Skip to content

Today in History – April 5, 1962 – 1962 Neil Armstrong takes X-15 to 54,600m

Neil Armstrong and the X-15 by Bob van der Linden, Posted on Tue, July 23, 2019, Aeronautics Department, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum “Released from duty in mid-1952, Armstrong returned to Purdue where he earned his degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. His love of flight and engineering drew him to the National Advisory

Read More »
Join The SSS
Update My Bio
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

Loitwood, Howard S.

  • Home
  • Biography
  • Biographies
  • Loitwood, Howard S.

Howard Sutton Loitwood, Jr.

Preferred Name: Tick
Date of Birth: January 25, 1939
Highest Military Grade: 0-3 – Captain
Hometown: Gettysburg, SD
Headed West Date: March 14, 2020
Biography
Pilot Information
Headed West
Album

“After [USAF] service, I became an Airline Pilot for Continental and a USAir Captain. My spouse Barb and I have 3 daughters.”

Units Assigned

  • 6/1961 Entered USAF, Reese AFB, TX
  • G2 Aviation Cadet Pilot Training, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100)
  • 55th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Wethersfield RAFS, England
  • 401st Tactical Fighter Squadron, England AFB,
  • 612th/613th  Tactical Fighter Squadron
  • 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam (304 combat missions)
  • 1969 524th Tactical Fighter Squadron
  • 1/1969 Honorable Discharge USAF, Cannon AFB, NM

Awards & Decorations

Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (2)
Air Force Medal
Air Force Medal
Air Medal
Air Medal with 14 Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
AF Commendation Medal
Distinguished Service Medal
AF Outstanding Service Award with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star
RVN Gallantry Cross With Palm
Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm
Air Force Longevity Service Award (AFLSA)
AF Longevity Service Award with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
National Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
AF Good Conduct Medal
Good Conduct Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
Small Arms Marksmanship Ribbon (SAEMR)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Award

Flight Info

F-100

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • 1961 Basic Pilot Training
  • 1961 USAF Advanced Survival Training Course
  • 1962 Advanced Flying School
  • 1962 USAF Operations Training School
  • 1963 Air Ground Operations School
  • 1965 Deep-Sea Survival School

Civilian Education:

  • Gettysburg High School, SD
  • South Dakota State University

“Howard “Tick” Loitwood “Headed West” on March 14, 2020

Howard Sutton Loitwood, Jr. (Tick) 81, died March 14, 2020, in Youngstown, Ohio. He was born on Jan. 25, 1939, to Howard S. and Kathryn Reichenbach Loitwood. Howard attended Gettysburg High School and South Dakota State University. During summers of his college years, he worked for the Smithsonian on digs with the Archeology Department.

Tick served honorably in the Air Force from 1961 to 1969. While flying as an F-100 pilot in the Vietnam War, he received many honors including the Distinguished Flying Cross (First Oak Leaf Clusters), Air Force Outstanding Service Award, Vietnam Service Medal with Star, Gallantry Cross, and 20 other commendations and medals.

After his Air Force service, he became a commercial pilot with Continental Airlines and later moved to USAir where he retired as a Captain in 1998.

He was a member of the Super Sabre Society, VFW, and American Legion. In 2011 Tick received his Fifty Year Award from the Masonic Grand Lodge of South Dakota.

Howard was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Christopher, and his sister, Diana Webb of Gettysburg.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara Lynn Loitwood, his daughter, Lisa Jean (Chandler) Dunah, two granddaughters of California, and aunts Shirley Nagel of Gettysburg, SD, and Joanne Strader of Colorado

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Ohltown Methodist Church (Howard Loitwood Memorial Fund) 2001 Ohltown Road, Mineral Ridge, Ohio 44440

Loitwood Service Photo
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