Username Protected wrote:
Steve,
I grew up @ Beale (1966 - 1974) while my Dad was with the 9th SRW. He was a staff officer / T-38 IP & part of the original 9th SRW organization. He was encouraged by his SR pilot buddies to transition to the front seat of the SR (we never called it the "Blackbird" & only the Kadina locals called it "Habu". We simply called it the "SR"); however, he was flying on a nonspecific T-wave EKG waiver & was sure that closer cardiac examination would render him a desk-pilot. He ended up with nearly 1,000 hours in the T-38. That's a lot of 45 minutes flights.
U-2's were just on the horizon as he retired in 1974. I've always thought it interesting that the U-2 was looked upon as the unwanted stepchild then, and that it's operational life has been has been twice as long as the SR's. The U-2 gives such big bang for the buck and it remains the only manned "ground up designed" recon plane left in the inventory. A really great airplane. Most initial SR-71 pilots came from either B-58's or U-2's (some, like Billy Campbell came from Edwards, but even he had recon time in B-57's). My Dad's long time flying buddy, Tony Bevacqua, came from U-2's & was Gary Power's roommate while training @ the Ranch. I've touched Frances Gary Powers crumpled U-2 at the Central Armed Forces Museum in Moscow. His favorite Wing Commander Pat Halloran also came from U-2's.
After enlisting in the Air Force in 1974 I was stationed at Offutt AFB with the 544th ARW. My Dad told me to read about the Oxcart program. As a little two-striper it was fairly entertaining; all my friends fathers were in it & it answered may previously unanswered questions.
I remained the family "failure" when my Air Force career didn't put me in the front or left seat of an airplane. I think the old man's finally over it though & loves me for the ne'er do well kid I've always been
I suspect that the U-2's days are numbered. UAV's & satellites will do the job from here on out.
I do enjoy your reminiscences. Keep'em coming.
Don,
Your dad picks good friends. I saw both Tony and Pat at the U-2's 60th Reunion in Sacramento last September. Both are legends in the U-2's. They were part of the original group that showed us how to do what we do. We use pretty much the same procedures they developed back then to get the mission done now.
We used to have 5 U-2 drivers here in Lubbock. One was John Shinn. He was one of the original CIA pilots (solo number 34). He was backup pilot to Gary Powers on his flight over Russia. Came within about 30 min of replacing Gary on that flight. He passed away 4 years ago to cancer. He's second from the left in the picture I've attached. 4 of the 5 drivers in Lubbock made it to dinner together that night. John also had flights over Russia. We overflew Russia for 4 years prior to Gary getting shot down. Marty Knutson, who passed away last year, made the first overflight. He later became the head of NASA's Aeronautics Division (the first A in NASA). Those first flyers were real pioneers and pilot's of the first degree. I could only hope to match their achievements.
Looking at your airplanes, I'd say you've probably become a pretty accomplished pilot yourself and a credit to your father.
Cheers, Steve
