30 November 1957 – Capt Benny Lacombe is killed when he unsuccessfully attempts to bail out of Lockheed U-2A, 56-6704, Article 371, 13 miles SE of Laughlin AFB. Ejection seats had not yet been fitted to U-2s at this point. The history of the U-2 program is fraught with fatalities and crashes. “CIA pilots Wilburn S.
Lew Daugherty graduated from Vestal High School in 1948. He then received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture and a commission as a 2dLt. in the Air Force at Cornell University in 1952.
That same year Lewis joined the U.S. Air Force and shortly thereafter married Caryl Sue Dunn from Champaign, IL in 1953.
After pilot training, he spent four years as a T-33 Instructor Pilot. He flew F-100s in England before going to Vietnam where he flew the A-1 Skyraider.
Col. Daughterty and his family lived in many places including England, Spain, and Germany, and then in 1965, he went to Vietnam where he flew the Skyraider providing close air support and interdiction to U.S. troops.
He was one of the first to fly the “SANDY” mission searching for downed aircrews in Laos and North Vietnam covering the JOLLY GREEN helicopters during their rescue attempts.
Subsequently, he flew the F-4 at Davis-Monthan AFB. His military career culminated as Squadron Commander of an F-4E Fighter Squadron in Spain.
Col Daugherty spent a total of 20 years in the Air Force retiring in 1972. Once out of the Air Force, he flew with commuter airlines and sprayed cotton in Arizona. From 1978-79 he went to the University of Arizona receiving an MSC degree in Agriculture Economics where he did teaching and research for the next 17 years.
