Bio A.P. “Boots” LeBoutillier
I was born in Brooklyn, New York on Feb 28, 1937, as Anthony P. Rossin. My mom divorced dad when I was 6, then she married my stepdad, and they had my name changed to LeBoutillier. We moved to Philadelphia where I grew up. I attended Dobbins Vocational High School where I learned Auto Mechanics. I knew from the time I was a sub-teen that I was destined to serve, so I joined the Navy Reserve in my senior year, and later transferred to the Air Force in November 1955. My Air Force basic training was at Sampson AFB in Upstate NY (Hell on Ice). My tech training was at Scott AFB where they taught me to be a radio relay maintenance mechanic (30452B). I was then off to Italy and 629th Aircraft Control &Warning Squadron, and various mountain tops in Italy. When stationed on Montello, Hooray! we could drive to town! (about the size of Belton). I met a beautiful local girl who spoke no English, so I took the Air Force supplied course in Italian. Long story short, we got married. Not long after or wedding they closed our base and sent me to Incirlik AFB in Turkey (Det10, TUSLOG). I sent my now pregnant wife to stay with my mother, learn English, have a baby and drive a car (not necessarily in that order). At Det 10 I was attached to Base Communications Maintenance. I also serviced various remote stations including Beirut Lebanon, where I became a part of the first, and thankfully brief, 1958 Beirut Conflict, thanks to the Marine Corps! I returned to the states in 1960, assigned to McGuire AFB New Jersey This was just in time for my first daughter’s second birthday. Since I was still Airman 2C, I decided to leave active duty. My final discharge date was 11 March of 1963. I went on to have a good life, two daughters who gave me a total of eight grandkids a wonderful and 63 years with my still beautiful wife who is proud to be an American. With help from the GI Bill, I got a 2-year degree in Mechanical Engineering and became knowledgeable in industrial mechanics and fluid power applications. My five years of active duty turned out to be the important formative years of my life.
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