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Today in History – January 31, 1968 – F-100 pilots Maj Joe Bulger and 1Lt “Fearless” Fred Abrams are given the worst kind of mission

31 January 1968 – On the first full day of the Tet Offensive, Major Joe Bulger (Flight Lead) and 1Lt “Fearless” Fred Abrams were asked to bomb their own base. In the early hours of the day, Vietcong forces had launched an attack on Bien Hoa AB. “The whole east end was hot,” Abrams said.

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Gearhart, John R.

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John R. Gearhart

Preferred Name: John
Nickname/Call Sign: Skyraider
Date of Birth: March 3, 1931
Highest Military Grade: 0-5 – Lieutenant Colonel
Hometown: Santa Monica, CA
Biography
Pilot Information

Ask me about my attempt at a triple Immelmann in an F-100.

Units Assigned

  • US Military Academy Preparatory School, Stewart AFB, NY
  • Aviation Cadets, Stallings AB NC/Bryan AFB TX; Commissioned Class 53-G: Fighter Gunnery School, Nellis AFB, NV, F-86 (T-6, T-28, T-33)
  • 1951-1953 (Enlisted) Green Hornet Sqdn; Asst. Crew Chief F-80, Nellis AFB, NV (F-80)
  • 1954-1956 334th FIS, 4th FIW, Kimpo, Korea & Chitose AB, Japan (F-86F)
  • 1956-1960 CCMG, Williams AFB, AZ (F-86, F-100, T-33, L-20, C-45)
  • 1960-1962 BS Degree University of Colorado, Boulder, CO (T-33)
  • 1963-1965 F-4/F-5 Test Force, Edwards AFB, CA (F-5, T-33, T-34, C210, Tri-Pacer, Navion)
  • 1965-1972 Special Operations Center, Hurlbert AFB, FL/Bien Hoa AB, RVN/Pleiku/Udorn/Ubon (A-1E, 0-2, OV-10, U-22, AU-23, AU-24, YAT-28, YF-51, and other experimental aircraft and weapons as Director of S/O Flight Test, Eglin AFB, FL)
  • 1973 19 TASS Operations, Osan AB, Korea (O-2)
  • 1974-1975 SAMSO (Director Space Defense); Metal Desk, El Segundo, CA
  • 1976 Satellite Test Center (Chief of Maintenance), Metal Desk, Onasuka AFS, CA
  • 1976  Retired as an Aerospace Research Flight Test Officer

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

T-6
T-28
T-3
F-86 F
F-100
T-33
L-20
C-45
F-4
F-5
T-34
C-210
Tri-Pacer
Navion
A-1E
0-2
OV-10
U-22
AU-23
AU-24
YAT-28
YF-51
Other experimental aircraft

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • Numerous courses of which most I cannot remember.

Civilian Education:

  • 1960-1962 BS/(Aeronautical Engineering) University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

Wall of Honor Location

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