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Contact Info
Home Town Fresno, California
Last Address Fresno, California
Date of Passing Dec 30, 2019
Location of Interment Fresno Memorial Gardens - Fresno, California
He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on Feb 14, 1952. During his USAF career he flew/worked on the A-26 Invader, the B-36 Peacemaker, the SM--65 Atlas E missile, and the B-52 Stratofortress.
While flying as a tail gunner on a B-52D during a combat mission over Hanoi, North Vietnam, on Dec 28, 1972, his aircraft was hit and he was forced to manually bail-out, as the early-model B-52's didn't have ejection seats for the gunner. He was taken as a POW by the North Vietnamese and was held in captivity for the next 91 days. After his release during Operation Homecoming on Mar 29, 1973, he continued with his Air Force career and retired as a Chief Master Sergeant on Jan 31, 1979.
Aircraft/Missile Information
Model Convair B-36D Peacemaker Length 162.07 ft | 49.40 m Width 229.66 ft | 70.00 m Height 46.75 ft | 14.25 m Engine(s) 6 x 3,500 hp Pratt & Whitney R-4360-41 air-cooled radials plus 4 GE J47-GE-19 turbojet engines. Empty Weight 171,035 lbs | 77,580 kg MTOW 418,878 lbs | 190,000 kg Max Speed 439 mph | 706 km/h | 381 kts Max Range 7,500 miles | 12,070 km Ceiling 45,197 ft | 13,776 m | 8.6 miles Climb Rate Not Available Hardpoints 0 Armament 12 x 20mm cannons in nose, tail and fuselage barbettes
Up to 86,000 lbs of bombs held internally. Accommodations 15 Operators the United States of America
