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COLONEL (RET.) SI<;tJlU) L. JENSEN, JR. '44
Born in Norfolk. Virginia. raised in Baltimore. Colonel Jensen W<lS
cunnnissioncd a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps in August 1l)41.
A couuuand pilot, he enlisted ill the Army Air Force as an Aviation Cadet
ill May 1942. Graduating from !lying school <ItGeorge f-ield, Illinois, he was
assigned to the Eighth Air Force piloting B-17 and 13-24 bombers.
Returning to the States in 1944, he served as a 13-17 instructor pilot at the
militarys training school in Sebring, Florida. Before returning to civilian life in
1945. he attended the Air Corps Conununications School at Scott AFB, Illinois.
lie completed his Hachclor of Artsdegree requirements in 1947 (he prefers
I1}44)at Western Maryland College. Upon graduation he signed <Icontract with the
New York Giants, hut his sports career ended abruptly when he was called hack into
the military as a conununications officer in July of that year. I
Sig flew 270 combat hours over Normandy and Europe in both the B-17
!'lying Fortress and the 13-24Liberator, earning the distinguished Flying Cross and
the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters.
His service schooling includes: Communications Officer (August 1945),
Army language for Spanish (April 1952), and International Strategic Intelligencc
(October 1952).
He served as Adjutant, 23rd righter Wing (194R-49) in Guam and Panama;
1952 to 1l)56. Assistant Air Attache to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico; and from April
1956 to August 1961 served as Executive Officer.to the Administrative Assistant
to the Secretary of the Air Forn.'.
Col. Jensen was assigned to the Air Force Academy where he served <IS
Deputy Chief of Stall, Plans and Operations, and as Executive Officer to thc
Superintendent of the Academy.
He moved to Wiesbadcn, Germany in 1967, successively holding positions
as Deputy Commander for Services of the 710 Ist Air Base Wing, Assistant Chief
of Stall at I-IqUnited States Air Forces in Europe. and Executive to the Commander
in Chief. United States Air Forces in Europe. .'
Colonel Sigurd L. Jensen. Jr., USAf- was named. 1972. Base Commander
at Laurence G. Hanscom Field and Commander of Hanscom Field's 3245th Air
Base Group. Electronic Systems Division. Air Force Systems Command.
Defore arriving at Hanscom Field. Colonel Jensen commanded the 166th
Combat Support Group at DaNang Air Field. Republic ofVietnam. Defore D(lN(lng.
he served hrielly as Deputy Commander of Ton San Nhut's 377th Com hat Support
Group. lie retired from the Air Force, July I. 1975. \
August 1978. Sig assumed the positions of Assistant Pr!ncipal, Athlet!c
Director and Foreign, Language Teacher at Lewis Palmer MIddle School rn
Monument. Colorado. .
lie completed in 19RIIthe M.A. degree in Education Administration at the
University of Colorado.
His awards and decorations include Legion of'Merit, Distinguisl~ed Flying
Cross. Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. Air Force Commendation Medal
with one Oak Leaf Cluster. Mexican Military Medal of Mcrit and thc Vietnamese
Iionor Medal rirst Class.' '
Colonel Jensen is married to the former Edith II. Bell or New Roche.lle.
New York. The Jcnscns have four children: Sigurd III, Lance, Candace. and Lisa,