A 98-year-old man who is blind and in a wheelchair was baptized Saturday at his home that he built 63 years ago in Canyon Country.
Henry Gardener Combs, 98, was given baptism by immersion. It was officiated by Pastor White.
Henry Combs started to change his life and study the Holy Bible with Becky Combs, his caregiver of two years, after his wife died on Christmas of 2013.
Henry Combs started attending church and accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior.
“It is never too late for anyone who would like to know the truth,” said Becky Combs.
Henry Combs was born to Asa and Alpha Combs in 1916. Growing up in a little town called Wheatland, Wyoming, he drove the school bus at age 16 while attending high school. He also worked on a local farm for one dollar a day, seven days a week during the summer.
In 1941, Henry Combs achieved his Master’s Degree in Stress Engineering and was offered a job at Lockheed of Burbank.
Henry Combs designed the P-38 in 1944, which helped to win World War II against the Germans.
“When Lightning Strikes,” written by Lockheed Martin, referred to the P-38’s versatility and ruggedness as “legendary,” and proving to be a turning point during the war.
On Independance Day in 1948, Henry Combs married Edna Caldwell in the San Fernando Valley.
They moved to Santa Clarita to start their family, having one girl and three bodys.
Henry Combs became the Deputy Project Manager for Lockeed’s U2 “Dragon Lady” project in 1950.
“President Eisenhower needed a new set of eyes in the sky and he would get them through the U-2 high altitude reconnaissance aircraft,” according to the Lockheed Martin Archives.
The U2 was completed in the summer of 1954.
In September 1998, Henry Combs spoke on the U-2’s development at the CIA’s “The CIA and the U-2 Program.”
In the early 1960’s, Henry was the head structural engineer for the SR-71 Blackbird. He also worked on the F-104, C-130 Hercules, the Hudson bomber, or “The Old Boomerang,” the XP-58 Chain Lightning, the Lockheed JetStar; and served as consultant for the design of the Space Shuttle, according to “Lockheed: The People Behind the Story.”
Henry Combs is honored by The Soaring Society of America’s “Henry Combs Perpetual Trophy.”
Henry Combs sailplaned from the 1960’s and in 1998, completed his 205th straight-out “Diamond Distance” flight.
Becky Combs is offering her invitation to anyone to help them learn about the prophecy in the book of Daniel and in the book of Revelation. She is available to visit a home or attend Wednesday night prayer. Contact her at (661) 252-1836.
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28 Comments
Pam Carpenter. Fantastic ☺️
Vikki Verhoff Madrigal get a tissue!
Yeah!
While I’m glad he made a decision that makes him happy, I’m confused about the very last line of the article, is this a commercial for in home religious support services? It kind of ended weird.
God bless you, Brother. And thank you for your service as well. God is good!
This is all kinda awesome :-) P38, U2, SR71, nothing to really note about his career, huh? Wow! His eternal destiny is now sealed, welcome brother!
This guy sounds like he has a ton of stories to tell.
Tracy Miller
He probably knew my dad at Lockheed
Y is this news?
Because when we stop running this type of story, we stop being a small town once and for all.
this is never gunna be a small town again that was out the window when awesometown started
Agreed Justin, also let’s add what is it 200,000 more new homes. That should help our crime and congestion in this ” small town”
I appreciate this good news story. Thank you SCVTV.
Nice story but small town scv is not…. That was 25 years ago.
Denise Orloff you know thus guy?
My Dad work for Skunkworks too!!!!
Sioussat John
My dad worked for Skunkworks too
A baptism is news?
Proselytizing a lonely old man is news? I really don’t care about people’s religious comings and goings.
Love hearing positive news! The news can be so depressing at times & this story brought some light into the world today.
Nicole Navales
Great story to honor a great man. Thank you SCVTV.
Miss Combs, our church is in the middle of a study
of Revelations. It can be found online at First Christian church
Lubbock Texas. It is the Noon Bible study series.
Blessings to you and Mr Combs.
Better to honor this man who has chosen eternal life with a telling of his history while he is still with us and has done so much for us. Much better than an obituary after he has passed and it is too late to let him know our appreciation. So what if it was a baptism. Do we really only ever want to read about tragedy, crime and negative events?
Morley told me the story. So wonderful Vanessa!
I worked with Henry @ the Skunk Works in Burbank. Was fortunate to be a ground crew to follow him & then help load his glider &’trailer it back to Mohave ca. On one flight he came down in the Owens valley& the next day went trout fishing in one of the small creeks. REALLY GOOD TIMES