klatch of veterans who presented in large part because of
The Lubbock Tornado hit in meet every Monday morning at the meticulous records Winnegar
May 1970, and soon after, I 9:30 at 50th and Indiana. kept.
sold the business. Susan and I [Andy] was humble about the
divorced in 1971. In September Epilogue: Before flight school, awards. He said, ‘I don’t feel like
of 1977, I married Dolores Andy spent 11 days in San a hero. The heroes are still out
Adame. She had five children. Francisco on per diem. He had there in the Pacific – the real ones
Together we have seventeen to report to the Naval Office who gave everything.’ Andy’s
grandchildren and ten great- of Officer Procurement at 0800 wife Dolores spoke for all of us
grandchildren. Soon after every morning. It was three when she said, ‘I’m very proud of
we were married, I became years after discharge before he him. I call him my hero.’”
a Publishers Rep for Hearst received the $1.80 per day the
Business Publications. Navy owed him. “I thought that
was bad, but it took seventy
“My training and experiences in years for my DFC and six Air
the Navy gave me opportunities Medals to catch up with me.”
in several fields. My radio
training prepared me for an Larry Williams, with help from
Amateur Radio License; mine Bobbi Hanson from Rep. Jodey
was WA5GXS. My flight training Arrington’s office, was able to
prepared me for a Commercial help obtain the long overdue
Pilots License 669238. Last medals for Winnegar in 2017.
November, I turned 95; my wife
is ten years younger, and we The following is an excerpt anDY winneGar
are both in good health. I would from an upcoming book by is 99 years old.
hesitate to go back and change Larry Williams and Katherine
anything. McLamore:
80 Lubbock Senior Link
