Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Kirby Turbak
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs May 7, 2020
Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, Retired Maj. Ralph L. Turner, Tuskegee Airman, was not able to have traditional military honors for his funeral service. Through family connections, Turner’s family reached out to Tech. Sgt. Graeme Clouden, 786th Civil Engineer Squadron expeditionary engineering training manager, who gathered help from other CE members at Ramstein Air Base, to record a flag folding ceremony in Turner’s honor.
Retired Maj. Ralph L. Turner, a Tuskegee Airman, stands with his Congressional Gold Medal Feb. 19, 2008. Turner passed away at the age of 95 on April 17. Photo by Barbara Burnett
Then U.S. Army Air Corps 1st Lt. Ralph L. Turner, a Tuskegee Airman, poses with an unnamed crew chief and his P-51 Mustang in Rammatelle, Italy, circa 1945. Retired Maj. Turner was credited with 53 combat missions over the European continent. Courtesy photo
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Graeme Clouden, 786th Civil Engineer Squadron expeditionary engineering training manager, salutes a folded flag for Retired Maj. Ralph L. Turner, Tuskegee Airman, at Ramstein Air Base, April 24.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Graeme Clouden, 786th Civil Engineer Squadron expeditionary engineering training manager, and Staff Sgt. Joseph Fabiano, 435th Construction and Training Squadron engineering contingency instructor, perform a flag folding ceremony for Retired Maj. Ralph L. Turner, Tuskegee Airman, at Ramstein Air Base, April 24.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Graeme Clouden, 786th Civil Engineer Squadron expeditionary engineering training manager, and Staff Sgt. Joseph Fabiano, 435th Contingency Training Squadron engineering contingency instructor, perform a flag folding ceremony for Retired Maj. Ralph L. Turner, Tuskegee Airman, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, April 24, 2020. Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, Turner was not able to have traditional military honors for his funeral service. Clouden and other former honor guard members recorded a flag folding ceremony for his family.
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Fabiano, 435th Contingency Training Squadron engineering contingency instructor, performs a flag folding ceremony for Retired Maj. Ralph L. Turner, Tuskegee Airman, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, April 24, 2020. Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, Turner was not able to have traditional military honors for his funeral service. Turner was credited with 53 combat missions over the European continent. Photo by Staff Sgt. Kirby Turbak
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joseph Fabiano, 435th Contingency Training Squadron engineering contingency instructor, perform a flag folding ceremony for Retired Maj. Ralph L. Turner, Tuskegee Airman, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, April 24, 2020. Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, Turner was not able to have traditional military honors for his funeral service. Clouden and other former honor guard members recorded a flag folding ceremony for his family.
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