Col. Clarence H. "Scotty" Shambeck (USAF Ret.)
September 24, 1919 ~ March 7, 2019
Col. Clarence H. “Scotty” Shambeck (USAF Ret.) of Oakton, VA passed into the wild blue yonder on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at Fairfax INOVA Hospital at the age of 99. He is predeceased by his wife of 47 years Joyce A. (Peters) Shambeck, three brothers – Louis, Alvin, and Willie, and a son by a previous marriage Scott Shambeck. Scotty is survived by his son, Clark Shambeck of Chantilly, VA, his daughter Brooke Shambeck of Oakton, VA, two sisters – Elner Welch of Lubbock, TX and Leona Scheihagen of Huntsville, TX, and two grandsons – Clark A. Shambeck Jr. of Richmond, VA, and Matthew J. Nolan of Mont Vernon, NH.
Scotty was born on September 24, 1919 in Shiner TX, to Elsie Marie (Nessell) and Louis George Shambeck ten years prior to the stock market crash of 1929 and the start of the Great Depression. He soon joined his family working on the family cotton farm in Lubbock, TX, where they grew much of the food they needed and often shared with their workers and others less fortunate.
Upon graduating from high school, where he was senior class president, Scotty joined the 124th Cavalry Regiment 56th Cavalry Brigade of the Texas Army National Guard. His unit was federalized in 1940 whereupon Scotty became one of the youngest mess sergeants in the Army. At the start of WWII, the opportunity arose for Scotty to attend pilot training at the Roswell Army Flying School in New Mexico where he graduated in March of 1943 as a 2nd Lieutenant. He became a B-24 bomber pilot in the US Army Air Corps and fought with the 21st Bombardment (Wee Willy) Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group in the Aleutian Islands Campaign. Later, he was an instructor at Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, training pilots to fly the new B-29 Superfortress.
In 1946 Scotty was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and participated in Operations Crossroads and Sandstone – the initial US nuclear testing programs in the Pacific where he remotely operated B-17 drones. In 1948, he was promoted to Captain. In 1949, Scotty was assigned to the 7499th Support Squadron and flew frequent missions along the West Berlin air corridors to monitor Soviet activities in addition to conducting other covert flights supporting US intelligence gathering. During this time, he was promoted to Major.
In early 1952, he returned stateside and was assigned to various Executive Officer and Chief of Staff positions at Bolling, Wright-Patterson, and Norton Air Force bases achieving the rank of Colonel along the way.
In 1964, Scotty was made Chief of Staff, US Training Mission and later Chief of the Military Assistance Office in Saudi Arabia where he managed a challenging assignment advising the Saudi Ministry of Defense and Aviation on missile and aircraft systems while coordinating strategy with British, US Army, and US Air Force personnel. He returned to the United States to serve as the Executive Officer at HQ Air Force Systems Command in 1966.
Scotty and his family returned to Germany in 1969 where he was assigned as the Deputy Director of Military Assistance at USEUCOM where he retired from the Air Force in 1972. At the time of his retirement, his most notable military awards included Command Pilot Wings, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Air Force Commendation Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal, and Medal for Humane Action for service supporting the Berlin Airlift.
Scotty and his family remained in Germany as he began a second career as an executive in the European District Office at Hughes Aircraft Company. At Hughes, Scotty enjoyed a generous expense account and traveled across Europe with Joyce arranging European junkets for US congressional and military delegations. As part of his duties, he set up and attended numerous professional and social functions for Hughes including coordinating the company’s participation at the annual Paris Air Show.
In 1982, Scotty and his family returned to the Washington, DC area where he was the Manager of Administration for the Hughes Washington District Office. Scotty retired from Hughes in 1989. He often described his time working for Hughes as the best time of his life.
After retiring from Hughes, Scotty and Joyce spent their time relaxing at their home in Oakton, VA. They enjoyed playing golf and were active members of the International Country Club in Fairfax, VA successfully competing in many local golf events both as a pair and individually. They also served as PGA Tour marshals for the 1997 US Open Championship held at Congressional Country Club and, during the 1990s, for numerous Kemper Open tournaments at TPC at Avenel.
Scotty lived a long and extraordinarily full life. During his career in the Air Force and later as an executive with Hughes, Scotty crossed paths with numerous luminaries of the mid-20th century including Charles Lindbergh, Omar Bradley, Lorne Greene, Howard Hughes, John Glenn, George Patton IV, Chuck Yeager, Pearl Bailey, Curtis LeMay, and Frank Sinatra. Not to mention many senior US Air Force leaders of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
Scotty had a million watt smile and expansive personality and enjoyed being the center of attention recounting his many adventures for those around him. With his numerous exploits and knack for being in the right place at the right time, Scotty could easily have been called the Forrest Gump of the Air Force.
He will be sadly missed by those of us who remain earth-bound and we know he has been joyously welcomed to his heavenly home by his wife, his family, and his friends who have gone before him. Scotty will be interred in Arlington National Memorial Cemetery with full military honors on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 3:00PM next to his beloved wife Joyce. Expressions of sympathy can be made by donating to the veterans support organization of your choice. The family suggests Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Fisher House Foundation, and National Military Family Association.
Scotty was born on September 24, 1919 in Shiner TX, to Elsie Marie (Nessell) and Louis George Shambeck ten years prior to the stock market crash of 1929 and the start of the Great Depression. He soon joined his family working on the family cotton farm in Lubbock, TX, where they grew much of the food they needed and often shared with their workers and others less fortunate.
Upon graduating from high school, where he was senior class president, Scotty joined the 124th Cavalry Regiment 56th Cavalry Brigade of the Texas Army National Guard. His unit was federalized in 1940 whereupon Scotty became one of the youngest mess sergeants in the Army. At the start of WWII, the opportunity arose for Scotty to attend pilot training at the Roswell Army Flying School in New Mexico where he graduated in March of 1943 as a 2nd Lieutenant. He became a B-24 bomber pilot in the US Army Air Corps and fought with the 21st Bombardment (Wee Willy) Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group in the Aleutian Islands Campaign. Later, he was an instructor at Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico, training pilots to fly the new B-29 Superfortress.
In 1946 Scotty was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and participated in Operations Crossroads and Sandstone – the initial US nuclear testing programs in the Pacific where he remotely operated B-17 drones. In 1948, he was promoted to Captain. In 1949, Scotty was assigned to the 7499th Support Squadron and flew frequent missions along the West Berlin air corridors to monitor Soviet activities in addition to conducting other covert flights supporting US intelligence gathering. During this time, he was promoted to Major.
In early 1952, he returned stateside and was assigned to various Executive Officer and Chief of Staff positions at Bolling, Wright-Patterson, and Norton Air Force bases achieving the rank of Colonel along the way.
In 1964, Scotty was made Chief of Staff, US Training Mission and later Chief of the Military Assistance Office in Saudi Arabia where he managed a challenging assignment advising the Saudi Ministry of Defense and Aviation on missile and aircraft systems while coordinating strategy with British, US Army, and US Air Force personnel. He returned to the United States to serve as the Executive Officer at HQ Air Force Systems Command in 1966.
Scotty and his family returned to Germany in 1969 where he was assigned as the Deputy Director of Military Assistance at USEUCOM where he retired from the Air Force in 1972. At the time of his retirement, his most notable military awards included Command Pilot Wings, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (one oak leaf cluster), Air Force Commendation Medal (two oak leaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal, and Medal for Humane Action for service supporting the Berlin Airlift.
Scotty and his family remained in Germany as he began a second career as an executive in the European District Office at Hughes Aircraft Company. At Hughes, Scotty enjoyed a generous expense account and traveled across Europe with Joyce arranging European junkets for US congressional and military delegations. As part of his duties, he set up and attended numerous professional and social functions for Hughes including coordinating the company’s participation at the annual Paris Air Show.
In 1982, Scotty and his family returned to the Washington, DC area where he was the Manager of Administration for the Hughes Washington District Office. Scotty retired from Hughes in 1989. He often described his time working for Hughes as the best time of his life.
After retiring from Hughes, Scotty and Joyce spent their time relaxing at their home in Oakton, VA. They enjoyed playing golf and were active members of the International Country Club in Fairfax, VA successfully competing in many local golf events both as a pair and individually. They also served as PGA Tour marshals for the 1997 US Open Championship held at Congressional Country Club and, during the 1990s, for numerous Kemper Open tournaments at TPC at Avenel.
Scotty lived a long and extraordinarily full life. During his career in the Air Force and later as an executive with Hughes, Scotty crossed paths with numerous luminaries of the mid-20th century including Charles Lindbergh, Omar Bradley, Lorne Greene, Howard Hughes, John Glenn, George Patton IV, Chuck Yeager, Pearl Bailey, Curtis LeMay, and Frank Sinatra. Not to mention many senior US Air Force leaders of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
Scotty had a million watt smile and expansive personality and enjoyed being the center of attention recounting his many adventures for those around him. With his numerous exploits and knack for being in the right place at the right time, Scotty could easily have been called the Forrest Gump of the Air Force.
He will be sadly missed by those of us who remain earth-bound and we know he has been joyously welcomed to his heavenly home by his wife, his family, and his friends who have gone before him. Scotty will be interred in Arlington National Memorial Cemetery with full military honors on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at 3:00PM next to his beloved wife Joyce. Expressions of sympathy can be made by donating to the veterans support organization of your choice. The family suggests Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), Fisher House Foundation, and National Military Family Association.
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