George Banning’s military service began after he graduated from college, but he held ranks higher than members who had served for years.
Editor's Note: Hometown Heroes is a recurring feature in the Plant City Times & Observer in which we profile veterans from Plant City. If you have a loved one currently serving or who has served in the past, please contact Managing Editor Amber Jurgensen by email at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com or by phone at (813) 704-6850.
It was 1963 when Ret. Capt. George Banning joined the United States Air Force.
Banning was finishing up his fourth year of college at Michigan State University and would not have any more deferments after his schooling ended. The country was reeling from the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Banning had a high draft number.
“I had a fabulous career,” Banning said. “It was fun, I got to see the world. And I had a lot of challenges.”
Today, Banning is known throughout the Plant City community for his dedication to the Rotary Club, the YMCA Board, the South Florida Hospital Foundation Board and for chairing the board of the United Food Bank of Plant City.
But for Banning, a longtime resident of the Winter Strawberry Capital of the Word, it was his service in the military that matured him into the person he is today.
Flying High
When Banning enlisted in the armed forces, the military was having trouble finding new officers. Because of this, Banning was able to move up in the ranks quickly. He lieutenant in one year and became a captain in two years.
During training, Banning qualified to be a navigator but was not interested in the position. Instead, he did aircraft maintenance.
Banning served as the commander of his detachment on the Air Force base. He was responsible for teaching refresher courses for pilots on the C-130 Hercules, a plane used to take troops and equipment to war zones on shorter runways. Banning also taught the basics of the plane to those who worked in aircraft maintenance.
“That was what my job was, was to help,” Banning said.
He taught similar lessons for the KC-135 Stratotanker, a plane Banning dubbed a “flying gas station” because it was primarily used for refueling other planes.
“It was kind of fun,” Banning said. “We had a mock-up of a KC-135 in the training room, so we played around on the exhibits.”
As the Vietnam War became increasingly significant, so did Banning’s role in the military. At one point, he helped train 500 airmen in eight months.
“A lot of the airmen and officers pulled out to go to Vietnam,” Banning said. “Our detachment, we would go down and run periodic maintenance. I know all about jet engines and how to take them apart.”
But for Banning, who was only 26 when he left the military, learning how to take apart a jet engine was almost easier than gaining the respect of those under his command.
Young Commander
Most of the military members who served under Banning were much older than him — often by decades. The other members of Banning’s detachment enjoyed making fun of his age, often pranking him by putting a skateboard in his parking spot and a high chair in his office.
But Banning said the jokes — combined with his service — made him a better person. He retired from the military in 1967 and would encourage anyone who is thinking about joining the military to enlist.
“Do it,” Banning said. “I advise a lot of kids to do it. The service … it matures you. In order to evolve in the culture, you learn how to be a team player. I owe everything I stand for today to the service.”
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
