Greetings 78ers…

I deeply regret having to begin this quarter’s installment with the news of Tom Kana’s passing on 27 Mar. As was reported back in September, John Albert has truly come along side of Sue and his girls to support them along with Tom. They were able to spend the last few days with Tom to say their goodbyes before his passing. Sue can be reached at her address 4899 Turning Leaf Way; Colorado Springs, CO 80922-3583 if you wish to send condolences. The family is still planning his memorial and internment, but no details are available at this point.

Doug Benjamin sent this great shot below of he, bride Katherine and daughter Sara who were with him last June prior to his retirement from Boeing as their Chief Test Pilot. He was able to have his fini flight in a T-38 on an FCF (Functional Check Flight) which was especially meaningful considering that’s what he started his fast jet time in many moons ago! Not one to sit around the house, Doug has put out a shingle as a Consultant Designated Engineering Representative and flight test pilot. He’s working on a couple of projects so far that will “keep me off the street, but mostly just working from home during this self-quarantine.” He’s hoping that his work will bring about some serious flying eventually.

Doug, along with several of our classmates, has truly distinguished himself in the flight test community. He was president of SETP (The Society of Experimental Test Pilots) in 2013 and in September of last year was honored with the J.H. Doolittle Award. The award is given by SETP to a member for “outstanding accomplishment in technical management or engineering achievement in aerospace technology.” The award was presented by the current SETP president along with Gen Doolittle’s grandchildren Jimmy Doolittle III (“Jimmy D” and past Commandant of the USAF Test Pilot school) and Joanna Doolittle Hoppes. Doug in the genuine humility that he’s always shown said he was caught “completely flat-footed.” Well done Doug…you have always made us proud.

 Speaking of being made proud, our own Don Dillman is now the Senior VP of Flight Operations at FedEx Express! Bride Diane wrote that Don has been with FedEx since 2014 after moving from Airlines for America where he was the Managing Director of Flight Ops. Before that he was at United Airlines as the VP of the Network Ops Center. Don’s airline experience started at American where he flew that line and was in various management positions for 24 years. Below is a shot of Don (on the left) at the dedication of the FedEx Aeronautics Academic Center at Kent State University last September. Thanks Diane and well done Don!

Dick Newton is staying active despite the global slow down. He has a son-in-law in AF Spec Ops son-in-law who is at home safe and sound from his 7th deployment. They truly rejoice as we all do with kids who are now protecting our great nation.

Also, on 5 March just before Mr. COVID hit, he and Jody hosted/sponsored a Harmon dinner at their club in Jupiter FL. Lt Gen Silveria (current Supt) flew in from USAFA that evening to deliver what Dick thought were extraordinary remarks focusing on the future of the Academy, to thirty or so guests (mainly grads) to include with Mike and Paula Gould (former Supt) and the AF Academy Foundation leadership team. Dick is thinking “…it might have been the last Foundation event before COVID took center stage in the US. That said, the Foundation is still open for business and the opportunities and needs to bring support to our cherished Academy and the Cadet Wing at any given time are ever mounting.” Always good to hear from you sir…keep up the great work out there. Gen Gould was recently selected as the first president/CEO to oversee both the AOG and AF Academy Foundation (formerly USAFA Endowment).

I’m hoping all of you reading this have heard what Sal Speziale has been doing in VA. Sal is a certified hero for feeding literally thousands of first responders in and around the Centreville VA area where he lives. Even though he has taken hits to his restaurant Ciao Osteria due to COVID-19 he decided to take his excess capacity and turn it into meals for people serving on the front lines. The AOG has featured him on the front page of the web site under the Service Spotlight as well as in the 7258’ Monthly newsletter. Sal was also featured in Air Force Magazine ( https://www.airforcemag.com/in-war-on-covid-19-usaf-vet-ensuring-frontline-forces-get-fed/) and national media coverage on ABC Nightly News as a Person of the Week! He has an incredible servant’s heart to help so many people. Much of the class has contributed to his Go Fund Me page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/vh2v8-feeding-first-responders but he can always use more help. Please considering contributing to this exceptionally worthy cause. Way to go Sal!

If you haven’t done so lately, please visit our class website at http://usafa78-is-great.org. Cliff Huff is the founding webmaster and has been maintaining the site for decades. He recently did some extensive editing and updates with all the time he says he now has. Cliff has truly packed the site with boatloads of features and links. Take some time whilst we shelter in place to look it over. Cliff is also soliciting pix of the 35^th and 40^th reunions if you can help out…please send to him at cch@sei.cmu.edu.

May all of you stay healthy and well during these “interesting” times. My thanks to folks who sent in info as I continue to solicit/shamelessly beg for inputs next quarter!

God Bless

’78 IS GREAT!