Curtis M. Burns
After retirement from the USAF
I 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 Squadron, Landstuhl AB Germany (F-100C)
- 1958 53rd TFS, Took on Nuc. Strike Mission, Ramstein AB, Germany (F-100C)
- 1959/1961 Gp. Chief of Safety, Aviano AB, Italy (T-33A, F-100D)
- 1961/1962 Flt Cmdr, Pilot Training Course, Moody AFB, GA (T-37B)
- 1962/1963 Flt. Cmdr. Pilot Training Course (MAP), Moody AFB, GA (T-28A)
- 1963/1967 3512thPTS (MAP), Flt. Cmdr., Ops. Off., Randolph AFB, TX (T-28A)
- 1968 559th TFS, D Flt Cmdr., Cam Ranh Bay, RVN (F-4C)
- 1968/1969 TACC, Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN-In-country Briefing Officer for Gen. Brown
- 1969/1972 HQ 17thAF, Chief of Flt Safety/Director of Safety, Ramstein AB, Germany (F-4E)
- 1973/1973 Dir Of Safety, 52ndTFW, Spangdahlem AB, Germany (F-4D)
- 8/1973 Retired USAF (at McGuire AFB, NJ)
Awards & Decorations
Flight Info
PA-18
AT-33A
T-33A
T-28A
T-6G
F-86 E/F
L-20
F-100 C/D
T-37B
F-4 C/D/E
Military & Civilian Education
Military Education:
- 1953/1954 Primary Pilot Training, Bartow AB, FL. Class 54R
- 1953/9/1954 Basic Pilot Training, Bryan AFB, TX
- 1954 Advanced Pilot Training, Phase I, Laughlin AFB, TX
- 1954/55 Adv.Pilot Training, Phase II, Nellis AFB, NV
- 1955 Nuclear Weapons for Fighter Pilots, Nellis AFB, NV
- 1955 Pilot Instructor School, Craig AFB, AL
- 1955 IP Primary/Basic Pilot Training, Williams AFB, AZ,
- 1956 Pilot Training, Williams AFB, AZ
- 1957 Squadron Officers School, Class 57-A
- 1958 AGOS, Ramstein AB, Germany
- 1958 USAFE Survival School, Ramstein AB, Germany
- 1959 NATO Air Defense Course, School of Land/Air Warfare, RAF Old Sarum, UK
- 1959 RAF Sea Survival School, RAF Mountbatten, Plymouth, UK
- 1967 Armed Forces Staff College, Class 41, Norfolk, VA
- 1967 USAF Survival School, Fairchild AFB, WA
- 1967 Jet Requalification, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ
- 1967 F-4C RTU Course, Class 68GRD, Davis Monthan AFB, AZ
- 1968 Sea Survival Course, Homestead AFB, FL
- 1968 USAF Jungle Survival Training, Clark AB, PI
- 1969 Flight Safety Officers Course, USC, Los Angeles, CA
Civilian Education:
- 1952 BS, A&M College Of Texas
- 1972 MS, University Of Southern California, MS
