Southwest Region Commanders

Col David Harold Byrd - Apr 1952 to Feb 1953 Col Emmett O. Rushing - Feb 1953 to Feb 1957 Col James L. Camp - Feb 1957 to Feb 1961 Col George J. Race - Feb 1961 to Feb 1962 Col Forrest L. Cannon - Feb 1962 to 16 Oct 1962 Col James L. Camp - 16 Oct 1962 to 13 Jan 1963 Col Walter M. Sanford - 21 Mar 1963 to 12 Aug 1968 Col Claude L. Chambers - 12 Aug 1968 to 8 Nov 1970 Col Luther Bogard - 8 Nov 1970 to 31 Dec 1974 Col Marcus R. Barnes - 1 Jan 1975 to 29 Mar 1976 Col Johnnie Boyd - 29 Mar 1976 to 10 Sep 1978 Col John P. Sopher - 10 Sep 1978 to 1 Dec 1979 Col Sammie V. Pierce - 1 Dec 1979 to 8 Jan 1983 Col George R. Way - 8 Jan 1983 to 14 Aug 1987 Col Harold W. Bowden - 14 Aug 1987 to 1 Apr 1989 Col Robert C. Bess - 1 Apr 1989 to 10 Aug 1991 Col Fred C. Latchaw 10 Aug 1991 to 10 Aug 1994 Col Thommie D. Herndon - 10 Aug 1994 to 1 Oct 1998 Col Colin F. Fake - 1 Oct 1998 to 1 Nov 2002 Col Thomas L. Todd - 1 Nov 2002 to Nov 2006 Col Reggie Chitwood - Nov 2006 to 2009 Col Joseph C. Jensen - 2009 to 27 Jun 2011 Col Frank A. Buethe - 27 Jun 2011 to Present

Archival Confirmation:
Civil Air Patrol Board - National Executive Board Member (& Region Director) Col D. Harold Byrd 27 Aug 47 to 20 Feb 53 NEB Members became Region Directors o/a 28 Sep 51 National Executive Board Member & Region Director/Commander Col. Emmett O. Rushing 20 Feb 53 to 7 Feb 57 Positions of Region Commander & NEB Member were to be held by different individuals as soon as possible after 14 Nov 57. SWR action predated this policy and may have been responsible for its adoption. 8 Jun 51 NB Minutes. Col. D. Harold Byrd was NEB member. 1951-2 Annual Reports. Col. D. Harold Byrd Vice Chairman & Southwest Reg. Dir. 20 Feb 53 Weekly Bulletin 7. Col. Emmett O. Rushing; vice Col. D. Harold Byrd relieved 4 Jun 53 NEB Minutes. Approved aptmt. of Col. Emmett O. Rushing to NEB & Dir. SWR vice Col. D. Harold Byrd relieved as Dir. SWR but to retain NEB as Vice Chairman 5 Feb 57 NEB Minutes. Col. Emmett O. Rushing retained NEB, resigned as Reg. Dir. eff 7 Feb 57. Col. James L. Camp aptd. Reg. Dir.

14 Nov 57 NEB Minutes. Col. James L. Camp retained Reg. Comdr. 26 Apr 59 NEB Minutes. Col. Sidney S. Perryman aptd. to NEB. 9 Jun 60 GO 23. Col. Benjamin F. Lowell aptd. to NEC Reg. Rep. vice Col. Sidney S. Perryman eff 1 Jun 60 5 May 61 NB Minutes. Col. Benjamin F. Lowell was Reg. NEC Rep. 6 May 61 NB Minutes. Col. James L. Camp has been elected NEC Rep. by his region. 25 Aug 61 NEC Minutes. Temp. Col. George J. Race to Col. & Reg. Comdr. (Eff date of command 10 Feb 61) 6 May 62 NB Minutes. Col. Forrest L. Cannon; Col. James L. Camp was Reg. Rep. 22 Oct 62 PANHQ 51. Col. James L. Camp aptd. Reg. Comdr. eff 16 Oct 62 11 Oct 63 NB Minutes. Col. Walter M. Sanford was Reg. Comdr. 1963-67 Annual Reports. Col. Walter M. Sanford was Reg. Comdr. 14 Aug 68 PANHQ 27. Col. Claude L. Chambers aptd. Int. Reg. Comdr. vice Col. Walter M. Sanford relieved eff 12 Aug 68 17 Oct 68 PANHQ 37. Col. Claude L. Chambers aptd. Int. Reg. Comdr. eff 17 Oct 68 21 Nov 69 NB Minutes. Col. Claude L. Chambers was Reg. Comdr. 29 Oct 70 PANHQ 48. Col. Luther C. Bogard aptd. Reg. Comdr. eff 8 Nov 70 2 Jan 75 PANHQ 1. Col. Marcus R. Barnes aptd. Reg. Comdr. vice Col. Luther C. Bogard reassigned eff 1 Jan 75 29 Mar 76 PANHQ 9. Col. Johnnie Boyd aptd. Reg. Comdr. vice Col. Marcus R. Barnes reassigned eff 29 Mar 76 11 Sep 78 PANHQ 40. Col. Johnnie Boyd to Vice Comdr. Col. John P. Sopher aptd. Reg. Comdr. eff 10 Sep 78 1 Dec 79 PANHQ 37. Col. Sammie V. Pierce ; vice Col. John P. Sopher eff 1 Dec 79 1979-81 Annual Reports. Col. Sammie V. Pierce was Reg. Comdr. 1982 Annual Report. Col. Charles Underwood was Act. Reg. Comdr. 10 Jan 83 PANHQ 1. Col. George R. Way; vice Col. Sammie V. Pierce eff 8 Jan 83 13 Jul 87 PANHQ 31. Col. Harold W. Bowden; vice Col. George R. Way eff 14 Aug 87 31 Mar 89 PANHQ 20. Col. Robert C. Bess aptd. Comdr. vice Col. Howard W. Bowden eff 1 Apr 89 5 Aug 91 PANHQ 36. Col. Fred C. Latchaw aptd. Comdr. vice Col. Robert C. Bess eff 10 Aug 91 25 Jul 94 PANHQ 49. Col. Thommie D. Herndon; vice Col. Fred C. Latchaw eff 10 Aug 94 5 Aug 98 PANHQ 44. Col. Thommie D. Herndon; Comdr. to 30 Sep 98, eff 10 Aug 98 8 Sep 98 PANHQ 58. Col. Colin F. Fake; vice Col. Thommie D. Herndon, 1 Oct 98. 23 Sep 2002 PANHQ 68. Col. Colin F. Fake extended to 31 Oct 2002. 19 Oct 2002 PANHQ 76. Col. Thomas L. Todd; vice Col. Colin F. Fake eff 1 Nov 2002

Researched by Louisa S. Morse, Col, CAP Updated by Mark Hess, Lt Col, CAP (As of 15 Sept 2013)