Gloria Codella Skipper, 92, of Ventura, California passed away peacefully March 15 at the Veterans Home of California, Ventura. The daughter of James V. Codella, a U.S. postal carrier, and Margaret Maffucci Codella, a homemaker, she was born in Newark, New Jersey on February 2, 1931. She was raised in Montclair, NJ in a loving Christian family which led to a life of service and caring for others. Holidays and birthdays were celebrated with many aunts, uncles and cousins that lived in the area. She graduated from Montclair High School and then Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, where she received her training as a Registered Nurse. In 1957, she was appointed First Lieutenant in the United States Air Force Reserve (Nurse Corps).
She served two tours of air evacuation duty in Vietnam and traveled extensively during her 20-year career to Thailand, Korea, Japan, Jakarta, Turkey and the Philippines. She retired in 1977 as Lt. Colonel.
She became the first nurse in history to assume command of an aeromedical evacuation squadron in early 1972, a turbulent time in the history of Southeast Asia. During her first tour in Vietnam, she completed 116 combat support missions from January 1967- July 1968 including during the Tet Offensive.
She proudly completed Air Evacuation Flight (San Antonio), Sea Survival (Japan) and Jungle Survival (Philippines) Schools, where she was typically one of a few women participants.
Among the many military distinctions she received were the Air Medal (third oak leaf cluster); Air Force Commendation Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; AF Longevity Service Award Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal; Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
As noted in a letter of evaluation by Commander Leonard W. Johnson, Jr., Colonel, USAF, MC, “Her strengths lie in her training and experience as a professional Nurse Corps Officer. She is dynamic, loyal and totally mission oriented and dedicated. She always holds a patient’s welfare uppermost in her considerations. She is perceptive and intelligent and a very capable leader.”
Upon retirement, she attended the University of Central Arkansas and received a Bachelor of Science degree at the age of 50. An avid bingo player for many years, she dreamed of hitting it big just so she could give all her winnings away.
Gloria is survived by her beloved sisters Frances Lindberg of Baltimore, Maryland and Angela Arnold of Santa Maria, CA, nieces Faith Sullivan and Nancy Sloane of Baltimore and nephew Jamie Lindberg of Petaluma, CA. She is preceded in death by her parents.
The family wishes to extend their gratitude to Rocio “Rosie” Ramirez for her extraordinary care and friendship, as well as to the residents and staff of CalVet, Ventura.
Family and friends are invited to visiting hours to be held on Tuesday afternoon April 11, 2023 from 3 to 6pm, with a gathering of reflection at 3:15pm, in the BOYKO & REARDON TELEGRAPH ROAD MORTUARY & CREMATION, 15 Teloma Drive Ventura. Interment will U.S. Air Force military honors will be held on Wednesday afternoon, April 12, 2023 at 1:30pm in Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California.