MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The Air Command and Staff College welcomed aviation legends to inspire students through their experiences and triumphs during the 35th annual Gathering of Eagles event, May 29 –June 3, 2016, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
The Gathering of Eagles was first established when retired Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets, a pilot of the Enola Gay and former Air Command and Staff College student, was invited in 1980 to visit the school to share his insights and experiences.
Today, the program serves as an annual capstone event for ACSC that brings pioneers in aviation history to spend the week with ACSC students to share their past experiences with and provide inspiration to a new generation of leaders.
“There’s another element that we can’t teach and that’s leadership and caring for people,” said Maj. Mindy Davitch, ACSC student. “All of their stories are inspirational, but they all have common themes: they care about others, they have a sense of duty, a sense of service, and they all want to serve others. Having this as the last week of our year helps people understand and put in perspective what we’ve learned and how to implement that in life.”
A few notable past Eagles include Gen. Curtis E. LeMay, Eugene F. Kranz and Lt. Gen. James H. Doolittle.
This year’s honorees came from a broad spectrum, ranging from World War II pilots to veterans of the Iraqi conflict.
Throughout the week, the Eagles told their stories and the students had the opportunity to learn about Air Force history from veterans who lived it firsthand.
When asked what she hopes the ACSC students take away from her story, Dawn R.B. Seymour, a former Women Airforce Service Pilot member, said that she can only tell her life experiences and “it’s up to the students to decide what they take from it,” but she added that she is proud of the talent, skill, knowledge and dedication that she has seen here.
“We want to inspire future leaders of generations and give them an opportunity to learn where we’ve come from and where we’re headed. It’s a conversation the past is able to have with the present,” said Davitch.
The Eagles:
Gen. Charles Boyd
Boyd was captured and held prisoner at Hanoi Hilton for 2,488 days before his release Feb. 12, 1973. He was the only prisoner of war of the Vietnam War to achieve the rank of general.
Col. Dean Caswell
Caswell was a Marine Corps fighter pilot and combat veteran of WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Caswell has become famous for surviving more than 100 combat mission and never receiving damage from enemy fire.
Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole
Cole served as Col. Jimmy Doolittle’s copilot on the first bomber launch from the USS Hornet on the Tokyo Raid.
Lt. Col. Leo R. Gray
Gray served as a pilot of the 332nd Fighter Group, the first all-black flying unit. He completed 15 combat missions over German-occupied territory and logged in 750 flying hours. Gray left the military in 1946; however, he remained in the Air Force Reserve until 1984, serving a total of 41 years.
Col. Gail S. Halvorsen
Halvorsen has become known by the moniker “the Berlin Candy Bomber” for dropping candy to the children of Berlin during the Berlin Airlift. He received the German Service Cross to the Order of Merit from the president of Germany for his humanitarian efforts. Halvorsen is also noted for his work as a rocket scientist. He aided in the design for the Titan III launch vehicle as well as the initial design of the space shuttle and Skylab.
Gen. LeRoy J. Manor
Manor is a combat veteran of WWII and the Vietnam War. He commanded the Joint Contingency Task Group that conducted operations in the Ivory Coast and Kingpin, the special-operations raids to free prisoners of war in North Vietnam. Manor set the operational standards that form modern joint special operations task forces.
Brig. Gen. Amir Nachumi
Nachumi flew more than 300 combat missions, and he led four of eight F-16s sent to destroy the Iraqi Osirak nuclear reactor in fear that it would be used to strike Israel. After flying at a low altitude for a long duration, the team destroyed the target.
Col. Gaillard R. Peck
Peck enhanced combat capabilities for the joint war fighter by initiating CONSTANT PEG, a training program putting Air Force, Navy and Marnie Corps aircrews against realistic fighter threats. Peck’s innovated training method resulted in higher degrees of proficiency in aircrews.
Dawn R.B. Seymour
Seymour is one of the first female military pilots as a member of the Women Air Force Service Pilots. During her service, she trained gunners for the D-Day invasion and duty in the Pacific theater, she flew approximately 700 hours in a B-17. She continued her service as the WASP association president and was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010.
Col. Edward D. Shames
Shames parachuted into Normandy on D-Day, fought against the German counterattack in the Battle of the Bulge and assisted in the liberating of Nazi concentration camps and the capture of Adolf Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. Shames is the last surviving officer of Easy Company, 3rd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, or the Band of Brothers.
Col. Leo K. Thorsness
Thorsness is a Vietnam War combat veteran and a founding father of the “Wild Weasel.” He flew 92 Weasel missions over Vietnam before being shot down and captured by the North Vietnamese. He was held as a prisoner of war for six years and received the Medal of Honor upon arriving home in 1973.
Master Sgt. Timothy A. Wilkinson
Wilkinson was awarded the Air Force Cross for his pararescue actions during the Battle of Mogadishu, or also known as “Black Hawk Down.” He conducted a fast-rope insertion into the crash site and provided emergency medical treatment to survivors.