Skip to content

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

Read More »
Main Menu
  • Home
  • History
    • About The SSS
    • Headed West
    • Biographies
    • Today in F-100 History
    • SSS Caterpillar
    • Wall of Honor
    • F-100 Information
    • Friends of the Super Sabre
    • N. American F-100 Super Sabre
  • Galleries
  • The Intake
    • About The Intake: Journal
    • The Intake: Journal of the Super Sabre Society – Archives
  • What’s New
  • Contact

Buck, John Thomas, Sr.

  • Home
  • Biography
  • Biographies
  • Buck, John Thomas, Sr.

John Thomas Buck, Sr.

Preferred Name: John
Date of Birth: April 4, 1941
Highest Military Grade: 0-8 – Major General
Hometown: Farmington, MI
Headed West Date: March 18, 2019
John Thomas Buck, Sr. - before
Biography
Pilot Information
Headed West
Album

As a Senior Officer, I had a category 4 check-out of 80 hours in an F-4, and advanced familiarization 30 hours in an F-16, 25 hours in an F-15, 1 flight in a French Mirage.

The F-100 was the most challenging aircraft I ever flew, but very honest. It did what the DASH 1 said it would do. I like it the best followed closely by the F-8U.

General Buck flew the F-100, F-4, F-15, and F-16. He flew 250 missions in Vietnam and 100 additional missions. He was also a Green Beret.

Units Assigned

  • 1956 Flight training Bartow Air Base Florida, Laredo AFB. TX
  • 1957-1960 34th FDS, 308th TFS George AFB, Victorville CA. F100
  • 1960-1962 Marine Exchange Duty, VMF 333 Beaufort MCAS Beaufort, SC Carrier Qualified F8U
  • 1962-1964 308th TFS Homestead AFB, FL F100
  • 1964-1965 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 1965-1966 Jump DASC, Shaw AFB, South Carolina Supporting 82’~ and 101st Airborne Div.
  • 1966-1967 1st Australian Task Force. FAC, RVN 0-1
  • 1967-1967 90th TFS Bien Hoa AB, RVN. F100
  • 1967-1968 AFIT, Allison Div. General Motors, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • 1968-1973 F- 15 System Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
  • Attached to 121 TFW Ohio Air National Guard.. Lockborn ANG. OH F100
  • 1973-1974 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
  • 1974-1978 Deputy for Surveillance and Command Systems, Commander 3245 Air Base Group, Deputy for Control and Communications Systems, Hanscom AFB, MA
  • 1978-1980 Chief Special Projects Office, SHAPE, Belgium
  • 1980-1983 Deputy for Air Borne Warning and Control Systems (Program Manager) Hanscom AFB, MA
  • 1983-1984 Vice Commander Aeronautical System Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
  • 8/31/1984 Retired USAF

Awards & Decorations

Defense Super Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion Of Merit
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
Bronze Star
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (2)
Air Medal
Air Medal (16)

Flight Info

F-86
F-100
F-16 -30 hours
F-15 -25 hours
French Mirage
F-8U

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • 1955 AFROTC University of Michigan
  • 1956 Pilot Training Class 57F
  • 1957 Advanced Fighter Training F86 and F100, Williams AFB, AZ/Nellis AFB, NV;
  • 1965 Air Command and Staff College Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 1966 Army Parachute Training (Jump School) Fort Benning, GA
  • 1966 Special Forces Officers Course Fort Bragg, NC
  • AFIT
  • 1968 Education with Industry Indianapolis, IN
  • 1974 Air War College, DG Maxwell AFB, AL

Civilian Education:

  • 1955 BA, The University of Michigan
  • 1964 MS George Washington University

John Thomas Buck, MGen USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on March 18, 2019.

Major General John Thomas Buck, USAF, Ret., 87, of Farmington, MI, passed away late Monday evening, March 18, 2019, at Ascension Providence Hospital, Southfield Campus.

John was born April 4, 1931, in Detroit, to the late Howard G. and Euphemia G. (McLeod) Buck.  He married Nancy L. (Isley), on December 27, 1953, at the First United Methodist Church of Farmington.

Maj. Gen. Buck was vice commander of the Aeronautical Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command, with headquarters at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

He graduated from Farmington High School in 1949, and from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1955 with a bachelor’s degree and a commission as a second lieutenant through the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program. He earned a master’s degree in public administration from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., and is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College, both located at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

The general entered pilot training in November 1955 and received his wings at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas, in December 1956. He was then assigned as a fighter pilot in the 34th Fighter-Day Squadron at George Air Force Base, Calif., with additional duty as squadron adjutant until July 1960.

He was then selected for exchange duty as a pilot with the Marine Corps Fighter Squadron VMF 333 at Beaufort Air Station, S.C., with additional duties as air tactics officer and aircraft maintenance officer. During this tour of duty, he also qualified in aircraft carrier operations. General Buck transferred to Homestead Air Force Base, Fla., in September 1962 as a pilot with the 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron, with additional duty as a wing maintenance test flight pilot. During this assignment he received Army parachute training and was awarded jump wings.

In August 1964 he entered the Air Command and Staff College and concurrently earned his master’s degree from The George Washington University. After graduation in July 1965, he was assigned to the Direct Air Support Center at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., as a fighter duty officer supporting the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions of the U.S. Army. The general was selected to attend the Special Forces Officers Course at Fort Bragg, N.C., in January 1966. In the summer of that year, he went to Bien Hoa Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, assigned to the 1st Australian Task Force as a forward air controller and air liaison officer, and later with the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Bien Hoa as a flight commander. While in Southeast Asia he flew 367 combat missions.

From July 1967 until June 1968, General Buck was with the Allison Division of the General Motors Corporation at Indianapolis under the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Education-With-Industry program. He then joined the F-15 System Program Office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, serving successively as chief, Production Division; deputy director, Procurement and Production Directorate; and airframe project manager. From 1969 to 1973, General Buck flew with the 121st Tactical Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard. He entered the Air War College in August 1973.

Following graduation he was assigned to Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., first as deputy for surveillance and navigation systems in Electronic Systems Division in July 1974; then as commander, 3245th Air Base Group in June 1975; and finally as deputy for control and communications systems, also in the Electronic Systems Division, in March 1976. After leaving Hanscom Air Force Base in May 1978, he become chief of the Special Projects Office at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium. In May 1980 General Buck returned to Hanscom Air Force Base and served as deputy for airborne warning and control systems, and deputy for tactical systems at Electronic Systems Division. He assumed his present duties in February 1983.

The general was a command pilot. His military decorations and awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.

He was promoted to major general May 1, 1980.

John followed his Air Force career with a senior management role at Hazeltine Corporation in Green Lawn, New York.  Following his time with Hazeltine, he moved to Buffalo, New York, becoming President of Sierra Research Division of LTV Corporation.  He retired from Sierra Research in April, 1998, and moved to Farmington, Michigan,

His interests included University of Michigan athletics, golf, flying, traveling, serving his Phi Delta Theta fraternity alumni group, maintaining connections with fellow fighter pilots and his many grandchildren.

Surviving are his beloved wife of 65 years, Nancy; children, Tom (Karen), Judi Mynsberge, Michael (Judy Apostolico-Buck), Kevin (Anne) and Mary Gillman; grandchildren, Andrew and Jonathan Buck, Jennifer Nicole (Chris) Drain, Nate and Kelsey Mynsberge, Christopher, Ian and Laurel Buck, Allie and Justin Buck, and Amanda and Kimberly Gillman; and great-grandchildren, Aria, Liam and Jackson.

The family received guests on Saturday, March 23rd, with military honors rendered afterward, at the Heeney-Sundquist Funeral Home, downtown Farmington.

In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to the Air Force Museum Foundation, PO Box 33624, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, 45433-0624; Fisher House Michigan, 3250 Plymouth Road, #103, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105; or the University of Michigan Buck Family Scholarship, for the benefit of students from Farmington, Buck Family Scholarship Fund – 571768, 101 North Main Street, Suite 850, Ann Arbor, MI 48104.

Kindly keep John and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

John T Buck Sr
Album Slideshow
Slideshow
Click To View

Wall of Honor Location

Our Mission

The mission of the Super Sabre Society is to preserve the history of the F-100 Super Sabre and the men who flew the aircraft.

Follow Us

Copyright © 2025 Super Sabre Society
Website by: Heart and Soul Web Design
Scroll to Top