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Today in History – April 11, 1955 – Contract to build XF-108 is issued.

April 11, 2021

North American Aviation is issued a preliminary contract to build prototypes of the XF-108 long-range interceptor aircraft for the USAF. “The North American XF-108 Rapier …

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Today in History – April 11, 1955 – Contract to build XF-108 is issued.

April 11, 2021

North American Aviation is issued a preliminary contract to build prototypes of the XF-108 long-range interceptor aircraft for the USAF. “The North American XF-108 Rapier …

Read More →

Croom, William D., Jr.

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  • Croom, William D., Jr.

William D. Croom

Preferred Name: Bill
Date of Birth: April 10, 1942
Highest Military Grade Held: 0-5 – Lieutenant Colonel
Hometown: Durham, NC
Biography
Pilot Information
Album
Video
Biography

In his words…

I was with the 309 TFS, 31st TFW. I flew 218 missions; 218 takeoffs and 217 landings. Absolutely the most rewarding professional time I spent in the Air Force was flying Tactical Fighter missions in Vietnam, supporting the troops…doing the things I was trained to do, and I believed were important to do, with a wonderful bunch of people…Being away from home is not much fun, being 12,000 miles from those you love but I believed the missions made it all worth it. The memories I have are special.

Why I have only 217 landings…

One day we launched off the pad and as I was climbing out the engine started compressor stalling. By the fourth or fifth time with cleaned wings, I headed home and the engine vibrated and seized. Flames came out both ends, and that was when I became a glider pilot. I was not qualified in gliders. They wrote it off as a combat loss. The engine failed, probably. We occasionally got “plinked” at (shot at) so I’m not sure if someone shot a round through the engine, but it was 18 minutes from the time I left the airplane until I was picked up. Instead of having to wait for Saigon to initiate search and rescue and scratching around in their air-conditioned offices trying to figure out what to do, Pedro came off the base, turned his radio off because they were telling him to return to base, and came out and picked me up. I bought Pedro a lot of beer.

For Bill’s full story, see the Video tab.

Bill served as a board member and as treasurer of the Pikes Peak USO and the Air Academy Federal Credit Union. He is currently on the board of directors of the Pikes Peak Community College Foundation and is a member of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Council.

Pilot Information

Units Assigned

  • 11/1963-10/1964 UPT, Laughlin AFB, Del Rio, TX (T-37, T-33)
  • 11/1964-11/1968 Moody AFB, GA, (IP T-37)
  • 11/1968-6/1969 121st Tactical Fighter Squadron/113th Tactical Fighter Wing, Myrtle Beach AFB, SC (CCTS Upgrade F-100)
  • 7/1969-6/1970 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron/31st Tactical Fighter Wing, Tuy Hoa AB, Vietnam: 218 Combat Missions (F-100)
  • 6/1970-8/1974 IP/Chief, Officer TNG, Reese AFB, TX (T-38)
  • 8/1974-8/1980 Staff Jobs, Randolph AFB, TX (T-39)
  • 8/1980-3/984 Ops Off/Staff Jobs, USAFA, CO (T-41)
  • 3/31/1984 Retired USAF

Awards & Decorations

Presidential Unit Citation

Exceptional Service Award

Medal of Merit

Colorado AFA’er of the Year

Flight Info

T-33
T-37
T-38
T-39
T-41
F-100: 218 Combat Missions

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • SOS & AFSC (correspondence)
  • AWC (seminar)
  • ICAF (correspondence)

Civilian Education:

  • 1963 BS/BA-Marketing, University of North Carolina

Album

Croom William 2017 Reunion
Album Slideshow
Slideshow
Click To View

Video

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The mission of the Super Sabre Society is to preserve the history of the F-100 Super Sabre and the men who flew the aircraft.

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