Scott honors former U.S. Senator Alan J. Dixon
Scott Air Force Base recently dedicated its visitor control center to former U.S. Senator Alan J. Dixon, who passed away at his Fairview Heights home in 2014.
Col. Chris Buschur, 375th Mobility Wing vice commander, and Dixon’s wife, Jody, unveiled a plaque honoring his 43 years of public service. The plaque, mounted next to the entrance, is a fitting tribute for a man known as the “Gentleman of Illinois.” Through the Dixon Visitor Center, the former senator continues to welcome those to the very base he championed for throughout his life.
During the formal ceremony, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Dixon kept a “special place in his heart” for Scott AFB since 1939, when he first visited during a field trip in sixth grade.
“The trip made a lasting impression. He was proud of Scott AFB and proud to represent it,” Durbin said. “Scott AFB was always on the top priority list for Alan Dixon.”
After serving in World War II, Dixon became police magistrate of Belleville at the age of 21, sparking his political career.
The trip made a lasting impression. He was proud of Scott AFB and proud to represent it. Scott AFB was always on the top priority list for Alan Dixon.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin
“It’s much easier to list the things he didn’t do than it is to list the things he did do,” said Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Dixon served in the state House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the treasurer and secretary of state for Illinois. In 1981, he was elected into the U.S. Senate where he served until 1993. President Bill Clinton appointed Dixon to chair the 1995 Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission, where Dixon helped save $19 billion and defend the base’s existence.
“He made every effort to make sure that Scott AFB was protected and secure from the list of bases that were soon to be closed,” said his son, Jeff.
Dixon’s daughter, Dr. Stephanie Yearian, said the Dixon Visitor Center is one of the most meaningful dedications she’s seen because of what Scott AFB meant to her father. However, his legacy is one that is represented not just by the Dixon Visitor Center but also by the success and importance of the entire base. So long as this base stands, Dixon’s legacy will always remain.
“I do believe that my father is watching all of us right now with that big smile on his face,” said Jeff. “And he’s saying ‘God bless Scott AFB and god bless Illinois.’”
This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 5:50 PM with the headline "Scott honors former U.S. Senator Alan J. Dixon."