Beloved husband, father and grandfather; Ernest Coleal was born February 24, 1924 in Geneva, New York to parents Michael and Lucille (Abraham) Coleal. His older brother William Coleal predeceased him by approximately 10 years but Ernest is survived by his sister-in-law, Rhoda Coleal. His beloved wife of nearly 60 years, Virginia Coleal (Miner), passed on May 2, 2014. Religious Affiliation: While growing up in New York, Ernest was raised in the Christian Eastern Orthodox religion and remembers walking to church to sing in the Boys’ Choir. Ernest loved music, especially country music, and sang two of his favorite songs to his children at bedtime; “Down in the Valley” and “You are My Sunshine”. Ernest later became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) when he married his wife Virginia in 1960 and was later sealed to her in the Los Angeles Temple for “time and all eternity”. He was ordained in the Aaronic Priesthood: Teacher, Priest, Elder and then Ordained to the High Priest Quorum. His church callings included: Clerk to Bishop Anderson for the Lancaster Branch, Stake Clerk (Mojave), Auditor for Lancaster and Palmdale Branches, Wrightwood and North Edwards and special assignment as auditor for Bishop’s Warehouse at Sylmar, CA. Ernest was one of the early members of the LDS church in the Antelope Valley in the 1950s, helping to establish the Lake Los Angeles Branch, organizing weekly meetings, teaching Priesthood and Sunday School classes, etc. and participating in the actual construction, with his family and other church members, of the Lancaster Stake Center on East Avenue J. Military Service: Ernest was educated in New York and graduated high school where he was a good student and athlete, running track, which helped him when he enlisted in the Air Force Cadet Training Program during World War II in 1943 at 18 years of age. In 1944, after receiving training as a Navigator and Certified Aerial Gunner for the B-24, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Navigator and became Group Lead, Navigator and was quickly promoted to 1st Lieutenant. He was a member of the 454th Squadron based in Panatella, Italy and flew 30-35 missions over 18 months. Their first mission coincided with the Battle of Normandie which assisted General Patton in the ground defense in France. Their final mission was on April 25, 1945 over Linz, Austria just before WWII ended. During his military service, Ernest received many awards, including; Presidential Unit Citation with eight campaign stars, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross, and WWII European Theater Operations Ribbon. After one mission where they were fired upon, he received injuries from shrapnel piercing the plane’s cockpit. His commander would have recommended him for the Purple Heart, but, he was young and brave and told them his was not injured too badly. In 1945, at the end of WWII, Ernest was Honorably Discharged into civilian service. After a short recovery in a hospital, the doctor encouraged him to get his college education. Education: Ernest graduated Geneva High School in 1942 with a College Entrance Diploma – National Honor Society. After the war, he used his GI bill funds in 1945 to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic University, New York where he received his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering, Major in Thermodynamics and Vibrations on January 27, 1950. While working at Edwards Air Force Base, he attended USC and received a Masters’ Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Major in Supersonic Aerodynamics on June 9, 1956. (He would have received his degree in Aeronautical Engineering but they did not offer enough courses for that.) He did his written thesis on the Rocket Sled track with his mentor, Rae Chon. In between degrees, Ernest took dozens of other courses in engineering and management, including at Cornell University, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, and the Tennessee University, Space Institute. Ernest was selected to participate in the prestigious Sloan Fellowship program, with training in Europe, while attending MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology and on June 7, 1963 he received his Masters’ Degree in Science in Industrial Management. Virginia Coleal was given an honorary degree from MIT as a “Beloved and Honored Sloan Wife”. Professional Career: After graduating college, Ernest drove from New York to California to interview at Edwards Air Force Base in Lancaster and was hired in 1950 as the Chief Project Engineer, Experimental Track Branch with responsibilities for captive flight and testing of aerospace systems with water recovery of rocket sleds traveling Mach 3. In 1960 he was promoted to the Chief, Administrative Branch, Director of the Flight Test Center, and worked on the High Speed Rocket Sled Track project at Hurricane Mesa, Utah. In 1963, he became the Deputy Director for the Dyna-Soar Flight Test Program which was the first large airplane drone and precursor to the space program. In 1964, Ernest was promoted to the Assistant for Development Facilities in charge of defining technical facilities and equipment requirements for flight testing future aerospace craft, including; Air-To-Ground Target Range, Fly-By-Tower, Integrated Aircraft Data System (IADS) for C-141 Aircraft, V/STOL Visual Display Simulator, Runway Traction Survey for a 15,000 foot instrumental test runway, and was responsible for writing technical training brochures and doing technical briefings at United States Air Force Headquarters. In 1966, Ernest was promoted to the Chief, Plans Branch where Ernest was responsible for preparing the annual AFFTC Five Year Long-Range Plan for Edwards Air Force Base that defined technical facility requirements for flight testing and future aerospace craft and for presenting the plan to AFSC, USAF, DOD and Congress. In 1970, as the Assistant Chief, Plans and Programs Division, Ernest achieved the highest Air Force civilian position and served as the Assistant Technical Director for Advanced Planning for the Flight Test Center and from 1973 to 1979. Project Funding: Early in his career, Ernest worked with Dr. Burgess from Stanford and learned to write project documentation to secure program funding from grants for Edwards AFB Facilities. He presented briefs to Foundations like Annenberg and to top military in Washington D.C. for many new facilities, including: the first simulator for flight test, $1.2 million for Annamometer – Wind Speed Reading, a 2,000 foot runway at 10,000 feet in Bishop for helicopters, Automatic Doors for C-5 Hanger built by Boeing, a V/STOL Visual Display Simulator for helicopters and the IFAST – Integrated Facility for Avionics Simulated Testing. Technical Papers: During his career, Ernest wrote many technical papers, including: “Use of Shock Isolation Systems for High Speed Track Research Testing”, “Dynamics of Crash Restraint Harness”, “Structures and Rocket Sled Design”, “Development of Air Force Flight Test Facilities”, “Progress Report of Track Vehicles-Shock & Vibration”, “Staffing Laboratories”, and many more. He was also published with “Rocket Sled Facility” in the McGraw-Hill Technical and Scientific Encyclopedia – 1960. Professional Awards and Recognitions: Ernest retired in 1979 as the Assistant Technical Director, the highest civilian position at Edwards Air Force Base, with many awards and recognitions to his name. He could have been promoted to a higher position which required him to move to Washington D.C., but his family was his priority so he turned down that opportunity.
• 1952-1962 AFFTC Speakers Bureau, Edwards Air Force Base - PIO
• 1961-1962 Chairman/Board Member, Air Force Civilian Executive Association
• 1961-1962 Vice-President/President, American Rocket Society, A.V. Chapter
• 1961-1964 Member, Federal Career Council, 12th U.S. Civil Service Region
• 1963-1967 Vice-Chairman, Program Chairman, Chairman – A.V. Chapter, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• 1965-1975 AFFTC Panel Member: Deputy for Systems Test Representative
• 1965-1979 Alternate Chairman/Member: Technical Facilities Panel, Operations Planning Board
• May 26, 1967 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics – Chairman, Citation of Leadership
• 1970-71 Department of the Air Force – Special Achievement Award
• May 1,1974 Air Force Association - Citation of Outstanding Leadership
• 1974-75 Department of the Air Force – Special Achievement Award
• 1974-79 Department of the Air Force–Award for Meritorious Civilian Service
• February 24, 1979 Certificate of Federal Civil Service: 32 Years with Air Force
Other Positions: Ernest also served on the Antelope Valley East Kern (AVEK) Water Board.
Retirement: After his retirement in 1979, with 32 years of service, including WWII, Ernest enjoyed working around “the ranch”, his 1950 ranch style home on 2 ½ acres, running his tractor and cutting wood for his outdoor fireplace where he loved to sit in the evening with Virginia and look up at the stars. Ernest loved animals which was evident by the many dogs and cats that wandered onto the property to live long and happy lives under his care. He was always available to help his children and grandchildren with their activities and education, and providing many hours of much needed math tutoring. He also supported his wife Virginia as she began her career as a Vice-President, Business Services for Eastside Elementary School until her retirement in 2000, after which time they enjoyed retirement together until her passing in 2014. Four years later, they are finally back together in the peace and beauty of Heaven, “for time and all eternity”. Ernest is survived by his four children; David Coleal – President Bombardier Business Aircraft (LEAR Jet), Sharlene Coleal – CFO, College of the Canyons, Nancy Coleal – Electrical Engineer, Tyndall Air Force Base, Chief Utility RATE Management Team; Ann Coleal – Procurement Clerk, Edwards Air Force Base as well as his grandchildren; Christopher Coleal, Jennifer Coleal, Michelle Fleishman, Michael Coleal, Cameron Coleal and Eric Coleal. Ernest is loved as father and grandfather and honored for his incredible military service and professional career. He is appreciated for his generous support, concern and compassion and for the unconditional love he showed his family until the very end. Ernest was an incredibly accomplished man, but always humble, kind and patient. He will be missed beyond words by his family but they take solace in knowing that he is in a more beautiful place with his family members who have gone before him, and that someday everyone will be together again.