Kerney Lee Sigler

KERNEY LEE SIGLER WWII Aviator Warrior Veteran 1919 2020 Kerney Sigler was born in Southern California July 23, 1919, and passed in Las Vegas, Nevada July 14, 2020, 9 days short of his 101st birthday. To say he lived a long life is an understatement. And what a life it was! He attended San Jose State on a track & field scholarship having medaled in medium distance running between 1937-39, then cut his academic career short to answer America's call to defend the Free World against tyranny & aggression in Europe and Southeast Asia by enlisting in the Army Air Corp following the tragic events of Pearl Harbor on Dec 07, 1941. He trained & was commissioned to fly the Martin Marauder B-26 medium-range bomber, sailed as a First Lieutenant on the Queen Mary troop carrier to Scotland in 1943, and engaged the enemy out of Great Dunmow, England, where he flew 65 missions in the European theater with the 386th "Crusaders" Bombardment Group of the 9th Army Air Force...including leading a box of B-26's over Utah Beach on D-Day, the 6th of June 1944. He rose to status of Captain & Lead Pilot in the Crusaders, and led the group's last combat sortie over Germany before his tour of duty ended in late 1944. Post WWII found him returning to Rhein Main, Germany with his wife and two young sons where he distinguished himself flying 75 sorties in C-54s during the Berlin Airlift - the greatest humanitarian airlift in history -- between 1948-1951...this time against a different kind of "peacetime enemy" at the advent of the Cold War Era. Upon retiring from military life in 1964 and rising through the ranks to Lt Colonel, he embarked upon a civilian aviation career in airline management and flew for regional carriers Skymark and Golden West Airlines in California between 1968-1982. He built his own home in Malibu, California and pursued his life-long quest as an aviator flying and maintaining his personal Bellanca Viking. He remained active in the Order of Quiet Birdmen and Order of Daedalians in his retirement, even through his affliction with Alzheimer's Dementia in later years. He passed peacefully in the care of loving family members in Las Vegas. From the moment of his first flight in 1927 when his grandfather bought him a ticket as a child on a barnstorming Ford Tri-Motor, all Kerney ever wanted to do was fly. He was an avid, ardent Aviator and shall remain dear in our hearts as a stalwart example of a bygone time, distinguished hero of the "Greatest Generation," Defender of Freedom, Alpha Male Warrior, and Aviator par excellence. Even though he was flying within the fog that is Alzheimer's, he often inquired if there was a war in which he could participate. It was his time to Go West, and he taught us all how to die - and fly -- with dignity. Volabamus Volamus. Kerney Lee Sigler is survived by his two sons Richard Sigler of Southern California, and Robert Sigler of Las Vegas. He remained fully ambulatory as a 100-year-old combat veteran of WWII until a fall several weeks before his death deprived him of the ability to remain upright. Interment ceremonies are scheduled Wednesday, August 19, 2020 at The Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City, NV at 10am. Veterans and attendees are invited into the chapel for memoriam, followed by an Air Force Honor Guard Presentation and Gun Salute. Taps will follow. Attendance will be limited. Any flower arrangements should be sent directly to the cemetery. Any donations to benefit the funding of careers by young aviators bound for service in the Armed Forces should be directed to Dennis Schaan, Adjutant Fighter Flight #62, Order of Daedalians at Nellis AFB(flight62@daedalians.org), and / or Tony Romano, LAS Hangar Governor, Order of Quiet Birdmen (codefour_60@hotmail.com).

Kerney Lee Sigler

July 23, 1919 - July 14, 2020