John Fairlamb

COL U.S. Army (Ret.) John Charles Fairlamb, 94, of Cookeville, died Tuesday, September 29, 2015, at Cookeville Regional Medical Center. No services are planned. Interment with military honors will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery. He was born July 27, 1921, in Oil City, TX, to the late Harry Nathaniel Fairlamb Sr. and Victoria Regina Vernon Fairlamb. Following graduation from Penn State University, he entered the Army in June 1942, and after completion of Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia in January 1943, he was assigned to the famed 442nd Infantry Regiment where he served until April 1945 training the famous Japanese-American unit. He then served on Leyte, Philippine Islands, and in Yokohama during the occupation of Japan. Recalled to active duty in October 1949, he was assigned to the 29th Infantry Regiment on Okinawa in 1950. When the North Koreans invaded South Korea in June 1950, he was reassigned to the 21st Infantry Regiment designated as Task Force Smith, the first U.S. Infantry Unit to engage the North Koreans, first as the Reconnaissance Officer and later Commanding Officer of D Company, 21st Infantry Regiment serving 13 months in combat. Later he served in the Vietnam War during 1969-1970. COL Fairlamb received a Master's Degree from Boston University in June 1969, and he was inducted into the Infantry OCS Hall of Fame at Ft. Benning, GA, in 1973. He and his wife moved to Cookeville when he was assigned as Professor of Military Science at Tennessee Tech University (TTU) from 1973 until his retirement in 1976. He has been a member of the Rotary Club of Cookeville (Noonday) since 1975. He has been an active member and past president of the TTU Garden Club and the TTU Friends of the Library, and the TTU President's Club. He will be forever remembered for his humility, kindness, generosity, and for his devotion to his wife and family. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Harry N. Fairlamb Jr. and William V. Fairlamb. Survivors include his wife, Beryl, of 69 years, whom he married June 13, 1946; son, John R. (Lynette) Fairlamb of Huntsville, AL; daughter, Nicole D. (Andrew) de Naray of Colorado Springs, CO; grandchildren, Ashton Fairlamb, Andrew (Samantha) de Naray and John C. Fairlamb II; great grandson, Archer de Naray; sister, Kay Bailey of Hendersonville, North Carolina; and by many wonderful friends. Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS, 66675 or to Tennessee Tech University. Hooper Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. (931)526-6111. You may share your thoughts and memories at www.hhhfunerals.com.