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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

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Lynch, George P., Jr.

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  • Lynch, George P., Jr.

George P. Lynch, Jr.

Preferred Name: George
Nickname/Call Sign: Buzz
Date of Birth: June 21, 1934
Highest Military Grade: 0-6 – Colonel
Hometown: UT
Biography
Pilot Information
Headed West
Video

“I flew the F-100A at Nellis Air Force Base in NV en route to my assignment at Myrtle Beach. The F-100A was an upgraded model of the F-86. It was an outstanding aircraft!  At Myrtle Beach AFB in SC, I flew the F-100 D and F models.”

Units Assigned

  • Wright-Paterson Air Force Base
  • 1956 Pilot training, Webb AFB, TX (Distinguished graduate)
  • Gunnery training (F-86, F-100A)
  • 1958-1964 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Myrtle Beach, SC (F-100C/D)
  • 1966 Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
  • 1966-1970 559th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Flight commander, Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam (F-4)
  • 1970 to 1973 F-4 pilot/Test pilot, Edwards AFB, CA (F-4, YA-9)
  • 6/13/1972 Pilot of first USAF flight in the YA-10
  • 57th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Air Force Fighter Weapons Center, Director of Systems Test, Nellis AFB, NV
  • 4950th Test Wing, Deputy Commander of Operations, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
  • 1979 Retired USAF

Awards & Decorations

Legion Of Merit
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Award
Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal
Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
AF Commendation Medal
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Wth Palm
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm

Flight Info

F-86
F-100 A/C/D – 1400 hours
F-4
YA-9
YA-10
F-104

Flight hours: 6,000

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • West Point Military Academy
  • 1966 Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
  • 1974 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL (Distinguished Graduate)

Civilian Education:

  • 1951 Heidelberg, Germany High School
  • 1966 MS/Aeronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology (Wright Patterson AFB, OH)

George P. Lynch, Jr., Col USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on June 4, 2024.

George Patrick “Buzz” Lynch, Jr passed away at age 89 on Tuesday, 4 June 2024 at his home in Rancho Mirage, CA. The love of his life Maxine Lundt was by his side. Buzz is survived by his sister Ginger Heard, brother Richard Lynch, stepbrother Patrik Lynch, step daughters Brita Womack and DG Dehlsen, daughter Kelli Cieply, sons Tim, Pat, and Mike, and many loving grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Buzz was born in Salt Lake City, UT on 21 Jun 1934 to the late Brigadier General George and Dorothy Lynch. A long lineage of military professionals has been an integral part of the family history. Buzz graduated from Heidelberg, Germany High School in 1951 during which time his love of fishing, hunting, and skiing started a life time pursuit of these passions. He then graduated from West Point Military Academy and opted to join the USAF.

His flying career began in 1956. Graduating as a Distinguished Graduate from pilot training (Webb AFB, TX), he then attended gunnery training in the F-86 and F-100. From 1958 to 1964, he flew with the 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Myrtle Beach, SC) and accrued 1400 hours in the F-100 with a dozen transoceanic flights.

In 1966 he received his Master of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (Wright Patterson AFB, OH) and then selected to attend the Air Force Test Pilot School (Edwards AFB, CA). Next, he flew a combat tour with the 559th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam) flying F-4s and served as a Flight Commander.

From 1970 to 1973, he was back to Edwards AFB flying F-4 test missions and conducted the AIM-4D live fire tests. He then led the YA-9 versus YA-10 flyoff evaluation; he flew the first USAF flight in the YA-10 on 13 June 1972.

In 1974, Buzz graduated from the Air War College (Maxwell AFB, AL) as a Distinguished Graduate and then was reassigned to the Air Force Fighter Weapons Center (Nellis AFB, NV) as the Director of Systems Test. His projects included electronic warfare systems and the Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation System. His last assignment was to Wright Patterson AFB as the Deputy Commander of Operations 4950 th Test Wing where he served with distinction until his retirement in 1979.

He flew 34 different aircraft and logged approximately 6,000 flight hours during his military flying career. His awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm. Other Notable Honors and Achievements

*President of Society of Experimental Test Pilots (1999)

*Built a Skybolt bi-plane (“Blue Max”) and earned a craftsmanship award at Oshkosh Int Fly-in

*Acrobatic pilot for Holiday Inn International, Team America, Sierra Aces, and Tahoe Aces Teams

*Flew test flights in F-4s and T-33s for AVTEL when in his youthful 60s

Buzz and Max resided in Redlands and Rancho Mirage for the last 3 decades enjoyed retirement with many dear friends playing golf and tennis in the greater Rancho Las Palmas community.

A Celebration of Life is being planned for late September (currently planning for 28 September at the Air Museum). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Palm Springs Air Museum via a link in their website (https://palmspringsairmuseum.org). Or you may mail a donation in his name to:

Palm Springs Air Museum
745 N. Gene Autry Trail
Palm Springs, CA 92262

Buzz Lynch was extraordinary in so many ways and will be forever missed.

Wall of Honor Location

Library of Congress Interview: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.97696/

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