2009-11-05

Retired naval commander to give veterans’ keynote address Saturday

Contributed

Keynote speaker for the Bandera Honors Veterans commemoration, slated for Saturday, Nov. 7, will be retired United States Navy Commander Floyd Stanley Kunkel, a resident of Tarpley. Kunkel will also serve as parade marshal.

A native of Creekside, Pennsylvania, Kunkel began his military service in 1948-1949 with flight training in Corpus Christie. As a Lt. JG, he was assigned to anti-submarine operations in the North Atlantic with the Atlantic Fleet in the early 1950s.

Later, while serving as a flight instructor at the Naval Air Command in Pensacola, Florida, Kunkel logged 1,300 accident-free hours instructing fledgling pilots, among other duties. In the mid-1950s, he was deployed to the South China Sea as part of an Anti-Submarine Hunter-Killer Group, earning an “E” for excellence for outstanding performance of duties.

In 1959, Kunkel received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from George Washington University, a requirement for attending the Admiral Holloway Aviation Midshipman Program. While assigned to the Atlantic Fleet – Airborne Warning Squadron in Patuxent River, Maryland, he served as aircraft commander of the Lockheed Super Constellation, becoming one of the few lieutenants qualifying as a command pilot. The all-weather flights provided early response to detection of missile attack against the United States.

In 1960, Kunkel attended the Air Intelligence School in Anacosta, Washington, DC. From December of 1960 through 1962, he served as Senior Staff Intelligence Officer for the commander of Naval Forces in Korea, in addition to serving as staff liaison and advisor to the intelligence director to the South Korean Navy.

Later, while stationed at the Pentagon, Kunkel received the Joint Service Commendation medal for his work at improving intelligence dissemination to all military forces.

After being promoted to commander in the late 1960s, Kunkel became the senior staff officer commander patrol forces of the Seventh Fleet in Okinawa. At that time, he was deployed to operational areas in the Sea of Japan, Taiwan Straights, South China Sea and South Vietnam for 36 months.

Prior to his retirement in 1970, after 22 years of continuous active duty, Kunkel served in the Naval Intelligence Command and Special Operations Divisions. At that time, he received the Navy Commendation medal.

His other accolades include National Defense Service medal, Joint Service Commendation, Vietnam Service 4 Stars medal and the Vietnam Campaign medal, 1960.

After his retirement, Kunkel became a Naval Junior ROTC instructor in Marion, North Carolina; Irving; and Dallas. He served in the Silver Haired Legislature from 1996 through 1998 and as Justice of the Peace from 1998 through 2003. In 1998, Kunkel became the Pottsboro Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen of the Year.

He and his wife of 49 years, Nancy Amanda Douglas Kunkel, now reside in Tarpley.

The annual Bandera Honors Veterans commemoration to pay tribute to past and present servicemen and women will begin at 9:30 am with an opening ceremony and flag raising in front of the Bandera County Courthouse. A special parade will kickoff on Main Street at 11 am.

Throughout the day, special exhibits will be on display at the courthouse complex.

For more information, call Fidel C. Ramirez at 830-796-4376.