February 10, 1918 - March 19, 2001
John Kritzar was born and lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was a graduate of Dickinson High School. He attended evening classes at N.Y.U for five years, where he studied chemistry.
John enlisted in the US Air Force in December, 1943, and entered Officer's Training School at Waynesburgh, PA. He continued his studies at Ft. Myers, FL, and later at Monroe, LA, where he graduated as a navigator in May 1945. In March 1946, Lt. Kritzar was sent overseas serving in Germany and France and other parts of continent. He returned to the US in August 1949.
John had many assignments at various US Air Force bases. In 1958, he graduated from the US Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio, where he earned a BS degree in Aeronautical Engineering. His last assignment was at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.
During most of his Air Force career, John was in the Strategic Air Command. He flew (as a navigator and celestial navigator) B-17s, B-29s, and B-47s.
John retired from the Air Force in July, 1966, as a Lt. Colonel.
From 1966 until 1984, he was an Astronomy instructor and Planetarium Director at Thomas Edison High School in Alexandria, VA.
In retirement, John enjoyed many years of traveling, biking, sailing, and racquetball.
John was always gentle and cared about everyone, especially his family.
-Vera Kritzar, Col. John Kritzar's wife, submitted the above information
David Abbou's Memories of Col. Kritzar