Robert J. Graham

Preferred Name: Bob
Date of Birth: November 28, 1934
Highest Military Grade Held: 0-6 – Colonel
Hometown: Bloomfield, NJ
Robert J. Graham - before
Biography

“How does a fighter pilot relax? by Bob Graham

Flying jet fighters in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s was one of the most exciting and dangerous jobs in the world, particularly in combat.  It was a constant and massive adrenaline rush where the least loss of focus or inattention was often fatal. Golf on the other hand is just the opposite—a completely relaxing sport allowing one the opportunity to spend a few hours with friends and family in some of the prettiest and most peaceful places in the world.

When Bob is not focused on the investment markets, you can find him on the golf course either in Pennsylvania or North Carolina working to improve his game.”(1)

Bob is the founder of Riggs Asset Management in Pittsburgh, PA.

Source: (1) https://riggsadvisors.com/team/robert-j-graham/

Pilot Information

Units Assigned

  • 1953-1955 Enlisted and Avia Aviation Cadet
  • 1956-1959 Navigator, 60th FIS, Otis AFB, MA (F-94C/F-101B)
  • 1959-1960 Pilot Training, Bainbridge, GA, and Laredo, TX
  • 1960-1964 Pilot, 531st TFS, Misawa, Japan (F-100)
  • 1962 TDY, Da Nang, Vietnam (L-19)
  • 1964-1966 Pilot, 531st TFS, England AFB, LA, and Bien Hoa, Vietnam (F-100)
  • 1966-1969 Gunnery Instructor, 4511 CCTS, Luke AFB, AZ (F-100)
  • 1969-1972 Asst. DO and Chief of Maintenance, Incirlik AFB, Turkey
  • 1972 Pilot, Checkout, George AFB, CA (F-4)
  • 1973-1974 Squadron Commander, 4TFS, Udorn AFB, Thailand, (F-4E)
  • 1974-1975 Air Staff, Pentagon, DCS Plans
  • 1975-1976 Air War College
  • 1976-1978 Plans & Programs, AFLC Headquarters, Wright Patterson AFB, OH
  • 1978-1980 DCO, 51st st TFW, Osan AFB, South Korea  (F-4E)
  • 1980-1982 Director of Programs, USAFE, Ramstein AFB, Germany

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

F-94C
F-101B
F-100
L-19
F-4 E

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • Pilot Training
  • Navigator Training
  • Industrial College of the Armed Forces
  • Air War College

Civilian Education:

  • BS, University of Nebraska
  • MBA, Auburn University

Caterpillar Club

Bob Graham Caterpillar Story

Bob GrahamIn November 1964, I was with the 531st TFS. We were deployed to Clark AB in the Philippines from England AFB, Louisiana. I was flying as an IP in the backseat of an F-100F.

On takeoff, we took some ground fire at the end of the runway from what was presumed to be a group of Huk Guerillas. Some rounds hit the generator, fuel tank, and a bunch of other stuff resulting in explosions and a massive fire from forward of the wing root down the length of the fuselage. Apparently, it was quite a spectacular sight from the ground.

We were over a populated area (the city of Angeles and surrounding villages) so we could not punch off the stores or eject. We managed to get the bird up to a low downwind thinking that we might be able to get it back down on the runway. However, as we turned base, fortunately over a wide-open unpopulated area, the flight controls burned through and we ended up ejecting slightly nose down and inverted at about 800 feet.

My chute did not have a chance to fully deploy so I hit pretty hard but, fortunately, in the middle of a narrow stream about four feet deep running through the elephant grass. All in all, it was a tough way to start the day but it could have been a lot worse.

-Bob Graham

Album

Graham, Bob
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