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This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and

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Bartholomew, Rudolph D.

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  • Bartholomew, Rudolph D.

Rudolph D. Bartholomew

Preferred Name: Rudy
Highest Military Grade: 0-8 – Major General
Hometown: Battle Creek, MI
Headed West Date: September 7, 2010
Biography
Pilot Information
Headed West

After serving 37 years in the Army Air Force/USAF, Rudy “:attended the Southwest Florida Criminal Justice Academy in 1987 and became a Florida Certified Law Enforcement Officer.

He was a part-time Deputy with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office where he volunteered service, on the road, in the air and on marine patrol. In the Special Services Bureau, He also was a US Customs Officer with the Blue Lightning Strike Force for drug interdiction; a Commissioner of the Naples Airport Authority; and a FAA Safety Counselor in the Naples District. He retired from Collier County in 2008 after 20 years of service.” (1)

Source: (1) https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/battlecreek/name/rudolph-bartholomew-obituary?id=22971793

Units Assigned

  • 1946 Enlisted in Army Air Force
  • 1949 Discharged with the rank of Sergeant
  • 1952 Commissioned, 2nd Lt. in USAF
  • 1953 172nd Fighter Squadron, MIANG, Kellogg Field
  • 1954-1955 Pilot Training Class 55-J
  • 1955-1969 Battle Creek MIANG
  • 1969 Air University, Montgomery, AL
  • 1970 Air War College
  • 1970 Project officer in transfer of historic Selfridge from the USAF to the Michigan NG
  • 1970-1975 Commander Selfridge ANG Base, MI
  • 1975-1981 127th Tactical Fighter Wing, Selfridge AFB, MI
  • 1981 HQ, MIANG, Commander, Selfridge, Battle Creek, Alpena, Lansing
  • 1984 Retired USAF after 37 years of service

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

F-100

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • Air University
  • Air War College

Civilian Education:

  • 1953 Bradley University
  • 1987  Southwest Florida Criminal Justice Academy, became a Florida Certified Law Enforcement Officer.

Rudolph D. Bartholomew, MGen USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on September 7, 2010.

Major General Rudolph D. Bartholomew, U.S.A.F. Retired Major General Rudolph D. Bartholomew, U.S.A.F. Retired, of Naples, Florida died unexpectedly on September 7, 2010.

Born and reared in Battle Creek, Michigan, he graduated from St. Philip High School in 1946, and enlisted in the Army Air Force. He was discharged in 1949 with the rank of Sergeant and was accepted at Bradley University, Peoria, IL, the same year. He received a commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the USAF in 1952 and his degree in 1953. He then returned to Battle Creek and became a member of the Michigan Air National Guard, the 172nd Fighter Squadron at Kellogg Field. In 1954 he was selected for USAF Pilot Training Class 55-J. After receiving his wings in returned to the Battle Creek ANG Base where he served until 1969.

He lived in Battle Creek, with his first wife, the former Nellie Hagan of Washington, IL, and raised 4 children until he was selected to attend Air University in Montgomery, AL. After attending the Air War College Class of 1970, he was assigned to Selfridge AF Base, near Mt. Clemens, Michigan, as the project officer to transfer the historic Selfridge from the USAF to the Michigan ANG. He was selected to be the first ANG officer to command Selfridge ANG Base that was the host for units of all five branches of the US Armed Services.

In 1975 he was assigned to Command the 127th Tactical Fighter Wing at Selfridge and served until 1981. At that time he left Selfridge and was assigned as Commander Headquarters Michigan Guard with units at Selfridge, Battle Creek, Alpena and Lansing. He retired from the military in 1984 after 37 years of service.

In 1981 he married the former Mary Vertin of Mt. Clemens, MI. They moved to Naples Florida in 1984. He attended the Southwest Florida Criminal Justice Academy in 1987 and became a Florida Certified Law Enforcement Officer. He was a part-time Deputy with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office where he volunteered service, on the road, in the air and on marine patrol. In the Special Services Bureau, He also was a US Customs Officer with the Blue Lightning Strike Force for drug interdiction; a Commissioner of the Naples Airport Authority; and a FAA Safety Counselor in the Naples District. He retired from Collier County in 2008 after 20 years of service.

He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Mary, three of his four children: Mark of Franklin, NH; Matthew of Altadena, CA and Paula Nix (Ron) of Harrison Twp. MI., He is also survived by six of his eight stepchildren. Marie Cornillie (Sandy) of Naples, FL; Thomas Vertin (Kathy) of Harsens Island, MI; Paula Abdilla (Joseph) of Algonac, MI; Joyce Guilfoil (Paul) of Ocala, FL: Steven Vertin (Jean Mondesire) of Tustin, CA; and David Vertin (Christine) of Naples, FL; thirty-three grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

The General has been predeceased by his sister Emily Louise Garriga of Clinton, MS; daughter Patricia Sinke of Lansing, MI; daughter-in-law Annette Bartholomew of Altadena, CA; stepchildren William Vertin of Palm Springs, CA, and Susan Budzinski (Timothy) of Fair Haven, MI and grandson Brett Abdilla of Algonac, MI. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Phillip Catholic Church in Battle Creek Michigan on Thursday September 23, 2010 at 12:00 noon. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent in General Bartholomew’s memory to: Selfridge Air Museum, 27333 C. Street Bldg. 1011, Selfridge ANG Base, Michigan 48045″

Published by Battle Creek Enquirer on Sep. 19, 2010.

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