USAFA Class Heritage Class of 1963

I was born in Manville, N.J. on 29 May 1939 and, because we didn't have a high school in my home town I graduated from Bound Brook High School (N.J.) in 1957. Like most future USAFA cadets I played many of the major sports and was active in clubs and school politics. I attended New Jersey Boys' State and was President of the Student Council as a senior. I was accepted to West Point, and a few civilian schools but I accepted an academic scholarship to Lehigh University contingent on my playing football. It took me a year to realize I was not a football player but I did enjoy AFROTC - especially when the young Captain would take me up for a plane ride in his government issued L-19. The Captain liked my attitude (I think I was the only man who took his course seriously) and he suggested I look into the Air Force Academy which I didn't even know existed in 1957. I was very fortunate to get into the Academy as a "First Alternate" and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Commission in 1963. I attended Craig AFB in Selma, AL from August of 1963 to September of 1964 flying the T-37 and T-33 trainers. Lynne (Sullivan) and I were married in December of 1963 and we lived in Selma until graduation. Lynne attended Lorretto Heights College in Denver. Following nuclear weapons school at Carswell AFB I attended B-52 training at Castle AFB, CA then reported to my first (PCS) assignment, Robins AFB, GA in January of 1965. In October '65 I completed survival school at Stead AFB, NV. I was a B-52G Copilot until mid 1967 when I became an Aircraft Commander. Our two boys, Scott (USAFA Class of '87) and Kevin (TCU Class of '90) were born at Robins. In 1968 most airlines had a hiring boom and I tested the waters. I had a few job offers but I selected Delta Air Lines due to their growth potential. I left active duty in Nov '68 and after training in Atlanta, Delta sent us to Chicago (O'Hare Field) where I flew as a Flight Engineer on the Convair 880 for one year then moved to the First Officer seat on the same aircraft. The first "fuel crises" hit in 1973 and Delta parked all their CV-880's and purchased Boeing 727's. In February of 1969 I joined the Illinois ANG at O'Hare flying the C-97, KC-97L, KC-135A and the KC-135E. I held various leadership positions in the Squadron and Wing, was an Instructor Pilot, completed Squadron Officer School, Command and Staff and National Security Management all by correspondence. Our family was completed with the birth of our daughter, Nicole (C.U. '94) in 1972. Finally on 5 June 1988 I retired from military service exactly 25 years from the date of graduation from USAFA. My Delta career continued as a B-727 First Officer from 1973 until 1979 when I checked out as Captain on the "three-holer" then soon became a Line Check Airman. In 1988 Delta management asked me to take the Chief Pilot job at O'Hare and I remained in that position until Delta chose to close the Chicago Pilot Base in 1994. Rather than accept another management job I returned to the line to fly the Boeing 757/767 aircraft out of Atlanta then Salt Lake City where again I flew as a Line Check Airman. We moved to Colorado Springs in May '96 as Colorado seemed like home to the four family members who went to school there. The last three years with Delta I commuted to Atlanta to fly the Boeing 767ER as a L.C.A. primarily flying to Europe and South America. Mandatory retirement came at age 60 in May of 1999. I thoroughly enjoyed both careers and wouldn't change a thing. I've often told my family and friends, "Years ago I looked for work but never found it. Instead I found two great jobs." Lynne and I enjoy Colorado and are avid Air Force fans. We've also sponsored cadets which is most rewarding. Above all Lynne and I are most proud of our wonderful family. They are productive, solid Americans and the seven grandchildren are following in their parents' footsteps. Our daughter, Nicole lives in CA with her United Airlines pilot husband (Mark-Marine pilot, ret.) and their two children Owen and Ellie. Kevin lives in Seabrook, TX with his wife Courteney and their three children; Katelyn, Andrew and Madelyn. Kevin works for Ameran Corp., Corteney is a school teacher and Katelyn is deciding on a college. We're favoring Texas A&M. Scott lives in Parker, CO with his wife Sue and children Chet and Cameron. Scott, too is a pilot for United. To complete the circle Chet has been accepted to West Point, Annapolis and USAFA (Class of 2017) His maternal Great Grandfather graduated from West Point (1933), his maternal Grandfather graduated from Annapolis (1961) while Scott '87 and I are Zoomies. CASE CLOSED! GO FALCONS!! 35th Reunion (1998): I attended Craig AFB for UPT along with many of my Second Squadron mates. Half way through training I married my wife, Lynne (Sullivan) who attended Loretto Heights. I welcomed my bride to the sunny South by driving through an Alabama snowstorm the last day of 1963. After graduation from UPT I found myself in the grips of SAC (B- 52s) where I remained throughout my active duty career. My PCS assignment was to Robins AFB where our two boys were bor, Scott in 65 and Kevin in ’67. I was lucky enough to get my own crew in ‘67 and thoroughly enjoyed the airplane and the mission. The airlines, however, were hiring and in late ’68 I answered their beckoning call. I had job offers from a couple of the large airlines, but I went with Delta where there was more potential for growth. Delta sent me to Chicago’s O’ Hare Field in Feb. ’69 and I stayed in the Chicago area until September of ’94 when our pilot base was closed. The last six years were spent on the management side of the business as ORD’s Chief Pilot for Delta. Our family was completed in Chicago with the birth of our daughter, Nicole. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been very lucky. I’d seek work but never found it. Instead I found two great jobs, the Air Force and Delta Air Lines. The Air Force career continued at O’ Hare Field with the 108th Air Refueling Squadron, where I flew the KC-97 and the KC-135A/E. Some of my fondest memories and best friends are from those National Guard days when our missions were accomplished maximizing professionalism and fun. Joe Palazzola and Karl Hemeyer (both 63 grads) were key member of our unit. I retired from the Guard in June, ’88 with exactly twenty five years in the military. After Delta closed the pilot base in Chicago, I elected to go back to flying rather than accept another Chief Pilot position. As a result, I’ve been flying the B-767 since September ‘94. We moved to Colorado Springs in ‘96 as Colorado seemed like home with four out of the five of us having gone to school there. We travel much of the time as we’re pretty much as airline family. Scott (USAFA ‘87) is a pilot for United and a tanker pilot for the AZ Nat’] Guard; Kevin (TCU ‘90) is a National Sales Manager forr Regional Health Supply in Arlington, TX and is married to Courtney a Delta Fight Attendant based at DFW; and Nicole (Univ. of CO “94) is a United Flight Attendant based at SFO. All this makes it a little easier to see Kevin and Courtney’s two children in Ft. Worth and Scott and Sue’s little boy in Phoenix. The good Lord, the Air Force and Delta have been good to Lynne and me. I’m proud to say we have a wonderful and productive family—a nice legacy, I think, to leave.