Allan Chaffin,

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS -- Allan F. Chaffin Sr., 89, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, passed away Saturday, April 16, 2011. Graveside service: 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch, P.O. Box 1890, Amarillo, Texas 79174 or Robert P. Taylor Chapel, NAS Fort Worth JRB. Allan was born April 4, 1922, in Muskogee, Okla., to the late Lloyd and Pearl Chaffin. He graduated from Grapevine High School in 1940. Allan enlisted in the Army Air Corps on July 3, 1940, in Fort Worth and was assigned to Brooks Field for basic training followed by a radio operator and mechanic course at Scott Field, Ill. He graduated from class 42-H, Enlisted Pilots Program at Perrin Field. His assignments included Harlingen Army Air Field followed by P-40, P-47 training and deployment to Ie Shima off the coast of Okinawa, 318th Fighter Group, 73rd Fighter Squadron. Allan returned to the U.S. in December 1945 and was released to inactive status March 1946. He was recalled to active duty in 1953 and assigned to Laredo AFB as instructor in T-28's and T-33's. Allan was assigned to Chitose AFB, Japan, in July 1955 with the 4th Fighter Wing, 334th Fighter Squadron flying the F-86. He remained at Chitose to train the Japanese air force's first fighter wing since World War II. Allan was assigned back to the U.S. in 1959 as a test pilot at Vance AFB in Oklahoma. He retired July 3, 1967, from Shepard AFB, Wichita Falls, after 27 years of service. Allan was preceded in death by his parents and brother, John H. Chaffin. Survivors: Wife of 66 years, Audrey Chaffin of Southlake; sons, Allan F. Chaffin Jr. and wife, Lisa, of Trophy Club and Tom Chaffin of North Richland Hills; daughter, Trish "Diane" Bean and husband, Steve, of Arlington; grandchildren, Allan F. "Chip" Chaffin III of Denton, Kelly E. Chaffin of Alexandria, Va., and Angela D. Bean of Arlington; great-grandchild, Jack E. Wallace Jr. of Northlake. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Allan Chaffin, please visit our Sympathy Store.