|
Henry James Mehserle was born in Washington, DC, the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Mehserle. He attended school in Silver Spring, MD, and
after graduation from high school, attended the Bullis School for a year before
reporting to West Point on 5 Jul 1950. During his school years, Jim became a
member of the fraternal organization, the Order of the DeMolay.
Jim’s four years at the Academy were fairly typical. Fortunately,
academics posed no particular problems for Jim, and he successfully coached
several classmates who found the curriculum far more challenging than did he.
Jim was an “A” squad wrestler and an active member of the Cadet Chapel Choir,
the Camera Club, and the Russian Club during his time as a cadet.
After graduation, Jim reported for primary flight training at
Spence AFB in Moultrie, GA, where he did well and qualified to fly
fighters. From there, for basic flight training, he was assigned to Laredo AFB,
TX, where once again he did very well and received an assignment to F-89
(Scorpion) advanced training. In August 1955, between basic and advanced flight
training, he drove back to Silver Spring, MD, to marry his high school
sweetheart, Nancy Sue Ryan. During the drive home, his car slipped off the road
and crashed into a ditch, leaving Jim with a black eye, a very swollen knee, and
a wrecked car for his wedding. After his wedding and the completion of his F-89
training, he was assigned to the 449th Air Defense Squadron at Ladd AFB in
Fairbanks, AK. While serving as a member of the squadron, Jim was selected as
aide-de-camp to the commanding general of all Air Force personnel north of the
Alaska Range. Subsequently, in 1960–61, he was assigned to the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson AFB,
OH, to study for a master’s degree. After receiving his degree, Jim was assigned
to Vietnam in 1967, initially flying as a forward air controller for the
1st Infantry Division and then for Headquarters, Seventh Air Force. He returned
stateside to serve in the Department of the Air Force, followed by assignments
as either the deputy director or director of several Air Force test programs.
Jim retired from the Air Force with a partial disability in 1980
as a colonel and moved to Pensacola, FL, where he successfully established a
construction company. He acquired houses in need of repair and restored them for either rental or
sale. Jim and his wife Mary ran this business for some 25 years before his
death.
A very rare ice storm hit Pensacola, and while he was going to
pick up the morning paper, Jim slipped on the ice and hit his head on the
sidewalk. This led to his decline and ultimate death on 21 Apr 2001.
Jim is survived by his wife, Mary Talhami Mehserle; sons, James
H. Mehserle, Jr., and Dr. William Mehserle; daughters
Patricia Veal and Diane Campbell; sister Kathryn Wright; and
six grandchildren.
—Family and classmates
|
