Colter, Craig G.

Craig G. Colter

Preferred Name: Craig

Date of Birth: June 14, 1938

Highest Military Grade: 0-6 – Colonel

Hometown: Eagar, AZ/Palo Alto, CA

“I loved the Air Force. Nowhere else could I have been privileged to fly the wonderful machines and associate with the caliber of people that populated my world in the AF.”

Units Assigned

1960 Pilot Training, Moore AB/Laredo AFB, TX (T-34, T-37, T-33)
1962 F-100 RTU, Luke AFB, AZ
1963-1965 522TFS, Cannon AFB, NM (F-100, four months combat out of Danang AB, VN)
1965-1966 171st Infantry Brigade, Ft. Wainright, AK (ALO/FAC, Army U-6, T-33 at Eielson AFB)
1966-1968 4517 CTS, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100 Instructor)
1968- USAF Aerospace Research Pilot’s School, Edwards AFB, CA (Test Pilot/Astronaut Training, various aircraft, including NF-104)
1969 F-105 RTU, McConnell AFB, KS
1969-1970 354 TFS and 355 TFW, Takhli RTAFB, Thailand (F-105, Sqd. jock and also worked in Wing Weapons shop, flew combat missions)
1970-1973 3246 Test Wing/AFSC, Eglin AFB, FL (Dual current in F-4 and F-105, was Director of A-7 Seek Eagle Program, flew weapons test missions and development test missions for laser and EO guided weapons, other weapons)
1973- 1975 336 TFS, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC (F-4, Sqd. Operations Officer)
1975-1976 War College, NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy
1976-1978 NATO HQ, Air South, Naples, Italy (Operations Staff Officer)
1978-1981 388 TFW, Hill AFB, UT (F-4, F-16, was Wing ADO and DO, part of the team that brought the first F-16 wing to operational readiness)
1981-1982 HQ TAC, Langley AFB, VA (Director of Fighter Requirements TAC/DRF, defined requirements for Dual Role Fighter/F-15E, and ATF-which developed into the FA-22, upgrades to F-16, F-15, and A-10)
1982-1986 HQ AFOTEC, Kirtland AFB, NM (Director of Test and Evaluation, directed efforts of test teams all over CONUS and Europe, including those testing space systems, aircraft, weapons, and communications systems)

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

T-34
T-37
T-33
Army U-6
F-100
F-104
F-105
F-4
F-15 E
F-16
A-10
F-22

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

1960 USMA, West Point
1976 War College (NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy)
1969 USAF Aerospace Research Pilot’s School (TPS-1969)
Various schools and several survival courses

Civilian Education:

1956 Palo Alto HS

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

Craig G. Colter

Units Assigned

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

Military & Civilian Education

Wall of Honor Location

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