Ernest Bankey

Bankey was born on August 28, 1920, in Cleveland, Ohio, and was raised in Toledo, Ohio. It was during his youth that he began his interest in planes. He began building model planes from the age of eight. He also won the Soap Box Derby twice, in 1935 and 1936. ==Military career==

Bankey joined the Army Air Corps at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio, on April 1, 1941. As a staff sergeant, he taught aerial gunnery techniques in Las Vegas, while awaiting acceptance into Air Cadet School to start pilot training. He was reassigned to the 385th Fighter Squadron. After the war, he returned to the United States, left active duty and joined the Air Force Reserve on April 18, 1946. Bankey was recalled to active duty beginning on March 15, 1953, and then completed Pilot Refresher Training at Graham AB, Florida, followed by Instructor Pilot School at Craig AFB, Alabama. Bankey served as an instructor pilot and operations officer before serving at the U.S. Air Forces in Europe Weapons Center from July 1957 to September 1958. His next assignment was as a Guided Missile Operations Officer with the 576th Strategic Missile Squadron at Vandenberg AFB, California, from September 1958 to June 1960, followed by service on the staff of Headquarters 1st Missile Division (renamed 1st Strategic Aerospace Division in July 1961) at Vandenberg from June 1960 to April 1963. His next assignment was as a Missile Test Evaluation Officer with Headquarters Strategic Air Command at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, from April 1963 to November 1966. Col Bankey's final assignment was as Deputy Chief and then Chief of the Evaluation and Capabilities Division with the 3902nd Support Squadron at Offutt AFB from November 1966 until his retirement from the Air Force on March 1, 1968. ==Awards and decorations==

During his lengthy career, Bankey earned many decorations, including: he was awarded the Silver Star for actions during World War II. The citation reads: ==Final years==

After retirement from the Air Force, Bankley joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratories in California. There he worked on deep space projects. He retired in 1975. ==Personal life ==

Bankey married Lillian Ruth "Ginny" Kontak on May 2, 1942, in Bowling Green, Ohio. They had four children: sons Dan and Keith, and daughters Sharon and Tina. Bankey has eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. His wife Ginny, died on July 16, 2009; she was in-urned next to her husband. ==References==