Colonel Sidney D. Rogers, USAF (retired)
Colonel Sidney D. Rogers, age 79 passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, June 17, 2014. He was born 1934 the son of the late Winifred and E. Clay Rogers, near Gainesboro, in western Frederick County, Virginia. Colonel Rogers spent his childhood on the family registered beef cattle farm and graduated from James Wood High School, class of 1952. He attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute, now Virginia Tech, graduating in 1956 with a degree in Animal Husbandry.
Throughout his developmental years, Colonel Rogers was an active member of several junior agricultural programs, including the Future Farmers of America and 4H clubs. His awards included; being awarded the degree of State Farmer, selected as a State representative to the national organization, selected numerous times the Junior State Champion Beef Animal and awarded the Grand Champion Beef Animal at the first Atlantic Rural Exposition in 1949. His last junior participation was at the Eastern National Junior Exposition in Timonium, Maryland.
While at Virginia Tech, Colonel Rogers enrolled in Air Force ROTC and was commissioned a second lieutenant leading to a 27 year career in the United States Air Force. Colonel Rogers also earned a master’s degree from Central Michigan University. He is a graduate of the Air Force Squadron Officer’s School, Air Command and Staff College, Air War College and the National Defense University.
Upon completion of USAF pilot training in 1958, Colonel Rogers became a B47 pilot accumulating more than 2000 hours in our Country’s first swept wing jet strategic bomber. He then transitioned into the B-52 strategic bomber in which he amassed more than 3000 hours, including more than 500 combat hours in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Colonel Rogers was then assigned to the RF-4C Phantom II tactical reconnaissance aircraft program and flew more than 200 combat missions in Southeast Asia, including more than 100 flights over North Vietnam.
His distinguished military career included operational assignments in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) where he participated in both ground and airborne alert throughout the Cold War. A career highlight was his selection as the Commander of the 320th Strategic Bombardment Wing in California. This Wing operated both B-52 bombers and KC-135 Aerial Refueling Tankers. Colonel Rogers also completed a combat tour flying B-52s from Guam, Okinawa and Thailand, in support of the Vietnam War. While assigned to RF-4s in Thailand, Colonel Rogers served as the Operations Officer and then the Commander of the 14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and flew more than 200 combat missions.
Col Rogers’ Air Force career culminated as an officer assigned to the Research, Development and Acquisition organization at Air Force Headquarters in Washington, DC. Among his numerous awards received during his career, Colonel Rogers was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism six times and the Air Medal 23 times.
Upon retiring from the Air Force in 1983, Colonel Rogers joined three other retired officers in an aerospace and defense consulting business that remained active for 22 years. During this period this organization provided consulting services to their clients in the aerospace and defense industries and the United States government.
Colonel Rogers is survived by his wife Dorothy Carter; his sister Roxanne Rogers; his three children: Dr. Stephanie Kafonek and her husband, David, of Phoenix MD, Col Bryan Rogers, USAF (retired) and his wife, Dorothy, of Charleston SC, Eric Rogers and his wife, Christine, of Catonsville, MD, and stepson, Rodney Hodgson and his wife, Peggy, of Middletown VA and his nine grandchildren: Matthew and his wife, Emily, Nicholas and Page Kafonek; Jonathan and Alexander Rogers; Laura and Evan Rogers; Brad Hodgson and Jennifer and her husband, Jeremy Spitzer, and great granddaughter, Madelyn Spitzer.
The family will receive friends on Friday from 7:00 to 9:00PM at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel.
A funeral service for Colonel Rogers’ will be held at Omps Funeral Home, on Saturday at 2:00 PM, with Reverend Dr. David Young officiating. Interment will follow at Mount Hebron Cemetery.
Memorial Contributions in honor of Sidney may be made to James Wood High School, Winifred W. Rogers Scholarship Fund, 161 Apple Pie Ridge Road, Winchester, Virginia, 22603 or the American Cancer Society, 2654 Valley Avenue, Suite B, Winchester, Virginia 22601 or Bethel Lutheran Church, 2077 N. Frederick Pike, Winchester, Virginia 22603.
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