He was awarded the Silver Star for saving the lives of several members of his unit while under intense enemy fire.
Rest In Peace.
Posted on 06/27/2005 7:17:29 PM PDT by baystaterebel
BENTONVILLE, Ark., June 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- It is with great sorrow that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., announces the death of John Walton. A Vietnam War hero, member of the Wal-Mart Board of Directors and philanthropist, Walton was killed when the ultra-light aircraft he was piloting crashed shortly after take-off from the Jackson Hole Airport in Grand Teton National Park. The crash occurred at approximately 1:20 p.m. CDT and the cause has not yet been determined. Walton, 58, was the aircraft's sole occupant.
Walton was the second son of Wal-Mart founder, Sam Walton.
As a board member of the Walton Family Foundation, Walton played a leading role in guiding the Foundation's contributions to elementary and high school education, including scholarship programs to provide parents with greater choice in education.
Walton served in the U.S. Army Green Berets as a medic during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Silver Star for saving the lives of several members of his unit while under intense enemy fire.
Walton pursued a variety of business interests throughout his life, including work as a crop duster in the 1970s and as a boat builder in the 1980s and 1990s. More recently, Walton formed the holding company True North, which is composed of businesses ranging from advanced composites to boat building to venture capital investments.
Walton has been a member of the Wal-Mart Board of Directors since 1992.
Walton attended the College of Wooster. He is survived by his wife Christy and their son, Luke; his mother Helen; two brothers, Rob and Jim; a sister, Alice; and their families.
No funeral arrangements have been announced.
and philanthropist...
Rest In Peace.
ELP: OOOOOOOOH, what a lucky man he was!......
.....and FATHER!
May Vietnam War hero John Walton rest in God's peace.
Prayers for and condolences to his family and friends.
Canteen bump.
How easily the accomplishments of one great man can fall into disrepair or the wrong hands. Let us be vigilant.
RIP, My sincere sympathy to the family.
You'd never get me into any kind of small private plane.
They seem to have a lot higher failure rate than commercial planes.
Wow. What a man.
I've seen three news items, including one on my local Fox affiliate, and this is the first mention I've seen of his heroic service to our country.
No surprise there is already a thread on DU questioning if he deserved his medals.
I have a crass political thought, and here it is...
Depending on how much this guy was worth, is it adios Teresa Heinz Kerry, hello Mrs. Walton?
Thank you.
May God's face shine upon him and give him peace.
May he rest in peace. God with with his family and friends.
How sad. My sympathies to his family.
Small planes are still safer then driving a car.
No surprise at all, yet I never heard him use his service for personal gain, as did Mr. Kerry. Maybe I missed it somewhere, but this is the first I have heard of it.
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