(Beckley Pot Herald morning, October 26, 1957)

Sgt. Jasper Blackmon Dies
   M. Sgt Jasper F. Blackmon, 37, of Beckley, the nation's top Air National Guardsman of 1957, died at 2:55 pm in Charleston General Hospital.
   Blackmon had been unconscious for more than five and one-half days since entering the hospital at 3:55 am, Saturday suffering from a fractured skull.  He received the injury after falling from the running board of a truck onto concrete pavement at the Kanawha Airport in Charleston.
   In July Blackmon was chosen by the Air Force Assn. from among Air National Guard members throughout the United States as the outstanding guardsman.  He was supervisor of the military freight section of the 130th Air Material Assembly Squadron of the West Virginia ANG at the time of the accident.
   After being selected as the outstanding guardsmen, he was honored at the convention of the Air Force Assn. in Washington, D.C.
    Employed as a salesman by Lance, Inc., in Beckley, Blackmon moved here in July 1951.
   During World War II he served with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment and participated in action in Europe, taking part in the airborne invasion of Holland and the Battle of the Bulge.  He was decorated with a variety of American and foreign awards for his wartime service. In addition, Blackmon made more than 30 parachute jumps, including one combat mission.
   Blackmon was also active in Boy Scout work in Beckley.  He served as scoutmaster of Troop 139 at St. Mary's Methodist church and as a district Boy Scout commissioner.
   Blackmon was a member of the Memorial Baptist Church.
    He was born in Charlotte, N.C., a son of Ira Blackmon of Southern pines, N.C. and Mrs. Violet Hildebrand Blackmon of Baltimore, Md.
    Survivors in addition to his parents include his widow, Mrs. Ann Blackmon; one daughter, Ann Dorothy, at home; two sons, Donald and Edward, both at home; and one sister, Mrs. Iris Goad of Baltimore.
   Funeral services will be held at 2 pm, Sunday in the Calfee  Funeral Home chapel by the rev. L. L. Reckart.
   The body will be removed to Baltimore Sunday night where further services will be held at 11 am Tuesday at the Walter Brooks Bradley Funeral Home.
   Burial will be in the Oaklawn Cemetery in Baltimore.  Military services will be conducted at graveside by the West Virginia Air National Guard.
   The body will remain at the Calee Funeral home until the funeral hour.