The picture contrast and brightness were adjusted to improve the clarity of the faces. Unfortunately, the sun was at the back. This picture is the 3506TH PILOT TRAINING SQUADRON only - approximately 1/2 the class. Letters designate whether someone graduated: N-Navy Academy, A-Army Academy or O-Other. The names of those in this picture are L to R:
1st row: Bill Volkstadt(A), Jim Seay(A), Gerry Samos(A), Leland Floyd(A), John Lapham(A), Jim Thompson(N), Jack Poirier(A), Bob Thornquist(A), Wayne Shannahan(N), Alex Rupp(A), Al Oppel(A), and Carl Cathey(A).
2nd row: John Sullivan(N), Bill Dickson(A), Mat Small(N), Jim Ray(N), Ken Schwarz(C), Reb Young(A), Dick Smith(N), Tom Phillips(A), Bob Miesenheimer(A), and Bill Spangler(N).
3rd row: Norm Palladino(N), Chuck Stoekel(A), Walt McCrillis(A), Dick Secord(A), Bob Hammond(N), John Robertson(C), Capt. Kussman(Instructor), Lt. Seafort(Instructor), Pat O'Connor(N), Ed St.George(N), Pete Odgers(N), and Al Edwards(A).
4th row: (All instructors) Anderson, Joern, Korzan, McGee, Longley, Guessford, Cox, Wilbanks, Sperry, Maxwell, Paul, and Jones.
There are a few differences between the above listing of names and the below listing of instructors and students. Records show 72 graduated. Of these 9 were not USMA or USNA. 40 were Army and 23 were Navy. The picture shows the squadron that graduated 33 and only 11 were Navy. The other squadron graduated 39. Between the 2 squadrons there were 23 Navy alumnae.
The Air Force ran pilot training differently than the Navy. The first 6 months was called primary and the class was located at 3 places: Mission, TX and Bartow, FL and Malden, MO. The class started August 1955 with some in P-18 Piper Cubs and some in the brand new T-34 Cessna Mentor. After about 40 hours, students moved up to T-6 Texan (same as SNJ) and T-28 North American. The second 6 months was called basic and led to the award of pilot status and wings. I believe students had to chose either multi-engine or jet for basic and were assigned to one of several bases. The Greenville class was jet (Lockheed T-33) and a combination of students from the 3 primary bases. After graduation pilots were assigned in some cases directly to an operating squadron but in most cases to 6 more months of intensive training in the aircraft they were to fly when assigned to operating squadrons.
I (your Webmaster) am in the picture hanging on the T-33 strap. I went on to All-Weather Interceptor School at Tyndall AFB, Panama City, FL where we learned to fly the F-86D. Others went to the same training at Perin AFB, TX north of Dallas.
Comments are welcome. If you have similar pictures of other locations graduating, please contact me as they would make great additions to this page. Just click here to contact me.
Norm Palladino (24)
Your Webmaster
WING REVIEW ......................................0830
GRADUATION CEREMONY...............................O900
1. INVOCATION.................CHAPLAIN ESTES L. LEWIS
2. STAR SPANGLED BANNER.........3505TH AIR FORCE BAND
3. INTRODUCTION GUEST SPEAKER....COL RUSSELL K. BROCK
4. GRADUATION ADDRESS
5. PRESENTATION DIPLOMAS AND WINGS
6. CONVOCATION.................CHAPLAIN ESTES L. LEWIS
INSTRUCTOR STUDENTS
l. l/Lt Paul J. Canney 2/Lt Michael F. Armstrong
2/Lt John C. Daly, Jr.
2/Lt Donald H. Peterson
2. l/Lt Edwin M. Cooper 2/Lt Joseph E. Clarkson
2/Lt Eugene A. Crosby
2/Lt John K. Leventis
3. l/Lt Donald A. Griffing 2/Lt Robert H. Binish
2/Lt Dempsie A. Davis, Jr.
4. l/Lt James J. Holtkamp 2/Lt Edwin M. Anderson, Jr.
2/Lt Robert E. Evans
2/Lt Robert O. Wray
5. l/Lt Jerry E. Newlon 2/Lt Richard A. Bianckino
2/Lt Philippe 0. Bouchard
6. l/Lt Jack Nicholson 2/Lt. Reginald R. Davis
2/Lt Frank L. Donald, Jr.
7. l/Lt Harry H. Osbun 2/Lt Roland L. Nordlie
2/Lt Wayne T. Sturdevant
8. l/Lt Gene G. Winn 2/Lt John E. Gauldin, III
2/Lt Daniel B. Geran
2/Lt Jerry M. Gilpin
9. l/Lt Gerald D. Zieke 2/Lt Raymond G. Lyden
2/Lt George L. Monahan, Jr.
2/Lt Francis G. Neubeck
1O. 2/Lt George D. Bushey 2/Lt Russell B. Hodges
2/Lt John L. Pickitt
2/Lt Gaylord B. Treu
11. 2/Lt Garner H. Devoe 2/Lt Gerald D. Dickey
2/Lt Charles L. Flynn
2/Lt Richard H. Rogers, Jr.
12. 2/Lt Gordon J. Milliken 2/Lt Francis M. Greene, Jr.
2/Lt Sarida B. Helms, Jr.
2/Lt John S. McDonald
13. 2/Lt Richard E, Novak 2/Lt Leslie R. Holland, Jr.
2/Lt James B. Johnson
2/Lt Walter LeCates, Jr.
14. 2/Lt Francis X. Sees 2/Lt Myron D. Harnly
2/Lt William W. Harris, Jr.
2/Lt William J. Hock, III
INSTRUCTOR STUDENTS
1. l/Lt Ross C. Cox 2/Lt Carl H. Cathey, Jr.
2/Lt Marshall W. Dickson, Jr.
2. 1/Lt Thatcher D. Jones 2/Lt John R. Robertson
2/Lt James E. Seay
3. l/Lt Dorman B. Moose, Jr. 2/Lt Alan M, Edwards
2/Lt Leland D. Floyd
4. l/Lt Donald R. Paul 2/Lt John S. Lapham
2/Lt Walter C. McCrillis
5. 2/Lt Donald L. Anderson 2/Lt Thomas J. Phillips, II
2/Lt John T. Poirier
6. 2/Lt Clinton E. Butts 2/Lt Alexander K. Rupp
7. 2/Lt Wayne K. Guessford 2/Lt Robert A. Hammond
2/Lt James S. Ray
8. 2/Lt Darold J. Korzan 2/Lt Patrick J. O'Connor
2/Lt Albert F. Oppel
2/Lt Peter W. Odgers
9. 2/Lt John D. Longley 2/Lt Kenneth A. Schwarz
2/Lt Richard V. Secord
10. 2/Lt James G. Maxwell 2/Lt Wilson H. Spangler
2/Lt Edward F. St.George, Jr.
2/Lt Brewer H. Young, Jr.
11. 2/Lt Edward V. McGee 2/Lt Robert A. Meisenheimer
2/Lt Norman K. Palladino
12. 2/Lt Franklin L. McMillen 2/Lt Charles G. Stoeckel
2/Lt John R. Sullivan
2/Lt James L. Thompson, Jr.
13. 2/Lt Robert F. Sperry Jr. 2/Lt Gerald J. Samos
2/Lt Robert Thornquist
2/Lt Wilfred G. Volkstadt
14. 2/Lt Hilliard A. Wilbanks 2/Lt Wayne K. Shanahan
2/Lt Irvin M. Small
2/Lt Richard S. Smith