Lawrence E. Bustle, Jr.
Preferred Name: Larry
Nickname/Call Sign: Larry
Date of Birth: July 11, 1935
Highest Military Grade Held: Colonel
Hometown: Samoset, FL
Biography
Larry Bustle is a native of Manatee County and is a graduate of Manatee County High School. He is married to the former Edie Stevenson and they have four grown children and two grandchildren. \
Larry attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and, after graduation he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He received his pilot wings in 1958 and enjoyed a distinguished career which included service as a fighter pilot and test pilot with over 3300 flying hours. He is a 1964 graduate of the F-100 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course.
Mr. Bustle flew 130 combat missions in the F-4D Phantom II aircraft during the Vietnam War. For his service in Vietnam he was awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, nine Air Medals and the Purple Heart, among others. In 1967 he was awarded a Master of Science Degree in Astronautical Engineering from the US Air Force Institute of Technology, and in 1970 he graduated from the US Air Force Test Pilot School. At Eglin, he flew test missions on the Modular Guided Glide Bomb (MGGB) and numerous ECM pods and Air-to-Air Infrared Sensors. Later, he served in senior command positions in the Air Force, and retired from the Air Force as a Colonel in 1984.
Colonel Bustle previously served seven years as the Mayor of Palmetto. On August 26, 2008, he was elected to the Manatee County Commission and is in his seventh year serving as the Manatee County Commissioner representing District 1. Commissioner Bustle previously served two years as Chairman of the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners and three consecutive years as Chairman of the Manatee County Port Authority. He is a past chairman of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and a past chairman of the Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization. Larry is serving a fifth year as chairman of the Manatee County Public Safety Coordinating Council. Previously he served on the American Patriotism Celebration Task Force and the Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Council Advisory Board. He is a current member of the Board of Directors of the South Florida Museum; former member of the Manatee Veterans Council. He is also a past member of the Community Coalition on Homelessness and the Local School Readiness Coalition. Commissioner Bustle is a graduate of Leadership Florida Class XXIV.
Units Assigned
- Jun 53-Jun 57 US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD-commissioned in USAF at graduation
- Aug 57-Feb 58 Bartow AB, FL, Primary Pilot Training Class 59B (T-34A, T-28A)
- Mar 58-Sep 58 Webb AFB, TX Basic Pilot Training (T-33)
- Sep 58-Mar 59 Luke AFB, AZ F-100 RTU
- Apr 59-Julo 59 Nellis AFB, NV F-100 Advanced Training
- Aug 59 Stead AFB, NV Survival Training
- Sep 59-Jan 60 Chaumont AB, France 48th TFW/493 TFS F-100
- Jan 60-May 63 RAF Lakenheath AB, UK 48th TFW/493 TFS F-100
- Jun 63-May 65 Nellis AFB, NV Command Post, FWS Student, F-100 Stan Eval
- Jun 65-Jun 67 AFIT WPAFB, OH MS Astronautical Engineering
- Jul 67-Jan 68 George AFB, CA F-4 RTU
- Feb 68-Sep 68 Danang AB, SVN 366 TFW, 480 TFS, Wing Tactics Officer, Stormy F-4 FAC
- Sep 68-Mar 69 Recovering from flailing injuries from ejection after shootdown by 37mm
- Apr 69-May 70 Edward AFB, CA USAF Test Pilot School Student Class 69B (F-106, B-25, B-57, T-33, F-104, NF-104, T-38, B-52, Schweitzer Glider
- Jun 70-Jun 73 Eglin AFB, FL Munitions Test Pilot T-33, F-100, F-4D, T-38
- Jun 73-Jun 78 HQ USAF/Pentagon Fighter Requirements
- Jun 78-Jun 79 Ft. McNair, DC Industrial College of the Armed Forces
- Jun 79-Jun 81 Izmir AB, Turkey, Commander, Det. 181, TUSLOG (Base Commander)
- Jul 81-Jul 82 Torrejon AB, Spain 401st TFW Vice Commander – F-4D
- Jul 82-Jun 84 HQ USAF/Pentagon/Director of Operational Support
- Jun 30, 1984 Retired
- Jul 84-Jul 95 Western Gear Corp. DOD Marketing/Sales Cincinnati Milacron. DC Office Manager Sargent-Fletcher Corp. Managing Director, Kayseri, Turkey
- Jul 95- Jan 02 Realtor, Palmetto, FL Jan 02-Nov 08 Elected Mayor of Palmetto, FL
- Nov 08- Present Elected County Commissioner, Manatee County Florida
Awards & Decorations
Flight Info
Military Education
- U.S. Naval Academy, Air Force Institute of Technology
Civilian Education
- Biography
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Biography
Larry Bustle is a native of Manatee County and is a graduate of Manatee County High School. He is married to the former Edie Stevenson and they have four grown children and two grandchildren. \
Larry attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and, after graduation he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He received his pilot wings in 1958 and enjoyed a distinguished career which included service as a fighter pilot and test pilot with over 3300 flying hours. He is a 1964 graduate of the F-100 Fighter Weapons Instructor Course.
Mr. Bustle flew 130 combat missions in the F-4D Phantom II aircraft during the Vietnam War. For his service in Vietnam he was awarded the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, nine Air Medals and the Purple Heart, among others. In 1967 he was awarded a Master of Science Degree in Astronautical Engineering from the US Air Force Institute of Technology, and in 1970 he graduated from the US Air Force Test Pilot School. At Eglin, he flew test missions on the Modular Guided Glide Bomb (MGGB) and numerous ECM pods and Air-to-Air Infrared Sensors. Later, he served in senior command positions in the Air Force, and retired from the Air Force as a Colonel in 1984.
Colonel Bustle previously served seven years as the Mayor of Palmetto. On August 26, 2008, he was elected to the Manatee County Commission and is in his seventh year serving as the Manatee County Commissioner representing District 1. Commissioner Bustle previously served two years as Chairman of the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners and three consecutive years as Chairman of the Manatee County Port Authority. He is a past chairman of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and a past chairman of the Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization. Larry is serving a fifth year as chairman of the Manatee County Public Safety Coordinating Council. Previously he served on the American Patriotism Celebration Task Force and the Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Council Advisory Board. He is a current member of the Board of Directors of the South Florida Museum; former member of the Manatee Veterans Council. He is also a past member of the Community Coalition on Homelessness and the Local School Readiness Coalition. Commissioner Bustle is a graduate of Leadership Florida Class XXIV.
- Units - Education - Awards - Flight Info
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Units Assigned
- Jun 53-Jun 57 US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD-commissioned in USAF at graduation
- Aug 57-Feb 58 Bartow AB, FL, Primary Pilot Training Class 59B (T-34A, T-28A)
- Mar 58-Sep 58 Webb AFB, TX Basic Pilot Training (T-33)
- Sep 58-Mar 59 Luke AFB, AZ F-100 RTU
- Apr 59-Julo 59 Nellis AFB, NV F-100 Advanced Training
- Aug 59 Stead AFB, NV Survival Training
- Sep 59-Jan 60 Chaumont AB, France 48th TFW/493 TFS F-100
- Jan 60-May 63 RAF Lakenheath AB, UK 48th TFW/493 TFS F-100
- Jun 63-May 65 Nellis AFB, NV Command Post, FWS Student, F-100 Stan Eval
- Jun 65-Jun 67 AFIT WPAFB, OH MS Astronautical Engineering
- Jul 67-Jan 68 George AFB, CA F-4 RTU
- Feb 68-Sep 68 Danang AB, SVN 366 TFW, 480 TFS, Wing Tactics Officer, Stormy F-4 FAC
- Sep 68-Mar 69 Recovering from flailing injuries from ejection after shootdown by 37mm
- Apr 69-May 70 Edward AFB, CA USAF Test Pilot School Student Class 69B (F-106, B-25, B-57, T-33, F-104, NF-104, T-38, B-52, Schweitzer Glider
- Jun 70-Jun 73 Eglin AFB, FL Munitions Test Pilot T-33, F-100, F-4D, T-38
- Jun 73-Jun 78 HQ USAF/Pentagon Fighter Requirements
- Jun 78-Jun 79 Ft. McNair, DC Industrial College of the Armed Forces
- Jun 79-Jun 81 Izmir AB, Turkey, Commander, Det. 181, TUSLOG (Base Commander)
- Jul 81-Jul 82 Torrejon AB, Spain 401st TFW Vice Commander – F-4D
- Jul 82-Jun 84 HQ USAF/Pentagon/Director of Operational Support
- Jun 30, 1984 Retired
- Jul 84-Jul 95 Western Gear Corp. DOD Marketing/Sales Cincinnati Milacron. DC Office Manager Sargent-Fletcher Corp. Managing Director, Kayseri, Turkey
- Jul 95- Jan 02 Realtor, Palmetto, FL Jan 02-Nov 08 Elected Mayor of Palmetto, FL
- Nov 08- Present Elected County Commissioner, Manatee County Florida
Awards & Decorations
Flight Info
Military Education
- U.S. Naval Academy, Air Force Institute of Technology
Civilian Education
- Images
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- Video
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