15 July 1967 – T.H. Herndon was flying F-100D #563275. Enroute to a target of 150 Vietcong in a treeline, he was hit by 57mm AAA during a climb. He ejected and was recovered by USAF Helo. Herndon was serving with the 531st TFS out of Bien Hoa AB.
Rich Ranaudo served with the OHANG from 1973-1979. Additionally, he was a NASA test pilot, a Bombardier Aerospace Senior Experimental Test Pilot, an Aeronautical Engineer, a Human Factors Engineer, the Head of Flight Test Operation at NASA, and Bombardier. Rich is also a writer, author, and college professor at NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland; Applied Science Group.
He has extensive operational and flight test experience in military, government, and civil aviation. Throughout his career has flown over 35 different aircraft types logging more than 12,000 hours primarily as Pilot-in-Command. He began his aviation career as an active duty USAF F-4 fighter pilot in Vietnam and later served as a T-38 advanced jet instructor pilot. Following active duty, Mr. Ranaudo became a NASA research pilot, and in that capacity, he performed a variety of aero-propulsion, aircraft performance, flying qualities, aircraft icing, and microgravity flight research programs.
During that time he also served concurrently with the Ohio and Texas Air National Guard, flying the F-100, F-101, and A-7D aircraft as an operational fighter pilot. Mr. Ranaudo has an FAA Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) license and several type ratings in large jet, turbo-propeller, and reciprocating engine transport aircraft. (1)
(1) Source: Staff Profiles In-Flight Simulation
