Obituary for MSGT (Ret) Truman Sampson Perry Gordon To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 A time to be born… Master Sergeant, retired, Truman Sampson Perry Gordon, went home to Jesus on March 24, 2023, at age 79. Truman Sampson Perry Gordon having great courage and perseverance was born unto the late Glen Gordon-McDuffie and late the Evelyn Beatrice Sampson at 8:13 a.m. on November 28, 1943 in New Rochelle, New York. Truman shared a special bond with his aunt, the late Alice McQuay of Madison, Florida who raised him, was reared in a Christian environment, and steadfastly remained dedicated to his faith for the remainder of his life. He was a man of dignity, characterized by charm, good-taste, and generosity of spirit who, after graduating from White Plains High School, New York, enlisted in the Air Force. Upon graduation from his basic training in 1967 as an Aircraft Loadmaster, the Air Force awarded Truman the Basic Aircrew Member Wing, and promoted him to the rank of Sergeant. A time to love… Soon after, Truman met and married his loving and devoted wife, Betty Ruth Black Holiday. They married on May 29, 1965, in White Plains, New York and remained married for 58 years. Through sickness, health, and now even death, they have held unto their faith in GOD and their love for each other. A time to gain… Truman sought perfection in all of his professional endeavors. He served his country around the world on Air Force Bases in Japan, Philippines, Germany. Truman was a decorated veteran who served in the Vietnam War. In 1972, his commander nominated him as the Air Defense Command Outstanding Airman of the Year. Following this assignment, he assumed in-flight Passenger Specialist on the T-29 weapons' system at 26 Air Division, Luke AFB, Arizona. His expert knowledge and professional skill in this endeavor led the commander to order waiving of all formal training required for his upgrade and immediate award to the next skill level. On March 1, 1976, the Air Force assigned him to Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, where his superior performance led his Commander In Chief, Military Airlift Command to personally select Truman for an assignment to teach passenger handling techniques to loadmasters at Altus AFB, Oklahoma. Truman was a Chief Aircrew Member with more than 3,000 flying hours in many weapons systems such as the C-141A, C-141B, C-130A, T-29, C-131B, and the C-118. His military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal twice, the Air Force Commendation Medal twice and the Air Force Good Conduct Medal eight times. After retiring with several military honors and twenty-six years of service, Truman continued his career path wearing a different uniform. As a fifteen-year veteran of the New Jersey Department of Corrections, while assigned to the Stabilization Reintegration Program (Boot Camp), his excellent performance led his superiors to nominate him for Outstanding Officer of the year. A time to build up… Truman has not just given his pride and passion to the military. He has also bestowed the military two dedicated servicemen. His son, Sergeant First Class (Ret) Truman McDuffie served 21 years in the Army and is currently the Inspector General for the United States Army for Europe and Africa in Wiesbaden, Germany. His son has, in turn, inspired Truman’s grandson, Private First Class, Bruce Winfrey, who has just completed his Army basic training, to also serve his county like the great men before him. A time to plant… Truman was the founder and first president of the Tuskegee Airman Hannibal M. "Killer" Cox, Jr. Chapter, and cofounder of the Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., Gen. Noel F. Parrish, the John H. Porter-First Stale and the General Irene Trowell-Harris Chapter in Newburgh, NY. His many positions within Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated included membership on the Military Affairs, Publicity, Nominations, and Membership National Committees. He has served on the Board of Directors and was Recording Secretary for more than a decade. One of Truman Gordon’s greatest achievements was leading the charge of a two-year undertaking to name a McGuire Air Force Base street in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen. This was a feat that occurred way before movies and mainstream media made the Tuskegee Airman heroes. On June 19, 1988, within months of his retirement, be accomplished this. After completing twenty-six years of honorable service to his country as a member of the United States Air Force, he retired from active duty on September 1, 1988. Truman is also a lifetime member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), The Non­-commissioned Officer Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and is a Master Mason Prince Hall Affiliated. Truman considers one of his most significant efforts to be the research of his family roots and uncovering that his father, who assumed the surname McDuffie, was verily Gordon. This endeavor revealed many wonderful findings about his family, including the discovery of branches of the family tree previously unknown to his own household. A time to Mourn… And of all of these achievements, the greatest is that Truman, beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, soldier and friend leaves behind his dedicated wife Betty Gordon and four children, Eric McDuffie, Jeffery McDuffie, Yvonne Winfrey, Truman McDuffie, his brothers Glen Gordon (deceased), Andre Howard, Joseph Philips and their loving families along with his fourteen adoring grand children as well as countless friends around the world including his wonderful neighbors. In the end, Truman exhorts his children and grandchildren to carry on running the race, magnifying and enhancing the proud traditions of their forerunners, and to share all of these endowments with generations to come.