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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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Savage, George R.

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  • Savage, George R.

George R. Savage

Preferred Name: George
Date of Birth: September 14, 1929
Highest Military Grade: 0-5 – Lieutenant Colonel
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Headed West Date: August 6, 2019
Biography
Pilot Information
Headed West

“Following his USAF career, he served in logistics management roles for Lockheed Aircraft Service Company and Lockheed Space Operations Company where he was the Director of Logistics and lead the team that won a six billion dollar NASA contract supporting the Space Shuttle. NASA awarded him their prestigious Public Service Medal for…”exceptional leadership contributions in the management of the logistics functions supporting Space Shuttle processing.” (1)

Source: (1) Dallas Morning News on Aug. 11, 2013.

Units Assigned

  • 1949 Enlisted USAF, Aviation Cadet training, Commissioned 2Lt
  • Korean War (B-29)
  • Strategic Air Command (B-47, B-52)
  • 1953 Deployment to England
  • Vietnam (F-100)
  • 1975 17th Training Wing, Commander, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH/Beale AFB, CA
  • 4008th CAM Wing, Commander
  • 1980 Retired USAF

 

 

 

Awards & Decorations

Legion Of Merit
Legion of Merit (3)
Bronze Star
Bronze Star
Air Medal
Air Medal (2)
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal (3)

Flight Info

B-29
B-47
B-52
F-100

Rating: Command Pilot

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • Industrial College of the Armed Forces

Civilian Education:

  • 1947 Saint George High School
  • Bachelor’s degree, University of Nebraska
  • Master’s degree, Central Michigan University

 

George R. Savage, Col USAF, Ret., “Headed West” on August 6, 2013.

Colonel George R. Savage, USAF Retired, 83, slipped the surly bonds of earth for his final flight on August 6, 2013 at his home in Plano, Texas.

Colonel Savage was born Sept 14, 1929 to Howard Savage and Eva Georgina (Vermilyea) Savage in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Saint George High School in 1947, and enlisted in the US Air Force in 1949. He completed Aviation Cadet Training was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and received his pilot wings. He flew B-29s on combat missions over North Korea and was credited with dropping the 100,000th ton of bombs in that war. On his return from Korea he began a long career in Strategic Air Command flying the B-47 and B-52.

Colonel Savage was a Command Pilot and Instructor Pilot with several thousand flying hours in both aircraft. In 1953 during a deployment to England, he met the Love of His Life, Monica Elizabeth Jones. They married in 1954 and subsequently lived in Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Germany, Belgium, Louisiana, Guam, California, Florida and Texas. Colonel Savage served a year in Vietnam flying F-100s. Later, he commented that “they wasted the talents of the World’s Best Bomber Pilot by putting him in a fighter.”

After Vietnam he earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska and a Master’s degree from Central Michigan University. He also graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He then served in several logistics Director and Command positions, most notably as the founding commander of the 4008th CAM Wing. Colonel Savage retired in 1980. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit (3 awards), the Bronze Star, the Air Medal (2 awards), the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal (3 awards) and numerous service and campaign medals.

Following his USAF career, he served in logistics management roles for Lockheed Aircraft Service Company and Lockheed Space Operations Company where he was the Director of Logistics and lead the team that won a six billion dollar NASA contract supporting the Space Shuttle. NASA awarded him their prestigious Public Service Medal for…”exceptional leadership contributions in the management of the logistics functions supporting Space Shuttle processing.”

Colonel Savage was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Monica. He is survived by two sisters, Eva G. McCory of Illinois, Mary Ellen Poptic of Ohio and his brother Michael Savage of Ohio. He is survived by three daughters, Frances Ann Savage of New Mexico, Eva Georgina Clark of Texas and Patricia Lynn Maynard of Utah. His sons-in-law are Robert Clark of Texas and Justin Maynard of Utah. His four grand-children are Laura Horton of Maryland, Amanda Swart of Mississippi, Brandon West of Utah and Jonathan West of Utah. His one great-grand-daughter is Mia West of Utah. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

He is interred in the columbarium at Dallas Veteran Cemetery.

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