May's Veteran Of The Month: George Boyd
George Boyd was born in Chicago and raised in Danville, Illinois. At the age of 17 he enlisted into the Air Force in 1958 and was first assigned to Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts. In 1961 he relocated to RAF Sculthorpe, England. During his tour of duty there, he met his future wife Marilyn, a teacher at the Dependent Elementary School on base. George and Marilyn were married in 1963 and enjoyed a short assignment at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois. George did two tours of duty in Vietnam in 1965 and 1968 and was attached to the USAF Advisory Group and assigned to the Vietnamese Air Force headquarters in Saigon, Vietnam.
As a Senior MSGT, George was an Air Force recruiter in the Twin Cities area from 1969-1980. Minneapolis and Shoreview, Minnesota became home to the Boyd family, which now included two daughters, Jennifer and Gretchen. In 1980, Senior MSGT Boyd had a 3rd overseas assignment, this time to RAF Lakenheath, England and was attached to the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing.
Off duty time provided opportunity for extensive travel in Europe and attending school. Traveling overseas became family favorites. While on duty in England, George attained the highest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force of Chief MSGT. Chief Boyd's final Air Force duty was to the Engineering and Services Center at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida. He retired after 30 years of dedicated service in 1987.
