KIRKLEY JIMMIE J

CW3 Jimmie "Jim" J. Kirkley was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 04/28/2020 at the age of 90.2
Palm Bay, FL
Flight Class 57-5
Date of Birth 02/10/1930
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 62 AVN in 64, 150 TC DET in 64-65, A/502 AVN in 64-65, 242 ASHC in 67, 178 ASHC in 68, 147 ASHC in 69, 205 ASHC in 72, 213 ASHC in 73
Call signs in Vietnam ROADRUNNER, BOEING REP
This information was provided by Wife Linda via L16795 Holton

More detail on this person: Jimmie 'Big Jim' Joe Kirkley passed away on April 28, 2020 at his home in Palm Bay, FL. Jim was born to Joe and Jimmie Kirkley February 10, 1930 in Howe, OK, married Linda Wilson February 10, 1987 in Lake Tahoe, and will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery February 10, 2021. He left high school after two years to enlist in the Army at age 16! When asked how he managed to avoid detection of his age, he said in 1946 no one seemed to pay much attention to such details. Plus, he was big, and looked older than he was. After his first enlistment he left the Army but, then 'got hungry,' so he reenlisted. He attended jump school at Fort Benning, spent several years with the 82nd Airborne Division, and earned his high school equivalency GED in 1952. Jim applied for Army Aviation flight training and graduated with Warrant Officer class 57-5 at Fort Rucker in June 1957. His first aviation assignment was to Europe where he flew CH-34 helicopters. In September 1964, Jim was with the 11th Air Assault Division in Fort Benning when he was selected to be the maintenance warrant officer for the 150th Transportation Corps Detachment of the 62nd Aviation Company; a newly formed helicopter company to be deployed to Vietnam in 34 days. He was in the Advanced Party that went to Vinh Long in September 1964 and thus became an 'Original Outlaw.' In December 1964, the 62nd was reflagged A Company, 502nd Aviation Battalion; so Jimmie legitimately claimed membership in those three units early in the War. While on a test flight in 1965, he observed a Huey downed by enemy fire. He diverted his aircraft and, under fire, rescued the crew. CW3 Jim retired from the Army in 1967 as a Senior Army Aviator. He served as a Boeing Tech Rep in five difference Chinook units during his six years in Vietnam ending in 1973. Jim's logbook shows over 4000 career flying hours. He and Linda were regular attendees at Outlaw reunions.

Burial information: Arlington National Cemetery

This information was last updated 02/09/2021

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Date posted on this site: 10/13/2025