Florene Miller Watson, one of only 25 women to qualify for the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), later known as the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs), became fascinated with planes at the age of 8. By age 19, she had completed flight...
In 1973, Americans welcomed home their returning Vietnam prisoners of war (POWs). Among those released heroes walked then-Colonel James Robinson “Robbie” Risner. During 33 years of service, he fought in three wars and twice received the Air Force’s...
Charles H. “Chuck” Older, a triple ace in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations, served his country as a pilot for four different military organizations in two different wars. Born in California in 1917, Older graduated from the University of...
Known as the “Dean of the Dustoff Pilots”, Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. Novosel, at age 48, earned the United States’ highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, by rescuing 29 soldiers during the Vietnam War. Born and raised in Etna, Pennsylvania, Novosel became...
The vision and guidance of General Thomas S. Moorman, Jr., made an enduring contribution to our nation’s national security space leadership and the integration of space into our warfighting doctrine. Commissioned as an Air Force officer in 1962, Moorman served...
Joe M. Jackson flew for his country in three wars! As a youth in Newnan, Georgia, Jackson was an avid model airplane enthusiast. After graduation from high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and, when the United States entered World War II, he became a crew...
“Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you Bob Hoover, the greatest stick-and-rudder pilot who ever lived.” That airshow introduction from General “Jimmy” Doolittle only scratches the surface of the military and civilian career of someone...
Boleslaw Gladych was one of the few who flew for four air forces–the Polish, French, British and US–during WWII. Born in 1910 in Warsaw, Poland, Gladych shaved eight years off his age in order to gain entrance to the military preparatory school. In 1937,...
Joe Foss “the Flying Marine” was truly a Proud American! Born near Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1915, he graduated from the University of South Dakota. He soon joined the Marine Corps, became a Naval Aviator and received his commission in March 1941. After a tour as...
Prayer and covert communication were the biggest weapons we had,” declared Jeremiah A. Denton, Jr., former prisoner of war. Born in Mobile, Alabama in 1924, Denton attended McGill Institute and Spring Hill College. In 1946, Denton received his commission from...
Colonel (ret.) Charles B. “Chuck” DeBellevue is America’s top ace of the Vietnam War and the last ace to serve on active duty in the United States Air Force. Colonel DeBellvue was first selected as an Eagle by Air Command and Staff College’s...
Brigadier General George E. “Bud” Day was first selected as an Eagle by Air Command and Staff College’s Gathering of Eagles in 1992 and subsequently honored in 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2013 respectively. He was born in Iowa in...
Navy Lieutenant Randy Cunningham was Americas first pilot ace of the Vietnam War. Born on 8 December 1941, he was commissioned in the US Navy in 1967. Receiving his gold wings the following year, he soon joined VF-96 flying F-4J Phantoms. Assigned to the...
In December of 1968, Frank Borman led the first team of astronauts to escape from Earth’s orbit, setting the stage for America’s lunar landings. Born in Gary, Indiana, in 1928, Borman grew up in Tucson, Arizona. His life-long romance with aviation began at...
Leonard J. Birchall, dubbed the “Savior of Ceylon” by none other than Sir Winston Churchill, has to his credit an amazing 55 years of uniformed military service, and in gaining the afore-mentioned title, helped prevent a surprise Japanese attack on...
Lee A. “Buddy” Archer, Jr., is a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, a group of black pilots who compiled an outstanding record of performance during World War II. He was born on 6 September 1919. As a child, Archer developed the passion to become a pilot...
