| This
page is dedicated to a good friend. Tony has been a Tremendous friend in
helping this web site with patches and unit histories. |
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Tony, son of a Sicilian
immigrant was born in 7th October 1932 in Cleveland, Ohio. After graduation
from high school he enlisted in
the USAF on 29 February 1952. He began Aviation Cadet Pilot
Training Program in January 1953, graduating 14 April 1954, rated and
commissioned the same day.
He was
commander of 54-G cadet class flight while at Basic Training (T-33) James
Connolly AFB, Texas |
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Tony's first assignment
following F-84 fighter gunnery training at Laughlin AFB and Luke
AFB was the 508th Strategic Fighter Wing, Turner AFB, GA, flying
the F-84 G and F. Three flying Squadrons formed this Wing and Tony
joined the 468th SFS. |
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508th
Strategic Fighter Wing |
468th
Strategic Fighter Squadron |
467th
Strategic Fighter Squadron |
466th
Strategic Fighter
Squadron |
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As the Strategic Air
Command was closing down its fighter operations Tony agreed to
join a Weird Program that was TOP SECRET. |
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The
508th was deactivated 11th May 1956 at Turner AFB and
personnel and equipment absorbed into the recently formed at
Turner AFB (1st May 1956) 4080th Strategic
Reconnaissance Wing( Light) . Aircraft on strength being 13 F-84F's,
3 RB-57C's and 1 RB-57D The 4080th SRW would
have a classified mission with the 4025th SRS and the 4028th SRS |
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Tony's Orders reassigned from Turner to
Laughlin AFB and TDY to
Groom Lake Appox 75days
( 1st March 1957 ) |
Groom Lake amended Orders
( 8th March 1957 ) |
TDY at Groom Lake extended appox 59
days. |
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Tony checked out at Groom Lake (Area 51)
making his first flight in the U-2 on 14th March 1957 . |
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The
4080th was moved to Laughlin AFB, TX in 1957. |
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Tony's Orders assign him as 4028th SRS
Combat Crew
Laughlin AFB
( 17th
May 1957 ) |
Tony's Duty Title Orders
Laughlin AFB
( 22nd
May 1957 ) |
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completion of training at Groom lake Tony
flew the U-2 with the 4028th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
(SRS) / 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (SRW) at various
Operating Locations (OL) around the world in Operation Crowflight
which was the Monitoring of Nuclear Bomb explosions. These areas
of operations included Puerto Rico, Alaska, Argentina, England
Australia and Panama. Tours of Vietnam and Cuba overflights
during the crisis also are part of his U- Dragon Lady career |
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The 4080th SRW moved in 1963 to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ. After
accumulating 2002 flight hours Tony left the U-2 program in the
summer of 1965 and reported to Air Command and Staff College (
ACSC) , AL. |
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While at ACSC he was asked if he would like to fly the SR-71 by
Colonel DesPortes who had transferred to Beale AFB when the Blackbird
program started and Tony's response was "Hell Yes Sir" He was then
assigned to 9th SRW at Beale AFB, CA to fly the SR-71 and arrived in
July 1966. After T-38 checkout flights & training he was crewed with
RSO Major Jerry Crew. Unfortunately Jerry was Medically retired in
1969 and Tony then gained a new RSO in Jim Kogler. |
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A couple of milestones in Tony's SR-71
career are , |
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On 26 July 1968 #976 was piloted by Major's Tony Bevacqua and RSO Jerry Crew
in an operational mission over Hanoi, North Vietnam. This flight was the
first time that a SAM had locked on and fired upon a USAF SR-71. The crew knew
they had been fired upon by two missiles and after flying a return track
over the same area, no additional SAM's were fired. Landing was uneventful
at Kadena. The Terrain tracking camera recorded the SA-2's launches and
later evaluation revealed the nearest missile exploded about one mile behind
and away from #976. |
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Leaving this TDY at Kadena, the guys presented me with this placard. |
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And secondly the Longest time to take
a bird(!) to Okinawa. After a generator failed they had to diverted to
Midway where they spent nearly two weeks.
During their stay SR-71 974 gained some
art work in Goony Birds being painted on the undercarriage doors and on the
fuselage near the cockpit.
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Following his USAF career, Tony was in the real estate and real estate
lending business until 31 December 1999. Married to Marilyn (Carroll),
they have five children, and nine grandchildren. |
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retired at Beale AFB, 31 March 1973 with 738 hours in the SR-71.
Although his involvement with Beale did not stop as he was
been a member of the Beale
Military Liaison Committee for over 30 years serving as both Chairman
(18 1/12 years) and in his current capacity as Secretary. |
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Tony is active with several
hobbies. They include his autos: Corvettes, a 57 Chrysler New Yorker 2-door
Hardtop, a 1961 Chrysler 300-G, and a 1956 Imperial 4 door sedan. Other
hobbies include racquetball, spectator sports, volunteer work, and
civic/charitable organizations. |
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Tony's
beautiful 1956 Imperial Sedan is painted Raven Black over Nugget Gold |
Tony and his Z06-
Still the "Need For Speed" |
