30 November 1957 – Capt Benny Lacombe is killed when he unsuccessfully attempts to bail out of Lockheed U-2A, 56-6704, Article 371, 13 miles SE of Laughlin AFB. Ejection seats had not yet been fitted to U-2s at this point. The history of the U-2 program is fraught with fatalities and crashes. “CIA pilots Wilburn S.
Brigadier General Roger E. Carleton was commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA. He was directly responsible to the president of the National Defense University for the fulfillment of the college mission — to prepare selected officers for joint and combined staff duty and in so doing to execute the Program for Joint Education of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The general entered the Air Force in 1967 as a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has commanded a tactical fighter squadron and three fighter wings. He is a command pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours in fighter aircraft. He flew two tours in Southeast Asia, first in F-100 aircraft and later in F-111s.
“I took over Provide Comfort in June 1994 following the friendly fire shoot down in April 1994 of two US Army UH-60 helicopters by two F-15’s. I was the last Wing Commander at Bitburg AB (Germany) with the 36th Fighter Wing. The wing inactivated in June 1994 but the housing area and DODDS school remained open under the 23rd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem AB, Germany.
I retired effective 31 August 1996.”
