Curtis M. Burns

 

Preferred Name: Curt

Nickname/Call Sign: Curt

Date Of Birth: 06-15-1931

Highest Military Grade Held: O-4, Major

Hometown: Bryan, TX

  • Curtis M. Burns - before
  • Curtis M. Burns - now

Biography

After Retirement

Joined the College of Business Faculty of my alma mater, Texas A&M University where I managed Executive Development and Management Courses for Business and Industry until I was able to retire from the University in 1986.

As I had shot pistol competition on various Air Force Pistol Teams to hone my survival skill as a fighter pilot, I revived a defunct collegiate pistol team at A&M and have been the volunteer coach of the team for the past 34 years. Still going strong at 76.

Other Comments

Serving my country during two hot wars and a cold war for 21 years was the highlight of my life. Flying different Air Force fighters for a good part of it was the best part. I had the interesting experience of serving as a combat ready Fighter Pilot in the F-100C on the cutting edge of the Cold War, sitting Zulu Alert as a Day Fighter Pilot and then Victor Alert with the Mk-7 nuclear strike mission, beginning with the Lebanon Crisis. A mid-career flying assignment was very rewarding, although not in a very exciting airplane, was training pilots of 26 allied nations in the T-28 MAP Pilot Training Program. About 80 % of our students were from South Viet Nam, starting in 1961. Another highlight was delivering slicks, snake, nape and 20 mm mostly on unseen enemy under the teak trees, in-country, flying the F-4C. Every Fighter Pilot should have a real war to fight in, at least once in his career. I was never out of a cockpit, except for minor TDY’s, from Sept 1953 until August 1973.

Organizations: Air Force Association, Daedalians, QB’s, F-86 Sabre Pilots Assn, Super Sabre Society, F-4 Phantom Society, BSA (Been Shot At, a local group of aviation related, career military pilots)

Units Assigned

  • 1957 53rd Fighter Day Sqdn, Landstuhl AB Ger, F-100C
  • 1958 53rd TFS, TookOnNuc.StrikeMsn, RamsteinAB, F-100C
  • 1959/61 Gp. Chief Of Safety, Aviano AB, Italy, T-33A, F-100D
  • 1961/62 Flt Cmdr, Plt Tng. Crse., Moody AFB, GA, T-37B
  • 1962/63 Flt. Cmdr. Plt. Tng. Crse.(MAP), Moody AFB, GA, T-28A
  • 1963/67 Flt. Cmdr., Ops.Off., 3512thPTS(MAP),Randolph AFB, TX T-28A
  • 1968 D Flt Cmdr., 559th TFS, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN, F-4C
  • 1968/69 TACC,TanSonNhut AB, RVN-Incountry Briefing OfficerforGen.Brown
  • 1969/72 Chief of Flt Safety/Director of Safery, HQ 17thAF, RamsteinAB,F-4E
  • 1973/73 Dir Of Safety, 52ndTFW, Spangdahlem AB, Ger. F-4D
  • 1973-Aug Retired at McGuire AFB, N.J.

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

Military Education

  • 1952/53 Palm Beach Int’l Airport, AirInstallationsOff.,awaiting Pilot Tng.
  • 1953/54 Primary Pilot Training, Bartow AB, FL. Class 54R, PA-18,T-6G
  • 1953/Sept54 Basic Pilot Training, Bryan AFB, TX, T-28A,T-33A
  • 1954 Advanced Pilot Training, Phase I, Laughlin AFB,TX, AT-33A
  • 1954/55 Adv.Plt.Tng., Phase II, NellisAFB, NV F-86F, Class 54-R, F-86E/F
  • 1955 Nuclear Weapons for Fighter Pilots, Nellis AFB, NV
  • 1955 Craig AFB, AL Pilot Instructor School
  • 1955 Williams AFB, AZ, IP Primary/Basic Plt Tng, T-28A,T-33A
  • 1956 Williams AFB, AZ F-86 IP, T-33A, F-86F, L-20
  • 1957 Squadron Officers School, Class 57-A
  • 1958 AGOS, RamsteinAB,Germany.
  • 1958 USAFE Survival School, RamsteinAB,Ger.
  • 1959 NATO AirDef.Crse.,School of Land/Air Warfare, RAF OldSarum,UK
  • 1959 RAF SeaSurvivalSchool, RAF Mountbatten, Plymouth, UK
  • 1967 Armed Forces Staff College, Class 41, Norfolk, VA.
  • 1967 USAF Survival School, Fairchield AFB, WA.
  • 1967 JetRequalification, Davis MonthanAFB, AZ. AT-33
  • 1967 F-4C RTU Course, Class 68GRD, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ. F-4C
  • 1968 Sea Survival Course, Homestead AFB, FL
  • 1968 USAF Jungle Survival Training, ClarkAB, PI
  • 1969 Flight Safety Officers Crse, USC, Los Angeles, CA.

Civilian Education

  • A&M College Of Texas, BS 1952
  • University Of Southern California, MS 1972
Biography

Biography

After Retirement

Joined the College of Business Faculty of my alma mater, Texas A&M University where I managed Executive Development and Management Courses for Business and Industry until I was able to retire from the University in 1986.

As I had shot pistol competition on various Air Force Pistol Teams to hone my survival skill as a fighter pilot, I revived a defunct collegiate pistol team at A&M and have been the volunteer coach of the team for the past 34 years. Still going strong at 76.

Other Comments

Serving my country during two hot wars and a cold war for 21 years was the highlight of my life. Flying different Air Force fighters for a good part of it was the best part. I had the interesting experience of serving as a combat ready Fighter Pilot in the F-100C on the cutting edge of the Cold War, sitting Zulu Alert as a Day Fighter Pilot and then Victor Alert with the Mk-7 nuclear strike mission, beginning with the Lebanon Crisis. A mid-career flying assignment was very rewarding, although not in a very exciting airplane, was training pilots of 26 allied nations in the T-28 MAP Pilot Training Program. About 80 % of our students were from South Viet Nam, starting in 1961. Another highlight was delivering slicks, snake, nape and 20 mm mostly on unseen enemy under the teak trees, in-country, flying the F-4C. Every Fighter Pilot should have a real war to fight in, at least once in his career. I was never out of a cockpit, except for minor TDY’s, from Sept 1953 until August 1973.

Organizations: Air Force Association, Daedalians, QB’s, F-86 Sabre Pilots Assn, Super Sabre Society, F-4 Phantom Society, BSA (Been Shot At, a local group of aviation related, career military pilots)

Units - Education - Awards - Flight Info

Units Assigned

  • 1957 53rd Fighter Day Sqdn, Landstuhl AB Ger, F-100C
  • 1958 53rd TFS, TookOnNuc.StrikeMsn, RamsteinAB, F-100C
  • 1959/61 Gp. Chief Of Safety, Aviano AB, Italy, T-33A, F-100D
  • 1961/62 Flt Cmdr, Plt Tng. Crse., Moody AFB, GA, T-37B
  • 1962/63 Flt. Cmdr. Plt. Tng. Crse.(MAP), Moody AFB, GA, T-28A
  • 1963/67 Flt. Cmdr., Ops.Off., 3512thPTS(MAP),Randolph AFB, TX T-28A
  • 1968 D Flt Cmdr., 559th TFS, Cam Ranh Bay, RVN, F-4C
  • 1968/69 TACC,TanSonNhut AB, RVN-Incountry Briefing OfficerforGen.Brown
  • 1969/72 Chief of Flt Safety/Director of Safery, HQ 17thAF, RamsteinAB,F-4E
  • 1973/73 Dir Of Safety, 52ndTFW, Spangdahlem AB, Ger. F-4D
  • 1973-Aug Retired at McGuire AFB, N.J.

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

Military Education

  • 1952/53 Palm Beach Int’l Airport, AirInstallationsOff.,awaiting Pilot Tng.
  • 1953/54 Primary Pilot Training, Bartow AB, FL. Class 54R, PA-18,T-6G
  • 1953/Sept54 Basic Pilot Training, Bryan AFB, TX, T-28A,T-33A
  • 1954 Advanced Pilot Training, Phase I, Laughlin AFB,TX, AT-33A
  • 1954/55 Adv.Plt.Tng., Phase II, NellisAFB, NV F-86F, Class 54-R, F-86E/F
  • 1955 Nuclear Weapons for Fighter Pilots, Nellis AFB, NV
  • 1955 Craig AFB, AL Pilot Instructor School
  • 1955 Williams AFB, AZ, IP Primary/Basic Plt Tng, T-28A,T-33A
  • 1956 Williams AFB, AZ F-86 IP, T-33A, F-86F, L-20
  • 1957 Squadron Officers School, Class 57-A
  • 1958 AGOS, RamsteinAB,Germany.
  • 1958 USAFE Survival School, RamsteinAB,Ger.
  • 1959 NATO AirDef.Crse.,School of Land/Air Warfare, RAF OldSarum,UK
  • 1959 RAF SeaSurvivalSchool, RAF Mountbatten, Plymouth, UK
  • 1967 Armed Forces Staff College, Class 41, Norfolk, VA.
  • 1967 USAF Survival School, Fairchield AFB, WA.
  • 1967 JetRequalification, Davis MonthanAFB, AZ. AT-33
  • 1967 F-4C RTU Course, Class 68GRD, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ. F-4C
  • 1968 Sea Survival Course, Homestead AFB, FL
  • 1968 USAF Jungle Survival Training, ClarkAB, PI
  • 1969 Flight Safety Officers Crse, USC, Los Angeles, CA.

Civilian Education

  • A&M College Of Texas, BS 1952
  • University Of Southern California, MS 1972