Colonel, Usaf, Ret. Robert Mcnair Mebane

Robert M. Mebane, Colonel, USAF (Ret.), age 80, died at his home in Sun City after a brief battle with cancer on September 30th. He was born in Burlington, NC and was a veteran of WW II having served in the U.S. Navy in the Philippines. He also served for 25 years in the USAF in the computer technology field beginning in its infancy. .He was a graduate of Oak Ridge Military Institute and the University of North Carolina where he was the Cadet Commander of the AFROTC and was designated a Distinguished Military Student. He served in Germany during the occupation managing data processing units, was later sent to Headquarters Strategic Air Command where he was instrumental in helping install the first base level supply system using computers. He also had assignments at Pacific Air Command Headquarters in Hawaii, Military Personnel Center in San Antonio, Texas, Headquarters 7th AF in Viet Nam, and Defense Nuclear Agency at Sandia Base, NM. He was assigned to Headquarters USAF at the Pentagon where he oversaw the acquisition and installation of all computers for the Air Force. He was a distinguished graduate of the Air War College, received a Masters Degree in International Relations from George Washington University and also did graduate work in computer science at American University. His military awards included the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medal.After his retirement from the Air Force in 1975, he became a Marketing Manager with Digital Equipment Corporation and with Gould Computers.He lived in Alexandria, VA for 33 years and during that time was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church where he served in several capacities including Lay Minister, Chairman of Christian Education and Chairman of the Building Committee which oversaw the building of a new educational wing. He was a member of the Mount Vernon Genealogy Society and published a book entitled