Alfred “Fred” Westerberg, Jr. (Colonel, Ret.)
Colonel Westerberg started his Air Force career at Luke, AFB in Arizona in 1963. In 1967 Fred joined the New Jersey Air National Guard (NJANG), a relationship that would last until 26 years. His flying career was not limited to the ANG, he was hired by PanAmerican Airlines in 1967, now with Boeing 707’s out of JFK airport.
In January of 1968, the “Pueblo Crisis” (which began with the seizure of the American ship USS Pueblo by North Korean forces) saw Fred Westerberg, Jr. recalled to active duty with the 119th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base in SC. When the crisis abated, Fred headed back to NJ to resume his work at the NJANG and PanAM.
After being furloughed from PanAm in 1970, Fred was hired by the NJANG as a temporary technician. Shortly thereafter he was hired by PanAm’s business jet division as a demo pilot, flying their FalconJets.
By 1987 Colonel Westerberg was the squadron commander of the 119th Tactical Fighter Wing (NJANG) and the chief pilot at Falcon Jet Corp. He left Falcon Jet Corp. in 1989 to become the Chief Pilot for SONY.
His relationship with the NJANG continued and in 1991 he became DCO until his retirement in 1992. Sadly, health issues forced Fred to quit flying in 2004.
He is survived by his wife Susan, son, David, a freshman at Qunnipiac University in CT, and daughter Jill, a staff attorney at ACQC in Queens, NY.