Vernon Guztav Wittkopp

Vernon Wittkopp

Retired USAF captain with 20 years of service (1962-1982).  He was part of the Strategic Air Command, an elite group in the United States Air Force. 

He was a Master Navigator who completed 188 combat missions over Vietnam. He flew from Guam and Thailand in B-52’s and B-57’s.  He was stationed in various locations around the world but the one he remembered and was the highlight of his career was being stationed in Air Base No. 4, the Azores, Portugal.

He was a Radar Navigator and Instructor.  He was an experienced Celestial Navigator. Celestial Navigation was accomplished by observing the position of celestial bodies: the sun, moon, planets and certain stars.  He was an avid navigator, resulting in his expertise using Loran or Long-Range Navigation. Using Loran, aircraft measured the time it took for a pulse to arrive, and this information was used to calculate their position. Loran was replaced by satellite-based navigation, GPS. Today, some are advocating for the return of Loran as a supplemental aid to GPS.  Captain Wittkopp was a T-29 or “Flying Classroom” instructor at Mather AFB, CA.   He made a great impact on young Airmen that would later fly important missions for the USAF.

Mr. Vern Wittkopp graduated from Northern Michigan University in 1977 where he received a B.S. in Chemistry. He also completed 4 years of Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.  

After an Honorable Discharge, Mr. Wittkopp started his own independent business with Telecom and Television services.  He served several major consumers -residential, and businesses alike. He was also a consultant to people starting their own new businesses. Mr. Vern Wittkopp was a long-time resident of Rancho Cordova and a member of the Rancho Cordova City Council.

Mr. Wittkopp was married to his late wife Gaye Lorraine.  He is survived by his three children: a daughter named Lorraine, and two sons named Lloyd and Mark. Survived by his two grandsons, Jeremy and Augustine.  He will be greatly missed by his daughter-in-law, Maira Lopez.

A Viewing will be held on Monday, March 10th from 4-6pm, with a Recitation of the Rosary at 5:30pm at Price Funeral Chapel 6335 Sunrise Blvd., Citrus Heights, CA 95610. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, March 11th at 10am at St. John Vianney Catholic Church 10497 Coloma Rd, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

Burial will be on Wednesday, March 12th at 1pm at Lone Tree Cemetery 24591 Fairview Ave, Hayward, CA 94542

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