One last photo, unrelated to anything in this article:
Quite a ’67 gaggle here! In the front row from left are Art Tait, Paul Henry, Buz Carpenter, Gary Koldyke, Ed Folz, Joe Burke, Skip Pumfrey and Tom Griesser. Upper Left: Chuck Heflebower, Loren Shriver, Larry Thal and Pete Knepell. Behind Joe Burke, lower right: Bob Barnum and Roger Carleton. Behind Larry Thal, upper left: Pete Milne and Bill Gerber. Grads with sunglasses: Jerry Wenner and Rick Bebee. Third row upper right: Marty Chambliss and Chris Dysart. In case you were not aware — there has been At the Academy, he was on the soccer team and a passing of the torch on the AOG Board: Roger was commander of CS-13, the Honor Squadron of Carleton has moved on and is presently fishing in 1967. After graduation, he married his high school Montana. Jack Fry continues as AOG Board treasweetheart Nancy and vacationed in Mexico until surer. Thanks to both of you for your continued beginning pilot training at Williams AFB. First he service to ’67 and all grads. flew the C-141, then he transitioned to the RF-4C. From John aka JMac McCrillis, who sometimes He served RF-4C tours in RVN and Thailand in ’70 reports his bike rides on Facebook: “…I got to and ’71; then went to Kadena AFB. In ’75, he transhare a ride about two weeks ago with my niece sitioned to the SR-71, which he flew until ’81. He from our hometown of Middleboro, MA, to Plymflew more than 65 missions in the Blackbird. outh, MA, and return, about 35 miles… I had a He returned to the U.S. and worked in Plans meeting in Boston and escaped a day early to make and Resources at the Pentagon until ’85. He then this ride. The next day was her birthday. Great returned to flying in the F-4E and later the F-16, time and got to visit with all her family. Sobering and he was commander of the 70th Tactical Fighter thought... my niece has grandkids! In school! I am Squadron. He moved with his family in ’87 to Eustill working, seeing patients three days a week, rope, first to high- level jobs at HQ USAFE, then providing oral appliances for folks with diagnosed to Ramstein AFB where he in ’90 commanded the obstructive sleep apnea. We work entirely on refer377th Combat Support Wing. In September ’91, he ral from physicians and the bulk of our patients transferred to Beale AFB as CV of 2nd AF; then in ’93 see us because they have dueled with their CPAP as CV of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing with machine and lost. Oral appliances are not quite as its U2 reconnaissance mission. He served there until efficacious but considerably better tolerated. Plus his retirement from the USAF in January ’95 no power required… I should be retired as of 1 Jan He continued to work post-AF retirement in a 2018… Looking forward to seeing everyone in number of positions in the intelligence, surveillance October. Another Frat Five member, John Retelle, and reconnaissance (ISR) communities until 2013. now lives here so we get together every so often In 2013, he joined Concept, Inc. as vice president and refine our stories…” for business development, and then moved to L-3 I had a call a while back from Les Gabriel, who Communications. advised me that Buz Carpenter had been selected Over the years, between assignments and travelfor induction to the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame ing about the country, he and his family — wife, this coming October. Les and Buz’s wife furnished Nancy, and daughters Kristin, Kimberly and Kelli — me with a copy of Buz’s bio which formed the basis explored the “depth and breadth of Buz’s passion for his selection. Not all of us know Buz well so I for aviation,” including such sites as Kitty Hawk, have included a summary of this impressive docuCape Canaveral, landings of the space shuttle and ment below: various air shows. Adelbert “Buz” Carpenter was originally from For many years he has volunteered as a guest Pennsylvania but grew up in northern California. speaker about the SR-71 and aviation history to He had an early interest in aircraft likely related various audiences ranging from the Girl Scouts, to to his father’s being an aeronautical engineer schools, community and business leaders and orgawho for a time taught at the Brazilian Air Force nizations. In 2013, he completed extensive docent Academy. His nickname originated from buzzing training by the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum sounds he made as a child, mimicking the sounds Udvar Hazy Center at Dulles International Airport. of light airplanes. After high school graduation, he After 10 years, he was recognized for having given the attended Oakland City College while awaiting his most Air and Space Museum VIP tours. Well done, acceptance to USAFA. Buz — the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame chose well.
Abner Haynes chilling in Utah. MAKE YOUR PLANS FOR THE REUNION!! See you there! Adios my friends — God bless the troops and their families, and God bless America. –Larry Wilson, 13100 Pinehurst Ave. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111; Home: (505) 291-8949; Lwilsn628@aol.com (Update Your Profile! Graduates can now enter their non-rated career field into the AFSC title box in their Member Profile at www. usafa.org or call 719-472-0300 extension 132, Mr. John Rice. It is important for all grads to keep their profiles updated with career and contact information so we can stay connected with you! Please update your profile today so we have accurate information for the Register of Graduates.) HELLO ’68! In thinking about all the time that has gone by since we threw our hats into the air at Falcon Stadium, I thought it might be a good idea to have our class president, Phil Pignataro, get our reminiscing going by catching us up on what he’s been doing since hanging up his Air Force blues.
1968
Our class president and his family. From left are Greg, Martha, Phil, and Taylor Pignataro. PRESIDENT PHIL REMINISCES AND ENCOURAGES CLASS TO ATTEND OUR 50TH: Phil writes, “My family and I left Maryland and the D.C. area in November, 1993, and moved to Chicago, which was the United Airlines domicile for the Airbus A320. I flew as a first officer for three years, then moved to the Boeing B-777. UAL used this aircraft mostly on international routes to London, Paris, Frankfort, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo. Checkpoints · September 2017 · 115