A Heartfelt Video Tribute to our Beloved:

COLONEL HENRY EDWARD (ED) BELLION

https://youtu.be/KsBXo1GXK3w

Eulogy written by Bob Bellion, edited by Ronn and Virginia Boll, and read by BG (Ret) Dan Pemberton on Sunday 6 June 2021

     Ed Bellion lost his year-long battle with cancer on November 5, 2020.  Ed and his twin brother Bob were born on June 21, 1947 in the Bronx, New York.  Their parents were Henry and Marjorie (Turner) Bellion.  

      He was a member of Immaculate Conception church in Eastchester, New York, an Alter Boy and member of the church Boy Scout Troop.  He was a leader, attained the rank of Eagle Scout, Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow and worked high school summers as a camp counselor at the Council’s Scout Camp.  Ed attended Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York where he was a Class and School Officer.  He sang in the Glee Club, performed in four Musicals and two Dramas, and was awarded the Best Actor Medal at graduation.  He was the recipient of a New York State Regent’s scholarship and a Westchester County Golf Association Caddie scholarship.  

      Ed attended Manhattan College in the Bronx, New York, and graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with honors.  He was a founding member and officer of Sigma Tau Delta Fraternity and played four years on the college Tennis team. He was also a member of the Air Force ROTC program, was Vice Wing Commander his senior year and attained the rank of Cadet Colonel.  He was the recipient of an Air Force Scholarship and named a Distinguish Graduate.  Ed was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force on June 1, 1969.  

      Upon graduation his first assignment was to Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus AFB, Mississippi where he received his wings on October 16, 1970.  After qualification in the C-130E at Little Rock AFB followed by Basic Survival Training and Jungle Survival School, he reported to the 346th Tactical Airlift Squadron at Ching Chuan Kang (CCK) AB in Taiwan.  

      From March 1971 to December 1972 he flew missions out of CCK.  The crews rotated into Vietnam for 18 to 21 days before returning to Taiwan for a week before the next in-country rotation.  They flew missions throughout Southeast Asia (including Thailand and Vietnam) airlifting everything from supplies, guns and ammunition, refugees and unfortunately body bags.  The weather was always a challenge as were small arms fire and shoulder fired missiles.  Ed had quickly upgraded to Aircraft Commander while in-country, and accumulated a total of 653 combat hours in Southeast Asia. 

      While assigned to “E” flight he flew secret missions in unmarked aircraft.  If you ask crewmembers from E flight what they did, their response was “If I tell you I’ll have to kill you”.  For his outstanding airmanship he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.  However, after 21 months of combat, he was offered his choice for his next assignment.  He chose the 7th Special Operations Squadron in Frankfurt, Germany, and happily departed CCK.  In his words he “swapped a hot war for the Cold War. Want more?  Buy me a beer.” Enroute to Germany he completed Combat Talon Upgrade training and Sea Survival training, and arrived at Rein Main AFB in March 1973. 

      He was a Combat Crew Aircraft Commander, and was one of only four crews qualified in the Fulton Recovery system.  During his time with the 7th SOS he flew missions throughout Europe and the Middle East working exclusively with the U.S. Army Special Forces, U.S. Navy Seals, and special units of the NATO allies. Ed was assigned to the 37th TAS, which similar to E flight, flew classified secret missions.  In May 1975 he was awarded the Air Medal with OLC.  After two years of flying in Europe he was slated for a desk job.  Because he had so much experience and training in the flight arena he felt that a desk job was not what he wanted.  Instead he decided to resign from the Air Force on March 28, 1975.

     After leaving the Air Force, Ed returned to his home in New York. Over the course of the next few months he traveled around the United States with a couple of his former Air Force buddies for some rest, relaxation, and recuperation. Upon completion of his travels he returned to his home in New York, and attended a job fair.  There he was offered a sales position with St Regis Paper Company.  The position required Ed to relocate to Southern California.  

     In early 1976, after some company training in Florida and Washington, he moved to Seal Beach, California.  He was starting a new career in sales, but he still loved the military and flying.  Ed heard the Air National Guard (ANG) was looking for C-130 pilots.  He applied and was accepted into the 146th Airlift Wing at Van Nuys California in March 1976.   Over the course of the next few years he worked for St Regis full-time and flew for the Air Guard part-time.  

     In 1977 he met Helena Wise, who had moved from Pensacola, Florida to Southern California and also began working for St Regis. They met at St Regis, and as fate would have it, she moved into the same apartment complex that he lived in. They both played tennis and that evolved into dating, a courtship, and a 38 year wonderful marriage. 

     They purchased a home in Long Beach, California and were married in Lakewood, California on November 28, 1981.  On June 29, 1985 Ed and Helena welcomed the birth of their one and only child, Elizabeth Diane Bellion “Beth”.  Beth was definitely “daddy’s little girl”.  He was her role model and mentor as she grew up.  Ed’s friends were continually updated with her achievements.  Ed and Helena were so proud of her.  Beth currently lives in Australia with her husband Conrad, and Ed’s only granddaughter, Vera Grace.  

     From 1976 to 1983 Ed worked for St Regis, and continued to fly for the ANG part-time.  He loved flying and travel.  In 1979 he and two of his former Air Force friends traveled to Red China for a 2-week adventure.  [In 1972 President Nixon had opened relations with Communist China and Red China was now a tourist destination].  

     Ed’s main joy was flying not selling.  In 1983 a full time job opened up at the Van Nuys ANG.  He applied for the job and was hired as a full time Air Technician in July 1983. From July 1983 until December 1989 Ed commuted daily from his home in Long Beach to Van Nuys.  In December 1989 Ed, Helena, and Beth relocated to Camarillo, California.  

     After he was hired full time at the Guard, he progressed in positions of increasing responsibility from Squadron Operations Officer, Commander 115th Airlift Squadron, 146th Operations Group Commander and 146th Airlift Wing Vice Commander.  He was a C-130 Instructor Pilot and Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System qualified pilot. During his ANG career, Ed was deployed to Panama in December 1989 when Operation "Just Cause" (the capture of Panama President Manuel Noriega) was initiated and he saw combat once again.  

     In September 1992 he volunteered for Hurricane Iniki Relief missions in Hawaii. In September of 2001 he participated in Operation Noble Eagle, a partial activation of the Guard and Reserve forces to assist in homeland security in response to the September 11 terrorist bombings.  In addition to the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Outstanding Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal and Vietnam Service Medal.  After 31 years of service to his country, Ed retired militarily on June 21, 2003 with the rank of Colonel.

     After military retirement, he became very active as the 146th Airlift Wing representative to the Regional Defense Partnership for the 21st Century (RDP-21).  This committee successfully lobbied to keep the local Navy and Air National Guard bases from being closed by Congress. He also represented the Wing on the Military Appreciation Committee of the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce for many years. 

     Ed was a main stay of the 146th Wing Association for over 20 years as Vice President, President, and Board member. He was the sole editor of the Association newsletter for over 15 years. One of his is favorite quotations from Mark Twain was “never thought much of a man who couldn’t spell a word more than one way.” 

     His many career accomplishments do not completely capture the persona and character of this extraordinary man.  Ed was brilliant, a quick wit, and an accomplished artist and cartoonist.  An outstanding public speaker, he was always in demand as Master of Ceremonies for reunions, retirements, and public events. Always a great story teller he wrote with humor to the joy of all who read his cards, letters, and newsletters.  To those closest to him he was always a fun and funny character.  He found humor in everything, sarcasm and wit as needed and was the life of the party.  

     Ed is survived by his wife of 38 years Helena and their daughter Elizabeth, husband Conrad, granddaughter Vera Grace, sister Denise, and twin brother Bob.  His younger brother, William “Billy” passed away on November 19, 2018.  Elizabeth, Conrad, and Vera Grace live in Canberra, Australia.
 
     In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations to the 146th Wing Association Scholarship Fund:

https://www.146thwingassociation.org/scholarship-fund.html

https://youtu.be/KsBXo1GXK3w

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