An Airman's Story: Captain Dixon Lee Walters Jr.

 


Captain Dixon Lee Walters Jr. was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, on May 23, 1961. He graduated from Barwell High School in 1979 and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1982.

Captain Walters was a talented endurance athlete and regularly competed in triathlons. Captain Dixon Walters had initially decided to become an accountant but felt called instead to enlist in the US Air Force and joined the Special Operations crew of the C-130H Spectre Gunships.

Captain Dixon L. Walters deployed to the Persian Gulf in December 1990 for Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield and the Gulf War. 

On January 31, 1991, while on a mission aboard "Spirit 03" in support of US Marine ground troops, "Spirit 03" launched into an attack upon a ground missile site, preventing its use upon ground troops, Captain Dixon Walters, as the Warfare officer, called evaded anti-aircraft fire while engaging the missile site and earned a Silver Star for his actions to eliminate threats for ground troops. However, "Spirit 03, the C-130H, was eventually hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed into the Persian Gulf. The crew's appropriated remains were repatriated to the US in March 1991.

Captain Dixon Lee Walters Jr. rests at Arlington National Cemetery.


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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

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Location: Williamsburg, VA, USA

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