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Joel E. Bonner, Jr., was a Marine Corps aviator and an Assistant Secretary of the Army.

He was born in Dallas, Texas on March 23, 1922.

He flew 237 combat missions in three wars: World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat V and gold star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with seven stars, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with palm. He retired from the Marines with the rank of Colonel in 1971 and then worked in the US Senate. He became Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Logistics and Financial Management in 1981, appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

He died on January 13, 2016 of congestive heart failure.