USAFA Class Histories

Joe came to the Academy from Oak Ridge, LA, having a Congressional appointment. He completed UPT at Craig AFB, AL, and gunnery school for the F-100 Super Sabre at Luke AFB, AZ. His first operational assignment was as an F-100 pilot in the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) at RAF Lakenheath, England. During his tour at Lakenheath, he returned briefly to the States in September 1966 to marry Marsha Wilson. Marsha moved to Lakenheath with Joe. Since that time, she has been the best part of his life, sharing every part of his career and supporting him in his every goal.

In 1968 Joe was assigned to the 474th TFW to fly the F-111 Aardvark, which at the time was being withdrawn from combat duty in SEA. As soon as he arrived at Nellis, Joe volunteered for SEA duty and, after flying only a few hours in the Aardvark, the Air Force reassigned him back into the F-100 for a tour at Bien Hoa in the 3rd TFW. Joe flew over 200 combat missions from Bien Hoa; then in 1970 he returned to the F-111 in the 474th at Nellis where he served as an IP in the 442nd Combat Crew Training Squadron (CCTS). He was moved to Plattsburgh AFB, NY, in 1973 in the SAC-TAC exchange program to fly the FB-111 in the 380th Bomb Wing. In 1975-76 he completed the Naval Command and Staff College in Newport, RI; then he returned to Nellis as an F-111 pilot and executive officer in the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing (FWW). In 1977 Joe was appointed commander of the F-111 Fighter Weapons School and assigned to create a detachment of the 57th FWW and move the F-111 school from Nellis to Mountain Home AFB, ID. After establishing the F-111 Weapons School Detachment at Mountain Home and commanding it for two years, he was selected to command the 390th TFS in the 366th TFW at Mountain Home. In 1981 Joe was assigned to TAC Headquarters at Langley AFB, VA, as Director of Program Control in the Requirements Division. Next, he completed the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C.; then was assigned as the Vice Commander of the 20th TFW at Upper Heyford, England, again flying the F-111. He then commanded the 513th Tactical Airlift Wing at Mildenhall, England, during 1985-87, flying the EC-135. His final active duty assignment was as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations at NATO`s AIRSOUTH Headquarters in Naples, Italy.

Joe retired on 1 July 1989; then he and Marsha moved back to Oak Ridge, with their two sons, Joe III (born in Las Vegas in `72) and Sam (born at Mountain Home in `78). After leaving the Air Force, Joe found employment as a charter pilot in Monroe, LA. He has continued to work in this field and still flies some charter flights while he serves as president of Legacy Aviation at the Monroe, LA, Regional Airport.  Written 1998

Following contributed by classmate Jimmie Butler:

On behalf of the United States Air Force Academy Class of 1963, I want to offer our sincerest condolences to Marsha and the rest of Joe's family and to his many friends in his beloved Louisiana.  As the article states, Joe was a great guy and he was a great American. He was a combat veteran of the Vietnam War in which 18 of our classmates were killed in action.

I'm glad that I had a chance to visit with Joe at dinner with the Trolls of 20th squadron in October at our class's 45 year reunion. He was the same as I remembered him from nearly 50 years earlier, funny and personable.  I told some classmates last night I don't know of anyone who was smiling more often--and if he wasn't telling a funny joke, he usually looked like he was up to something funny.  He was reminding me in October that he probably knew the back of my head better than that of anyone else in the world.  That was because when we had to line up alphabetically for anything, Joe Cabuk was usually directly behind Jimmie Butler. 

We have lost a treasured individual and classmate and we pray for the best for Joe's family.

Jimmie H. Butler

Colonel, USAF, Retired

Proud Classmate of Joe Cabuk in the USAF Academy Class of 1963