James Bradley Babcock
Tree Tag: V0017
Presented By: Jacqueline Babcock
Dates of Birth/Death: Born 01/19/1947
Dates of Military Service: 1969-1973
Service Branch/Stations: Air Force
Highest Rank: SSGT
Veteran's Hometown: Bellefonte, PA
Who is this Veteran? James Bradley Babcock honorably served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force from 1969-1973. He was assigned to the 1365th Photo Squadron as a member of the Audio Visual Service (AAVS) headquartered at Norton AFB, CA.
Sergeant Babcock was named Military News Film Cameraman of the Year in 1972. This honor was awarded to him, along with one other Staff Sergeant, for the film clip entitled, "U.S. Air Force- Civilian Cooperation Saves Lives." This clip was released to television stations throughout the United States.
During that year, the 1365th Photo Squadron won 13 of the 19 awards presented by the DOD Agencies. Topics of the winning clips included Southeast Asia operations, military exercises, missile launches, airborne fire medics, and Air Force humanitarian efforts such as flood and earthquake relief. The squadron's achievements also included coverage of the recovery of the three astronauts after the near-disastrous Apollo 13 mission. Sergeant Babcock received the USAF Outstanding Unit Award as a member of the squadron.
Sergeant Babcock is a 1964 graduate of Bellefonte High School and has a BA degree in broadcasting and film from Stanford University. Subsequent to his military service, Babcock was employed by WPSX (currently WPSU) at Penn State University. He remained at Penn State for over 30 years as a Supervisor of the Videography Department. He continued to receive recognition for his many award winning documentaries that aired on WPSX, Channel 3, as well as his videography on the popular Outdoor Pennsylvania series.
About this Tribute Tree: Tulip Poplar
Planting Date: Spring 2023
Park Location and GPS Coordinates: Oak Hall Regional Park, TBD