May 14, 2026
Learn about Lt. Col. Nathan Baker, a Bowling Green native, Marine Corps aviator, EA-6B Prowler pilot, combat mission commander, and 2026 Distinguished Aviator at Aviation Heritage Park & Museum.
April 29, 2026
Lt Col Gerald Roark had a 22 year career in the Air Force flying the KC and EC 135. He created, equipped, and trained the Air Wing of the US Central Command. His military awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
April 1, 2026
CWO3 Charles Browning was a helicopter pilot serving with the 240th Assault Aviation Company flying out of the Lai Khe Base camp in Vietnam. Serving as a "slick" pilot he earned a Distinguished Flying Cross, 26 Air Medals and a Bronze Star.
March 27, 2025
From an Air Force ROTC student to commanding NATO, Joseph Ralston has become the senior ranking airman Kentucky has ever produced. Gen Ralston is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours, including 147 combat missions over Laos and North Vietnam, flying Republic F-105 fighter-bombers and F-105 Wild Weasel jets.
March 27, 2025
An original “Wild Weasel” and River Rat remembered Originally published on June 19, 2013 by Airman 1st Class Joshua Kleinholz as a news feature on the […]
February 10, 2025
During his 32-year career in the Air Force (1955-1987), Colonel Keith Branham flew in B-36, B-52, and F-4 aircraft. The highlight of his military career was spent as a reconnaissance systems officer (RSO) in the illustrious SR-71 “Blackbird” while stationed at Beale Air Force Base, California.
April 30, 2023
Brig Gen Ken Fleenor survived five years as a Prisoner of War after his F-4 was shot down flying over Southeast Asia. During his 28-year Air Force career, Fleenor amassed more than 5,400 flying hours and has 184 combat hours. His decorations include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal and Air Medal.
April 28, 2023
Lt. Earl Wassom flew the Consolidated B-24 Liberator with the 8th Air Force, 466th Bomb Group for 35 missions during WW2. He received 5 Air Medals, the Purple Heart and four European Campaign Stars.
April 28, 2023
Col Tim Vaughan has logged 88 combat missions, totaling 264 hours, in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Northern Watch, Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom. His list of decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Medal.
April 28, 2023
Capt Jacob Vaughan is a member of the Oklahoma Air National Guard. He has received Top Gun awards for Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground warfare excellence for the Eighth Fighter Squadron. Capt Vaughan will deploy this summer.
April 28, 2023
Col Francis "Pete" Sullivan completed 136 combat missions in the Vietnam War, flying the Douglas A4 Skyhawk and with VMA331 and VMA 214, the Black Sheep Squadron. Among his medals and awards, he holds eight Air Medals plus the Vietnam Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal and the Marine Corps Reserve Medal.
April 28, 2023
Lt Charlie Moran flew B-17, B-26, P-61 Black Widow and the F-82 "Twin Mustang." He is credited with the first aerial victory of the Korean War. He was shot down just 40 days later. He died at age 26.
April 22, 2023
Lt Col Bobbie Pedigo started his military career as a KyNG private in 1951. He served two tours in Vietnam and became an instructor pilot accumulating 2000 hours of flight time- 1200 on fixed wing and 800 on rotary. His completed 51 years of federal service. Aviation Heritage Park salutes this Warren County Kentucky native.
May 27, 2022
David Render Berry was a WW2 aviator who won 3 Navy Cross and 3 Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions. His final battle was May 1945 when he was serving as CO of Bombing Squadron 83. He is still listed as Missing in Action.
May 27, 2022
Maj Jesse Birchett was a pilot for three different services- the US Army Air Forces (Flying the P-40 Warhawk and the P-47 Thunderbolt), the US Air Force, and the West Virginia Air National Guard (Flying the P-51 Mustang and the SA-18 Grumman Albatross amphibious aircraft.)
May 27, 2022
Capt Jackie Carwell was a member the 62nd Fighter Squadron of the US 56th Fighter Group, the famed “Zemke’s Wolfpack” during WW2. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and the Bronze Star for his heroics.
May 27, 2022
LTC Cooper began his USAF career flying the KC-135 Stratotanker with the Strategic Air Command. Later he was an FAC, flying the O-1 Bird Dog. His services earned a Silver Star.
May 27, 2022
Lt Gen Steve Basham is the Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He has completed numerous flying, staff, and command assignments and is a command pilot with more than 3,400 flying hours in the B-1, B-2, and B-52.
May 27, 2022
LTC John Carmichael was a highly decorated member of the USAF who served our nation in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
May 25, 2022
Bill Basham is a veteran who flew Cobra helicopters in Vietnam. He won the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valor.
May 25, 2022
LTC Buck Jones flew the F-100C and was commander the 452nd Fighter Squadron at Foster AFB- the first, supersonic, air-refuelable fighter squadron in the USAF
May 25, 2022
Maj Todd Moore is known as the Ace of the 7th Air Force. During WW2 his squadron flew P-51 Mustangs out of Iwo Jima. While attacking enemy-held islands and escorting bombers to Tokyo, he became a “Double Ace.”
May 24, 2022
Col Greg Smith flew the EC-135 "Looking Glass" and the E-4B Nightwatch. Col Smith was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal.
May 24, 2022
LTC Capito was the Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps Harrier Training Squadron, VMAT-203, as well as being the first person to eject from the newest version of the Harrier, the AV8-B, following a catastrophic engine failure.
March 14, 2021
The three sons of Dr. Paul L. Garrett, second president of Western Teachers College (later, Western Kentucky University) each chose to follow their father’s example and […]
April 18, 2019
After receiving flight training in both the US and France, Victor Strahm was assigned to the 91st Aero Squadron to carry out aerial photographic reconnaissance to supplement land intelligence. Planes were involved in frequent dog fights. During his flights in this war, Victor shot down a total of five German airplanes.
April 15, 2019
After graduation from Western Kentucky University in 1974, Col Terry Wilcutt taught high school math for two years prior to entering the Marine Corps. After overseas deployments to Japan, Korea and the Philippines, he became a Naval Test Pilot. While serving as a test pilot/project officer Wilcutt flew the F/A-18 Hornet, the A-7 Corsair II, the F-4 Phantom, and various other aircraft. He has over 6,600 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft. Wilcutt became an astronaut in 1991 and is a veteran of four space flights- pilot on STS-and STS-79, and mission commander on STS-89 and STS-106.
April 15, 2019
As a Marine, Col. Mac Reynolds served around the world, including flying and eventually commanding Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), where he flew four different U.S. presidents. His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and the Presidential Service Badge.
April 15, 2019
Colonel Ray Nutter showed extreme bravery and heroism on October 18, 1966, while leading a helicopter team in Vietnam. He flew his aircraft into heavy fire to rescue a friendly force, even after other evacuation helicopters had failed. His helicopter was hit, the other pilot was killed, and Major Nutter was injured. Despite this, he led his crew to safety through enemy territory, killing two attackers with his knife. They endured harsh conditions and enemy fire all night before finally making contact with friendly forces the next day. Colonel Nutter was a highly decorated soldier in the Vietnam War, with awards including the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, and Bronze Star.
April 15, 2019
Magda was a highly decorated pilot during World War II and beyond. After surviving being stranded at sea in 1942, he went on to become an ace pilot at just 23 years old, shooting down enemy aircraft and leading a fighter plane division. He set speed records and served with the Blue Angels before tragically losing his life in a crash during the Korean War in 1951.
April 15, 2019
Col Arnie Franklin is a veteran of the Vietnam War, piloting both the F-111A Aardvark and the OV-10 Bronco. Later he was chosen to lead the U.S. Air Force portion of Operation El Dorado Canyon, the 1986 strike on Libya.
April 15, 2019
David H. Finney was the Chief of the Johnson Space Center Aircraft Operations Division in the Flight Crew Operations Directorate until his retirement from NASA in July 2008. Finney had 9277 flight hours in 30 types of aircraft and was current in the T-38A, T-38N, Super Guppy, B747 Shuttle Carrier, and the G159 aircraft with NASA.
April 15, 2019
General Russell Dougherty served as chief of staff, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, headquarters of NATO’s Allied Command Europe and later as the commander of the Strategic Air Command.
April 15, 2019
Gen Dan Cherry served as a brigadier general and a career fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. Cherry flew a combined total of 285 combat missions in F-105 Thunderchiefs and F-4 Phantoms during the Vietnam War, and was credited with destroying 1 enemy aircraft in aerial combat.
April 15, 2019
Willa Beatrice Brown became the first African-American woman in the U.S. to earn a commercial pilot’s license and trained hundreds of the men who later became the Tuskeegee Airmen.