COL (R) John (Skip) Sadler, 89, passed away yesterday, 7 October, 2013, after being hospitalized for massive heart failure on Friday. To list all of COL Sadler's assignments would take several pages. He enlisted in 1943, attended jump school, and was sent to the Pacific Theater with the 511th PIR, 11th Airborne Div. He fought across New Guinea, the Philippines, Leyte and Luzon. He attended OCS in Australia in 1945. After Japan surrendered he served with the Army of Occupation in Japan in 1947. He served in Korea with the 8240th, 8751st and 8706 Army Units in then classified assignments. After the Korean War Skip was with the XVIII Airborne Corps at Ft. Bragg and JUSMAAG, Turkey. In 1961 he was assigned to PACOM in Hawaii with a classified duty station. In civilian clothes he became the Chief, Military Region 2, Laos, where he supported the White Star teams. After various assignments with the 82nd Abn Div, the 187th Infantry Reg, Army War College, he became the Chief, Plans and Programs Division, USAREUR. He was a Brigade CO in the 8th Inf Div when he was called by COL Cavanaugh, then Chief SOG. COL Sadler became the fifth and final Chief SOG from 1970 to 1972. He retired in 1975 after 32 1/2 years of distinguished service as the DCO, Southern Command, in the Canal Zone. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Dorothy (Murph; Daughters, Krissie and Beth, son; John, and four grandchildren.
