Charles B. Neel
Preferred Name: Charlie
Nickname/Call Sign: Charlie (Misty-22)
Date Of Birth: August 5, 1938
Highest Military Grade Held: Colonel, O6
Hometown: Big Stone Gap, VA
Biography
Misty 22
Loved flying the “Hun.” Lucky enough to get to fly as a MISTY FAC (M-22) at Phu Cat. Shot down only once (37MM); rescued feet wet off Dong Hoi, NVN.
“Bud” Day was he first of us to get downed; I, with Guy Gruters, was second. Guy was shot down, again, on his second mission after his first shoot-down, with Bob Craner; they were captured and did 5.5 yrs in the pokey.
Units Assigned
- 1956- 1957 Cadet, AFROTC, Penn State University
- 1957- 1961 Cadet, USAF Academy; commissioned 7 June 1961
- 1961 – 63 Pilot Training, Craig AFB, AL (Graduated #1 in Academics, Flying and Overall in class) (T-37/T-33)
- 1963 Fighter Interceptor Training, Perrin AFB, TX (F-102A)
- 1963-1966 319th Fighter Interceptor SQN, Homestead AFB, FL (F-104A)
- 1966 TAC Fighter Course, Luke AFB, AZ (Class Top Gun) (F-100C/D)
- 1967-1968 416th TAC Fighter SQN, Bien Hoa & Phu Cat AB, RVN (143 Missions, North Viet Nam as “Misty” FAC, F-100D/F)
- 1968-1970 Royal Air Force Exchange Pilot, No. 5 SQN, RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, UK Lightning (F-6)
- 1970-1971 Student, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL /Student, Auburn University (Master of Business Admin) (T-33)
- 1971-1974 Faculty, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL (T-33/T-39)
- 1974 TAC Fighter Course, George AFB, CA (F-4C/D/E)
- 9/1974-1/1975 Commander, 432 Field Maintenance SQN, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand; Pilot, 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-4E)
- 2/1975-7/1975 Chief, Contingency Plans, HQ 7 AF,Nakhon Phanom AB, Thailand
- 8/1975-8/1977 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC/Chief of Wing Weapons & Tactics, Wing Chief of Safety, Operations Officer, 334th Tactical Fighter SQN (F-4E)
- 8/1977-2/1978 Student, NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
- 3/1978-6/1980 Chief, War Plans, HQ 4 ATAF, Ramstein AB, Germany
- 7/1980-7/1981 Assistant Chief of Staff/ADP and Exercises, HQ 4 ATAF, Ramstein AB, Germany
- 9/1980 (HQ 4th Allied Tactical Air Force moved to Heidelberg, Germany)
Awards & Decorations
Silver Star
Legion of Merit (with oak leaf cluster)
Distinguished Flying Cross (with 4 oak leaf clusters)
Air Medal (with 14 oak leaf clusters)
Purple Heart
Flight Info
T-33
T-37
T-39
F-102 A
F-104 A
F-100 C/D
F-4 C/D/E
F-6
Military Education
- 1956-1957 AFROTC, Penn State University
- 1957-1961 USAFA, (Engineering Science)
- 1965 SOS (Res, DG)
- 1970-1971 ACSC (Res, DG)
- 1977-1978 NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
Civilian Education
- 1956 High School Irwin (PA)
- 1956-1957 Aeronautical Engineering, Penn State University
- 1970-1971 MBA, Auburn University
- Biography
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Biography
Misty 22
Loved flying the “Hun.” Lucky enough to get to fly as a MISTY FAC (M-22) at Phu Cat. Shot down only once (37MM); rescued feet wet off Dong Hoi, NVN.
“Bud” Day was he first of us to get downed; I, with Guy Gruters, was second. Guy was shot down, again, on his second mission after his first shoot-down, with Bob Craner; they were captured and did 5.5 yrs in the pokey. - Units - Education - Awards - Flight Info
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Units Assigned
- 1956- 1957 Cadet, AFROTC, Penn State University
- 1957- 1961 Cadet, USAF Academy; commissioned 7 June 1961
- 1961 – 63 Pilot Training, Craig AFB, AL (Graduated #1 in Academics, Flying and Overall in class) (T-37/T-33)
- 1963 Fighter Interceptor Training, Perrin AFB, TX (F-102A)
- 1963-1966 319th Fighter Interceptor SQN, Homestead AFB, FL (F-104A)
- 1966 TAC Fighter Course, Luke AFB, AZ (Class Top Gun) (F-100C/D)
- 1967-1968 416th TAC Fighter SQN, Bien Hoa & Phu Cat AB, RVN (143 Missions, North Viet Nam as “Misty” FAC, F-100D/F)
- 1968-1970 Royal Air Force Exchange Pilot, No. 5 SQN, RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, UK Lightning (F-6)
- 1970-1971 Student, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL /Student, Auburn University (Master of Business Admin) (T-33)
- 1971-1974 Faculty, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL (T-33/T-39)
- 1974 TAC Fighter Course, George AFB, CA (F-4C/D/E)
- 9/1974-1/1975 Commander, 432 Field Maintenance SQN, Udorn RTAFB, Thailand; Pilot, 25th Tactical Fighter Squadron (F-4E)
- 2/1975-7/1975 Chief, Contingency Plans, HQ 7 AF,Nakhon Phanom AB, Thailand
- 8/1975-8/1977 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC/Chief of Wing Weapons & Tactics, Wing Chief of Safety, Operations Officer, 334th Tactical Fighter SQN (F-4E)
- 8/1977-2/1978 Student, NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
- 3/1978-6/1980 Chief, War Plans, HQ 4 ATAF, Ramstein AB, Germany
- 7/1980-7/1981 Assistant Chief of Staff/ADP and Exercises, HQ 4 ATAF, Ramstein AB, Germany
- 9/1980 (HQ 4th Allied Tactical Air Force moved to Heidelberg, Germany)
Awards & Decorations
Silver Star
Legion of Merit (with oak leaf cluster)
Distinguished Flying Cross (with 4 oak leaf clusters)
Air Medal (with 14 oak leaf clusters)
Purple HeartFlight Info
T-33
T-37
T-39
F-102 A
F-104 A
F-100 C/D
F-4 C/D/E
F-6Military Education
- 1956-1957 AFROTC, Penn State University
- 1957-1961 USAFA, (Engineering Science)
- 1965 SOS (Res, DG)
- 1970-1971 ACSC (Res, DG)
- 1977-1978 NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
Civilian Education
- 1956 High School Irwin (PA)
- 1956-1957 Aeronautical Engineering, Penn State University
- 1970-1971 MBA, Auburn University
- Images
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- Video
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