West Newsmagazine 5-20-20

16 I NEWS I
May 20, 2020
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
@WESTNEWSMAG
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
Local first responders honor WWII veteran with birthday parade
By KATE UPTERGROVE
On his 99th birthday, Wildwood resident
Lt. Col. Bud Jones, Army Air Corps,
retired, was in for a surprise. His daughter,
Pat, had encouraged him to sit outside and
visit with his grandchildren.
After a little while, Pat said, “You
remember Kelly from the Honor Flight?”
Bud said, “yes” and Pat continued, “Well,
Kelly and I have a little surprise for you.”
Moments later, Bud heard sirens and
asked, “What’s going on? What is all that
commotion?” Pat told him, “Wait and see.”
The commotion was a birthday parade
led by Kelly Witternauer, charity liaison for
for USA Mortgage’s DAS Gives program.
Representing the Greater St. Louis Honor Flight in the
birthday parade.
[Source: Kelly Wittenauer/USA Mortgage]
Joining her were representatives from the
Missouri State Highway Patrol, Ellisville
Police Department, Ballwin Police Department,
Wildwood Police Department and
the Greater St. Louis Honor Flight.
“Metro West FPD was also in on the
planning but they got a call – a house fire
in Ballwin – just before the parade so they
had to miss it,” Wittenauer said.
Jones, who retired as a major from Troop
F after 30 years of service to the Missouri
Highway Patrol, particularly enjoyed
seeing his fellow first responders.
“He is an incredible man,” said Wittenauer,
who met Bud and Pat when she sat
next to them on an Honor Flight in March
2019. “Basically, this man’s entire life has
been dedicated to our country
and local community!”
According to Wittenauer,
Jones flew 117 combat missions
during his years in
the Army Air Corps. He has
two Distinguished Flying
Crosses, four Air Medals
and was awarded the French
Legion of Honor.
He has some incredible
stories from his years of service
to the country and state,
Maj. Bud Jones, retired, with members of the Missouri Highway Patrol Troup C.
[Source: Kelly Wittenauer/USA Mortgage]
Wittenauer said.
“He was one of the first fighter pilots to
fly P-47s in WWII and he can remember
every detail about how he landed his airplane
after enemy anti-aircraft rounds hit
his oil line and covered his canopy in oil
except for a quarter-sized hole in his windshield,”
Wittenauer shared.
“He said he landed the plane by the seat
of his pants,” Pat added.
As a state highway patrolman, Jones had
a run in with two escaped prisoners who
shot a .22 caliber bullet into his Highway
Patrol car windshield. That bullet split in
two and hit him on his seat belt. It was the
second time, he survived a bullet through
a windshield.
“They should call him the Windshield
King!” Wittenauer exclaimed.
“Just don’t call him a hero,” Pat shared.
“He doesn’t see himself as a hero. He was
just a man doing his job.”
So thanks, Bud, for a job well done – and
Happy Birthday!
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