Lt. David B. “Sam” Ballou Rochester, Minnesota
Enlisted: 14 December, 1942 - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Assigned to Squadron: 25 March, 1945
Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant: 27 June, 1944
Total Combat Hours: 5:20
25 November, 1924 - 4 June, 2005
Hailing from Rochester, Minnesota, David Burton Ballou was the oldest of three children born to Esther Rose and Edward Burton. He graduated from Rochester High School in June 1942 and enlisted in the USAAF in December, after having attended Rochester Junior College for a year. He completed his flight training in June, 1944 and was assigned to the 79th Fighter Squadron in March, 1945.
One of the last group of replacement pilots assigned to the 20th Fighter Group, Lieutenant Ballou only had the chance to fly one combat mission with the 79th Fighter Squadron before the war in Europe came to an end. He next served with the occupational forces in Germany, with whom he completed his tour of duty, and was discharged from active service.
After returning to the U.S. he joined the Minnesota National Guard and enrolled in the University of Minnesota. He graduated in June 1950 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. While in school he met Phyllis - better known as "Becky" - on a blind date, they were married in 1948. At the time she was a surgical nurse at the Mayo Clinic but, after the wedding, she left that career and became a full time homemaker. Together they had nine children.
Ballou was called back to active duty on March 1, 1951. During his flying career with the Air Force he was stationed at bases all across the United States, The Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Vietnam, Thailand, and finally to Great Falls, Montana where he finally retired as a Colonel in 1978. At that time he and his family settled down in Spokane, Washington.
In the latter years of their lives the Ballous were active in the 20th Fighter Group Association, with their local church and they volunteered their time at KSPS, the Spokane PBS television station. Becky developed Alzheimer's in 1998 and Col. Ballou cared for her at home until her passing on 18 February, 2005. Her death was difficult for him and he tried to stay active. On 31 May, 2005 he developed pneumonia and was hospitalized. He died from complications on 4 June. He was also preceded in death by three sons, David, Jr., Robert and Thomas and was survived by his sister, brother, six children and 12 grandchildren. There was a funeral mass in his honor on 13 June at Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church, in Spokane, Washington.
