Jon A. Reynolds
Preferred Name: Jon
Nickname/Call Sign:
Date of Birth: December 13, 1937
Highest Military Grade Held: Brigadier General
Hometown: Wilmington, DE
Biography
Jon Reynolds was born and raised in Philadelphia. He was an engineering major at Trinity College, CT, and upon graduation obtained his Air Force commission via US Air Force ROTC.
Following pilot training in the T-34 and T-28 he was assigned to Luke and Nellis AFB’s flying the F-100C/F and then the 429th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Cannon AFB, NM. He participated in multiple Cold War deployments including the Cuban Missile Crisis in Oct 1962. In the spring of 1963 he was assigned as a forward air controller for the Vietnamese 22nd Infantry division in Kontum, SVN(Flying the L-19A) directing air strikes against Viet Cong forces. In the spring of 1964 he was assigned to the 334th F-105 Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB. In the summer of 1965 he deployed first to Yokota AB, Japan and then to Takhli AB Thailand flying strikes against North Vietnam. On November 28, 1965, he was shot down on a mission over NVN, captured and spent more than seven years as a prisoner of war.
Upon his repatriation in 1973 he chose to remain in the military, and taught military history at the US Air Force Academy after receiving his MA at Duke University in 1975. He was assigned to Air Force Plans in the Pentagon, completed his PhD at Duke in 1980, and served on the faculty of the National War College. In 1982 he joined the Defense Intelligence Agency and studied Mandarin Chinese. In 1984 he was assigned as air and defense attache at the US Embassy in Beijing where he was the senior US military representative in the People’s Republic of China and was promoted to Brig Gen.
Gen Reynolds retired from active duty in 1990 and joined The Raytheon Company. His first project was the destruction of chemical weapons on Johnston Atoll. From 1993 to 2000, he and his wife Emilee again lived in Beijing where he was responsible for all of Raytheon’s sales and operations in China, Hong Kong and Mongolia. Jon and Emilee have two grown children Elizabeth and Andrew. His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal and Silver Star.
In His Words…
During 1965 I was based at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. In July we deployed to Yokota AB, Japan and then in November, we redeployed to Takhli AB, Thailand. We were flying F-105D type aircraft. I was shot down on a mission near Yen Bai and was captured immediately. The first American with whom I had contact was Commander Stockdale. On 23 December 1965, I moved from Heartbreak Hotel to the Zoo, remaining there until 11 June 1966. On 6 June I participated in the Hanoi Parade with Bob Purcell. From 11 June 1966 to 2 February 1967, I was at Briarpatch, then Little Vegas and Dirty Bird. On 24 May 1968,1 and nineteen others opened Camp Hope at Son Tay. We closed this camp on 14 July 1970 when we moved to Camp Faith – the worst move I ever made. After the 1970 raid, we moved to Camp Unity, staying there until 13 May 1972. The last camp I opened was Dogpatch. We left Dogpatch for release on 20 January 1973. Repatriation followed on 12 February 1973.
The Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover AFB in Delaware has a special collection of items belonging to Brigadier General Jon A. Reynolds including (among others) a: P4-B Flying Helmet, Helmet Bag, Helmet Visor Cover, Montagnard knife, Soap with secret dictionary, Cap and mittens, B-3A Flying gloves and Hanoi Hilton brick, Son Tay Camp Roof Tile, POW/MIA Bracelets,Vietnam Courier Newspaper, Wallet, Toothpaste, Matches, Cigarettes, Kit Bag, Family Photographs, Prisoner of War Propaganda Photographs, Prisoner of War ID Photographs Book, Socks, Flying Suit, and Book and Music Notes, a House Plan, and a Prayer he scribbled while in captivity. (https://amcmuseum.org/collections/special-collections/brig-gen-jon-a-reynolds/)
Units Assigned
1961 429 TFS at Cannon AFB
1963 22nd Infantry Division (ARVN) in Kontum SVN as an ALO/FAC
1964 334 TFS at Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC
1964 335TFS Yokota AB, Japan, Takhli RTAB in Thailand
1979 Directorate of Plans, Hqs USAF
1980-1981 National War College as an instructor
1980-81USAF/Plans, and then was assigned to DIA in preparation for service in Beijing first as the Air Attache and later as the Defense and Air Attache
1986-1988 he was the senior US Military Representative in China
1988 Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force
1989-1990 Directed the DIA Defense Attache
1990 Retired
Awards & Decorations
Airforce Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Flight Info
T34/T28
F-100
F-105
Military Education
Pre-flight training at Lackland AFB, TX
Primary Flight Training, Malden AB, MO
Advanced Flight Training, Luke and Nellis AFB, NV
Civilian Education
BS Engineering – Trinity College, CT 1959 (USAF Commission)
PhD in History – Duke University, 1980 (Dissertation: Education and Training for High Command, General Hoyt S. Vanderberg’s Early Career”)
- Biography
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Biography
Jon Reynolds was born and raised in Philadelphia. He was an engineering major at Trinity College, CT, and upon graduation obtained his Air Force commission via US Air Force ROTC.
Following pilot training in the T-34 and T-28 he was assigned to Luke and Nellis AFB’s flying the F-100C/F and then the 429th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Cannon AFB, NM. He participated in multiple Cold War deployments including the Cuban Missile Crisis in Oct 1962. In the spring of 1963 he was assigned as a forward air controller for the Vietnamese 22nd Infantry division in Kontum, SVN(Flying the L-19A) directing air strikes against Viet Cong forces. In the spring of 1964 he was assigned to the 334th F-105 Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB. In the summer of 1965 he deployed first to Yokota AB, Japan and then to Takhli AB Thailand flying strikes against North Vietnam. On November 28, 1965, he was shot down on a mission over NVN, captured and spent more than seven years as a prisoner of war.
Upon his repatriation in 1973 he chose to remain in the military, and taught military history at the US Air Force Academy after receiving his MA at Duke University in 1975. He was assigned to Air Force Plans in the Pentagon, completed his PhD at Duke in 1980, and served on the faculty of the National War College. In 1982 he joined the Defense Intelligence Agency and studied Mandarin Chinese. In 1984 he was assigned as air and defense attache at the US Embassy in Beijing where he was the senior US military representative in the People’s Republic of China and was promoted to Brig Gen.
Gen Reynolds retired from active duty in 1990 and joined The Raytheon Company. His first project was the destruction of chemical weapons on Johnston Atoll. From 1993 to 2000, he and his wife Emilee again lived in Beijing where he was responsible for all of Raytheon’s sales and operations in China, Hong Kong and Mongolia. Jon and Emilee have two grown children Elizabeth and Andrew. His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal and Silver Star.
- POW/Shot Down
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In His Words…
During 1965 I was based at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. In July we deployed to Yokota AB, Japan and then in November, we redeployed to Takhli AB, Thailand. We were flying F-105D type aircraft. I was shot down on a mission near Yen Bai and was captured immediately. The first American with whom I had contact was Commander Stockdale. On 23 December 1965, I moved from Heartbreak Hotel to the Zoo, remaining there until 11 June 1966. On 6 June I participated in the Hanoi Parade with Bob Purcell. From 11 June 1966 to 2 February 1967, I was at Briarpatch, then Little Vegas and Dirty Bird. On 24 May 1968,1 and nineteen others opened Camp Hope at Son Tay. We closed this camp on 14 July 1970 when we moved to Camp Faith – the worst move I ever made. After the 1970 raid, we moved to Camp Unity, staying there until 13 May 1972. The last camp I opened was Dogpatch. We left Dogpatch for release on 20 January 1973. Repatriation followed on 12 February 1973.
The Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover AFB in Delaware has a special collection of items belonging to Brigadier General Jon A. Reynolds including (among others) a: P4-B Flying Helmet, Helmet Bag, Helmet Visor Cover, Montagnard knife, Soap with secret dictionary, Cap and mittens, B-3A Flying gloves and Hanoi Hilton brick, Son Tay Camp Roof Tile, POW/MIA Bracelets,Vietnam Courier Newspaper, Wallet, Toothpaste, Matches, Cigarettes, Kit Bag, Family Photographs, Prisoner of War Propaganda Photographs, Prisoner of War ID Photographs Book, Socks, Flying Suit, and Book and Music Notes, a House Plan, and a Prayer he scribbled while in captivity. (https://amcmuseum.org/collections/special-collections/brig-gen-jon-a-reynolds/)
- Units - Education - Awards - Flight Info
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Units Assigned
1961 429 TFS at Cannon AFB
1963 22nd Infantry Division (ARVN) in Kontum SVN as an ALO/FAC
1964 334 TFS at Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC
1964 335TFS Yokota AB, Japan, Takhli RTAB in Thailand
1979 Directorate of Plans, Hqs USAF
1980-1981 National War College as an instructor
1980-81USAF/Plans, and then was assigned to DIA in preparation for service in Beijing first as the Air Attache and later as the Defense and Air Attache
1986-1988 he was the senior US Military Representative in China
1988 Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force
1989-1990 Directed the DIA Defense Attache
1990 Retired
Awards & Decorations
Airforce Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Flight Info
T34/T28
F-100
F-105
Military Education
Pre-flight training at Lackland AFB, TX
Primary Flight Training, Malden AB, MO
Advanced Flight Training, Luke and Nellis AFB, NV
Civilian Education
BS Engineering – Trinity College, CT 1959 (USAF Commission)
PhD in History – Duke University, 1980 (Dissertation: Education and Training for High Command, General Hoyt S. Vanderberg’s Early Career”)
- Photos
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- Video
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