Reese AFB Undergraduate Pilot Training

Class 64-H

If you were in class 64-H, send along pictures and stories.

Section I

Section II

3500th Flights
Flight 8

3501st Flights
Who Dat Flight 2 and Flight 4

Capt Theodore A. Piroli Class Leader
Capt Arthur C. Evans
Capt Anthony N. Gaeta
1st Lt James F. Knowles
1st Lt Robert J. Brandt
1st Lt Donald J. McAuliff
2nd Lt Paul J. Armour
2nd Lt Sam A. Belcher IV
2nd Lt Donald E. Berger
2nd Lt Thomas G. Boyd
2nd Lt Douglas A. Brosveen
2nd Lt Hal T. Burnett
2nd Lt Michael D. Conway
2nd Lt John L. Cotton
2nd Lt John V. Erickson
2nd Lt Clement J. Ford Jr.
2nd Lt John A. Grimm
2nd Lt Robert S. Goetz
2nd Lt Laurence J. Gross
2nd Lt George M. Hardwick
2nd Lt Edward W. Jackson Jr
2nd Lt Calvin F. Jewett
2nd Lt Hugo G. Jimenez
2nd Lt William E. Legg
2nd Lt James D. McKay
2nd Lt Charles J. Rief Jr.
2nd Lt Raymond L. Smith
2nd Lt John M. Spencer
2nd Lt William H. Van Petten
2nd Lt Joseph F. Weber
2nd Lt Hoyle B. Williams

Dedicated to 2nd Lt Gerald K. Brinker

A typical class history is usually a brief summary of the events that occurred during the period of Undergraduate Pilot Training here at Reese Airpatch. However, we of class 64-H feel that our 55 weeks spent here does not constitute our history. This is not the end but merely the beginning and until our last member makes his final flight into the great beyond our story will not be complete. As we approach the end of our era there will have been various degrees of success within our ranks. Whether we succeed or not will depend on what we have gained from our training throughout the years; most important being the 55 weeks spent at Reese.

Not many things will be forgotten that happened to us during this time. It's amazing that we survived the first day-which was back on June 4, 1963. Remember how we were all grouped together in the OTI Building and brain-washed into thinking how easy it was going to be "if we only kept up with our studies". After the forty of us were given a pencil and pad we were given the run down of how things were going to be done-and "done" they were. The days following brought us a lot of hot, dry weather intermingled with hard work and much sweat. Somebody dropped a quarter in and the "Washing Machine" started working-the majority survived.

In academics we successfully completed the usual, but not too easy, subjects of Engineering, AVP, Weather, Flight Planning, Nav, Principles of Flight-just to mention a few. Some of us made outstanding grades while others-well, just made grades let's say. Believe it or not we did get some flying in too-once in a while that is.

In each of the Primary and Basic phases we had four areas to master: Transition, Instruments, Navigation, and Formation. In Transition, we found the maneuvers very difficult to perform until the IP would demonstrate one and we'd discover he wasn't as good as we were. After we demonstrated we could flop the airplane around in the sky as well as he could, we were given the chance to show off in front of a check pilot. Navigation brought its own problems of matching the checkpoints and towns (?) on the ground with those numerous spots on our maps. We were shown all the ingenious ways of finding ourselves after we had so ingeniously lost ourselves and IP's. Instruments-let's not even try to remember those naughty things. Formation would have been a lot of fun if that guy leading wasn't so spastic on the controls.

On the day of graduation from the T-37 to the "White Rocket" we were also involved in "The Big Split". On that infamous day of 9 December, sixteen of us became Spooks and seventeen of remained "next to (0) nothings". We were still class 64-H though and we figured we could take anything thrown at us so it really didn't bother us-especially the seventeen that stayed at the "01st".

That first long delayed "gee whiz" ride we had in the"38" will long be remembered. Everything happened so fast, but being the young, intelligent me we were and having that supersonic hunk of metal at our command, we knew that we were the hottest thing going.

Above all else our memories will include those days when the "studs" of 64-H did such things as barf for three months straight on each ride; get lost in the transition area; try to land with gear up or no flaps; enter the traffic pattern the wrong way; attempt to play "chicken" with the formations on initial; buzz mobile for radio failure; smile at the mobile controller on touch down; chase the coyotes with the Tweet at Abnormal; pop chutes in the cockpit; wear earplugs in our masks; abort a flight for loose bowels; pink EPQ's; throw our favorite instructors in the pool. These are only some of the innumerable events that characterized our class.

We came from far and distant places and were grouped into one lot sharing and participating in a common goal. For a short time we were privileged to know one another and make lasting friendships. In time some may meet again but the majority will not. We have attained our common goal and now will be sent far and wide. It is hoped that this short summary will help to revive memories in years to come of our class - 64-H.