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Today in History – April 5, 1962 – 1962 Neil Armstrong takes X-15 to 54,600m

Neil Armstrong and the X-15 by Bob van der Linden, Posted on Tue, July 23, 2019, Aeronautics Department, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum “Released from duty in mid-1952, Armstrong returned to Purdue where he earned his degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. His love of flight and engineering drew him to the National Advisory

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Harrell, Travis E.

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  • Harrell, Travis E.

Travis E. Harrell

Preferred Name: Travis
Nickname/Call Sign: Mallard
Date of Birth: July 15, 1942
Highest Military Grade: 0-7 – Brigadier General
Hometown: Amite, LA
Biography
Pilot Information
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Brigadier General Travis E. Harrell is a command director for the North American Aerospace Defense Command, Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, Colo. As CINCNORAD’S personal representative for real-time operations within the command, he is responsible for providing assessments of missile, space, and air defense events to the U.S. and Canadian National Command authorities.

The general was born in Amite, La., and graduated from De Queen (Ark.) High School in 1960. He was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1964 at the University of Arkansas and completed pilot training in 1965.
During his career, the general has commanded a tactical fighter squadron, tactical fighter training wing, flying training wing, and air division. His staff assignments include serving as an operations analyst and project officer on the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic staff, as chief, munitions planning division, and chief, tactical forces division in the Air Staff, and as assistant chief of staff for plans and policy at Headquarters United Kingdom Air Forces. He is a command pilot, having flown more than 3,800 hours, including more than 600 combat hours.

(source: https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/106825/brigadier-general-travis-e-harrell/)

Units Assigned

  • 10/1964-11/1965 Pilot training, Laughlin AFB, TX
  • 11/1965-6/1966  F-100 combat crew training school, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100)
  • 6/1966-12/1966 F-104 training, George AFB, CA (F-104)
  • 12/1966-9/1967 F-104 pilot, 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Udorn Royal Thai AFB, Thailand
  • 9/1967-12/1967 0-1 Birddog pilot; forward air controller, 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron, Vung Tau Air Base, South Vietnam (O-1)
  • 12/1967-6/1970 77th Tactical Fighter Squadron, RAFS, Wethersfield, England
  • 6/1970-6/1972 Air Force Institute of Technology postgraduate education program, Florida Technological University
  • 6/1972-4/1975 Operations analyst and project officer, operations analysis and evaluation branch, Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, NATO, Norfolk, VA
  • 4/1975-1/1976, F-4 flight commander, 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand (F-4)
  • 1/1976-8/1978 Assistant operations officer, 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, UT
  • 8/1978-6/1979 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 6/1979-7/1982 F-4 instructor pilot and operations officer, 307th Tactical Fighter Squadron; chief of standardization and evaluation, 31st Tactical Fighter Wing; commander, 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Homestead Air Force Base, FL (F-4)
  • 7/1982-6/1983 National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC
  • 6/1983-7/1985 Chief, munitions planning division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations; chief, tactical forces division, Headquarters USAF, Washington, DC
  • 7/1985-12/1987 Vice commander; wing commander, 406th Tactical Fighter Training Wing, Zaragoza AB, Spain
  • 12/1987-8/1989 Commander, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, TX
  • 8/1989-7/1991 Commander, 833rd Air Division, Holloman AFB, NM
  • 7/1991-3/1994 Assistant chief of staff for plans and policy, Headquarters United Kingdom Air Forces, Royal Air Force Station High Wycombe, England
  • 3/1994-3/1995 Command director, NORAD, Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, CO
  • 3/1/1995 Retired USAF

Awards & Decorations

Legion Of Merit
Legion of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Award
Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal
Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Spanish Air Force Cross of Aeronautical Merit

Flight Info

0-1
T/CT-39
F-4A
F-16A/C
T-38
F-15A/B
F-100
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 3,800+ (600+ combat)

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • 1979 Air Command and Staff College
  • 1983 National War College

Civilian Education:

  • 1964 BS/Education, University of Arkansas
  • 1972 MBA, Florida Technological University

Retired Brig. Gen. Travis Harrell, commander of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training from Dec. 22, 1987, to July 20, 1989, tries out the 80th Flying Training Wing's flight simulator March 26 as part of the ENJJPT 25th Anniversary Celebration. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Jacob Corbin)
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