LTC Sam B Carr Jr.

Sam B. Carr, Jr, a longtime resident of Cocoa Beach, FL died on the 2nd of July 2018 at the age of 96. Sam was born on 7 Nov 1921 in Floresville, Texas, the second son of Sam B Carr and Dessie Wallace. He graduated from Floresville High School in 1939, was the Senior Class President, and joined the Texas National Guard in the summer of 1939. Sam enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin in September of 1939 as a pre-law student and remained in Austin until November 1940 when President Roosevelt mobilized 250,000 National Guard Troops. Sam soon went onto Officer Candidate School and became a US Army 2LT Field Artillery Officer in September 1942. Volunteering for duty in the European Theater, he sailed to Scotland aboard the Queen Elizabeth in December 1943, and later went ashore in the Allied Invasion Force on Omaha Beach with the 2nd Infantry Division. During WWII he earned 5 Campaign Battle Stars for service at Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe; an Air Medal for duty as a Forward Observer in the back seat of a Piper Cub, and a Bronze Star. On Victory Europe Day in May 1945 he found himself still with the 2nd Inf Div and celebrating in Pilzen, Czechoslovakia. Sam remained in the US Army until retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1962. Following WWII Sam served in the US Occupation Government in Japan, and later in Korea, Germany, Fort Hood and Fort Bliss Texas and culminating active duty service at Jackson Barracks, New Orleans, LA. After retiring from the US Army, Sam continued his government service beginning a second career as a US Air Force Civilian Personnel Officer. His service with the US Air Force took him to several Air Force Bases---- Andrews, MD; Homestead, FL; Robins, GA; Andersen in Guam and included 8 ½ years at the US Air Force Bases in Thailand during the Vietnam War era. He retired in April 1982 with 41 years of government service. Sam later obtained his Florida Real Estate license and worked for 10 years in the real estate business in Cocoa Beach. Sam was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Florence L (Judy) Carr; as well as his 2 sisters, Margaret Ransom and Sue Day; and his 2 brothers, John Carr and Joe Carr. He is survived by son Sam B Carr, III and his wife Bonnie of Memphis, his daughter Nancy Ward and her husband Jerry, of Midland, TX, and his son Brigadier General Robert A Carr (US Army retired) and his wife Donna of Cocoa Beach. He is also survived by 6 grandchildren ---- Austin and Travis Carr; Ryan Cvik and Becky Tharp; and Robert A Carr, II and Megan Carr. Sam also had 10 great-children and one great-great grandchild. Arraignments and cremation by Beckman-Williamson Funeral Home and interment will be at Arlington National Cemetary. Memorial contributions can be made in his honor to the Wounded Warrior Fund and helping other service members.