Ransom Steele Holmes III

LT. COLONEL RANSOM STEELE HOLMES III
U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 1959

Ransom Steele Holmes III was born in Bloomington, Illinois, on January 14, 1937, to Barbara Brochon and Ransom S. Holmes, Jr. Growing up in Hinsdale, Illinois, Ransom’s academic aptitude and athletic agility brought him numerous full scholarship offers from various prestigious military colleges and universities. However, he had his eyes set firmly on the skies. He chose to join the historic premier class of the newly established United States Air Force Academy in Colorado because it guaranteed him a slot in pilot training upon graduation. As a member of the Class of 1959—the "First Class"—Ransom played football for the Academy, adjusted to the rigors of military life, and graduated in June 1959 to claim his wings.

MILITARY SERVICE AND AEROSPACE CAREER

After commissioning as a Second Lieutenant, Ransom embarked on a distinguished combat and operational flying career. He completed pilot training in 1960 at Bartow and Greenville Airbases before flying operational missions out of McClellan AFB. From 1964 to 1965, he deployed to Southeast Asia, flying combat support missions out of Bien Hoa AFB and Tan Son Nhut AFB in Vietnam.

Recognizing his technical aptitude, the Air Force transitioned Ransom into advanced systems roles. He attended the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at the University of Arizona, training as a Computer Systems Staff Officer. He leveraged this expertise throughout the rest of his career, serving as a Standardization and Evaluation (Stan Eval) Pilot, an Air Operations Officer at the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Test Site in Nevada, and heading crucial strategic programming branches at Fallon NAS and Offutt AFB. He completed his final overseas tour as the Deputy Commander of the Programming Center in Birkenfeld, Germany, before retiring at the rank of Lt. Colonel.

Following his uniform service, Ransom transitioned into the defense aerospace industry. He spent 21 years as a Systems Engineer for Hughes Aircraft Company (later Raytheon) in Fullerton, California, shaping vital defense computing architectures until his retirement at age 65.

FAMILY, HOBBIES, AND LEGACY

Ransom was a man marked by immense patience, kindness, and an enduring fondness for animals. This trait manifested early: when Ransom was just two years old, his childhood Great Dane, Duke, heroically pulled him out of the water by his collar, saving him from drowning—an act that earned Duke a formal Ken-L-Ration hero certificate. Throughout his life, pets of all kinds were naturally drawn to his calm demeanor.

Ransom was married twice. He shared two sons, Ransom IV (Randy) and Russell Scott (Scott), with his first wife, Kay Lee Poppenhagger. He later spent nearly 48 wonderful years married to his second wife, Ann Jackson, who passed away in 2014, and loved her three children, Deanne James, Mike Williamson, and Ben Williamson, as his own. Ransom’s legacy continues through a large family of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including his great-grandson, Ransom S. Holmes VI ("Steele"). Ransom later enjoyed a dear friendship with Judy Allen Skelton, who lived across the street from his family’s home in childhood.
Lt. Col. Holmes passed away peacefully on June 10, 2025, leaving behind a proud legacy stretching from the literal foundations of the Air Force Academy to the cutting edge of military aviation and systems engineering.

SERVICE ASSIGNMENTS

Years Duty / Role Location
1959–1960 Student, Pilot Training Bartow Airbase, FL / Greenville Airbase, MS
1960–1964 Pilot (B-52 / Operational) McClellan AFB, CA
1964–1965 Combat Pilot Bien Hoa AFB / Tan Son Nhut AFB, Vietnam
1965–1967 Student, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
1967–1970 Stan Eval Pilot (C-47 / C-54) Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
1970–1973 Air Operations Officer Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Test Site, NV
1974–1977 Chief, BUIC Programming Agency Fallon NAS, NV
1974–1977 Chief, War Games Programming Branch Offutt AFB, NE
1977–1979 Deputy Commander, Programming Center Birkenfeld, Germany
1979–1980 Operations and Training Officer Cannon AFB, NM
1980–2001 Systems Engineer Hughes Aircraft Co. / Raytheon, Fullerton, CA


EDUCATION
• B.S., Military Science – United States Air Force Academy (1959)
• Graduate Studies (Computer Systems) – Air Force Institute of Technology / University of Arizona

MEDALS AND AWARDS
• Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster / 2 Awards)
• Air Medal (with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters / 5 Awards)
• Air Force Commendation Medal (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster / 2 Awards)