Bill Schwertfeger Honored
On 30 May 2018 Lt Col Bill Schwertfeger, USAF Retired,
fighter pilot, mentor, and past resident of the Hilton*no
not the one that gives Hilton Honor points*was a guest of
honor at the 2018 Gathering of Eagles. The Gathering of
Eagles is the capstone event at USAF Command and Staff
College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.
The guests of honor are all airman of note or have
accomplished significant achievements in aviation.
The Gathering of Eagles was first started in 1986 as a way
for the class to both honor those who have achieved much in
the field of aviation and for the class of majors to learn
about those who accomplishments mush first hand. These
achievements were usually accomplished at great risk.
The honorees got to talk to the class in a formal setting
and then attend the graduation banquet. During the formal
talk, the students were able to ask questions of the honoree
to further their knowledge.
Lt Col Schwertfeger was on his second combat tour. On 18 Feb
1972, he was flying as a Wolf FAC (Forward Air Controller)
in southern North Vietnam on a SAM (Surface to Air Missile)
hunting mission. An SA-2 missile site that he was not aware
of, fired a missile that destroyed his F-4D. He ejected and,
as luck would have it, landed in the middle of North
Vietnamese Army forces who were moving south to take part in
the Easter Offensive. He was quickly captured and ended up
in the Hanoi Hilton. He suffered at the hands of the Cubans
who interrogated him to try to find out about the LGBs
(Laser Guided Bombs) that were being used by USAF forces.
After 407 days in captivity, he was released.
In addition to the F-4, he flew the F-15 and was an
instructor at the USAF Fighter Weapons School. Lt Col
Schwertfeger's awards include 3 Silver Stars, 3
Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star Medal, 2
Purple Hearts, and 35 Air Medals. Following retirement, he
flew for American Airlines.
His time as a POW gave him a desire to give back to this
nation by giving presentations to military and civilian
groups about his faith, pride in country, sense of service,
and determination to succeed. All of which helped him
survive while in prison. He has taught leadership classed at
several universities in Oklahoma and Kansas and visits with
student pilots at Vance AFB, OK, where he speaks on the
military Code of conduct. He is the current CinC Rat at the
Risner Pack of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots
Association.
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