Page 38 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Fall 2019- Online Magazine

James Casey From Army Corps to Bell

Helicopter - Expert Mechanic

by Daughters Cindy Casey and Judy Casey

was helping unload food supplies Lackland Air Force Base and Dyess
from the airplanes for the Army Air Air Force Base - all in Texas - Kirkland
Corps. When he saw that their food Air Force Base in New Mexico, and
was much better than what the Army Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
infantry was getting, he decided He was also stationed abroad in
he needed to transfer to the Army Korea and Japan.
Air Corps, so after returning to the
United States, he reenlisted in the The couple had five children. Sherry
United States Air Force, where he Lynn was born in Amarillo in 1953;
served for another 19 years. Judy Ann was born in Clayton, New
Mexico in 1954; Rodney James was
In 1951, James was stationed at born in Clayton in 1957; Cindy Lee
Amarillo Air Force Base in Amarillo, was born in Albuquerque, New
Texas. James had a buddy who had Mexico in 1959 and Terry Wayne was
a girlfriend in Clayton, New Mexico born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in
and was wanting to go see her. He 1961. James has two granddaughters,
begged James to take him to Clayton, five grandsons, and eleven great-
and he would pay for the gas. James grandchildren.
ames Urah Casey (Shorty) was the really liked the town of Clayton,
son of Urah Frances Casey and so he took his buddy there several In 1961, James had a shotgun
JJesse May Woody Casey, born times. On one of those trips, he met accident. While cleaning his gun, the
on October 11, 1929 in Cross Plains, Bonnie Louise Daves. After a period shell became jammed in the chamber
Texas. James was the oldest of five of courtship, the couple married on where it exploded and went into his
siblings: Ora Frances (Sally Whiteley), September 20, 1952. hand and out his forearm. He was
Jesse Byron Casey (Buddy), Elmer transported to San Antonio, Texas
Ray Casey (deceased), and Thomas James and Bonnie lived in multiple where he was one of the first persons
Wesley Casey (Tommy). James had a places throughout their marriage. to undergo a replantation for an arm/
short childhood. He attended school James was stationed at several Air hand. One of the procedures entailed
until 11th grade in Cross Plains when Force facilities all over the United grafting new skin from his stomach to
he decided to enlist in the Army. His States and abroad, where he began his forearm. The successful surgery
dad did not like the idea, so he would his career as an aircraft mechanic. resulted in a brand-new hand and
not sign for him. James told the Those bases included Sheppard Air arm. The injury was just a minor
recruiters that he didn’t know where Force Base, Amarillo Air Force Base, setback. He continued to work hard
his dad was and that his mother for many more years.
was the only one who could sign
for him. She did. James retired on July 12, 1965
as a Tech Sergeant E6 and
James went to basic training at started his own janitorial
Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, business in Albuquerque.
Texas. After basic, his first He sold the company to his
assignment was to Okinawa, Japan brother-in-law and started
and the Pacific theater of World working again as a mechanic
War II. James states “that even with Lockheed Martin in
though the war officially ended California. After a couple
on September 2, 1945, we were of years, he and the family
still fighting the Japs for another returned to Amarillo, Texas
year.” He has always felt that the where he worked at Bell
war really didn’t end until 1946. Helicopter until his retirement
During his time in Okinawa, he on June 24, 1994. He then

38 Amarillo Senior Link