Walter P. Meyler, Colonel (retired)
Walter P. Meyler, Colonel (retired), age 94, died peacefully on 15 May 2017. He was born 17 March 1923 in Newark, New Jersey.
Walt is survived by his wife Elizabeth, sister Claire Foster (deceased husband Richard) and two sons: William (wife Candice) and Dennis. He also leaves behind two grandchildren Megan and Ryan, and a great granddaughter Brynna.
Walt is preceded in death by his parents Walter and Gertrude (nee Noll) Meyler, daughter Eileen, son Kenneth, and sister Hazel (William) Sorber.
Walt is a veteran of World War II. He graduated from the Army Air Corps Flying School, Craig Field, Alabama, as a Second Lieutenant on 8 January 1944.
During World War II, he flew the P-51 aircraft on 62 combat missions in the European Theatre and was credited with one confirmed kill of an FW 190 aircraft. He was shot down in aerial combat and later captured. He spent six months as a Prisoner of War in Stalag Luft III.
Following World War II, he served with the 60th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in duty assignments including fighter pilot, flight commander, Operations Officer, Executive Officer, and Commander. During 1951 and 1952, he served with the U.S. Navy flying F-9F’s with VF 31, Air Group 3. Six months were spent aboard the Aircraft Carrier Leyte.
After tours of duty to Europe and the Pentagon, the years 1960 to 1964 were spent as Air Force Advisor to the 147th Fighter Group, Texas Air National Guard at Ellington Field flying F-102 aircraft. He subsequently served tours of duty in Taiwan, Homestead, FL and South East Asia.
In June 1974 after 31 years’ service, Walt retired as Director of Operations at Luke Air Force Base, AZ.
During his career he also flew the F-84, F-86, F-100, F-101, F-104, and U-2 and achieved a USAF Command Pilot rating. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two Stars, and pilot rating with the Chinese Nationalist Air Force.
Following his Air Force career, Walt graduated from the University of Houston at Clear Lake with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Services with honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C. Donations may be made to a Veterans organization of the donor’s choice.
Although I did not know him well, he was, and will remain, a very special hero to me.
Walt was my commander at Taoyuan AB, Taiwan in 1964-65. Walt was then the CIA representative to the Republic of China’s U-2 program. In his cover position as Lockheed Manager he commanded a fine group of USAF personnel, CIA officers and tech reps from Lockheed, Pratt&Whitney, Hycon, Itek, Lear Siegler, TRW, and Sanders Associates and liased with the Chinese commander of the ROCAF’s 35th Squadron while representing the CIA in relations with the highest authorities of the Republic of China and its Air Force.
Over the past 30 years, I have kept in touch with Walt and will miss his many emails.
Last Flight. Happy landing Walt
Joe Donoghue, Detachment H
I served with Col. Meyer at Ellington AFB. He will be missed by all. It’s time he steps down now. He’s earned his Golden Wings. See you later my Brother. Light Winds and Blue Skies.
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We were out of town when Col. Meyler passed away. It wasn’t until some time after we returned to the neighborhood that we discovered that he had passed away. He was a very special man that I felt comfortable visiting him occasionally. He, like two of my brothers-in-law, was a World War II veteran and part of America’s Greatest Generation.
I often remarked that the flag that was always on display on his flag pole was comforting.