Major Duncan Patterson Canada

1933 - 2019  (86 years)

• Name	Duncan Patterson Canada  [1, 2]
  Prefix	Major
  Born	12 Aug 1933	Patterson Place, Clay County, Alabama   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Physical Description	5 ft. 6½ in., brown hair & eyes, ruddy complexion  [1]
  	weight:  1953 – 135 lbs, 1960 – 155 lbs, 2000 – 180 lbs.
  Education	Mississippi   [3]
  	air traffic control radar repairman training at Keesler AFB
  	living in the base barracks
  Education	Mississippi   [3]
  	airborne radar bombing systems repairman (APQ-24) training at Keesler AFB
  	living in the base barracks
  Education	Moody, McLennan County, Texas   [3]
  	Baylor University (pre-engineering)
  Education	Chandler Springs Grammer School  [3]
  	– 1st & 2nd grade teacher, Miss Brown – 3rd & 4th grade teacher, Bess Horn – 5th & 6th grade teacher, Indez Patterson/Prickett
  Education	Ashland, Clay County, Alabama   [3]
  	Clay County High School
  	for grade 10
  Education	Mississippi   [3]
  	fundamentals of electronics training at Keesler AFB
  	living in the base barracks
  Education	Heflin, Cleburne, Alabama   [3]
  	Heflin Junior High School
  	– 7th & 8th grade teacher, Miss Wincie Parsons – 9th grade teachear, Mr. Robert Dunnaway Worked as a school janitor for lunch and a little spending money.
  Residence	1935	Talladega County, Alabama   [3]
  	Wallace Place
  Residence	Dec 1945	Talladega County, Alabama   [3]
  	Hickory Springs on the Talladega Ashland HIghway
  Education	1951	Talladega, Talladega, Alabama   [3]
  	Talladega High School
  	for grades 11 & 12
  Occupation	Nov 1951  [3]
  	survey rodman for the Talladega County Road Department
  	from mid-1951
  Military Service	Feb 1951-Apr 1953	Texas   [3]
  	attended basic training at Lackland AFB
  	living in the base barracks
  Occupation	13 Nov 1951-Feb 1953	South Carolina   [3]
  	receiving clerk for E. I. Du Pont
  Military Service	18 Feb 1953	Montgomery, Montgomery, Alabama   [3]
  	U. S. Air Force
  Military Service	Sep 1957-Apr 1959	Denver, Denver, Colorado   [3]
  	taught B-52 bombing systems at Lowery AFB
  	living in the base barracks until married
  Education	Apr 1960-Sep 1960	Texas   [3]
  	Officer Candidate School at Lackand AFB
  	(Appointed 2nd Lt. with a date of rank 16 Sep 1960.)
  Military Service	16 Mar 1962  [3]
  	1st Lieutenant
  Military Service	16 Mar 1965  [3]
  	Captain
  Military Service	Sep 1960-Mar 1966	Moody, McLennan County, Texas   [3]
  	aircraft electronics maintenance officer at James Connely AFB
  	living off base, on base, and on Langley Street
  Military Service	31 Mar 1966	Florida   [3]
  	Commander of Field Training Detachment in support of the Apollo Aircraft
  	The Detachment was awarded the "Outstanding Unit Award".
  Military Service	Jun 1967	Phillippines   [3]
  	Maintenance Supervisor of 6200 Armament and Electronics (A&E) Squadron. at Clark AFB
  	He Lived on Gomez Street in Angles City, Phillipines.
  Military Service	Jul 1969	Maine   [3]
  	Squadron Maintenance Supervisor
  	transferred to the 42nd Airborn Missile Maintenance Squadron (AMMS) at Loring AFB
  Military Service	1970-1971  [3]
  	as acting Commander of the 42nd AMMS
  Military Service	10 Apr 1972-Jul 1972	Guam   [3]
  	in a TDY status at Andersen AFB
  	Was initially the night shift A&E Squadron Commander.  However, due to a hearing problem was reasigned Base Commander of a satellite base.
  Military Service	1 Feb 1972  [3]
  	promoted to Major
  	date of rank of 14 Feb 1971
  Military Service	Jul 1972	Maine   [3]
  	resumed duty as the 42 AMMS Maintenance Supervisor at Loring AFB
  Military Service	13 Apr 1973  [3]
  	assigned as SRAM Project OT&E Officer
  	Was assigned to 42 CSB as Wing Logistics Plans and Programs Officer.
  Military Service	1 Jul 1973  [3]
  	retired from the U.S. Air Force as Major
  Education	Sep 1973-Jun 1976	Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama   [3]
  	University of Alabama
  	He graduated with a BS in Engineering.
  Hospital	lazer surgery, obstructive apena (snoring)  [1]
  Occupation	12 Jul 1976	Oakridge, Montgomery, Tennessee   [3]
  	Electronics Maintenance Engineer with Union Carbide at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant
  Occupation	Mar 1988
  	Quality Assurance Specialist in the Y-12 Quality Division
  Hospital	30 Aug 1990  [1]
  	surgical removal of prostate cancer
  Military Service	Maintenance Supervisor and Squadron Section Commander  [3]
  	The wing was awarded the "Outstanding Unit Award".  He was offered the Command of the A&E Squadron which was to be formed if he would extend his tour
  Military Service	Texas   [3]
  	taught basic electronic fundamentals to student navigators at James Connelly AFB
  Military Service	Florida   [3]
  	worked on B-66 bombing systems (K-5) at Hurlbert AFB
  	living in the base barracks
  Military Service	Texas   [3]
  	worked on T-29 (trainer) bombing systems at Ellington AFB
  	living in the base barracks
  Name	Pat Canada
  Occupation	Talladega County, Alabama   [3]
  	part time at the Ritz and Paramount Theatres
  	during high school and for a short time thereafter
  Occupation	Mississippi   [3]
  	taught air traffic control radar repairman training at Keesler AFB
  	living in the base barracks
  Occupation	18 Dec 1999  [3]
  	Lockheed Martin Energy Systems
  	due to a reduction in force.  Retired with full pension.
  Occupation	23 Apr 2000-Apr 2001  [3]
  	Quality Engineer with McDonald Consulting Corporation
  Residence	Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia   [3]
  Residence	Oakridge, Montgomery, Tennessee   [3]
  	116 Normandy Road
  Residence	Homewood, Jefferson, Alabama   [3]
  	220 Lakeshore Drive
  Residence	South Carolina   [3]
  	Sandbar Ferry Road with the Burnsides
  Died	28 Dec 2019	Florida
  Person ID	I2470	If the Legends Are True...
  Last Modified	21 May 2020

  
  

  Father	John Jackson Canada,   b. 26 Mar 1888, Hill Place, Talladega County, Alabama ,   d. 15 Feb 1957, Citizens Hospital, Talladega, Alabama  (Age 68 years)
  Mother	Beulah Izora Patterson,   b. 1 Jan 1897, Millsaps Place, Clay County, Alabama ,   d. 7 Aug 1991, Talladega Nursing Home, Talladega, Alabama  (Age 94 years)
  Married	8 Sep 1915	near Union T Church, Talladega, Alabama
  Family ID	F2	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Barbara Francis Farmer,   b. 18 Aug 1936, Berryville, Carroll County, Arkansas  (Age 84 years)
  Married	14 Jun 1959	Berryville, Carroll County, Arkansas   [1]
  	They met September 1958 at the baptist Church in Aurora, Colorado. In April 1989 Barbara left for Arkansas.
  Divorced	10 Aug 1992
  Children	+ 1. Christopher Lee Canada,   b. 9 Aug 1961, Hillcrest Hospital, Waco, McLennan, Texas  (Age 59 years) + 2. Steven Patrick Canada,   b. 29 Apr 1964, Base Hospital, James Connally Air Force Base, Waco, McLennan County, Texas  (Age 56 years)
  Last Modified	29 Mar 2006
  Family ID	F821	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Canada → Duncan Patterson

  
  

• Notes

  Officer Candidate School was one of the most important events in my life. It undoubtedly effected my life in a positive manner more than anything else that I have ever been involved in (family and religion excepted). I am extremely proud to have been a member of class 60C and to have known the outstanding people that I was associated with there. OCS was truly a memorable time of my life. I was born on August 12, 1933, as the youngest of nine children, in rural Clay County, Alabama. Our family was poor but was probably no poorer that other families in the community I lived in. My first nine years of public schools were in rural schools in which one teacher would have two grades in a classroom and that one teacher taught all subjects to both grades. My three years of high school were significantly better in that we had separate rooms and specialized teachers for each subject. Upon graduation from high school, I worked for about six months as survey rod-man for the County Road Department. I then worked as a receiving clerk for E.I. Dupont in South Carolina from November 1951 to February 1953. Dupont was the prime contractor responsible for building later operating the nuclear facility in South Carolina most commonly known as the "H Bomb Plant." Realizing that I was about to be drafted and having no desire to be a member of the Army, I enlisted in the Air Force in February 1953. Upon completion of basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, I was assigned to Keesler AFB, Miss, for electronics training. After completion of electronic fundamentals, I attended and later taught air traffic control radar repairman courses. I was then trained as a airborne radar bombing/navigation systems repairman. In June 1955, I was assigned to Ellington AFB, Texas to work on the bombing/navigation systems installed in T-29 (navigator trainer) aircraft. After a year at Ellington, I was transferred to Hurlbert AFB, Florida to work on the, then new, B-66 bombing/navigation systems. Undecided as to whether to reenlist, I extended my enlistment for six months. I finally decided to get out and was discharged in August 1957 with the intention of going to college. Three days after being discharged, I reenlisted to become a B-52G bombing/navigation systems maintenance instructor at Lowery AFB, Colorado. While stationed at Lowery, I met and married Barbara Frances Farmer, a Denver school teacher from Arkansas. Soon after being married, I decided to apply for OCS and was accepted for Class 60C. Upon completion of OCS in September 1960, I was assigned to James Connally AFB, (Waco) Texas as an aircraft electronics maintenance officer. In this role, I managed electronics maintenance of T-29, T-33, T-37, F-89, C-54, and flight simulators. My last year at James Connally was devoted to teaching basic electronics to student navigators. During my tour at James Connally, our two sons, Christopher Lee and Steven Patrick were born. In my off duty time, I managed to complete two years of pre-engineering at Baylor University in nearby Waco. When James Connally was phased out, I was reassigned to Patrick AFB, Florida. as the Commander of a Field Training Detachment, responsible for training mission operators and electronics maintenance personnel for the Apollo Range Instrumented Aircraft (ARIA). The ARIA supported NASA's program to land a man on the moon. This was one of my most satisfying assignments and the unit that I commanded received an Outstanding Unit Award. However, some problems developed that delayed my promotion to Major. In June 1967, I was transferred to Clark AB, Philippines to manage the electronics maintenance of F-102, F-4, C-54, C-118, C-130, and transit aircraft as well as flight simulators and the precision measurement equipment lab (PMEL). The Clark PMEL supported not only Clark but SEA as well. At the time, this PMEL provided more repair and calibration support than any other PMEL in the Air Force. Yet, in the two years that I was there, I can only remember one complaint concerning the quality of work performed by that lab. During my last year at Clark, I was also assigned as, an additional duty, Squadron Section Commander of a consolidated aircraft maintenance squadron having approximately 1000 personnel. At the end of my two year tour, the consolidated squadron was to be broken up into individual units and I was invited to extend my tour to become the Commander of a to be formed (aircraft) electronics maintenance squadron. However, two years in the Philippines was enough for my family – we were ready to come back to the "Land of the Big BX." In July 1969, I left the Philippines and was assigned the 42nd Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron, at Loring AFB, Maine as the Maintenance Supervisor and for about a year was the acting Commander. During this time, our unit's missiles (AGM-28, hound dogs) out-performed all other hound dogs in SAC. As a result, our squadron was awarded an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and other lesser awards. Beginning in April 1972, I served in a TDY status at Andersen AFB, Guam for three months. This was during the time, three B-52s were taking off from Guam with a full bomb load, every 30 minutes with Viet Nam as their destination. Initially I was the night shift A&E Squadron Commander. However, due to a hearing problem the Flight Surgeon removed me from duties involving flight line activities and I was reassigned as Base Commander of a satellite base for the remainder of my tour. In April 1973, I was assigned to the Short Range Attach Missile (SRAM) Project at Loring. This involved the blue-suit testing of the SRAM missile for B-52s. In this role, I coordinated the maintenance associated with the SRAMs used as test missiles on B-52s. Due to Viet Nam winding down, my two year commitment, due to promotion, was canceled and I retired from the US Air Force as a Major on July 1, 1973. In September 1973, I enrolled in a course of study at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and in June 1976, completed my BS in Engineering. In July 1976, I began employment with Union Carbide Nuclear Division at the Oak Ridge Y Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee as an electronics engineer. In March 1988, I transferred to the Quality Division as a quality assurance specialist and continued in that role until I retired again in December 1999. (Union Carbide Nuclear Division was a Department of Energy contractor responsible for manufacturing nuclear weapons components. Union Carbide gave up the contract in 1984 and was replaced by Martin Marietta, who merged with Lockheed to become Lockheed Martin.) After retiring from Lockheed Martin, I worked as a quality engineer for a consulting firm for a year. I've had opportunities for additional work but I wasn't excited about where one company wanted me to go and another wasn't as generous with the financial rewards as I expected. So, after working full time for a total of 46 years, I think I have finally retired. Retirement has not been entirely what I had hoped for. Although I'm personally still in good health, some members of my family are not. As a result, I've devoted some time to the role of being a care-giver. However, the time I've spent in the role of a grandparent has indeed been pure joy. In the past year, I've been able to go to the beach, boating, fishing, and just generally have a good time with the grandchildren. I've also had time to do a limited amount of additional genealogy research and hope to do a bit more in San Antonio. Isaac Millsaps, an Alamo defender, is a great, great, ---- uncle of mine. After 30 years together, Barbara and I separated in 1989 and her request for a divorce was finalized in 1992. Our oldest son Chris, graduated from the University of Tennessee and became an Air Force navigator. He has completed a masters degree program and is currently a Lt. Col. His career has been centered around airborne reconnaissance and is presently assigned to a J-STAR Wing at Warner Robins AFB, Georgia. Chris is married and has a five year old son. Our youngest son Steve, graduated from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama and then Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. He has now completed his Doctor's degree in theology and is currently serving as a pastor in North Port, Alabama Steve is also married and has an eight year old son, a six year old daughter, a four year old daughter, and another daughter to be born in late May 2002. Uncle Pat – 2002

  
  

• Reference

  If the Legends Are True... by J. Craig Canada, "Major Duncan Patterson Canada" (accessed April 18, 2021) | http://www.palmspringsbum.org/genealogy/getperson.php?&personID=I2470&tree=Legends.