Every year at the beautiful Kaysville Cemetery a wonderful program is shared with our community to honor those that have served our country. This program is for those who have served and their and loved ones.
The program is put on by members of the Kaysville community and it makes a great way to start off your Memorial Day.
BIO OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAY CRIDDLE HESS USAF (RET)
Lieutenant Colonel Jay C. Hess USAF (RET) was an Air Force Junior ROTC Aerospace Science Instructor at Clearfield High School, Clearfield, Utah for 22 years (1973 – 1995).
He was born May 9, 1930 in Ogden, Utah and graduated from Davis High School, Kaysville, Utah in 1948. He attended Weber State University in 1949, Brigham Young University in 1950, University of Utah in 1952 and received a B.S. Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio in 1962.
He served in the Western States Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints from 1950-52. Denver, Colorado was then the mission headquarters. He greatly enjoyed the friendships developed in Grand Island, Nebraska, Roswell, New Mexico and Grand Junction, Colorado.
Lt Col Hess became an Aviation Cadet in 1953. He completed Primary Pilot Training in the PA – 18 and T-6 at Columbus AFB, Mississippi, Basic Flying Training in the T-28 and T-33 at Greenville AFB, Mississippi and Williams AFB, Arizona where he received pilot wings with the class of 55-I and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force.
He was assigned to the Air Defense Command and stationed at Mac Dill AFB, Florida as a Ground Intercept Controller. He completed Combat Pilot Training in the F-89 at Moody AFB, Georgia in 1956 and was then stationed at Kinchloe AFB, Michigan flying the F-89 and the F-102. After graduating from AFIT, he was assigned to the Tactical Air Command and stationed at George AFB, California, Bitburg AB, Germany, Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam and Takhli Royal Thai AB, Thailand flying the F-4 and F-105.
As a Captain, he completed 31 1/2 combat missions over North Vietnam. His F-105 was downed by ground fire near the China border northeast of Hanoi on 24 Aug 1967. He was held prisoner of war for five and one half years in the Hanoi Hilton, Annex, Camp Hope, Unity, Zoo, Dog Patch and Plantation detention camps. He was released by the North Vietnamese on 14 Mar 1973.
He has been awarded the Silver Star with Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal with First Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart with First Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star with First Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster and the Prisoner of War Medal.
He is a member of the Air Force Association, American Legion, National Association for Uniformed Services, Salt Lake City VA POW Advisory Committee, Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, and an honorary member of the Bountiful Jeep Posse. He received the Liberty Bell Award from the Utah State Bar Association in 1973, the Service to Mankind Award from Sertoma in 1974, the Outstanding AFJROTC Instructor Award in 1976-77, the Minuteman Award from the Utah National Guard in 1977, the Falcon Award from Clearfield High School in 1995 and the Utah Air Force Association Service Award in 1996.
He is married to Michelle Martin of Layton, Utah. They are the parents of two daughters, Shantay, born on Veterans Day 1987, and Kenzley, born in 1996. He is the father of five married children: Cameron Hess, Heather Nibley, Dr. Warren Hess, Holly Dunn and Heidi Johnson.
Lieutenant Colonel Hess retired from the United States Air Force on 1 Nov 1973.