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                       W.D. SHARPLING, CLASS OF 1954

                                       Major Awards and Decorations

        Vietnam Service Medal with 3 Bronz Service Stars, Joint Service Commendation
        Medal, USAF Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense
        Service Medal (2 Awards), Presidential Outstanding Unit Award, USAF
                                                          Outstanding
              Unit Award (2Awards), Small Arms EXPERT Marksman Ribbon.

                                                       Foreign Awards

               Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Leaf Device, Republic of
                                                            VIETNAM
                                                        Service Medal.

                                 Principal Areas of Assignment

         Texas, California, North Africa, Pennsylvania. Iceland, Bermuda, Spain, Virginia,
                  Republic of Vietnam, The Pentagon Washington D.C., and North Carolina

Mr. Sharpling, 71, of Charlotte, died Saturday, March 15, 2008 at Presbyterian Hospital. He was born in Harrisonburg, Louisiana on August 30, 1936, a son of the late William T. and Lillian Wilkes Sharpling.
He retired from the US Air Force in 1978 where he served for 24 years. Following his military retirement, he joined the US Postal Service where he was a Primary Steward and an active member of the Charlotte Postal Workers Union.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanie Boyer Sharpling; son, Bill Sharpling of Charlotte; daughters, Cynthia Porter (Gary) of Melbourne, FL, and Wanda J. Warf of Charlotte; brothers, William T. Sharpling, Jr., and Johnny Sharpling, both of Minden, Louisiana; and grandchildren, Wesley Warf and, Andrew and Kristin Sharpling.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Sharpling was preceded in death by three sisters, Helen Goodeaux, Marie Means and Marjorie Martin.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 19 in the chapel of Forest Lawn West Funeral Home with the Reverend Tom Chidester presiding. Interment with military honors will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the National Cemetery in Salisbury. Mr. Sharpling's family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Arrangements are in the care of Forest Lawn West Funeral & Cremation Service, 4601 Freedom Drive (704.395.0055).
Published in the Charlotte Observer on 3/18/2008.
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