Adams American Legion Remembers Local Veteran With Books
Col. William C. Koch Jr.
"The Diary of Elsie Kleiner Koch" and his autobiography, "My Dash," look back on Koch's life and long career.
"I think it is an important story," Legionnaire Stan Gajda said. "He was an Adams resident and his mother and father lived in Adams. He was brought up in Adams until he left for the Air Force ... he was a great person; a great sense of humor."
Koch, who died in 2020, flew more than 100 combat and combat support missions in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. He also ferried freight and passengers around the world, flew nearly a dozen different types of planes, was later assigned to satellite tracking and data operations and earned a master of science degree in between. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Gajda said his family was close to Koch, especially his daughter Monique Yates, who also joined the Air Force and became a pilot.
"He was a good friend and inspired her to go into the Air Force. I am very proud of her," he said. "My daughter got all of these books when he passed."
Yates compiled the two books and Gajda said "The Diary of Elsie Kleiner Koch" is a collection of journal entries from Koch's mother. The book retells Koch's childhood and is set in 1930s Adams.
"I think a lot of people would be interested in reading these diaries. They are about everything he did in Adams. Fishing in the Hoosic River," he said. "They used to eat what they caught because no one had any money back then."
"My Dash" tells Koch's story through his early years, education, and life in the Air Force.
"In the book, it tells you all the places he landed," he said.
The books can be purchased at the Adams American Legion and proceeds will go toward future scholarships for high school students.
"He would have been proud of this," Gajda said.
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