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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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Pitcher, Thomas W.

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  • Pitcher, Thomas W.

Thomas Wayne Pitcher

Preferred Name: Tom
Date of Birth: April 5, 1934
Highest Military Grade: Select
Headed West Date: November 14, 2015
Biography
Pilot Information
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“Thomas Wayne Pitcher joined the military at the age of 19, traveling the world and serving his country as a fighter pilot. Tom later went on to become a pilot for Delta Airlines, from 4/1/1963 until he retired 3/27/1994. ”

 

Source: PCN Flight West

Units Assigned

  • 1/1960-1/1963 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron/50th Tactical Fighter Wing, Hahn AFB, Germany

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

F-100

Military & Civilian Education

Thomas Wayne Pitcher, USAF, “Headed West” on November 4, 2015.

Born to parents Walter and Dorothy, Thomas Wayne Pitcher joined the military at the age of 19, traveling the world and serving his country as a fighter pilot. Tom later went on to become a pilot for Delta Airlines, from 4/1/1963 until he retired 3/27/1994.

Diverting to Vail in the late 1960s for a family vacation when there turned out to be no snow in Taos, the entire family fell in love with the mountain and the town and decided to spend the next winter in Vail. By the following winter, they were full-time residents of Vail, leaving behind a brand new home they had just finished building in Houston for life in the Vail Valley. Tom continued his career as a pilot with Delta, commuting for assignments and his children went on to ski race with Ski & Snowboard Club Vail.

Tom and his wife Kay volunteered every free moment they had with SSCV. In the early days, he was timing races and rallying athletes from other parts of Colorado to race in Vail. Tom, together with Ed Livran, started the Vail Cup, which exists to this day, attracting racers from across Colorado.

SSCV was like a second career to Tom, something he was fully committed to and engaged with. Tom’s leadership and commitment has indeed left a mark on SSCV.

He is survived by his wife Kathryn ‘Kay’ and daughter Stephanie.

Source: PCN Flight West & Vail Daily News

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