CHESTER
H. PELT SR.
teacher,
minister
The
Rev. Chester Hayne Pelt Sr., 82, of Marianna, died Monday,
Nov. 7,1994 in Flowers Hospital in Dothan, Ala.
A
native and lifelong resident of Jackson County, Florida.
The Rev. Pelt was an ordained minister of the gospel
and licensed to preach by Marvin Chapel Freewill Baptist
Church in 1932 at the age of 20. He was a retired Army
chaplain with the rank of colonel. Due to ill health,
he retired from teaching at Chipola Junior College as
professor of philosophy and social sciences in 1973
and retired from active pastoral service in 1975. Rev.
Pelt was still involved in interim preaching and was
an active tree farmer- on the family's 240-acre pine
tree farm.
Rev.
Pelt was a 1940 graduate of Atlantic Christian College
(now Barton College) in Wilson, N.C., prior to that
he attended East Carolina University in Greenville,
N.C., and attended Zion Bible School and Bob Jones University.
During the 1950's after his separation from active duty,
Rev. Pelt earned a Master's Degree in Philosophy at
Florida State University, and did additional graduate
work in marriage and family life.
While
in the Army Air Force, he served as chaplain of the
39th Bomb Group, 314th Wing of the 20th Air Force on
the island of Guam until VJ Day 1945. He was decorated
with a battle star for the battle in the West Pacific
and one for the Air Offensive against Japan. He was
honored with the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign, the American
Campaign and the WWII Victory medals, and his unit received
a Presidential Citation.
Rev.
Pelt was laid to rest in Comerford Pelt Cemetery.
|
L
to R:
Chaplain Pelt, 39th Bomb
Group Chaplain
Major Joseph Sides, 314th
BW Chaplain
21 October 1945
|
Often
Chaplain Pelt was sought after to ride aboard
the B-29's on test flights after extensive maintenance
repairs.
The
veterans of the 39th BG would always find Chaplain
Pelt blessing the crews as they readied for takeoff,
regardless of the weather, he was there.
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Pelt
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