Claude "Skip" Blanchard
Commissioned 2/Lt USAF ROTC Louisiana Tech 1967; UPT Moody AFB, Class 68-F March '67 to April '68; RTU Davis Monthan AFB back seat F-4C with A/C Larry Taylor; SEA December '68 thru November '69 at Cam Ranh Bay as GIB with the 557th TFS, Sharkbaits, 12th TFW; Additional duty was curator of the CRAB Museum; RAF Bentwaters '70 thru '73 in the 92nd TFS, Avengers, 81st TFW; up-graded to A/C in '71; sat Victor Alert on various targets in the Eastern Bloc countries; I as awarded the AF Commendation Medal as the 92nd squadron scheduling officer; Mac Dill AFB '74 & '75 in the 27th FTS in the 1st TFW; passed over and out May '75 as a Captain.
Diane Tooke of Bossier City, LA, and I married just before active duty in February '67. Our first son Kit was born at Moody AFB February '68. Our second son Keith was born at RAF Lakenheath, England, February of '71. They each have to beautiful children with Kit in Decatur, GA, and Keith in Spring, Texas.
I enjoyed the next 33 years as a geologist with surface mining for CF Industries, managing a clay mine as a consultant, and as an environmental geologist for firms in Columbus, Ohio and Bartow, Florida. I was in the Florida Civil Air Patrol from '86 to '91 as the Cadet Squadron Commander, where my Squadron Officer's School got me promoted to Major.
We moved from Lakeland, Florida in '91 to New Orleans, Louisiana. I ran the office of American Compliance Technologies providing environmental services until '96. I did fly single engine air taxi from New Orleans Lakefront Airport for Air Reldan. After 9/11 I was busy as an emergency responder for the Louisiana State Department of Environmental Quality and I quit the air taxi flying. I retired from the State in 2008 and have enjoyed traveling, competitive shooting, and being a part of the 12th TFW Association.
We have stayed in touch with AF friends from UPT, SEA, and USAFE. As I grew up in the bayous of South Louisiana I can show you a good time. Come on down Cher.
John Cary
Graduated Univ. of Missouri, BS, Masters degree from Northern Arizona University
UPT - Reese AFB, graduated Apr. 1968.
F-4 RTU - George AFB (backseater)
557 TFS, Cam Ranh Bay RVN 1969 - 70
91 TFS, RAF Bentwaters, England 1970 - 74, Squadron pilot and later Wing Stan Eval
Luke AFB 1974 - 78 - RTU instructor 426th for one year and IP in Instructor School, 310th TFS for 3 years. Also spent last year at Luke on F-16 operational training development team.
Hill AFB 1978 - 81 - F-16 OTD team, Initial cadre of F-16 instructors, and initial cadre of 421st TFW (second operational F-16 squadron).
Kunsan AFB 1981 -82 - 35TFS Ops Officer
Edwards AFB 1982 - 85 - AFOTEC pilot flying test in F-16XL and F-16C.
Luke AFB - 1985 -87 Wing ADO
Retired 1987, LTC
America West Airlines 1987 - 2004 B-737, B-757, and A-320
NetJets 2004 - 09, Falcon 2000 and Citation 560XL
Married to Vicki 44+ years with 2 children and 2 grandsons.
Spend time now perfecting mediocrity on golf course.
Marshall E. "Digger" Crum
Graduated FSU and commissioned 2/Lt. U.S.A.F - June, 1964
Undergraduate pilot training at Reese AFB, TX, Class 65H - 1965
Upgrade Training for backseat F-4C, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ - 1965
Squadron pilot (backseat), 91st TFS, RAF Bentwaters, England - 1966
Squadron pilot (backseat) 559th TFS, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN - 1967
179 combat missions with 69 of them into NVN.
1 - DFC, AM with 13 olc.
Pilot instructor training, T-38 aircraft, Randolph AFB, TX - 1967 - 68.
T-38 Instructor Pilot, Moody AFB, GA., 1968 - 71.
Separated from active duty, February 1971, with the rank of Captain.
Joined AF Reserve in early 1980's as a AFROTC and USAFA Liaison officer. Attained the rank of Major.
After about three years, I was assigned to inactive reserve.
Marshall Crum, Crumwell1316@aol.com
Ron "Rowdy" Doughty
1331 Ashland Hills Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
Education:
H.S., Pekin, IL, 1961
B.S., Electronics Technology, Bradley U., 1966
M.S., Industrial Engineering, West Virginia U., 1990
Military:
USAF OTS, 1967
Pilot Training, Laredo AFB, 1968
F-4 pilot, George AFB, 1968
F-4 pilot, 557 TFS, Cam Ranh Bay AB, 1969
T-37 instructor pilot, Laughlin AFB, 1970-73
HQ ATC Staff officer/T-39 pilot, Randolph AFB, 1973-76
HQ USAF staff officer, Pentagon, 1976-79
F-4 pilot, Homestead AFB, 1979
F-4 pilot, Seymour Johnson AFB, 1980-83
F-4/T-33 pilot, Clark AB, 1983-86
3d Brigade air liaison officer, Fort Campbell, 1986-87
Retired, major, 1987
Second life:
Program Manager, Safety Division, Illinois Department of Labor, 1990-92
Health and Safety Unit Manager, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, 1992-2002
Stan Drozdz
Dorothy "Big Dot" Fullick
Started in Air Force 1966 at the Air Force Academy. Used to occasionally play beer
ball with Jack Espensheid's cadet squadron----Jack being the AOC. On duty at the
Parade Grounds for June Week '68 when the flight of Thuds broke the sound barrier
and blew out "The Hill". Unfortunately some very serious injuries from that
episode. Had great times there but like all good things it was time to move on. I
arrived at Cam Ranh 1 Jun '69 and once again ran into Jack. While at Cam Ranh,
worked all over the hospital from ICU, recovery room, medical wards, Vietnamese
wards. Was on duty the night the VC blew up 6thCC and knocked out 10 aircraft. Hell
of a night! When not at work, I usually was at the Goats with occasional times at
the Sharkbaits.
Went to Beale after CRB in '70 and extricated myself out of there ASAP! Married Tom
Fullick (559tfs) and moved on to Travis '71 where I worked ICU/Recovery Room with
occasional stints in CCU. While at Travis, I had the good luck to work Project
Homecoming and when that was over went back to ICU as the charge nurse. From Travis
we went to Torrejon Spain '75-'78 where I was selected by the USAFE Command Nurse
to go to NSM in residence (nurse equivalent to ACSC). Was charge nurse of clinics
and ER and had the additional duty as Chief Nurse of the 401 ATH.
Moving on, Seymour Johnson was next ('78-'79). I pinned on Major and was charge
nurse of all clinics except Family Practice. Next up was Sembach Germany where I
was Chief Nurse, additional duty oversee 22 of USAFE's 50 IDMTs. ('79-'83)
Finally, last duty was Chief Nurse at McClellan, retiring Dec '86. I lost Tom Jan
'86 to metastatic cancer.
Currently living in Vacaville, CA close to the wines of Napa and Sonoma.
Ronald W. Gibbs
Military/Civilian/Education Experience
Education
Virginia Tech - 1962-66, BA History/Political Science;
University of Georgia, 1972-73, Masters in Business Administration with concentration in Finance and Investments;
Virginia School of Bank Management, The University of Virginia;
School of Banking of the South, Louisiana State University
Military Service/Education
June, 1966 - Commissioned 2nd LT Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets/Air Force ROTC, Distinguished Military Graduate
March 1967 - March 1968 - UPT, Moody AFB, GA Class 68-F 3553rd Pilot Trng Sq
April- May 1968 - Survival School, Fairchild AFB, WA and Sea Survival School, Homestead AFB, FL
June-July 1968 - F-4 Radar School Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
July 1968 - Feb 1969 - F-4 Upgrade 43rd TFS, 15th TFW, MacDill AFB, FL. Graduated 1st in class for academics.
March 1969-Feb 1970 - Squadron Pilot, 558th TFS, 12th TFW, Can Ranh AB, SVN
Also served as Squadron Intelligence Officer and Assistant Controller Command Post
143 combat missions
March-May 1970 - KC-135 upgrade, Castle AFB, CA
May 1970-Dec 1971 - Squadron Co-Pilot 913th Air Refueling Squadron, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, LA. Also served as Squadron Documents Officer.
Jan 1971- May 1986 - AF Reserve. Assignments included AF Liason Officer for CAP Wings in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia; AFROTC/USAFA Liasion Officer for Det. 875,
Virginia Tech; AFIS - 1st TFW, Langley AFB, VA. Retired as Major in USAFR.
Squadron Officer's School; Command and Staff College - by correspondence
Civilian Experience
June 1966- March 1967 - Defense Intelligence Agency
Aug 1973- July 1988 - Banker with several national banks with experience in bank investments, lender, budgeting. CFO/Chief Investment Officer for $125 million bank.
July 1988- Dec 1991 - Administrative Officer for local engineering firm;
Jan 1992- Jan 1994 - Chief Financial Officer for $10 million research lab;
Jan 1995- Present - Registered Financial Consultant working with teachers, others on retirement planning. Have over $5 million under active management.
Adjunct instructor for Radford University and Virginia Tech in Family Financial Management.
Dave Hedditch
I live in Victor, MT on a private airstrip, 3000 feet long,
elevation 3645' in the middle of the Bitterroot Valley. I retired from the
Air Force in 1986 then started the first Edward Jones brokerage office in
Pocatello, ID. I spent 14 years there then moved back to this area in 2000
which is where I graduated from high school and where my mom still lived. I
am still flying and have a PA 22/20-180 hp. (a four place tail dragger).
I have been too busy since retirement as what happens to most of us. My
biggest challenge as chairman, Ravalli County Airport Advisory Board, has
been the improvement Ravalli County Airport at Hamilton, MT. Until I got
back into the Bitterroot valley, everyone had given up on the project but I
hopped on the challenge and I think I am about to pull it off this year
after 15 years of working on it. The biggest hurdle was commissioners
without any foresight but once I got them to see the light, they would lose
the next election. Start over.
I also have half ownership of a RV/mobile home park in Tioga, ND. Yes,
things have slowed down there, almost stopped. I will give it two more
months and if the summer doesn't pick up, I will close it up and wait for a
better time. I am ready for a break.
After leaving Phu Cat, Aug 70 to Aug 71, I went back to George AFB and an
instructor then back over to Thailand for Linebacker. Another exciting
time. I then got an O-2 assignment to Alaska. What a great assignment. I
loved it. 2.5 yrs later I went to Anchorage back into the F -4. 18 months
later back to Fairbanks as operations officer of the 25 TASS. Three years
later I left for Mountain Home AFB and flew the F-111A, the biggest piece
of shit called a fighter ever made. I couldn't wait to retire.
There you have it, quick and dirty.
Dave Hedditch
406 360 3283
Dave Herbert, Billings, Mt.
I was with the 557th TFS from March 1969 to Feb. 1970.I was a WSO and Lt.
Col. Kimes was our Squadron commander.I tried to keep a low profile and
believe I accomplished that!If I remember correctly Majors Reid and Jones
were my flight commanders.
I left the squadron in Feb. 1970.I was told I had gotten a 4 day roll back
in My DEROS.I guess not making waves has its Bernese!Also I was told because
I had a date of separation of April 1972 that I would not be sent to Europe
unless I got rid of it!If I did not agree to stay in longer I was told I
would end up back at D.M.I told them they could punish me by sending me back
to D.M.!I became an instructor WSO and taught Air Attack academics at both
D.M. And later at George A.F.B.I left active duty in Feb.1972.
Although I had planned on becoming a Vet. I decided to become a podiatrist.I
had a good friend who had a father who was a Navy podiatrist.When I first
started school in Cleveland,Oh. I flew as aC-123 nav.in the U.S.A.F.R. At
Lockbourne AFB in Columbus,Oh.My second year of school I was accepted into
the U.S. Army medical scholarship program.They needed podiatrists more than
the USAF did!I graduated from the Kent State College of Podiatric Medicine
in 1976 .I went on active duty at Brooke Army Medical Center at Ft. Sam in
San Antonio.After a number of years on active duty and in the reserves I
retired as an LTC from the reserves.
Along the I graduated from night law school in Sacramento,Ca.(U.of the
Pacific)My con. Law Prof. Was Anthony Kennedy ,he was on the 9th Circuit Ct.
Of Appeals then.
Today,I am mostly retired.I am a mediator for the Montana Supreme Ct. and an
arbitrator for FINRA(Financial Regulatory Authority).I can turn down cases I
do not want to take!
Remember if you ask for free legal advice it is worth exactly what you paid
for it!
Bill Jones
Ira "Iwo" Kimes
After Cam Ranh I was assigned to the 19th Air Force located at Seymour Johnson AFB,NC. My primary job was writing exercise/operation plans. After being at SJAFB for 3 months, my boss, MajGen Wilson, called me to his office and told me I had been selected to Col. He added that TAC wanted to know who I was( really made my day). Anyway, two years later I was reassigned to the Joint Staff,Pentagon. My primary position was as an Action Officer in the Pacific Division. I got an additional task to brief Sec Def every morning Mon-Fri at 0715. After the briefing and with any changes he might add, I was off to the White House to brief Dr. Kissinger and Gen. Haig. This was a very interesting period as it included Operation Linebacker II, Nixon's resignation and our pull-out from Vietnam. In 75', after 3 years at the puzzle palace, I was assigned as the 56th Combat Support Group commander. In 78' I put my papers in and retired to Litchfield Park,Az. Since then I have spent a lot of time bass fishing in Mexico, hunting elk and javelina in AZ and elk in CO. My health has had its ups and downs, colon cancer in 86', 6 total knee and hip replacements (92'-04') and a colostomy in 07'. As the suicide was heard to say as he passed the 54th floor of the Empire State bldg.,"so far, so good."
Gene Korotky
Terry McSweeney
Carl Pio Parlatore
Upon graduation Notre Dame, Carl attended AF pilot school and then was
checked out in the F-4 Phantom as a back seat pilot (GIB). He arrived in
Viet Nam on 13 Jun 68 and was shot down on 3 Sep 68 while he was flying
his 53rd mission (F-4C 64-0861). After recovering from his wounds he
logged two more combat tours in Viet Nam, flying a total of over 360
combat missions. He spent 26 years in the AF, retiring as a Colonel.
Some of the assignments he held while in the AF were: 429th TFS
Operations Officer (F-16), 86th TFW Director of Operations, USAFE
Director of Safety, and AF Deputy Director of Safety. His decorations
include the Legion of Merit (with oak leaf cluster), Distinguished
Flying Cross (with two oak leaf clusters), Purple Heart, Meritorious
Service Medal, and Air Medal (with 16 oak leaf clusters).
E.G. "BUCK" SHULER JR.
http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/Biographies/Display/tabid/225/Article/105544/lieutenant-general-eg-buck-shuler-jr.aspx
Tom Slemons
I joined the 555th in August 1965 and was with them until I finished my
missions North in August 1966. Then to RAF Bentwaters, 92nd TFS & 81st TFW,
September 1966 through October 1970.
Jerry Stalnaker
Hi guys, Jerry Stalnaker, aka "Brute" signing in with you guys. I can't remember shit so but I do remember Lids and I remember Doughty, Feighny, & Blanchard. Sorry Al.
I included my front seater from the 557th, Eugene (Gene) Korotky. A couple of years ago he called me and asked if I was "the" Jerry Stalnaker. Turns out he was just down the road in Gulf Breeze, Florida. I live in Niceville. Retired as an 0-6 out of Eglin AFB.
If you guys remember, I was one of six navs who came over when the Gibs were still mostly pilots. Came back to MacDill after you guys taught me to fly and went to UPT at Sheppard. Got in the front seat, flew for a while, got medically grounded and became a maint squadron cc and stayed in maint until I retired in 1997.
Does anybody give a shit about that. I do still have many memories about Cam Ranh Bay. Glad you guys are still with us.
Cheers, Brute
James L. (Larry, the Senator) Taylor
- DOB,3-23-41, Columbus,GA
- Ga Tech '63, USAF pilot school Dec'64
- Initial assignment to F-102 Delta Dagger, then F-101 VooDoo, F-105 Thud, and F-4 Phantom
- VietNam '69 in the F-4 at Cam Rahn Bay with 158 missions.
- Air Force then wanted me to become an Air Traffic Control officer, so off to Keesler AFB for ATC school, with various ATC assignments including Iran '76 and the F-4E, thence to the Pentagon for four years as an ATC staff officer.
- Last assignment was with FAA as Air Force Representative for southern military airspace at FAA Southern Region Hdqrs, Atlanta, GA.
- Ret'd April 1, 1986 as a Lt Col. Now living in Brooks, GA, 35mi south of ATL
- wife, Noreen-42yrs, 1 son, 1 dau, 3 g-children
Al Thomas
Fort Walton Beach, FL
I left Cam Ranh Dec 69 and back to George AFB for front seat. Returned for second tour at Ubon, Sep 70-Aug 71. Assigned to Seymour Johnson, 336th TFS Sep 71, TDY from Seymour to Ubon for Linebacker I, Mar 72-Sep 72, back to Seymour, Sep 72-Mar 73, then back to Ubon for final days of the war, Mar 73-Sep 73. Best part of that tour was a flight to Clark in 73 to visit returning POW's. From Seymour I was assigned to Bentwaters-Woodbridge, 78th TFS, Oct 73-Nov 75 (did see Feigny and Cary there). Assigned to Eglin AFB, 4485th Test Squadron, Nov 75, still flying F-4, prior to accepting a desk job in TAWC. I was passed over for Major in 78. I was still somewhat immature at that time, feelings were hurt, and I resigned. In hindsight, I wish I'd Listened to my boss and stuck around for a few more chances at promotion. I spent the next 30 years working for Link Flight Simulation and retired March 2009. Also during that time I was fortunate to visit "Rowdy Dowdy" and the "Senator" at the Pentagon.