Charles Frederick Letsche – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force

From a contemporary press report:

Charles Frederick Letsche, 80, an Air Force communications officer who in retirement was a civilian communications specialist for the Defense Communications Agency, died May 27, 2002, at the Hospice of Northern Virginia.

He died as a result of a broken neck he suffered in a fall March 14 while doing yard work at his home in Fairfax, Virginia.

Colonel Letsche retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1965 and began working in 1967 at the Defense Communications Agency, where he retired in 1997. From 1970 to 1975, he was posted in Germany.

He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey,  and attended the University of Oklahoma before World War II. He joined the Army in 1942 and served in the Corps of Engineers at Normandy during the 1944 Allied invasion of France. He transferred to the Air Force when it became a separate service and was posted in Tacoma, Washington, and San Diego. He settled in the Washington area in 1959.

His military decorations included a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.

Colonel Letsche was a motorcycle rider and a member of Bikers of Metropolitan Washington. In the 1970s, he was a youth soccercoach in Northern Virginia. Until shortly before his death, he was a page at Chantilly Regional Library, where his work included reshelving books.

His marriage to Jayne Letsche ended in divorce.

Survivors include his wife of 34 years, Joanne Letsche of Fairfax, and their two children, Eric Letsche of Seattle and Jennifer DeBusk of Fairfax; two sons from his first marriage, Chap, of Alexandria, and Tip, of McLean; and two grandchildren.


LETSCHE, CHARLES F. “Chuck” (Age 80)
Lieuenant Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Of Fairfax, VA on Monday, May 27, 2002 at Hospice of Northern Virginia. Beloved husband of Joanne S. Letsche; devoted father of Eric Letsche, Jennifer DeBusk, Tip Letsche, and Chap Letsche; brother of Louis Letsche, Liz Cursons, and Bob Letsche; grandfather of Mitchell and Kevin. Services will be held at Fort Myer Old Post Chapel on Monday, July 1, 2002 at 12:45 p.m. Interment with full Military Honors Arlington National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Northern Virginia, 9300 Lee Hwy., Suite 500, Fairfax, VA 22031.

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