Obituary of Irving Booker

IRVING BOOKER, Jr., son of the late Catherine and Irving Booker, Sr., was born on August 7, 1930 in Long Island, New York. Irving departed this life in Christ on October 30, 2015. He attended the Gloucester Training School. He unenrolled in 1944 to fulfill his Grandfather, the Reverend Robert Smith's, independent contract as a mail carrier during his illness and subsequent death. By doing so, Irving became the youngest mail carrier in the state of Virginia at the age of 14. In 1947, he joined the U.S. Army at the age of 16. After his basic training in Fort Dix, New Jersey, he honorably served 22 years in the U.S. Army – serving multiple tours in Korea and Vietnam. He was wounded in the infamous September 1950 Inchon landing and fought in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in November 1950. He saw the cessation of hostilities in Korea during his second combat tour in 1953. In 1958, he was one of the first U.S. military advisors deployed to Vietnam. He would later serve three combat tours in Vietnam as a Flight Operations NCO, Combat Aerial Observer, and Helicopter Door Gunner - participating in major battles from 1965 – 1968. He honorably retired from the U.S. Army in July 1969 having attained numerous medals and awards to include 3 Bronze Stars and 2 Purple Hearts. He leaves to mourn his wife Mary Booker; four daughters: Carolyn Jones, Sheila Summers (Frank), Jeanette Wallace (Sherman), Lisa Booker; four sons: Keith Booker (Gina), Kelvin Booker, Anthony Booker and Irving Booker, III; ten grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; two sisters Beulah Trent and Catherine Booker; one brother, Robert Booker and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. He was preceded in death by his son Napoleon "Butch" Booker and grandson Derrick Jones. Sergeant First Class Irving Booker, Jr. will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved him.