ATLANTA, Ga. -- Col. Albert Sydney "Sid" Dodd III, United States Air Force, retired, of Suwanee, Ga., passed away Thursday, November 6, 2025.
Born October 10, 1938, in Atlanta, Ga., Sid was the eldest son of Albert Sydney Dodd Jr. and Mary Ruth Dodd.
After graduating from Statesboro High School, Statesboro, Ga., in 1956, he enrolled at the University of South Carolina in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) program, and was a brother and later president of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (Xi Chapter).
Upon graduation in 1960 with a BS in economics, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force.
It was at USC that he met Jerrie Katherine Housholder of Charlotte, N.C. They married in Lubbock, Texas, February 25, 1961.
Upon completion of navigator training, Sid flew C-135 aircraft with the Military Airlift Command at McClellan Air Force Base, California, and McGuire AFB, New Jersey from 1961-1964, and WC-135s at Yokota AB, Japan, from 1965 to 1968. As a weapon systems officer stationed at Homestead AFB, Florida, he flew the F-4D Phantom II with duty assignments at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, and Kunsan AB, Korea.
From 1970-1972, as a USAF/US Navy exchange officer, Sid was stationed at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Washington, with Attack Squadron VA-165 "Boomers". While aboard the USS Constellation (CVA 64) in the Gulf of Tonkin, he flew 166 combat missions in the A-6A Intruder over Vietnam, had 250 combat hours and made 212 carrier landings.
Sid was a proud member of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association — a "Red River Rat" — for combat missions flown against military and logistics targets over the most heavily defended airspace north of the Red River, North Vietnam.
After his combat tour, Sid transitioned back to the USAF and served in the 422nd Fighter Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada, flying the F-111E Aardvark for operational and test/eval missions from 1972-1974.
From 1974 to 1982, Sid was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford AFB, England, flying the F-111E in support of Cold War operations against Soviet threats in Europe. He first served as assistant operations officer, 79th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), followed by 20th Tactical Fighter Wing chief of Operations and Training, and ops officer for the 55th TFS.
From 1979—1981, he commanded the 55th TFS, the "Fighting Fifty-Fifth", becoming the first USAF navigator in Europe to ever command an operational fighter squadron.
Upon returning to the U.S., he was assigned to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, as deputy commander for the 366th Combat Support Group. In 1982, he became base commander, Mountain Home AFB.
Sid returned to Nellis AFB, Nevada, as vice wing commander, 554th Operations Support Wing, his final assignment in the USAF.
He retired from active duty in 1987, having flown 7,500 hours in a variety of aircraft.
Sid's military decorations, citations for heroism in aerial combat and unit decorations included the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC), Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 13 devices, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two OLCs, Air Force Combat Readiness Medal with three OLCs, National Defense Service Medal with three bronze stars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, Republic of Vietnam Air Gallantry Cross, Republic of Vietnam Medal with valor and four gold stars, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and Navy Unit Commendation Medal.
While a project manager at SAIC, he continued to support the military and active-duty personnel as treasurer, then president, of the Air Force Association Thunderbird Chapter, Las Vegas, Nev.
Sid was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Jerrie Katherine (Householder) Dodd; his parents, Albert Sydney (Mary Ruth) Dodd Jr.; a sister, Lulie Anne Dodd; nephew, Michael Wayne Miller; and brothers-in-law, William R. (Patsy) Housholder and Ronny Barnett Housholder.
He is survived by his sons, Albert Sydney Dodd IV of Cincinnati, Ohio; William David (Nicole) Dodd of Suwanee, Ga.; granddaughters, Ashleigh Nicole (Kevin) DePopas and Lauren Elise Dodd; and great-granddaughter, Mersenne Sunny DePopas of Denver, Colo.; his siblings, Rodolph Lanier Dodd, Deanna Dodd of Marietta, Ga.; Pam Dodd Jones of Palmyra, Ill.; Debbie (Alan) Tyson of Statesboro, Ga.; and Dancy Dodd Burgess of Middletown, Ohio; his nieces and nephews, Larisa (Joel) Rosenberg of Powder Springs, Ga.; Jesse (Amber) Jones of Springfield, Ill.; Jenne (Jay) Matthews of Winston-Salem, N.C.; Matthew (Larsen) Tyson of Statesboro, Ga.; Jenna Michelle Tyson of Statesboro, Ga.; and Melinda Ruth Miller of Savannah, Ga.; and by his great-nieces and great-nephews, Jayce Rosenberg, London Coy, Carson Matthews, James Matthews, Laura Cate Tyson, Hoke Tyson, Caleb Miller, Gracelynn Miller, Braylen Miller, Michael Miller Jr. and Devin Davis.
The family will arrange a private memorial service and burial at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C., with full military honors.
Statesboro Herald, January 7, 2026
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