Bert Kemp, a retired Air Force Colonel passed away on Sunday, July 10, 2022. A native New Yorker, Colonel Kemp was a career Air Force Officer and served during WWII, the Korean and Vietnam wars.

He joined the army Air Force in 1942, while a student at North Carolina State University, College of Forestry. He flew 55 B-17 Flying Fortress bombing missions over Europe from his base in Foggia, Italy and on his fifth mission was wounded. Following his hospitalization, he resumed flying combat missions as Squadron Navigator and in that position, led his bomb group and the 15th Air Force on missions that ranged over all European countries occupied by, or housing, German forces.

Discharged in 1945, he returned to college and took his graduate degree in Economics at the University of Wyoming, graduating in 1947.

In July 1950, with the outbreak of the Korean War, he was recalled to active duty. In June 1951, he was one of 193 reserve officers selected from 2300 applicants, and awarded a Regular Air Force Commission.

In July 1951, assigned to the 3rd Bomb Wing in Kunsan, South Korea, he flew 55 low altitude, night interdiction missions in 8-26 attack bombers. The targets were North Korea and Chinese enemy bivouac areas, truck convoys and rail equipment moving under cover of darkness.

Following his return from Korea in 1952, his Air Force career included successive assignments to the Air Training, Tactical, Strategic and Research and Development Commands, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. These assignments were interspersed with attendance at civilian and military educational programs.

From 1955 to 1961 he was among the original cadre of officers charged with the development of the Air Force guided and ballistic missile systems and military space programs. He served as a Matador guided missile launch officer, and as safety and development staff officer for the Atlas and Titan Intercontinental ballistic missiles.

In 1963 he received a Master's Degree in Mathematical Statistics from Stanford University and was assigned to the USAF Headquarters Command Post, then to the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, where he participated in the development of space programs. He was next assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency as Director of the Intelligence Software Development Division. He retired from the Air Force in 1974 from his position as Director of Accounting and Finance for the Air Force Systems Command.

His military decorations include two awards of the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross, six Air Medals, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, two Commendation Medals, Chinese Air Force Wings, the Master Missileman Badge, and European and Korean service medals.

He is survived by Karin Linthicum his loving companion of 38 years, son Jeffrey, daughter Victoria and adopted daughter Regina and extended family Somervell Linthicum, Jr, Dr. Karin S. Linthicum and William Colavecchio, Ella and Scott Edwards, William and Susan Linthicum and grandchildren Eli and Dustin Kemp, Isaac Linthicum, Tess and Emma Colavecchio, James and Erik Edwards, and Anna, William and Abigail Linthicum.

Funeral service will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Yad Vashem ( yadvashem.org ) or Jewish Foundation for the Righteous ( jfr.org ).