Yuma County, Colorado
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Yuma County Pioneers:
Walla (Andrews) Penrod
Redlands, California - April 2, 1966
Resident of Redlands Chaplain Everett D. Penrod ends career in Air Force
If as the saying goes, "the third time is a charm," Norton AFB Chaplain (LT Col.) Everett D. Penrod of Redlands
should have realized his fondest dreams, for he completed his
third tour of military duty at Norton AFB March 3 and retired from military service after more
than 20 years.
After administering to the spiritual needs of his fellow man all these years, however,
it is safe to say that Chaplain Penrod will not be "sitting on his laurels" now that he is out
of military, service. Instead, it will probably be the beginning of an even more vigorous and
active life. The author of several books and numerous publications, most religious. Chaplain
Penrod's interests and accomplishments span a wide scope of subjects. In addition to his dedicated
religious life, he is a pilot (has a commercial multi-engine pilot's license and has logged
many hours flying time in nearly every type of civilian aircraft), and is a skilled skin diver.
He has found two sunken ships and helped to capture one of the world's largest Moray eels.
Born in Indiana, Chaplain Penrod has spent most of his life in California.
He attended Nazarene Sunday School in Oakdale, Calif., as a youth, and it was from that
early beckground that he decided to devote his life to the ministry. He was an athlete
and ministerial student at Pasadena College, and obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from
there. While studying for his Masters degree, he served as professor of journalism at
Pasadena College. He received his Masters and Bachelor of Theology degrees at Pasadena
Graduate School of Theology.
Reverend Penrod entered the military chaplaincy in 1943,
and in less than six months found himself overseas. He was the first chaplain with
the newly formed 15th Air Force in Italy. After V-Day, Chaplain Penrod returned with
his original unit to Spokane, Wash., to train for Pacific duty. He was in a military
hospital when war with Japan ended. Assigned to the then San Bernardino Air Base at Norton, Chaplain Penrod remained on active duty until 1948, when he returned to the pastorate of the Church of the Nazarene in Redlands. His tour as a civilian was short-lived, however, and he went back
into uniform as a Reservist when the Korean War broke out. Chaplain Penrod was sent to Mountain Home AFB,
Idaho, where he set up the Chaplain's Section, training nine chaplains and 17 assistants
for psychological warfare groups for overseas duty. The year 1953 saw him back at Norton again,
this time as Division Chaplain with the 27th Air Division (now the Los Angeles Air Defense Sector).
In 1958, Chaplain Penrod was assigned to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska as Staff Chaplain of the 5040th
Air Base Wing; later of the Hq. lOth Air Division at Elmendorf; finally as Assistant Wing Chaplain,
Protestant Religions Program of the 5040th. He returned to Norton AFB as Base Chaplain in 1961.
Chaplain Penrod's foresight and leadership have been manifested in numerous ways since his last
assignment here, Among his many accomplishments are reorganization of chaplain administrative
procedures, enlargement of the Catholic Chapel program; implementation of an On the Job
Training program for chaplain services specialists; Protestant Youth Chapel program,
a new religious center, and many other innovations. He has been named "Outstanding Clergyman
Alumni of the Year" by Pasadena College, the first such honor to be accorded a military
chaplain and the third to ever receive such an award.
Married to the former Walla Andrews of Wray, Colorado, Chaplain Penrod and his wife make their home in Redlands at 826 Hobinhood lane. Chaplain Penrod was awarded the First Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Force commendation Medal by SBAMA Commander Col. Abraham J. Dreiseszun at the late afternoon retirement and award ceremonies held outside of Hq. SBAMA Building at Norton. Chaplain Penrod's other decorations include Presidential Unit Citation, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, Army Occupation Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation, European Campaign Commendation Medal with four Battle Stars, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and others."
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