USAFA Class Histories

• Pat's Ring has a central place of honor with our class cups. The original USAFA crest and our own 1963 crest serve as "honor guards" and the toast from the Air Force Song says it all.

• Pat Wynne, Class of 1963, was shot down over North Vietnam in 1966. Declared missing in action (MIA) and later killed in action (KIA), Pat's remains were repatriated in 1977. His class ring was missing and considered lost. It took 42 years for Pat's ring to come home.

While working for Consortium Companies in Southern China, American Herb Schaffner made an amazing discovery at his Chinese wife's family village near the North Vietnam border. Her relatives had in their possession a U.S. Air Force Academy ring, class of 1963, belonging to Maj. Patrick Edward Wynne, shot down over North Vietnam on 8 August 1966.

The Chinese family cared for Pat after he was shot down. He died in their care. They preserved his ring for over 40 years until Mr. Schaffner arranged its return to Pat's family in 2008.

At our 50th reunion in 2013, Pat's brother, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne, made a formal presentation of the ring to our class.