The Herald Democrat
August 26, 2012

Lt. Col. William Krone Langner filed his final flight plan August 15, 2012, from Mullican Senior Care Center in Savoy, Texas in the presence of his beloved wife, daughter, and oldest grandchild. Destination, Heaven. 
Bill was born on January 9, 1926 in Neptune, N.J. to Karl (Charles) Krone and Johanna Duch Krone Langner who were both immigrants from Germany making Bill a first generation natural born citizen of the United States of America. 
He is survived by Rudene, his wife of 30 years; only child Belinda Engler of Bells, Texas; four grandchildren: Jessica Reynolds and spouse Jimmy of Bells, Texas; Terra Hackett and Dan Drobrowalski of Forney, Texas; Gary Hackett of Bells, Texas; and Callie Engler of Georgetown, Florida; brother, Richard Langner and spouse Wanda of Fountain Hills, Arizona; sister Virginia Reidel of Fountain Hills, Arizona; sister-in-law Laverne Edmiaston of Denison, Texas; four great- grandchildren, two nephews, two nieces, and one great-niece and two great-nephews, and countless friends. Bill was preceded in death by his mother, father, stepfather and his first wife Jonnie Jenkins Langner.
Bill loved flying and worked odd jobs as a youth of 15 to earn the money he needed to take flying lessons. He soloed at the age of 15 in 1941. He learned to fly before he learned to drive. Bill lied about his age to get his pilot license.

Because of his love of country and flying he joined the Army Air Corps in 1943 at the age of 17. He served his country faithfully from May of 1943 until his retirement in April of 1970. Entering into the Army Air Corps at the end of World War II as a parachute rigger and mechanic for the B-24 and B-26. In 1947 he entered the USAF Aviation Cadet Pilot Training, upon completion in 1948 he was awarded the rank of Second Lieutenant. He was assigned to Military Air Transport Service (MATS) flying C-47 and C-54. His flights in the U.S.A. were in support of the Berlin Airlift. Later flight duties took him to the South and North Poles, the Korean Airlift, Test Pilot, Clandestine Airlift Flights into denied areas of the world, and flew 1,250 combat missions in Vietnam which were into the DMZ during the 1968 TET offensive.
Col Langner was awarded: The Silver Star for Gallantry in Action, the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and the Army Air Corps Outstanding Unit Award, plus awards from World War II and other awards from foreign nations. 
After retirement from the USAF he continued as a certified flight instructor and commercial pilot for hire up until the age of 73 in September of 1999 ending a 59 year career of flying with over 21,000 flight hours logged. 
Bill was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. Each life he touched was brighter for having known him. He is gone but will never be forgotten. Fair skies to you Col. Langner. 
Arrangements are under the care of Mullican-Little Funeral Home. There will be a Memorial at the funeral home chapel at 5:30 p.m. Friday, August 31, 2012.