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Usaf thunderbirds fire commander7/26/2023 ![]() More good news: Check out the Coloradoan's roundup of feel-good stories amid the coronavirus outbreakĭiFalco attended the University of Colorado on an Air Force ROTC scholarship and graduated in 2004 with an officer’s commission in and degree in aerospace engineering. He’s the example of what it looks like to do things the right way.” “… This is a neat thing today, but what he’s done to serve our country is unbelievable. “He’s as good a person as you could ever meet,” said Dan Soukup, who grew up playing baseball with DiFalco. The Air Force’s Air Demonstration Squadron, as the Thunderbirds are formally known, added flyovers of several Colorado cities to honor the health care workers and first responders who are on the front lines of the battle against the coronavirus or COVID-19. 7 jet in the flyover, which had six F-16s in formation, and two others trailing, that were in the area for the U.S. Kevin DiFalco had a lot of people from his hometown looking up to him Saturday, as he piloted one of the Air Force Thunderbirds jets during a flyover of Fort Collins and other cities along Colorado’s Front Range.ĭiFalco, a 2000 graduate of Fort Collins High School, was flying the No. 10 just six days before the family was notified that Major Goodman's remains had been positively identified.Watch Video: Air Force Thunderbirds flyover of Fort Collins His wife and high school sweetheart, June Goodman, passed away Nov. There also are seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Major Goodman is survived by three children: Sue Stein of Soldotna, Alaska Christine Stonebraker, of San Diego and Russ Goodman of Butler, Ind. Air Force have a mission to account for those who sacrifice that mission includes bringing these heroes home to their families." government, Department of Defense and the U.S. 5 lead solo pilot and organizer of the funeral service, who is not related to Major Russell C. Rick Goodman, the current Thunderbird No. "America has long honored the pledge of leaving no man behind," said Maj. With Major Goodman's return, there are now 556 Airmen, 550 Soldiers, 369 Sailors, 213 Marines and 32 civilians still unaccounted for who served in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam era. "Today the numbers of missing service men who gave their lives in service of our nation are now one lower, now that he is home." "Major Goodman represents the thousands of American heroes who have put their name in to serve and sacrifice so others won't have to," General Handy said. ![]() We welcome home a hero, a professional and a patriot." I am honored to be here to see him come home. "I lost a mentor and my professional big brother. "That day, a husband, a father and a friend was lost, said Commander Thornton as he recounted his time with Major Goodman during the service. Commander Thornton survived and was held captive until his release in 1973. Commander Thornton was able to eject at just 250 feet altitude, but Major Goodman did not escape. At a point about eight miles south of the city Thanh Hoa, they were struck by enemy anti-aircraft fire and their plane exploded. ![]() 20, 1967, just days after completing a combat mission for which he earned the Silver Star for saving a downed aircrew, he and his weapons systems officer, retired Cdr. Gary Thornton, were flying an F-4 Phantom fighter from the USS Enterprise during a bombing mission against a railroad siding in North Vietnam. While assigned to squadron, he was selected to serve as a liaison officer between the Air Force and the Navy. 8, the team's advance pilot and narrator, from 1964 to 1965. "We welcome him home to the United States, welcome him home to Nellis Air Force Base, and welcome him home to the Thunderbirds," he said. Handy, the 57th Wing commander during a funeral service with full military honors at the Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron hangar at Nellis Air Force Base. 14 for a celebration of his life among a sea of family and peers. (AFNS) - A Thunderbird pilot killed in Southeast Asia and listed as missing in action for more than 40 years returned to the location of his last Air Force assignment Jan. ![]()
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