Bowling Green native and WKU alumni Kenneth “Ken” Fleenor began his career with the USAF in 1952, and qualified in the F-86 fighter. Rotating through bases in Japan and Texas, Fleenor was chosen for a brief exchange tour with the US Navy to learn to fly the F-4 Phantom. Fleenor later trained Air Force pilots in the F-4 at MacDill AFB, Fla. In 1964 he moved to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., to become the operations officer and squadron commander in the Air Force's first F-4 wing.  He was sent to Thailand in 1967 to fight the air war in Vietnam, but on his 87th mission, was shot down and captured, spending five and a half years in Hoa Lo Prison, the infamous Hanoi Hilton. Following his release,  he returned to Randolph AFB as assistant deputy commander for operations, and later became Base Commander. Fleenor was appointed to Air Training Command and was promoted to Brigadier General in 1978.