UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY
CLASS OF 1962
(This website established 1995)
 A BIO/INFO-SITE for: The Original "Red Tag Bastards" [est. 1995]
DESIGNED AND OPERATED BY Denis SAM "DNA" Dehne, Class '62
Send Letters, Documents, and Ideas to Sam by clicking on mailbox:

            Telephone (775) 825-1398 . renocitizen@gmail.com..Class Email addresses - Bottom of Page

Fallen/Departed RTB's
Click to find Deceased Classmates

Officers of the Class of 1962 from the United States Air Force Academy served with distinction in the Air Force, Army, Navy,  and Marines. Most newly commissioned officers went to pilot training upon graduation; however, a select few were chosen for advanced degrees (including 3 Rhodes Scholars - Baxter, Klass, Roe) and other non-flying assignments of distinction. Many of our class served with valor in the Vietnam War, and some gave all. The link to full list of our fallen heroes is found just below.

* The World Wide Web is one of the very best ways for USAFA Class of '62 to communicate rapidly and easily.
* Information can be sent to the WEB Site via email. Data will then be placed on this "Home Page" and all members of the class can access it quickly.
* The rule of the day: No documents over 250 - 500 words (well, maybe a few more...)


Jamba's Brief Story of RTB History (click)

Watch JOHN FER describe his 73 months as a POW - poignantly and with eruditeness!!!

"JOHN FER - A POW IN HANOI" (click)

     There's also another Redtag Info Site  - Dedicated to Owen "The Hawk" Hawkins's    

(AND BIG THANKS TO BOB FELTS TOO!) Need to Know... click.

(You can find what you and your classmates looked like in 1958!!)
Left click on the SMALLER photo on website link above. When the next photo comes up, right click on it, then select "view image," then left click again --
that activates the + (enlarge) symbol in the little circle). You'll be taken to an enlarged version of the photo where you can identify individuals.
WARNING - you may not remember/recognize what you looked like!

Fallen/Departed RTB's
Click to find Deceased Classmates

SEARCH FOR MYRIAD OTHER USAFA GRADS & INFORMATION:
1962 AND OTHER  USAFA Classes - KEY DATA (click)

MUCH MORE BELOW:

Aircraft flown by individual RTBs

Jamba's Brief Story of RTB History (click)

Very interesting Email reports on French involvement in the Viet Nam war - Post (their) defeat (August, 2001) click

Useful Information from The Retired Officers Association (TROA)

Roster of USAFA 1962 Graduates (date unknown) - click

TELL US WHAT YOU'RE doing now... in 3 Sentences or Less?

  
Click on picture for high definition picture of each RTB in 1958!! (instruction above)

(Sample Blow up of portion of picture on right)
 

SAM DEHNE
Sam (aka Denis) Dehné, Email Click here.
(775) 825-1398, FAX 825-1821,
(Welcome to USAFA Class of 1962's very own Home Page. Send ideas, complaints, bios, etc, and I will publish them ASAP.)
To start things off, here's my very short story:

Graduated from pilot training in 1964 (or was it '63).
Flew B-52s, RF-101s, and RF-4s in Air Force and Air Guard.  Retired as Lt. Col.
Worked for Pan Am 1967 - 1991; with an extended absence in the middle due to cutbacks. 
And of course a big absence since Pan Am's demise after the terrorist bombing of Flt 103 over Lockerbie.  Living in Reno, Nevada since 1967.
Tried out for Mayor and later for City Council and then county Commissioner in Reno.  (Paid the least per vote of any candidate.)
Publisher of The Reno Citizen Internet Magazine (about 300/month for first 4 years in print also).  To read it, Click here.
You can find current and past issues on your computer.  Subject of own weekly Television "Variety" Show. 

Two healthy grown-up youngsters living in Reno. "Two of the most important things in life are good health and luck. I have been blessed with both -
more of the former than the latter, and that's okay..." Still spend time playing guitar/singing and writing songs (even some campaign type). 
Also still likes to practice pugilism... only from the workout aspect though.  For a more detailed bio, click here.

Sam appointed as Associate California Judge.. with Privileges in Nevada.
(Judge Bill Munnell ~ "Limited to misdemeanors")

Sam's Grassroots Plan to Run for U.S. Congress

Sam thinking that America Needs
a New Congressman from Nevada (click)
(Picture from back in "the day" when Sam's 
hair was fatter... and longer.)

(The Class62 RTB Internet "rag/mag" can be dedicated to anything from your brief post-graduation bios to updates of interesting classmate news items.
You are the boss.  250 - 500 words though.  Send your stuff by EMAIL.)

rtb website pass (1962rtb)

JAMBA
Jack Jamba(407) 777-5520, Email - Click here
Jack has handled the vital communications for the Class of '62 for many years through CHECKPOINTS. This has been the primary source for finding out what has been happening with classmates.
Jack graduated from pilot training and went into a career that has taken him somewhere he never thought he would be going...
Jack needs to finish this bio himself. The editor is waiting for an update/correction (remember 250-300 words... maybe a few more).
Jack has composed an excellent historical perspective of how we became the original Red Tag Bastards. To wit:
The Redtag Ramble
As the legend goes, the Class of 1962 started out just like the first three doolie classes did. We reported in to Lowry AFB and spent Doolie Summer there. After our end-of-summer encampment, we marched from the North Gate to the new facilities at the permanent site near C Springs.
(Somewhere along the way we were issued RED Name Tags!)
When the academic year started, our football team started its first season in NCAA Division 1 competition. Because we had no stadium at the Academy, Denver Stadium became our home stadium. After home games, we were given Open Post in Denver, of all places, until midnight. The first three classes didn't have the same kind of free time that we had. So we got used to upperclass-like privileges at an early stage in our harsh training regimen. It was darn good. Why, we even got to travel 20 hours by bus to Ames, Iowa, for a big football game. At Christmas, we stayed at the Academy for less than two weeks. Our holiday break ended with an overnight train ride to Dallas to march on to a mud-soaked field as the Falcons played in the Cotton Bowl.
In February, we took a two week field trip to California to see first hand what the working Air Force does. We also demonstrated to the working Air Force what a Redtag does. Someone reported that at morning coffee breaks we trampled innocent bystanders to reach the donuts. Others said that we left our barracks after Taps and went out and had a good time and got caught…an awful lot of times. The word about our activities spread to the upperclassmen all over the country while they were doing Operation 3rd Lt and other field trips. So when we returned to the Academy, still smiling over our good times, we were greeted by an angry mob of mean-spirited upperclassmen who didn’t seem to appreciate our humor. The upperclassmen said that they would delay our Recognition until we could show further proof that we should be recognized.
We had heard stories about the field trips that the first three classes had made. Our activities seemed to fit right in line with what they had done. The only thing slightly different was that we got caught. And when you think about it, it makes sense. The first three classes had active duty junior officers act as their upperclassmen and train them for their field trips. We had the first three classes train us. Not enough experience and cunning there. So who blamed us because we were ill-trained? The first three classes, our trainers.
The harsher treatment went on for several weeks as the upperclassmen shaped us up. One anonymous upperclassman even was so bold as to rename us Redtag Bastards, RTB’s. It had a certain flair and ring to it, so we adopted it with great zeal. That period of stricter discipline was not accepted well by many of us. Many thought that it was going too far. Many thought it was undeserved. Many thought that the entire class was being blamed for the behavior of a few. And so it turned into “Us” against “Them.” The Redtags were going to show them that we could take anything they could dish out. So we encouraged and supported each other. Sometimes we got back at “Them” with sneaky pranks. Eventually we bonded into a very close class. It was the stricter discipline, the extra push-ups, the extra sit-ups, the extra weekend hikes, the extra uniform formations, the extra torn-up rooms, the extra in-your-face chewing-outs that provided the cohesion that moved the letters R and T and B together permanently.
What makes us Redtags?
RTB First, we were a clearly definable group, the Class of 1962.
RTB Second, we went through a period of adversity together.
RTB Third, we formed a team that supported each other to the maximum.
RTB Fourth, we survived and came out as better persons.
So we owe a great deal to the first three classes for providing the opportunity to us. But we also owe ourselves a great deal for bonding together, instead of debonding. That unique situation back in 1959, helped us make the jump from Redtags to Redtag Bastards. It has stood the test of time. We live with pride to be known as the original RTB’s, Redtag Bastards.
PECK
Gail Peck: Email - Click here
Gail's Home address is in Las Vegas, hence the "slot machine". (He promises more details & phone # later)
Below is a starter bio and life reflection.
Life: It gave me exactly what I wanted and dreamed of on 6/6/62. I'd like a
little more money and to have had the chance to live through events that
would lead to a place in the hall of fame somewhere. But, that takes a lot
of luck along the way, and after all it's just for show. Inside, I'm totally
happy. Great career, great wife, (2nd time around! #1 was OK too), good
healthy & smart kids, wonderful country, and an outstanding quality of life.
Just wish I could do it all over again. Every step! Even through the ups
and downs. It has definitely been a postive sum game! (Editor notes... Lucky Gail!)
(Gail says more on the way)
LYON
Dave Lyon, Email, click here
1304 N. Tumbler Dr,
Kuna, ID 83634, (208) 922-4573, FAX: (208) 922-4589
I was born in Lost Wages (Las Vegas, NV) in Dec, 1939, and after attending
elementary school in Reno, returned to Boulder City, NV, for high school.
Institutes of higher(?) learning: U. of Colorado (1 yr), USAFA, USC (MS -
overseas program while stationed at Torrejon AB, Spain) and Community College
of Denver (Associate Degree in Real Estate).
Flying Career: USAF (F-100; resigned April 1, 1969 - April Fool!), Western
Airlines (B-737; furloughed after one month on the line), Continental
Airlines (B-727; 14 years - left after strike in 1983), McClain Airlines
(B-727; on line one month till they went bankrupt), Connie Kalitta Services
(B-727, DC-8), Braniff II (B-727; with them about 8 months till they went
bankrupt again), American International Airways (DC-8, B-747 - formerly
Connie Kalitta Services). I left AIA about a year ago when, upon returning
from a trip to Buenos Aires, a blood clot was discovered in my right leg. It
took me about 6 months to get my 1st Class Medical back. During that time I
decided to leave flying and work in Real Estate Sales where the FAA couldn't
tell me whether or not I could work.
Even with the hard times I feel blessed with all the opportunities I have had
and a wonderful family (including 7 grandchildren - so far!). I've attended
a couple of great reunions (Annapolis & Aspen) with the 613th TFS. Can you
believe that one of my squadron-mates, Harv Damschen, is still flying the
F-100 - towing darts in Germany!
Now it's time to get the Real Estate career going! Have you heard that the
Boise area is a great place to live? If you want to give it a try, give me a
call. I can help you find just the property you want. You can find me on
the Internet by "clicking" http://www.davelyon.com . Any RTBs visiting the Boise area, give me a call. I look forward to visiting with you!
ALTMAN
Herb Altman (aka "Hesh"), Email, click here
Rather than a bio, let me just fill you in on life today.
Bobbi and I moved back to Las Vegas when I got hired as Vice President
for Defense Group Inc. Both kids are settled here, so this is it...last
move. We bought a home in Summerlin which is west of Sin City. Lots of
room for visitors, if you don't mind a couple of huge augmented Samoyeds
(augmentation being wolf, chow, and retreiver). Our son Joel is a hotel
manager at the Venetian Resort and studying to be an executive chef. His
wife, Heather, is teaching history. Daughter Jodi is building her
chiropractic practice and doing very well.
As far as my expectations on June 6, 1962, I'd guess I hit about 50%,
but no regrets. During my 20 in the Air Force, I never got anything on
my Form 90, but never had a bad assignment. Now I'll give civilian life
20 and then decide what I'm going to be when I grow up. I keep my CFI
current, but don't fly much any more. Try and hit the golf course once
a week.
One accomplishment I am proud of was to help found the Angel Planes. What started as a couple of us flying blood for UBS in Las Vegas has grown to a nationwide charity with over 2,000 volunteer pilots and a new subsidiary called Miracle Flight for Kids. The Angel Planes started flying blood, donor organs and people who need special medical attention not available in their own towns. It spread so fast, I had to start fund raising and hire a permanent staff. I stayed on as Director of Flight Operations and Chairman of the Board for a few years.

THOMPSON

George Thompson, Email - Click here (USA) or click here (Russia)
USA Phone 910.996.1888
Pskov Volny Universitet
6 Nab. Reki Velikoi
Pskov
180000
Russia
Retired (from USNATO in Brussels) in summer of '86. Have since been teaching in private boarding and day schools in NC and southside VA. Through a very complicated set of coincidences, I ended up visiting Russia twice on an educator's tour, out of which came the experience of the past three school years, one in St. Petersburg and two in Pskov.
I am returning in some weeks to Pskov Volny University, one of a very few new "private" Universities. I have been very pleased and comfortable there. The kids are great, not much different from American kids of the same age. The people at the University are also very friendly and helpful and I have had a great time.
Since I went there with the idea of continuing "public service" by helping get private enterprise off and running in a new area, the whole experience has been very satisfying. Alice was with me the first year (in St. Petersburg) and last year (teaching English at a regular Russian secondary school!).
There is some little irony about it when you remember about the years spent
pulling alert with targets sometimes in the same general areas. I talk about
my military experience quite freely ( but don't talk about that specifically). They
are very interested in everything, including Viet-Nam (they know that
they were not getting the straight word.) I have several friends in... or retired from
the Russian military. One of particular interest was an "advisor" in Hanoi (SAMs).
Don't believe most of what you get from the media about Russia. They seldom get out of Moscow and it is really different. Sure there are a lot of problems. Sure there will be a lot of difficulties for many years. The whole thing won't stabilize (in my opinion) until a generation has passed. And I mean 25 years! At the moment, my favored politician is Lebed. The next years will be interesting. To help understand what is going on, I refer everyone to the period of US History between the civil war and the turn of the century. Allowing for technology and other obvious differences, there is the same "feel" with unrestrained free market entrepreneurism, robber barons, corruption, crime, etc.
[More from George] I am now into my 5th (!) year teaching in Russia at the Pskov Volny University, one of the few and earliest "independant", i.e., Private, not State connected/supported, colleges now developing in Russia.
It is something like a "liberal arts" school, with a somewhat more open curriculum including law, psychology, sociology, foreign languages, mathematics, computer science, economics and management.
English is required for all students but they may also add German or Dutch after the initial requirements in English are completed.
Last summer the first class graduated ('59 again?) with excellent results on the exams given at other universities from which many of the professors come part-time to give their classes.
I teach History of Western Civilization, American History, American Government, Research Techniques (Methodology/Philosophy of Science) and some advanced English conversation courses.
Alice, Warren (Robbie) Robbins sister is teaching 5th Grade in Greensboro this year, but was here teaching in a Russian school here last year.
My eldest daughter is married to a cardiologist practicing in NY and has a 3 yr. old daughter, so I am, as we say in Russian, a "dedushka". My youngest daughter, having been a French and Spanish teacher for the past three years in the US is now teaching English (as a foreign language) at a school in Poland.
In short, all 4 children are "off the payroll". My house is paid for. And I am feeling very fortunate (and grateful to the AF) to be in the position to do what I want! I've thought about politics, but it takes so damn much money and I'm not sure I want the hassle considering that I would almost surely never be RE-elected! Maybe I'll just be
retired and sing barbershop (my only remaining hobby). I used to be a soccer referee but have had to give that up after having both hips replaced due to arthritis.
If anyone has "leads" on a teaching and/or administration job, I would be interested. Unfortunately, I am NOT certificated, and a Ph.D. and 15 year's teaching/administrative experience cut no ice in the
public school system.

Bio Addendum:

After 8 years of teaching in Pskov and St. Petersburg, Russia, (and
since I taught classes in two or more institutions in each place, I
billed myself as an itinerant professor!), I returned to The Patterson
School where I had been Headmaster in '88 to '90. So I get another
chance (it's not often in this life!) starting 15 May 01 as Headmaster
again!
I greatly enjoyed my time in Russia, have many friends, colleagues and
students, and I hope to be able to visit there some more, although more
limited in scope and time, as well as be instrumental in bringing
exchange students and teachers over to the US.
Classmates are invited to visit the www.Pattersonschool.org (click) website
and/or come and give a lecture to my students or come for longer and
teach a class or two! Anything is possible and negotiable as long as
you don't want a bunch of money!
Room and board I'll provide.
**********************
Looking forward to the 40th. Hope I won't be mired in school problems;
I am planning to attend!
TOM MOORE
Tom Moore, Email click here Phone 702.356.0053 or 703.761.1434 FAX 703.761.3153
6510 Anna Maria
McLean Virginia 22101-1601
Career Brief: Nav/Radar Nav on B-52s - 6 Arclight tours, 236 missions. 7
years at Wright-Patterson - AFIT and Aeronautical Systems Division. 3 Years
on Joint Staff, J-4 Studies & Evaluation Division. Retired LTC. 10 Years
with Vitro, with the last 4 as the Internationational Space Systems Program
Manager. 3 Years self employed (Thomas K. Moore & Associates) as a
technology and information science consultant. Most of my customers are
Japanese.
Personal: Married (33 years) to the former Virginia von Schilling. She
teaches piano here in our home in McLean, VA. 3 adult children. Elizabeth,
31, is a diplomat now assigned to the Executive Secretariat of the State
Department. She travels as an advance person for the Secretary. James, 29,
Captian, USMC, CH-53E Aircraft Commander. Kate, 26, Piano teacher.

FELTS

Bob Felts, email, bobfelts@redtags.us (Bob Felts), click
9156 Tavernor Rd., Wilton, CA 95693
916-687-6872, fax 916-687-7444
Bob Felts's Medical NUTRIBODY Homepage (Click)

 I recently took out the old Polaris yearbook. What a beautiful time 1962 was–egos puffed with success and pending graduation, faces beaming with absolute idealism totally unfettered by future realities. Cream of the crop, nothing but great times ahead! I was caught up in the moment, too, eager to get started, though perhaps nervous with a suspicion that the Academy had not prepared us for the "real" Air Force. I was wrong.

Now, some 45 years later, I look back as I did forward--with excitement. Every moment I spent in the Air Force was a good one--and the Academy gave me a lifelong gift, a blessing that no other college could have: a code of honor.

In these days when my body is failing me and my mind is not so sharp anymore, what Dan Millman said in his book, "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" is truer each day: "There are no ordinary moments." Each one is special and should be cherished as it whips past, the bad as well as the good. My first short marriage that ended in divorce gave me my first son, David, who carries on the Air Force family tradition in the Reserves. The same graduate program that yielded my unfortunate TAC assignment also gave me my life companion, Peggy, who blessed me with three more extraordinary young adults: Shane, Jonathan and Julia, my next generation. The stunningly beautiful mental photographs etched in my brain from the cockpit, especially from the FB-111A at low level, are clearer than memories of miserable alert tours. Friends made in the service are remembered more than the buttheads I ran into. Classmates alive and gone will always be special friends from a special time, long ago. You get the idea.

As we all draw nearer to the final bugle note, there might be a couple things I would change if I could. The rest is fine.

VICCELLIO

Butch Viccellio (aka Henry, Jr) email yeomalt1@aol.com click here
San Antonio, Texas
Tel (210) 829-5254

Retired June 97 after 35 fun-filled years in blue flying all sorts of things,
living all over the globe, doing things I sure didn't go to the zoo to do, but
being a part of the greatest group of people on earth...the USAF! What could
be better? Now on a very steep learning curve at USAA, just got brokerage
license, up to speed on property and casualty insurance, getting deep into
banking and credit card options, and can talk variable annuities with the best
of them...not bad for a guy who prior to retirement talked to his broker once
every ten years whether he needed it or not..but having fun, and another great
group of people. Thought until the last that we would head for Seattle but
you know how those things go... Jack Swonson and Frenchy D'Entremont also part
of the USAA team.
Two great kids...Pilar is 1/Lt in environmental business, currently Support
Group CC's exec at Petersen...on asmt to Lackland...)Really, I didn't do
anything!) Son Ben is graduating from Kenyon College in Ohio in May 98, then
on to grad school in drama somewhere, perhaps Cal Arts in L.A. area..talk
about diversity in offspring!!
Best to all Redtags everywhere...if you need financial help, think about
USAA...products are very competitive, but service is what seems to be secret to our success... Butch

TOMLIN

Troy Tomlin email: troytomlin@sbcglobal.net
Hi Gang-
Another thought regarding our unique experience: I don't know why some
of you think our lives were all that much different from the typical
college student. I came from a little town in Texas and had never even
been in an airplane before I got to the Academy. Within 10 months I had
1. logged at least 7,500 miles in the air,
2. sung in the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. with the
Protestant choir,
3. carefully patted an atomic bomb on its smooth flank,
4. crawled up inside an Atlas Rocket,
5. sat in on a SAC briefing with guys who would be flying at least to
the Fail Safe line, and ready to fly through it if necessary, later that
day,
6. flown at Mach 2.04 over George AFB in an F-104 Starfighter with the
"Fuel-Low" light flashing frantically ever since we arrived at the 40,000
ft level about 10 seconds after lifting off,
7. intercepted and, electronically at least, "splashed" a B-29 off the
Golden Gate in a F-102 Delta Dagger out of Hamilton AFB,
8. drunk the first scotch and water of my life in a penthouse on Russian
Hill in San Francisco with a beautiful girl I had met an hour earlier,
who would later be my first wife, and who I was with in the first place
because an upperclassman ordered me to write to ask her permission to
drink coffee.
Typical college freshman stuff. Could have probably done all that if I'd
gone to the North Texas Baptist Bible College - except for the scotch and
water, of course. Thanks for the memories and regards to all

RON STONER
Ron Stoner Ron Stoner, 66, loved and admired by many, passed away Friday, March 30, 2007, in Las Vegas, Nev. He was born June 1, 1940, in Portland, Ind., the eldest of three children. He graduated from Troy High School in 1958, attended the U.S. Air Force Academy and then transferred to the University of Florida. He proudly played football as a Gator, including the 1962 Gator Bowl, and graduated in 1962. He married his high school sweetheart Melinda Hollis in 1961 and had been happily married for 46 years. He began his professional career with General Electric in Cleveland. In 1967 he and his family moved to Monroe County, Mich. to work for Dana Corp. in Toledo. His career in sales with Dana Corp. lasted for 39 years until his retirement as the Western regional sales manager, in 2006. His travels while working for Dana were many, including moves to Pennsylvania, Sydney, Australia, back to Toledo, Sacramento, Calif. and finally to Las Vegas, Nev. just before retirement. Mr. Stoner was an avid sports enthusiast, whether he was competing himself, watching his favorite team, or cheering for his children or grandchildren. He also was a cowboy at heart, but instead of riding a horse, he would wear a pair of his many cowboy boots to cruise on his motorcycle. He is survived by his beloved wife, Melinda; his four children, Todd and wife Yvonne Stoner of Bowling Green, Tyler and wife Karen Stoner of Iron Mountain, Mich., Toni Stoner of Las Vegas, Nev., and Trisha and husband Fred DeLeon Stoner of Sacramento, Calif.; five grandchildren, Jonathan, Jenna, Jacob, Jorden, and Izabela; two sisters, Joyce and husband Bill Urick and Diana Hines; six nieces and nephews; and 15 great nieces and nephews.
 

LANDERS

Paul Landers email: PLRAIL@aol.com
Sam, I'd like to be registered with the Redtag site. My email: plrail@aol.com
Brief bio: Thirty one years in the blue suit ending as DO of MAC. Accepted
an offer to be director of aviation and travel services for Amway Corp. Side
duties include the executive coach and limos, shuttle buses, the company
yacht, and until this month, the corporate travel office. We've just spun
that off into a full fledged travel agency, and hired a real travel expert to
run it. An interesting aspect of the job is the operation in Orlando; one of
the owners also owns the Magic, and we keep a 737 in Orlando to support their
road trips.
Jo Anne and I live on Railside golf course outside Grand Rapids. Son Scott
flies MD80s for American in Dallas. One grandson. Son Keith has given up his
painting business in Athens GA to return to U GA to finish what he started ten
years ago, and then attend law school. Son Paul III is also back in school,
at Spartan in Tulsa to complete his degree and simultaneously get commercial,
instrument and instructor tickets to begin a flying career.
Jo Anne and I are reasonably healthy and happy with our lives. We have been
very fortunate, and we know it.
We'd welcome communication with my Redtag compadres.

RANDY SCHAMBERGER EMAIL: rschamberg@cox.net
Phone: (850) 897-2509

I was born in Freeport, IL, on 3 Sep 38. My family moved to Florida in 1946
and I have considered that my home ever since. I graduated as salutatorian of
my class from high school and attended the local junior college where I
received an A.A. degree in pre-engineering. From there I headed to the brand
new Air Force Academy, where I graduated with an engineering science major.
Although physically qualified for pilot training, I opted for nav training,
having just finished the nav orientation course at the Academy. It paid off
(in the short run), leading me to graduate first in my class and have my
choice of assignments. Ignoring all the great TAC and SAC assignments, I
chose Patrick AFB, where I would be flying test support aircraft for missile
launches from Cape Canaveral. I ended up flying worldwide missions during the
missile heyday of Polaris, Minuteman, and other pre-Apollo type missions. I
also became a member of the test range commander's aircrew, flying him around
the world to inspect tracking and test sites.
But this great assignment came to a screeching halt when I got my orders to
fly C-123s at Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN. That year was filled with all kinds of
interesting missions: airdrops, ferrying aircraft back and forth from the
Philippines, getting to brief retired General Omar N. Bradley, and finally,
meeting my future wife!
The year passed quickly and soon I found myself back in the States. This time
I ended up at England AFB, LA, where I quickly became checked out in the A-26
and trained aircrews for night bombing of the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos.
After a little more than a year, I headed off to AFIT to get my masters
degree, and from there back to the Academy, where I taught engineering
mechanics and freshmen math. While there, I became an associate coach for the
varsity gymnastics team, received my professional engineer registration, and
our son, Rick, was born.
After fours years, the "gate" called me back to the cockpit. I became a
fightergator at F-4 RTU, Homestead AFB, FL. Originally scheduled to report to
Moody AFB after graduation, I was instead retained at Homestead to upgrade to
IWSO and train new guys. This assignment was short-lived when I received
orders for Osan AB, ROK, after my one year on station. In Korea, I spent the
first three months in the squadron getting checked out and then moved up to be
assistant chief for wing ops plans. Little did I realize the effect this
would have on my career! This was during the time of the controlled OER, and
as it worked out I had nothing but two years of training reports and
abbreviated OERs to meet my first LC board. That resulted in my first
passover. Thank goodness for a great wing commander at Osan, who recognized
my potential, and gave me high visibility jobs (VIP briefing officer, Team
Spirit '77 fighter aircraft turnaround highway landings project officer).
Needless to say, my next time around I got promoted!
After Korea I returned to MacDill AFB, where the wing commander made me his
special projects officer, in addition to my F-4 IWSO duties. After 3 years, I
received "the chance of a lifetime", to go work with the Army developing and
testing chemical defense equipment in a joint-service atmosphere. It was a
great job that lasted 4 1/2 years, but again, I got lost in the Air Force
promotion system, even though I had army 2-stars writing my OERs. (This was
before joint-service became cool). I finally returned to my home base at
Eglin AFB, where I headed the Air Force OT&E programs for chemical defense,
airbase survivability for USAF TAWC. Finally, after 28 years, I retired on 1
July 1990.
Overall, the Air Force has been good to me. Some choices, if I could make
them again, would be different, but I came out alive, so who's to complain!
Given today's climate in the services, I don't think I would do it again, but
that's why there are different people for different times!

 Dick PARKER email address starfix@earthlink.net
Phone: (336) 508-1200

Current Status (4/2001):
I'm living in Greensboro, North Carolina. I was divorced in 1994 after 25 years of marriage. I have three grown kids, my oldest son, a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and an Air Force Captain, stationed at Kleine Brogel Air Base, Belgium. My younger son and daughter are in Greensboro. My x-wife is a Filipina-met her while stationed at Clark. I retired in 1985 (LtCol) and went to work with AT&T as a member of technical staff until downsized out in 1994. I do a bit of work in Hispanic services, but I'm mostly retired. I traded a good income for time after leaving AT&T. I found it difficult to even land an interview at age 55. I'm in good health and swim laps at the YMCA at Guilford College five days a week. I often run into Pete Bobko, who is on the faculty at the college. My main passion now is travel. I spent five weeks in Costa Rica and five weeks in the Philippines last year. I made very sentimental visits to Clark AB and Subic Bay. I plan to visit SE Asia again this year. Also visited my son and his family in Belgium last year.

History:
I spent about half my career as a C-130/RC-130 navigator, stationed at Forbes, Clark (two tours) and Dyess. The other half was in acquisition management, with the E-4 SPO and F-16 SPO (used to see Joe Bill Dryden visiting the SPO on occasion. He was flying the batwing F-16XL). I logged over a year, TDY style, at Tan Son Nhut and Tuy Hoa. Also spent time in Brazil, on photo-mapping missions. Last time I saw lots of RTBs, was at Command & Staff in 1973-1974. John Fer, my old cross-country and track running mate, was there too, having recently returned from Hanoi.
Jim Qualey (non-graduated alumnus USAFA Class of 1962)
email (jqualey1@comcast.net)
Born in Cleveland, Ohio on March 15th 1939. Came to Lowery AFB in June 1958
and somehow survived doolie summer and the first year down in Colorado
Springs. Also got through third class year. Unfortunately (or it seemed so
at the time) got into a family way with my girl friend and left in October
1960. Well, now with the perspective of forty-one years with Mary Kaye, six
kids and six grandkids, it seems like it was a pretty good idea given the
way it turned out.
Anyway, in Oct 1960, I had to go to work for a living. Did that back in
Cleveland for a year, then decided Colorado was a lot better place than
northern Ohio, so we moved back to the Springs. Got back here in time to
see the rest of the class graduate and suddenly realized I had something to
finish--my degree, get a commission, and go to flying school. Graduated
from University of Colorado in 1964 and went to Williams AFB Class 66A.
Graduated from pilot training and got assigned to Reese AFB as a T-38 flight
instructor. That was when I really learned how to fly--well, there was a
lot more to learn, but I sure could handle a cross-wind.
Did two years at Reese and then moved to Randolph AFB in the same job. My
chance at the Southeast Asia war games came in 1969 and I went to McConnell
AFB for F-105 training. In 1970 we finished training but got put on hold
because the pipeline got re-routed. I wasn't going to be a strike pilot
after all. Somebody mentioned Wild Weasels and I asked the dumbest question
I think I ever asked: "What's a Wild Weasel?" I flew all of 1971 out of
Korat AB Thailand and got the brown shorts award with 142 oak leaf clusters.
A brief stop at Kadena AB was followed by an assignment to Nellis AFB for
six years. I flew a bunch of stuff there (UH-1, F-105G, T-38, F-5E) and
really learned to fly. I guess I spent too much time flying and not enough
on PME (yuk!) and got passed over for major. (First-time eligible promotion
rate was around 62% and one had to walk on water to make it.) Got a
master's degree (mathematics) at UNLV and exited the USAF in 1978 with 14
years service and a lot of wonderful memories.
Returned to Colorado Springs and got into the Defense Contractor industry
and have been doing that for the past 22 years. The customer is US Space
Command and Air Force Space Command--a really different bunch of folks from
TAC. I took up fly fishing back then and have come to appreciated Colorado
and its rivers. I'm also guiding part-time for Colorado Fishing Adventures.
Life is good--the kids are all grown, four of them are married, and one of
my daughters lives in Anchorage with her husband who loves fly fishing.
Can't be all bad!

 Gary Baughman
email: gjbman@bellsouth.net


Click on picture for full array of Gary's paintings.

Jeannie and I live in Marietta, Georgia, adjacent to the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield. We have had a great life full of excitement, memorable adventures, fun and good friendships. We have four children between us and five grandchildren. I do a lot of community service work, give private art instruction.  I was in SAC until 1970, then real estate businesses for 35 years, and now a professional artist.

I show my paintings in shows (click to see a few)  all over the country, and fly model airplanes at National Championship level. I use the skills and educational background received at the USAFA almost every day. I am thankful to have been one of the original “Really Tall and Bright."

I received an "A" for life as a result of this Kansas farm boy receiving an appointment to the USAFA. The things I learned and the friends I made are still precious to
me. I achieved my boyhood dream of learning to fly. I saw the world. I never bought a ticket or missed a flight.. Though I long ago traded the blue suit for civilian attire , the officer, the patriot, the man of honor and the willingness to die in defense of my country survive on the inside of me. I'm proud to be an original RTB, 935K.

Warren Snyder spctr@bellsouth.net

As of 2010: Flying  a Falcon 2000 for NetJets, a fractional ownership company. Been flying for NetJets for nearly 11 years now.  I was the Wing Commander at Norton AFB flying 141’s, moved them to March AFB , then since the Wing CC positions hadn’t been upgraded to 07 yet, the Air Force threw me out at age 55.  Went to work flying 747’s hauling freight for Connie Kalitta, then FAA threw me out of Part 121 flying at age 60,  lucked out and NetJets hired me to fly Hawker 1000’s, then bid into the Falcon 2000 about six years ago. Seven days on seven days off.  Great flying job, mostly domestic to most airports that are 5000 feet or more (occasionally less). Some Canada, Mexico and Caribbean.  Airplane goes to Europe and Hawaii once in a while, but I haven’t made one of those yet.   We fly a lot of CEOs and some celebrities. On the night of the Feb, 2010 Shuttle launch we had just taken some people from the Super Bowl to White Plains then were ferrying the airplane back to Ft Lauderdale Executive to give it to another crew to take more Super Bowl people out.  Superb view of the launch.
 

James Mages jgmages@gmail.com

1962 Onward


Geri and I had already found each other in high school in Morton, MN. We were married in Colorado Springs a few days after graduation. I continued in the Air Force with pilot training at Reese AFB TX. Then, in SAC, with the Ellsworth AFB SD 28th ARS, I flew the KC-135 in Vietnam. I flew the C-119 and C-130 with the 934th TAC AFR “Flying Vikings” in Minneapolis, MN where I decided to conclude my 31 year Air Force career as a Colonel.


My parallel career of 31 years as a Northwest Airlines pilot also included instructing and procuring NATCO simulators (Manager of Flight Simulation). I added a commercial glider rating to my ticket on Phoenix layovers while flying for Honeywell during a NWA furlough. While at NWA, I was also involved in a revolutionary heads-up-display (HUD) system with a consortium of airlines and manufacturers. In 2000 I retired from NWA as Captain, flying and instructing in the Boeing 757.


Meanwhile, Geri and I designed and constructed (mostly all by ourselves) our house with attached hangar at Sky Park near Lydia MN. Here we have enjoyed our Piper J3 Cub, Bücker Jungmann and Cessna 170 (with various projects still in the rafters) and cherished friendships in a group of avid vintage airplane enthusiasts called "Marginal Aviation”. After retirement, Geri got me to join her on airline orphan escorting trips, flying to Korea, Thailand and India to bring children to U.S. airports where their adopting families were waiting or medical treatment had been arranged for them.


Son Jim Jr, with his degree in Performance Classical Guitar, decided to fly after all. He became a C-130 AFRes pilot and is now a United Airlines A320 Captain. When daughter Polly was diagnosed with lupus, Geri and I were delighted to help with childcare, including her precious triplets in the fun of living on an airport. Now one of them is a private pilot, flying the daylights out of my J-3, and working toward flying the Bücker, too. Another one, the one who was piloting that same Cub with me (she just couldn't reach the rudder pedals) when she was seven years old, is about to (any day now) make us great grandparents.

 

EMAIL ADDRESSES:

McHugh, Gene - Priorflyer@comcast.net
Rhoades, Roger originalrtb@gmail.com
NLyon@aol.com (Mike & Barbara Rentenbach (click)
galljj@hotmail.com (Jim Gallagher) click
hweatherhead@woh.rr.com (Herb Weatherhead) click
 snowbird1111@hotmail.com  (Ron Poole) click
murle@comcast.net (Murle Wilson) click
rtb62ty@aol.com (Tom Young), click
DJALyon@aol.com (Lyon), click
pdrobin@aol.com (Pete Robinson), click
Tomkmoore@aol.com (Moore), click
jfflan@aol.com (John Flanagan), click
JSmith62@aol.com (Smith), click
redtag01@aol.com (Pete Bobko), click
jnbros@aol.com (John Brothers), click
vdqsbob@aol.com (Bob Connolly), click
yeomalt1@aol.com (Butch Viccellio) click,
JWJamba@aol.com (Jamba), click
rtbt@wctel.com (Ron Taylor), click
owenh@ms.spacebbs.com (Owen Hawkins), click
heshaltman@yahoo.comt (Altman), click
smettler@lucent.com (Mettler), click
chale@marchfcu.org (Hale), click
box@accutek.com (Sam Dehne), click
70773.2576@compuserve.com (Tim Gilmartin), click
wjens77@verizon.net (Bill Haugen), click
georgeharrison7271@att.net (Harrison), click
ShepDonald@aol.com (Don Shepperd), click
bob.lightsey@dau.mil (Lightsey), click
rtb62gmt@hotmail.com (George Thompson), click
UWVF94A@prodigy.com (Allen Jackson), click
(Rokke) Chaos01@comcast.net, click
jstaples@pcisys.net (Staples), click
(Bob Felts), click
newman@ualfltctr.com (Newman), click
tharipper@uswest.net (Rip Blaisdell), click
TomRausch@mac.com (Rausch), click
al@alsigman.com (Al Sigman), click
willienanc@aol.com (Gray), click
deberry@anv.net (DeBerry), click
retusaf84@embarqmail.com (Harry Paddon), click
rschamberg@cox.net. (Randy Schamberger), click
Lee@udayton.edu (Dave Lee), click
WGR666@juno.com (Warren Robbins), click
Dave Holt (2holt@bellsouth.net) (Dave Holt),  click
raymond.reeves@pafb.af.mil (Reeves), click
jqualey1@comcast.net (Jim) click
griffinc@littonwashdc.com (Griffin), click
73765.361@compuserve.com (Don Hallager), click
hal@housernc.com (Hal Keck), click
qplaw@adnc.com (Mike Quinton), click
T.P.McAtee@lmtas.com, click
rscauzil@steelcase.com (Bob Scauzillo), click
dvaughan@afit.af.mil, click
 mitcheckel@icloud.com (Mitch Eckel), click
STucano@aol.com (Mike Major), click
artart@bigplanet.com (Art Farrington), click
allportc@cedarville.edu, click
RUSSfmcal@aol.com (Russ Goodenough), click
donandjoan@aol.com (Don Hutchinson), click
AGillson@mail.bright.net, click
Haltman@indirect.com, click
Penlargo@aol.com (Larry Gooch), click
hoffout@arc.net.com (Dick Hoffert), click
DickKlass@raytheon.com click
GLannon@texas.net, click
blue4mack@adelphia.net (Jim Mack), click
nohman0000@msn.com (Bo Ohman), click
huck@flash.net (Ralph Spory), click
WDMYR@cs.com  (Austin Wedemeyer), click
VMWOOD@aol.com, click
Staib2@aol.com, click
GFCornetet@aol.com, click
cbols@aol.com (Carl Bolster), click
wth928@aol.com (Bill Harvey), click
Caroltee@aol.com. (Carol Coffey), click
 RPKeighery@comcast.net (Bob Keighery), click
JSwonson@aol.com, click
rtb62@aol.com (Bob McNaughton), click
rhop62@aol.com (Bob Hopkins), click
JCHauserSr@aol.com, click
gtwestern@aol.com (Gail Peck), click
crichar713@aol.com (Colin Richardson), click
tom_hutch@msn.com (Tom Hutchison), click
walt@magnus.net (Walt Wicklein), click
pmerkel@erols.com, click
price@datasys.net, click
ralphs@ag.state.ar.us (Ralph Spory), click
radco@telis.org (Andy Banford), click
hjohnston@logicon.com, (Johnston), click
raramse1@crems.rockwell.com (Dick Ramsey), click
frankurban@juno.com, click
eaglebodee@aol.com (Bo Daugherty) click
ReevesR@jntf.osd.mil (Reeves, Ray), click
Guilmartin.1@osu.edu (Joe), click
Troy Tomlin, troytomlin@sbcglobal.net, click
Paul Landers: email email click, PLRAIL@aol.com
spctr@bellsouth.net (Warren Snyder), click
fallon@eecs.wsu.edu (Cliff Fallon), click
mbutle62@bellsouth.net (Mike Butler), click
 jgraham@kineticbiomedical.com (Jim Graham), click
 starfix@earthlink.net (Dick Parker), click
tedneff@myexcel.com(Ted), click
alanlmosher@aol.com (Alan), click
perlotto@attbi.com (Rick), click    phone 408-427-5953
Bradbk65@aol.com(Brad), click
gjbman@bellsouth.net (Gary Baughman), (click)
brad.beck@adelphia.net (Brad Beck), (click)
hackrr@comcast.net (Bob Hackney), (click)
(Dave Bockelman), (click)
(Dan Donovan)  (click)
jgmages@gmail.com (Jim Mages)   (click)
(Bob Baxter)  (click)
(Jim Whitted) (click)

Departed RTB's

Click to find Deceased Classmates

Our Own Classmate, Don Shepperd, co-authored this book   Our Own Classmate, Don Shepperd, co-authored this book   Our Own Classmate, Don Shepperd, co-authored this book


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This thoroughly readable, absorbing history chronicles the air operations known as Misty (officially called Commando Sabre) along the Ho Chi Minh trail during the Vietnam War. Flying mostly F-100s, the air force pilots acted as FACs (forward air controllers) for strike aircraft, directing them to North Vietnamese supply convoys and other targets along the conduit. Newman, a journalist, and Shepperd, a retired two-star air force general and current CNN commentator, launch their account with the story of Howard K. Williams, a pilot shot down on a Misty mission in 1968 and declared deceased in 1978 (his remains were recovered in 1991). They also bring to life a wide cast of Misty characters, including Williams's long-suffering widow, Monalee, daredevil Jim Fiorelli, hyperconfident pilot Dick Rutan and several airmen who were shot down, captured and tortured. Shepperd, a former Misty pilot, also figures in the story, as does Sen. John McCain, who provides the book's foreword. The courage and skill of the pilots emerges clearly, as does the dubious bureaucratic rationale that subjected their families to nightmarish ordeals. A distinguished addition to Vietnam War aviation literature, the volume raises serious questions about both tactics and politics. (Feb.)

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