I was born in Fremont Michigan in 1945 and grew up in western Michigan.  I attended Michigan Technological University in Houghton, MI and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering.  While in college, I was in the Air Force ROTC program and attended UPT at Laughlin AFB, TX  shortly after graduation.  After UPT I went through A-1 RTU training in Class 69-13 at Hurlburt  Field  and reported to Pleiku to begin my tour with the 6th SOS in late Sept 69.  On 1Nov69 I was sent to NKP with most of the rest of the 6th SOS pilots and became a Zorro (22nd SOS).  After almost 2 months of flying mostly night missions I received my Christmas present -- transferring to OLAA at DaNang on 26Dec69.   I was overjoyed to be a Spad again!  The missions and flying as a member of OLAA were the most rewarding of any place in the theatre and have become even more meaningful to me now after having met some of the Special Ops guys we were supporting.

On 6Jul70 I flew my last mission as a Spad (160 missions).  After returning to the States my next assignment was in B-52s.  Not exactly what I had in mind but no amount of effort could change that so I was stuck.  I ended up back in SEA in ’72-’73 flying the 52s (115 missions) – what a different mission that was from flying close air support in the A-1.  I left the Air Force in August of 1973 with little prospect of airline work due to the down turn in the industry.   I used the GI Bill to get my ATP and worked for an FBO doing some charter flying for a while but the ‘73-‘74 fuel crisis soon put an end to that.  I then used my EE degree and joined corporate America working in manufacturing management for several different companies over the years, mainly in Minnesota, retiring to Texas in 2007.

I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 47 years. We have two great children and two beautiful little granddaughters who we spend a lot of time with.  When I look back at my time in the Air Force my best memories are from my time in OLAA.  I was doing an important and very rewarding mission, flying a great airplane with few restrictions because of our mission, and doing it with the best group of guys one could ask for.