Samuel Blackmar ‘Sam' Cornelius was born in Bowie County, Texas, the son of Mary Pascal and Henry Cornelius. His family moved to Spearman, Texas in 1957 and graduated from Spearman High School in 1961.
He played football for four years in Spearman High School and received a football scholarship to Texas Tech, where he played for another four years for the ‘Red Raiders'. Sam was awarded the Del Morgan Courage Award for being an outstanding Red Raider, played in two Sun Bowl games and was recruited by the Kansas City Chiefs to play pro football.
Sam instead joined the U.S. Air Force on May 25, 1967 and went through Undergraduate Pilot Training at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and then upgraded to the F-4, Phantom II.
Sam married Lynda Kilpatrick on July 29, 1967, and they had a daughter, Leslie, in 1970, and a son, Doug, in 1973.
Sam completed two tours to SEA, returning home safely from both. Early in 1973, a peace treaty was signed and the long Vietnam War stopped. All the Prisoners of War were returned to the states. In 1973, he was assigned to the 366th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), 4th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, North Carolina. He was sent TDY to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand where he flew bombing missions into Laos and Cambodia.
On June 16, 1973, then Captain Samuel Blackmar Cornelius, Aircraft Commander; and Captain John Jackie Smallwood, Weapons Systems Officer, 58th TFS, comprised the crew of F-4E, sn 67-0374, call sign Wolf. Sam was on his third tour with over 360 combat missions. Over the target area, their F4E was hit by hostile fire and crashed. No parachutes were seen, and no emergency beepers were heard indicating that the crew ejected safely. Their approximate position was 13-35 North, 106-37 East in Cambodia. Both were declared Missing in Action.
He loved to hunt and fish and always had dogs for pets. He lived a good life, and though it was a bit short. He gave his all for family, friends and country. He did the job he wanted to do and served his country.
Sam's wife, Lynda, and the children moved back to Texas. She eventually remarried, to another Air Force pilot. They lived in the Arlington, VA area and both children attended colleges on the east coast.
Sam was promoted posthumously to the rank of Major. On October 4, 1979, his status was changed to Killed in Action.
His decorations include the Purple Heart and numerous Air Medals.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 01W, Line 119
On September 17, 2010, the airport at Spearman, Texas was renamed to Major Samuel B. Cornelius Field.
He played football for four years in Spearman High School and received a football scholarship to Texas Tech, where he played for another four years for the ‘Red Raiders'. Sam was awarded the Del Morgan Courage Award for being an outstanding Red Raider, played in two Sun Bowl games and was recruited by the Kansas City Chiefs to play pro football.
Sam instead joined the U.S. Air Force on May 25, 1967 and went through Undergraduate Pilot Training at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and then upgraded to the F-4, Phantom II.
Sam married Lynda Kilpatrick on July 29, 1967, and they had a daughter, Leslie, in 1970, and a son, Doug, in 1973.
Sam completed two tours to SEA, returning home safely from both. Early in 1973, a peace treaty was signed and the long Vietnam War stopped. All the Prisoners of War were returned to the states. In 1973, he was assigned to the 366th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), 4th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, North Carolina. He was sent TDY to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand where he flew bombing missions into Laos and Cambodia.
On June 16, 1973, then Captain Samuel Blackmar Cornelius, Aircraft Commander; and Captain John Jackie Smallwood, Weapons Systems Officer, 58th TFS, comprised the crew of F-4E, sn 67-0374, call sign Wolf. Sam was on his third tour with over 360 combat missions. Over the target area, their F4E was hit by hostile fire and crashed. No parachutes were seen, and no emergency beepers were heard indicating that the crew ejected safely. Their approximate position was 13-35 North, 106-37 East in Cambodia. Both were declared Missing in Action.
He loved to hunt and fish and always had dogs for pets. He lived a good life, and though it was a bit short. He gave his all for family, friends and country. He did the job he wanted to do and served his country.
Sam's wife, Lynda, and the children moved back to Texas. She eventually remarried, to another Air Force pilot. They lived in the Arlington, VA area and both children attended colleges on the east coast.
Sam was promoted posthumously to the rank of Major. On October 4, 1979, his status was changed to Killed in Action.
His decorations include the Purple Heart and numerous Air Medals.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 01W, Line 119
On September 17, 2010, the airport at Spearman, Texas was renamed to Major Samuel B. Cornelius Field.
Samuel Blackmar ‘Sam' Cornelius was born in Bowie County, Texas, the son of Mary Pascal and Henry Cornelius. His family moved to Spearman, Texas in 1957 and graduated from Spearman High School in 1961.
He played football for four years in Spearman High School and received a football scholarship to Texas Tech, where he played for another four years for the ‘Red Raiders'. Sam was awarded the Del Morgan Courage Award for being an outstanding Red Raider, played in two Sun Bowl games and was recruited by the Kansas City Chiefs to play pro football.
Sam instead joined the U.S. Air Force on May 25, 1967 and went through Undergraduate Pilot Training at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and then upgraded to the F-4, Phantom II.
Sam married Lynda Kilpatrick on July 29, 1967, and they had a daughter, Leslie, in 1970, and a son, Doug, in 1973.
Sam completed two tours to SEA, returning home safely from both. Early in 1973, a peace treaty was signed and the long Vietnam War stopped. All the Prisoners of War were returned to the states. In 1973, he was assigned to the 366th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), 4th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, North Carolina. He was sent TDY to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand where he flew bombing missions into Laos and Cambodia.
On June 16, 1973, then Captain Samuel Blackmar Cornelius, Aircraft Commander; and Captain John Jackie Smallwood, Weapons Systems Officer, 58th TFS, comprised the crew of F-4E, sn 67-0374, call sign Wolf. Sam was on his third tour with over 360 combat missions. Over the target area, their F4E was hit by hostile fire and crashed. No parachutes were seen, and no emergency beepers were heard indicating that the crew ejected safely. Their approximate position was 13-35 North, 106-37 East in Cambodia. Both were declared Missing in Action.
He loved to hunt and fish and always had dogs for pets. He lived a good life, and though it was a bit short. He gave his all for family, friends and country. He did the job he wanted to do and served his country.
Sam's wife, Lynda, and the children moved back to Texas. She eventually remarried, to another Air Force pilot. They lived in the Arlington, VA area and both children attended colleges on the east coast.
Sam was promoted posthumously to the rank of Major. On October 4, 1979, his status was changed to Killed in Action.
His decorations include the Purple Heart and numerous Air Medals.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 01W, Line 119
On September 17, 2010, the airport at Spearman, Texas was renamed to Major Samuel B. Cornelius Field.
He played football for four years in Spearman High School and received a football scholarship to Texas Tech, where he played for another four years for the ‘Red Raiders'. Sam was awarded the Del Morgan Courage Award for being an outstanding Red Raider, played in two Sun Bowl games and was recruited by the Kansas City Chiefs to play pro football.
Sam instead joined the U.S. Air Force on May 25, 1967 and went through Undergraduate Pilot Training at Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, Texas. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and then upgraded to the F-4, Phantom II.
Sam married Lynda Kilpatrick on July 29, 1967, and they had a daughter, Leslie, in 1970, and a son, Doug, in 1973.
Sam completed two tours to SEA, returning home safely from both. Early in 1973, a peace treaty was signed and the long Vietnam War stopped. All the Prisoners of War were returned to the states. In 1973, he was assigned to the 366th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), 4th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, North Carolina. He was sent TDY to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand where he flew bombing missions into Laos and Cambodia.
On June 16, 1973, then Captain Samuel Blackmar Cornelius, Aircraft Commander; and Captain John Jackie Smallwood, Weapons Systems Officer, 58th TFS, comprised the crew of F-4E, sn 67-0374, call sign Wolf. Sam was on his third tour with over 360 combat missions. Over the target area, their F4E was hit by hostile fire and crashed. No parachutes were seen, and no emergency beepers were heard indicating that the crew ejected safely. Their approximate position was 13-35 North, 106-37 East in Cambodia. Both were declared Missing in Action.
He loved to hunt and fish and always had dogs for pets. He lived a good life, and though it was a bit short. He gave his all for family, friends and country. He did the job he wanted to do and served his country.
Sam's wife, Lynda, and the children moved back to Texas. She eventually remarried, to another Air Force pilot. They lived in the Arlington, VA area and both children attended colleges on the east coast.
Sam was promoted posthumously to the rank of Major. On October 4, 1979, his status was changed to Killed in Action.
His decorations include the Purple Heart and numerous Air Medals.
Vietnam Memorial Wall Panel 01W, Line 119
On September 17, 2010, the airport at Spearman, Texas was renamed to Major Samuel B. Cornelius Field.
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