15 July 1967 – T.H. Herndon was flying F-100D #563275. Enroute to a target of 150 Vietcong in a treeline, he was hit by 57mm AAA during a climb. He ejected and was recovered by USAF Helo. Herndon was serving with the 531st TFS out of Bien Hoa AB.
John “Jack” Downey loved his early life in Whitefish, Montana where he managed Whitefish Lake swimming, waterskied in Cypress Gardens, FL with an acrobatic team and received a football scholarship to the University of North Dakota.
As a USAF career fighter pilot, Jack flew the F-86, F-4, and F-100 and was a team member of the World Champion William Tell Gunnery Team. He was also Flight Commander of many squadrons, developed air refueling testing, developed low-level photo reconnaissance of SAM sites in Cuba, and supported President Kennedy’s embargo during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Jack was honored with pilot wings by the Chinese Air Force. In addition, Jack was actively engaged in the Vietnam Conflict. He ended his USAF career as an Executive Secretariat at the Pentagon and received and Daedalian for his last tour of duty prior to retiring in June of 1973.
After retirement, Jack was a General Contractor/Developer in VA, MD, and DC. He was arbitrator/Mediator for construction hearings as well as a Construction Management Consultant n Jupiter, FL in the 1990s.
Jack and his wife spent their time between Annapolis, MD and Jupiter Island, FL and moved to Palm City, FL in 2000. In 2017 they moved back to Palm City to be near their daughter, Paige Noel.
Source: https://www.davidcgross.com/notices/ColJohn-Downey
