David Anderson Hometown: Hillsboro, ND Current Home: Leesburg, VA; Thailand Major: Chemistry, Business Administration Additional Education: Pilot and Navigator Training, USAF and United Airlines Email: cobber67@aol.com Two days after graduation, my draft board informed me I was the number one guy on their list. To beat the draft, I enlisted in the Air Force. Training was not done in the soft, friendly atmosphere of Concordia, but I survived, going on to make the Air Force a career. From enlisted to officer to navigator school, eight months in Sacramento was very interesting. Graduating high in my class, I selected to fly a C-130 to Langley AFB. During the next three years, I had two tours in Vietnam. I had a few thrilling adventures and worked with many interesting people. At the end of my second tour, I was selected for pilot training, a dream since I was four or five years old. Pilot training was demanding, but fun. I selected Wiesbaden, Germany, as my next assignment. The squadron I joined flew old but nice C-118s (DC-6) to fly VIPs around Europe. The most interesting trips were flying the U.S. Ambassador to Russia and the President of Germany to Berlin. After Germany, I was sent to a career-broadening assignment in Intelligence. Pretty boring stuff until I was selected to work with a small group that helped plan the rescue of the hostages in Iran (mission impossible). Before that plan was executed, I returned to flying, training at Altus AFB and then on to Dover AFB where I spent the last 10 years of my career flying the C-5 Galaxy, at that time the world’s largest airplane. Many interesting trips, especially when inflight refueling. I managed to take in all three USAF professional military education courses. At Dover I met and married my wife, Siriwan, who is originally from Thailand. After 23 years it was time to retire. Fortunately, United Airlines hired me as soon as I retired. First came 727 flight engineer and 737 first officer in San Francisco. Then it was 737 in Chicago, 757 and 767 in New York and finally 767 and 777 in Washington. I flew as a first officer in all those planes so I could have better control over my schedule. At age 60 I was forced to retire. Now we split our time between our home in Leesburg and our condo and home in Thailand. Over the years, I’ve done a good deal of charity work and was honored with the Alumni Achievement Award for bringing large numbers of recycled eyeglasses to the needy of Thailand.
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