A Last Chapter of the Greatest Generation

This book traces the heritage and life of Colonel Frederic A. Stone, M.D.(1923-2014) who served as World War II pilot, trained to be a surgeon after the war and returned to activity military duty as a doctor from 1959-1970. He served in Vietnam; was a member of the Launch Site Medical Recovery Team for Apollo 7, 9 and 10. He was the first flight surgeon checked out in an F-111. Following his retirement from the US Air Force, Dr. Stone served in private practice in Michigan, South Carolina and New York. He was the recipient of the Israel A. Shapiro Citizenship Award in 1986 for the city of Watertown, NY. He and his wife Nella (Kilbourn) Stone volunteered for two years of medical missionary work in Malawi, Africa. He served in various medical capacities in New York before finally retiring. He was married to Nella for 62 years and the father of their five sons. The book was written to record his Stone heritage in the new world and his military service, especially in World War II as a transport pilot flying over the Hump from India to China.

Take a seat on the flight to almost everywhere as Colonel Frederic A. Stone, M.D. grows up into manhood fretting about what career path to take and thinking that a military track will limit his life experiences. He chooses the Army anyway in February 1941 and starts on the adventure of his life---one that will surprise even him and far exceed anything he could imagine. Visit places in the U.S. and around the world that you might never have known existed or even thought about visiting. Join this member of the greatest generation as he find that dreams can be fulfilled in the most unexpected ways through a career, marriage and fatherhood, and ambitions. The greatest generation is shrinking rapidly and Frederic A. Stone was a last chapter of it. He left a legacy in aviation, medicine, missions, and friendship to humanity. Let his story inspire you to trust in God with your dreams and ambitions. You, too, will be surprised on this flight to everywhere. The Stone ancestors arrived in Massachusetts in 1635 and settled in Watertown. Eventually the family migrated from Vermont to Mexico, NY. Frederic was born in Mexico, but grew up in Brooklyn, Utica and Carthage. After the war he followed his older brother into medicine. Following medical school he received further training in Los Angeles where he returned to active duty in the Air Force. When he completed his training his active duty assignments included Shaw, Travis, K.I. Sawyer, Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, Nellis and K. I. Sawyer(twice). He was the hospital commander at Sawyer (two times) and Nellis. In 1992-1994 he and Nella served in Malawi, Africa with the Presbyterian church. After they returned to the States, they were instrumental in developing a continuingpartnership between the Northern New York Synod and the church in Malawi that continues to this day.

Judson resides in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida with his wife. He loves reading and researching history. He writes articles for his website, speaks, and works part time as a cashier. He is the president of the Destin-South Walton Toastmasters Club. He is working on a book about Maine and is completing a project transcribing his great uncle's World War I diary. He retired from corporate chaplaincy at First Rate, Inc. in Arlington, TX in 2018 and previous to that was a pastor in Maine for 26 years. He volunteered as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes sports chaplain in Texas for high school football and a NCAA Division 1 men's basketball team. He has taught at a Youth with a Mission Discipleship Training School in Hyderabad, India. He is married, the father of three grown sons and Pop-pop to five grandchildren. He loves to read, bike, walk and paddleboard. He collects old documents, belt buckets, coins, stamps and medallions.