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

10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and

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Ahl, Gilbert Warren

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  • Ahl, Gilbert Warren

Gilbert Warren Ahl

Preferred Name: Gib
Nickname/Call Sign: Gib, Misty 100
Date of Birth: October 13, 1939
Highest Military Grade: 0-6 – Colonel
Hometown: Batavia, NY
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Gibert-Ahl-now
Biography
Pilot Information

Misty 100

I entered the USAF as a totally naive farm kid and with no college degree. With the exception of 7 years as a navigator (thanks to a devious recruiter filling a quota) and 2 years at CENTCOM as a staff puke writing letters to each other, flying Fighters, especially the F-100 was the fulfillment of a childhood dream. Nine years of overseas assignments were not only pleasant but reinforced the belief of how lucky we are to be Americans. Flying combat missions with Misty was the highlight of my career. (MISTY was the callsign  a top-secret squadron in Vietnam tasked with disrupting the transfer of enemy supplies and equipment down the Ho Chi Minh trail).

I am humbled by warriors like Bud Day and proud to have served. Throughout the balance of my flying career, each time I flew down initial, I wondered how much longer am I was going to be able to do this.

Other than flying, one of my most memorable experiences was on a return flight to JFK from Saudi Arabia. Upon landing the Captain made the announcement “Welcome to the United States of America” where upon the majority of passengers erupted into cheers and applause. They were all foreigners, most of whom were of Arabic descent!

Units Assigned

  • 8/1959-9/1960 Navigator Aviation Cadet, Harlingen Texas
  • 9/1960-12/1960 Crew Training, Randolph AFB, TX (KC-97)
  • 1/1961-7/1963 314th Air Refueling Squad, KC, Dow AFB, ME (KC-97)
  • 8/1963-6/1966 100th Air Refueling Squad, Pease AFB, NH (KC-97)
  • 7/1966-1/1967 315th Troop Carrier Wing, Langley AFB, VA (C-130)
  • 2/1967-2/1968 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Class 68E, Moody AFB, GA
  • 3/1968-10/1968 4514th, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100)
  • 11/1968-3/1969 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Phu Cat, Viet Nam (F-100)
  • 3/1969-6/1969 Det 1 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Operation Commando Sabre, Misty), Phu Cat AB, Vietnam (F-100)
  • 7/1969 Finished Misty tour at Tuy Hoa after 416th move from Phu Cat (F-100)
  • 7/1969-10/1969 612th Tactical Fighter Squadron, IP, Phan Rang AB, Vietnam (F-100)
  • 11/1969-2/1972 493rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, IP, RAF Lakenheath, UK (F-100)
  • 2/1972-4/1972 F-4 Conversion Luke AFB, AZ (F-4)
  • 5/1972-6/1974 Flt CC/Ops Off 493rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, UK (F-4D)
  • 7/1974-11/ 1975 IP/Flt CC, 27th TFS, MacDill AFB, FL (F-4E)
  • 11/1975-6/1977 314th Air Division, Staff Officer, Osan AB, ROK
  • 8/1977-2/1980 IP, 63rd Tactical Fighter Squadron/56th Tactical Fighter Wing, Ops Off, MacDill AFB, FL (F-4D)
  • 2/1980-4/1981 IP, Chief Stan/Eval, 56th Tactical Fighter Wing, MacDill AFB, FL (F-4D)
  • 7/1981-7/1982 Director Ops, USAF Sect., United States Military Training Mission (USMTM) Riyadh Saudi Arabia
  • 7/1982-10/1984 Staff Puke, Security Assistance Division, United States Central Command, MacDill AFB FL
  • 10/1984-6/1987 56TFTW Deputy Commander Resources, MacDill AFB, FL
  • 6/1987 Retired USAF

Awards & Decorations

Legion Of Merit
Legion Of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Award
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation
AF Outstanding Unit Award
Outstanding Unit Award
AF Good Conduct Medal
Air Force Good Conduct
Combat Readiness Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with 4 Devices
RVN Gallantry Cross With Palm
Vietnam Gallantry Cross With Palm
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal

Flight Info

KC-97
C-130
F-100
F-4 D/E

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • SOS – Correspondence
  • Air Command and Staff – Correspondence
  • Industrial College of Armed Forces – Correspondence

Civilian Education:

  • Antioch College
  • University of Maine
  • University of New Hampshire
  • 1966 BS/Business Management, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). Completed degree requirements through an off-duty education program offered by USAF.

Wall of Honor Location

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