Section i pilots
Sections I and II were both a part of class 73-06, yet rarely saw each other. One section flew in the morning and had academics in the afternoon. The other section did the opposite. The morning/afternoon routine was swapped at intervals. If you see this word beside a pilot that says...
NORDO!
...it means NO RADIO, which means, in pilot-speak, he has lost communications. Our NORDO guys need to be found. Please contact the site manager if you can help find any of them.
Section I Student Commander
Del has had a storied career. Here it is in his own words:
After retiring from the AF I went to work for Boeing in Seattle where I worked until I retired from Boeing in March 2007. At Boeing I worked on the B-1B program for about 5 years where I studied potential sensor upgrades to deal with “Strategic Relocatable Targets” (mobile ICBMs mainly). It was still the “cold war” back then. From there I went to the ATF program (F-22 prototype competition) where Boeing was teamed with Lochkeed Martin and General Dynamics where I worked as a Radar Engineer. We eventually won that competition and the program went on to become the F-22 program. I left the F-22 program to work on the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Boeing was one of the competing team leaders on that program. I spent about 5 years on the JSF program as the Chief Radar Engineer in charge of development of the Radar system for the operational version of the JSF. We eventually lost that competition to Lockheed Martin but it was the most rewarding programs I ever worked on with Boeing as I got to see the fighter design process from start to finish on that program which was really fun and exciting. After losing the JSF competition I went back to the F-22 program where I worked as a Radar engineer on radar upgrades until I retired.
During the last 20 years my primary recreation has been fishing on my 24 ft Bayliner Trophy fishing boat. I have salmon fished all over the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands in that boat. I lost interest in fishing a few years ago and sold the boat last fall. Now I concentrate on RVing in the West and Northwest in my 32 ft Travel Trailer.
Chet flew B-52s and put in a full career in SAC. He entertained us at Branson with lots of SAC stories. After his retirement Chet and Gina established their home in the Los Angeles area and he he became qualified as a physician's assistant, which he did until his second retirement in 2021. They return twice a year to Chet's farm in Missouri.
Al flew A-7s at Davis-Monthan AFB and Korat, Thailand. He finished out his career in the Air National Guard and put in 25 years with United. He and Eleanor, whom he met while at Vance, live in Huntsville, Alabama.
NORDO!
"Dutch" served in C-141s after leaving Vance. He flew for Continental Airlines and retired in Texas. He attended the Estes Park and Enid reunions. We have not heard from him since then.
NORDO!
Steve was a popular guy in our class. You couldn't "not like" Steve. He was exuberant, good-spirited and easy to talk with. He was also a good pilot. But Steve ran into problems in the T-38 formation phase. Painfully close to graduation, Steve left us. In today's UPT he would have gotten his wings.
Steve has not been heard from since the sad day he said his goodbyes, but we consider him a part of our class.
Pete enjoyed a great career in the USAF, flying first C-130s and then C-141s, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. After that he became the headmaster at Metro Tech Aviation in Oklahoma City. He retired from there after many more years of service and lives in Edmund, Oklahoma with his wife Countess, whom he met in Enid during UPT.
Pete and Ahmad patrolling Oklahoma skies in a Cessna. No
hostile aircraft will get past Tulsa on this day.
Pete and Countess
NORDO!
Butch didn't finish due to a health issue but he was with us so long we consider him a part of the graduating class. Butch was last seen in 1983 at Howard AFB, Panama where he was serving as a staff judge advocate.
Chip left us to fly C-141s, which he did for his first tour, and then transferred to the reserve. He joined United Airlines, serving there about 30 years, retiring as a Boeing 777 captain. He and Cindy live in St. Charles, IL.
NORDO!
Charlie flew C-141s and then separated and joined American Airlines. He came to the first reunion but we haven't heard from him since. Last known somewhere in Montana.
John flew C-130s and then left active duty for the AF Reserve. He retired as a Lt. Col. He worked for the FAA and became United Airline's principle operating inspector. He and Denise live in Denver and have attended most of the reunions.
I'm from the FAA and I'm here to help you.
John and Denise
Willie joined the Thunderbirds as their narrator for 1981. They moved him into the number 2 position in 1982 season. Sadly, he never flew a show. He was killed, along with Numbers 1, 3 and 4 during a practice session at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field northwest of Las Vegas (now Creech AFB). This has become known, famously, as the "Diamond Crash." Visit the Memorial Page for more information of Willie's crash.
MIke flew KC-135 tankers until his hitch was up. After that he joined Northwest Airlines which was aquired by Delta, He retired as a Delta captain. After that he and Jean moved to Detroit Lakes, MN where they live on Lake Sallie. Each has their own airplane. Mike and Jean have attended all the reunions.
![IMG_4905[18481].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/bed90f_6d4ba8c63355486f96a8c0f0057b96f8~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_112,h_63,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/IMG_4905%5B18481%5D_JPG.jpg)
Ahmad came to us from Iran when that country was friendly to the U.S. They must have sent the friendliest guy in their land. Ahmad was an instant favorite in 73-06. He returned to Iran to fly F-4s and fought in the 7-year Iran/Iraq war. After retiring from the Iranian Air Force he immigrated to the U.S. and re-united with his old friends from Vance. He is now married, living and working in a mid-west city. He has attended several reunions.
With daughter
Ahmad (front row right) with some squadron mates in the Iranian Air Force..
Phil, a degreed engineer, was studious and focused. And a good pilot. He loved to relax and unwind with his wife, Lynn and his fellow students. He departed Vance with a C-130 in his pocket bound for the Michigan Air Guard.
Less than a year after graduation Phil was killed one of the most high profile crashed in the C-130 world. Visit the MEMORIALS pages to to learn more about Phil and understand what happened.
NORDO!
Steve got an assignment flying T-33s in the Air Defense Command. After that we don't know much. Steve has not been involved. He was last known retired in San Antonio.
Jack got an F-4 assignment, which he flew in Korea. Then it was O-2s at Shaw AFB, SC. He left active duty and joined his family's business in Topeka. He has been to most of the recent reunions.
Jack and Shellie at the first reunion
Jack and youngest grandchild, Arlo
Woody went of to fly Phantoms, serving at Ubon, Thailand. After his tour he separated and returned to Wichita where he joined Koch Industries from which he retired. Woody has attended all the reunions.
Woody and the Phantom at the Air For Ce Museum
