USAFA Class Heritage Class of 1963

Retired Col Air Force 22: CP (Command Pilot): 

09: Director Military Aerospace, Stavatti Aerospace, Inc.;

15: Director Military Aerospace, Stavatti Aerospace, Inc. Annandale VA;

90-15: Owner/Pres (President) RampartsTech Inc AlexandriaVA;

88-89: V-Pres (President) (Vice President) NationalSecurityAnalystslnc;

86-87: DptyDirSpecPgmMilDptyAcquisition OAsstSecAF(Acquisition) HqUSAF (Headquarters US Air Force);

84-86: V-Cmdr (Commander) (Vice Commander) 57FtrWpnsWg NellisAFB; B0-a3: DirOpns 4450TacGp/DptyCmdrTactics&Test 57FtrWpnsWg NellisAFB;

79-80: CConversionProjO 58TFSq (Tactical Fighter Squadron) EglinAFB;

74-78: AirOpnsStaffO/AsstCofStudies&Analysis HqUSAF (Headquarters US Air Force);

74: Stu (Student) ArmedForcesSC;

72-73: Pit (Pilot) 555TFSq (Tactical Fighter Squadron) UdomABTH;

70-72: Stu (Student) AFIT (Air Force Institute of Technology);

68-70: lnstrPlt (Instructor Pilot) 442CCTSq NellisAFB;

67-68: TacOpnStaffO/ Pit (Pilot) 347FTWg YokotaABJA;

66-67: Pit (Pilot) 354TFSq (Tactical Fighter Squadron)/333TFSq (Tactical Fighter Squadron) TakhliABTH;

65-66: Pit (Pilot) 35TFSq (Tactical Fighter Squadron) YokotaABJA;

64-65: 4523CCTS NellisAFB;

63-64: PltTng (Pilot Training) ReeseAFB; 

2LOM6DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross)-2MSM (Meritorious Service Medal)-16AM (Air Medal)-2AFCM (Air Force Commendation Medal); 

3913 Rose Ln Annandale VA 22003-1942

35th Reunion (1998): On Graduation Day, Dick married his high school sweetheart, the former Alice A. Glim of Fresno, CA. Dave Jackson was best man. The marriage didn�t last forever. He went through UPT at Reese AFB, TX where he learned to fly close to clouds, level-inverted solo, and land in strong crosswinds. He received his wings with Class 65-B in 1964. He completed combat crew training in the F-105 at Nellis AFB, NV with five other members of the Class of �63 (Adams, Ardern, Ekman, Savonen and Schuchter). Dick, the �best fighter pilot�, was assigned in June 1995 to the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan. He quickly became one hell of an instrument pilot logging 37 hours of weather his first 50 hours of flying over a 30-day period. That, on later occasions, saved his buns and those of a couple of other pilots. During three years at Yokota he spent about a year, one-week at a time, sitting nuclear alert and Pueblo� ing in the Green House at Osan AB, Korea. He also spent about a year�s time on TDYs to other exotic places. During this period, he flew 121 combat missions in the F-105D (100 over North Vietnam of which 37 were Route Package VI) while on four temporary duty assignments to Takhli RTAFB, Thailand, flying with the 35th TFS, 335th TFS, 354th TFS and 333rd TFS. It was a great time and place to be flying fighters and he did things with the F-105D that would later cause him to have nightmares. Time Magazine showed a photo of him completing his 100th. Stars and Stripes reported him MIA. At Yokota, he also converted to the F-4C and learned Gibs talk too much about the wrong things and sometimes whimper. He remembers from Takhli, Lucky and Bill Ardern going past 100 missions, and Lee Adams who never made it to 50; Randy Reynolds and Del Miller from Yokota, and Bill Flanigan (RF-4C, Naha), who out of Itazuke seemed to be supersonic over Nagasaki with Dick at six�could have ended two budding careers. While at Yokota, he became the father of two fine sons, Douglas and David. In June 1968, he was assigned to Nellis AFB, NV as an F-111A IP. It was a good assignment and flying. He enjoyed the Flying Edsel more than he lets on, but did not want to fly it forever like Sam Westbrook. Out of the blue, Dick was selected to attend graduate school. He received a master�s degree in Aerospace Engineering (Air Weapons) from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1972. He was happy to be promoted two years below-the-zone to major 1 January 1972. He remembers a six-week summer TDY to Fort Walton Beach with Jim Weaver, using Jerry Adinolfi�s old class notes, and a �62 Red Tag seeing-eye dog, Russ Easter, who got Dick through a course called Contiuum Mechanics. Following graduation, he completed a checkout in the Rivet Haste F-4E at Nellis AFB, NV and returned for a second combat tour as a flight commander in the prima donna filled, world famous, highly respected 555th TFS at Udorn RTAFB, Thailand in December 1972. He completed his second combat tour with 98 combat missions in the F-4E in December 1973. This combat tour was not as �enjoyable� as the first. He was rarely cottonmouth scared. He stopped drinking whiskey one week each month. He remembers Ron Fogleman, Spider Squadron, hell raiser, and Vince Eckelkamp, not. He learned ... more air-to-air tactics ... to be brutal in combat ... to get wars over with quickly and go home. Four times while he was in SEA, between October 1965 and January 1973, the U.S. Had brought the North Vietnamese to their knees, and then ... well, it is history now. After enjoying the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA, he served four years in the Fighter Division of the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff, Studies and Analysis, Headquarters USAF. He did some good work and was one of only three in the Air Force with a �3 OER� on- top who were promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1977. Not quite by coincidence, he was Bill Ardern�s replacement in SAGF and, in turn, was followed by Fred Frostic. He was next assigned to Eglin AFB, FL in the 33rd TFW as Wing F- 15 Conversion Project Officer and F-15A �MR RPI-I� pilot in the 58th TFS. In December 1979, on �special assignment,� he started taking Eastern Airlines Flight 4 to work each Monday flying from Atlanta to Los Angeles and returning home Friday or Saturday. In June 1980, he was permanently assigned to Nellis AFB, NV as Director of Test Operations in the 4450th Tactical group flying the A-7D while assigned to the F-117A Combined Test Force. He bought a house, which he still owns, from Jim Allburn. He was promoted one year BLZ to Colonel 1 June 1981. He remembers Skip Anderson, F-117A CTF Commander and significant contributor to the success of what is now known as the Stealth Fighter, as a leader and as having more patience than Job, the guy in the Bible. He remembers Mike Foley visiting the site with big wigs from Washington, DC and, after a few moments walking around and gazing at the object in a hanger, moving close and whispering �Dickie, what is it?� In September 1981, Dick was reluctantly reassigned to the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing and served as the Deputy Commander, Tactics and Test, flying the F-15C until July 1983. He was Roger Sorensen�s deputy for five months; enough to learn how fine of leader Roger really is. From him, Dick learned �spaces and faces� and inherited a superb organization. It was the best job of his career�did lots of operational testing, tactics development and, on the side, four major air show fire power demonstrations that you would not believe if you didn�t see them. He next enjoyed the National War College, Washington, D.C as a �bachelor.� Following graduation, in June 1984, he was assigned back to Nellis AFB as Vice Commander, 57th FWW, flying the A-10A until May 1986. He felt lucky as his wife was not going to move anywhere else. He did a good job at Wing Vice, but had a couple of bad days and dragged his feet moving into base housing. The Wing received an excellent on an MEL, which was previously unheard of in that 15 squadron, get-the-job- done organization. He was reassigned to Headquarters USAF and served as the Deputy Director of Special Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition) until his retirement 1 August 1987. He was pleased Major General Ron Fogleman agreed to officiate at his retirement. Ron spoke eloquently of the Warrior. Among his military decorations are the Presidential Unit Citation with one oak leaf cluster and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with valor device and four oak leaf clusters. He was also a member of the 555th TFS for a period it was awarded the Hughes Trophy. After retiring, he remained in Arlington, VA joining Barry Meuse, and later Bill Ardern, at National Security Analysts Inc doing studies for the Air National Guard. Alice and he divorced in 1988 after two years of separation. In 1989, Dick founded Ramparts Technologies, Inc. He planned to seek his fortune by build-up a professional services company performing studies and analysis. He is still seeking his fortune. And is still doing Ramparts. He also works as a consultant to the Institute for Defense Analyses. He has been involved in a number of business adventures with classmates, most notably Bud Gilligan, but also Ed Pickens, and thought about it with Larry Eastman and Bill Ayers. He counts Jake Jacobcik (who is so old he doesn�t need sleep) and Doug Hardgrave (who used to be the best dancer in the class) as his reprobate buddies. He reads regularly about U.S. Grant and from Joe Lee Burns� cache of wise remarks. He keeps in shape doing a Par Cors �Fit Trail� at a Regional Park near his home and plays tennis, golf and bridge He hosts for World Learning, Inc. youth from foreign countries. He participates in local USAF Academy Alumni activities with the likes of Jim Hannam, Dean Hess and Devere Henderson. He is proud to be of the Class of �63. 

Following By Jimmie H. Butler: Dick and I were at AFIT at Wright-Patt in the 1970-1972 era. While dressing one morning in the pre-dawn darkness, I managed to pull a shirt without collar brass from my closet. Dick very enthusaistically pointed out the error of my ways and enjoyed my plight considerably. Not long afterward, I understand he showed up wearing brown shoes but managed to escape the building before I caught him. When I discovered Dick had been flying F-105s in SEA during part of the time I had been a Nail FAC out of NKP, I wondered if he might have been a member of Electra Flight on 17 April 1967. That afternoon over Steel Tiger in Central Laos, two F-105s on a Gatling-gun pass had run-in at about 90 degrees off the assigned heading and nearly got me in my O-1 Bird Dog. I considered telling them that it didn't count toward being an Ace if you shot down the FAC. Anyway, one day in the hallway at AFIT, I said to Dick, `Maybe you`re the Thud driver who almost shot me down.`  Without hesitating, Dick asked, `Were you in that F-4?` I think there's a story there, folks.