O’Neill, Joseph E.

“In 1954 at the age of 16, I enlisted in the Tennessee ANG and was assigned as a mechanic in the engine shop. Followed the advice of the grizzled Sergeant in charge of the engine shop, “son you best learn to fly’um”.   I applied for active duty pilot training and started training as an Aviation Cadet in August 1958.

Graduated from pilot training January of 1960 and reported to Perrin AFB, TX for training in the F-86L.  After training, I was assigned to Williams AFB, AZ as a flight instructor. I arrived at Willie Air Patch in September 1960 and flew the T-33 and T-38.  Left active duty in Feb 1965 and joined the Arizona ANG and completed a local transition into the F-100A and flew that sweet machine until October 1966.

The AZ version at that time had the -21A engine and it was a real mover. As you are aware the F-100A was air superiority only. What a mission and what a sweet machine. I then transferred to the Colorado ANG to fly the F-100C. Again a local checkout.  Never went to Luke or had formal gunnery training. I asked the ops sergeant John Candelaria who was the best and he told me Jack Wilhite and Tom Risan.  I set down with them one at a time and received outstanding briefings. The rest was OJT on the gunnery range.

Our unit was recalled to active duty in Jan 1968 and in May of 68, I was pleased and honored to be selected for Vietnam and took part in ferrying our “C”‘s from Denver to Phan Rang AB and back.  Stops along the way were Hickam AFB, HNL, and Anderson AFB, Guam.  After our return to Denver, the 120th transitioned to the F-100D.  In 1974 I went to Myrtle Beach for A-7D transition. I flew the SLUF until retiring in 1977 in order to be a more hands-on Dad with my sons. I was so honored to fly not only with men like  Wilhite and Risan but also with BG Walt Williams, BG John France, Col Bob Cherry and so many more.

Starting in 1966 I concurrently had a career with Continental and United Airlines.  Mandatory retirement from passenger flights came at age 60 in August 1998.  In Vietnam, I was one of the squadron maintenance test pilots and after retirement from line flying, I was fortunate to switch to maintenance test pilot with Continental Airlines.  I continued in that capacity after the merger with United Airlines.  At the tender age of 76, I decided I’d had enough packing suitcases, living in hotels and non-revving to Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, and Manila for test flights and I retired effective July 31, 2014.

I dId get a good laugh on one of my last flights.  Along with a younger 67-year-old test pilot I conducted a full post-maintenance test flight on a B777 with subsequent ferry flight from Beijing to San Francisco.  Flight time was about 11hrs, 30min.  Checking out of the hotel in Beijing there was a UAL line crew checking out at the same time.  They asked where we were going and when we told them they asked where’s the rest of your crew.  When we told them “this is it” all kinds of discussions pursued like “is that even legal”.

What a great ride and my heartfelt thanks to the people of the USA and the US Air Force for giving me such a great career.”