Colonel Roy P. Whitton, Ret. was born December 28, 1922, in Dunreith, Ind. He died April 13, 2017, at Good Shepherd Hospice in Sebring, Fla.
Colonel Whitton enlisted in the Army Air Corp on January 6, 1941, and was stationed at Albrook Field Panama Canal zone on December 7, 1941. He transferred to Baltra Island in June 1944 to be assigned as Chief of the Heavy Bomber Instrument Shop. He received honorable discharge as a Staff Sergeant and entered Ball State University in Muncie, in January 1946, receiving a bachelors and masters degree in Education. He served as first WWII commander of New Castle, VFW from 1946-1947. Re-up in Air Force enlisted reserve as S/Sgt. in May, 1948, and received a direct commission as a 2nd Lt. He entered into active duty during the Korean War. He returned to civilian life in 1955 but stayed active in the Air Force Reserves as a Mobilization Assignee. During these years he was assigned to the Military Air Lift Command and later to the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Information at the Pentagon. Colonel Whitton retired in 1982 with a total time of 41 years, one month and 27 days of service. After retirement he was very involved with many military organizations. He served as first Korean War veteran American Legion commander of Post 119 American Legion at Greenfield, in 1958. Served as District Commander and state vice-commander and was Indiana Legion Americanism committee chairman.
Organized and served as first president of the Indiana American Legion Press Association and later served as president of the National American Legion Association and served as commander of the Perry, Florida American Legion in 1982. He organized the first Sons of the American Legion Squadron in Greenfield, and his oldest son, David, was first commander. His youngest son, Matthew, after serving four years in the Army, served as SAL commander. He had been active in the Air Force Association (charter member) serving as president of Indiana and Florida AFA and as national vice-president. He was active in the Military Officers Association of American (MOAA) and served as chapter president. He was very instrumental in obtaining several Air Force Junior ROTC units in Florida. He and his wife Kay moved to Florida in 1980 and resided in Lake Placid.
They traveled throughout the world and in 2010 cruised down the Danube River to Budapest and Austria. Roy was of the Christian Faith.
Survivors include his wife, Glenda “Kay” Browning Whitton, Lake Placid, Fla.; son, Matthew R. Whitton, Greenfield; stepdaughters, Candy McCarty, Cape Coral, Fla., Cally Stockton, Ft. Collins, Co., Christy Rosson, Boaz, Ala.; 11 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his son, David Wells Whitton.
