Early Life
I was born in Rockford, Illinois on May 28,1937. Graduated from East High School in 1955 and enlisted in the Air Force on July 14, 1959.
Enlisted Life
My enlisted career after basic training was entirely at Keesler AFB, Mississippi. I went to electronics school and upon graduation remained there as an instructor until OCS started in July 1962.
OCS Memories
OCS was a key for the future in teaching responsibility, discipline and teamwork. While those six months were not fun, what I learned was well worth the time spent, on the wall, scrubbing floors with tooth brushes and doing push ups.
Life After OCS
My officer career started at Larado AFB in pilot training. After pilot training I transferred to Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas as a T-33 and T37 instructor pilot. I left active duty in May 1968 and joined Northwest Airlines as a pilot. I returned to the Air Force active reserves in 1970 as a C-141 pilot at McChord AFB, Washington. In 1972 I was transferred back to Minneapolis with Northwest and gave up the AF Reserve flying and joined the North Central Region Liaison program as the Region Reserve Training Officer. During my assignment with the North Central Region I served in many various jobs ending with a six year assignment as the North Central Region Reserve Commander. I retired from the Air Force Reserves in August 1989, as a Colonel, after 30 years in the Air Force.
On May 28, 1997, I retired as a B-747 Captain from Northwest Airlines. During those 29 years I flew the B-707, B-727, B-757, DC-10 and the B-747. I was based in the following cities: Minneapolis, MN; Seattle, WA; Detroit, MI; New York, NY; Honolulu, HI; Los Angles, CA.
My wife, Eileen, and I moved to Henderson, NV in 1992 as we prepared for retirement. To get away from the summer heat in Henderson we spend the summers at our lake home in Northern Minnesota. We have three children (Linda, Brian & Jeffrey) and six grandchildren
Life Today
After my retirement I started another career as a tax preparer and office manager with H & R Block Tax Service. This keeps me busy about four months a year and out of the casinos. I play some golf and spend the summers fishing and boating. Eileen and I sure haven’t any complaints about this wonderful life and all the opportunities that the Air Force opened up for us.
