John Paul Streit, Col. USAF (Ret.)
June 29, 1928 ~ December 1, 2021
JOHN PAUL STREIT, Col. USAF (Ret.) (Age 93)
Died peacefully on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at his home in McLean, VA surrounded by family after a valiant three-year battle with cancer. Family includes his beloved wife of more than 70 years, Ann Streit; his children John P. Streit, Jr., Laurie S. Bradford, and Kim S. Wild and their spouses Susan, Bruce and Dan; his sister Metta Halla; his grandchildren Joshua, Will, Zachary, Grace, and Nate; his step-grandchildren John and Becca; his great-grandchildren Jadon, Elina and John Emmanuel.
John Streit, a 1950 graduate of West Point, joined the Air Force to become a pilot, knowing from a young age that he wanted to fly. He served three combat tours, the first in the Korean War, where his plane was shot down (by the world’s luckiest anti-aircraft gunner, in his words) on his 13th mission. He successfully bailed out, his chute opening at the last minute but then was immediately captured and held as a Prisoner-of-War nearly two years, finally being repatriated in the very last truck of the last convoy of former prisoners of the war. For the first 16 months of his captivity he was officially listed as Missing in Action as there had been no visual evidence he had survived the crash. His wife Ann wrote throughout the time, as he did to her; she never received a single one of his letters, but he did receive several (not all) of hers. He was always clear that her letters were essential in sustaining his spirit during his captivity.
Streit volunteered and served two subsequent combat tours in Southeast Asia in 1966 and 1969, then served in various non-flying posts, including a tour as the senior advisor to the Taiwanese Air Force, until his retirement as a colonel in 1979.
In addition to his love of flying and service to the country, John Streit loved his family, beginning with his wife Ann. They were happily married for over seventy years and her care for him was critical in helping him remain at home during the last couple years of his life. They received assistance from a community of loving, professional caregivers; from their daughter Kim and husband Dan Wild, of Sterling, VA, who provided constant hands-on support, and by their other children and spouses Laurie and Bruce Bradford of El Paso, Texas, and Jep Streit and Susan Knight of Greenfield, NH. Grandchildren, step-grandchildren and all their spouses near and far, were all greatly loved by John and returned that love as well. Although he technically was not family, Louis Armstrong and his music were also deeply loved by John, especially during his recent illness.
Family and friends are invited to Col. Streit’s Memorial Service Saturday, December 11th at 11:00 am at the Church of the Holy Comforter, 543 Beulah Road, Vienna, VA. Internment at Arlington National Cemetery will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please support any of these organizations he cared so deeply about: Wounded Warrior Project; Tunnel2Towers Foundation; and Purple Heart Foundation.
Died peacefully on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at his home in McLean, VA surrounded by family after a valiant three-year battle with cancer. Family includes his beloved wife of more than 70 years, Ann Streit; his children John P. Streit, Jr., Laurie S. Bradford, and Kim S. Wild and their spouses Susan, Bruce and Dan; his sister Metta Halla; his grandchildren Joshua, Will, Zachary, Grace, and Nate; his step-grandchildren John and Becca; his great-grandchildren Jadon, Elina and John Emmanuel.
John Streit, a 1950 graduate of West Point, joined the Air Force to become a pilot, knowing from a young age that he wanted to fly. He served three combat tours, the first in the Korean War, where his plane was shot down (by the world’s luckiest anti-aircraft gunner, in his words) on his 13th mission. He successfully bailed out, his chute opening at the last minute but then was immediately captured and held as a Prisoner-of-War nearly two years, finally being repatriated in the very last truck of the last convoy of former prisoners of the war. For the first 16 months of his captivity he was officially listed as Missing in Action as there had been no visual evidence he had survived the crash. His wife Ann wrote throughout the time, as he did to her; she never received a single one of his letters, but he did receive several (not all) of hers. He was always clear that her letters were essential in sustaining his spirit during his captivity.
Streit volunteered and served two subsequent combat tours in Southeast Asia in 1966 and 1969, then served in various non-flying posts, including a tour as the senior advisor to the Taiwanese Air Force, until his retirement as a colonel in 1979.
In addition to his love of flying and service to the country, John Streit loved his family, beginning with his wife Ann. They were happily married for over seventy years and her care for him was critical in helping him remain at home during the last couple years of his life. They received assistance from a community of loving, professional caregivers; from their daughter Kim and husband Dan Wild, of Sterling, VA, who provided constant hands-on support, and by their other children and spouses Laurie and Bruce Bradford of El Paso, Texas, and Jep Streit and Susan Knight of Greenfield, NH. Grandchildren, step-grandchildren and all their spouses near and far, were all greatly loved by John and returned that love as well. Although he technically was not family, Louis Armstrong and his music were also deeply loved by John, especially during his recent illness.
Family and friends are invited to Col. Streit’s Memorial Service Saturday, December 11th at 11:00 am at the Church of the Holy Comforter, 543 Beulah Road, Vienna, VA. Internment at Arlington National Cemetery will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please support any of these organizations he cared so deeply about: Wounded Warrior Project; Tunnel2Towers Foundation; and Purple Heart Foundation.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
Dear Ann and family,
We are so very sorry to learn of the Colonel’s passing and apologize for the lateness of our message.
It was our great pleasure and privilege to live next door to you and John, Ann. It was honestly a relief to find out you had sold your Fort Walton home, as it was to be our one regret in leaving Laffitte Crescent(although we certainly have missed our water views?).
I enjoyed every opportunity to visit with John. He was an interesting and insightful friend and I’m sad to know you have lost your dear life partner. Please know you are in our thoughts and most certainly included in our prayers.
With fond thoughts, we remain your friends,
Jeri and Frank Lezu