Joe Simpson was born on August 1, 1937, in Birmingham, Alabama. He attended the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia, from 1955 to 1956, the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, from 1957 to 1958, and then Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1958. He then worked for the Alabama State Highway Department as a cartographic draftsman, helping to plan the new Alabama Interstate System before enlisting in the Alabama Air National Guard on March 12, 1960. Airman Simpson completed basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, in May 1960, Photo Repairman School from May to June 1960, and he then served with the 160th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron of the Alabama Air National Guard from June 1960 until he entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Air Force for Navigator Training on October 1, 1961. He was awarded his Navigator wings and was commissioned a 2d Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force at James Connelly AFB, Texas, on October 5, 1962, and he then attended Survival Training at Stead AFB, Nevada, from October to November 1962. Lt Simpson's next assignment was as a C-133 Cargomaster navigator with the 39th Air Transport Squadron at Dover AFB, Delaware, from November 1962 to December 1964, and during this time he flew numerous missions into Southeast Asia during the early years of the Vietnam War from April 1963 to December 1964. He was accepted into the Air Force Institute of Technology to complete his bachelor's degree in computer science and mathematics at the University of Denver from December 1964 to December 1965, and he then returned to the 39th Military Airlift Squadron at Dover AFB from January 1966 to March 1967. Capt Simpson served as an EC-47 electronic signals intelligence navigator with the 361st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron at Nah Trang AB, South Vietnam, from March 1967 to March 1968, and he then served as an instructor navigator with the 3538th Navigator Training Squadron at Mather AFB, California, from April 1968 until he left active duty and joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve on August 24, 1970. He served as a C-124 Globemaster II navigator with the 303rd Military Airlift Squadron of the U.S. Air Force Reserve at Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri, from August 1970 to August 1971, and he then transferred to the Missouri Air National Guard. His next assignment was as a KC-97 Stratofreighter navigator with the 180th Air Refueling Squadron of the Missouri Air National Guard at Rosecrans Memorial Airport in St. Joseph, Missouri, from August 1971 until he returned to the Air Force Reserve on August 15, 1976. Col Simpson served as the Air Force Academy Liaison for Northern Colorado and Commander of the Colorado Liaison Officer Group between 1976 and 1988, and as the Air Force Liaison Officer to the 1st Continental Army - FEMA, at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, from December 1988 to February 1990. His final assignment was as Mobilization Assistant to the Commanding General of Lowery Technical Training Center in Colorado from February 1990 until his retirement from the Air Force Reserve in March 1993. During his time in the National Guard and Air Force Reserve, he graduated from Dental School in May 1974, and ran a dental practice until his retirement in December 2005. Throughout his life, Joe also built and raced dragsters and hot rods. He died on November 26, 2024.