USAFA - Spirit of 76 - Legacy Project - REPORT! Interviews with the Long Blue Line.

COL (ret) Rich King was one of the guys who excelled as a cadet, F-4 WSO, and career AF officer. After active duty he spent 20 years working for WBB in the DC area supporting efforts to improve the Air Force. Rich and I met one summer as upperclassmen and ran into each other once in Korea in 1981. He has a great attitude and solid message for all.

This episode you meet Major General Mike Worden, one of the most illustrious members of the Class of 76. Mike was NEVER a Pink Panther but has experiences with our wild group from his cadet days, while on active duty, and now as a retired MG. Mike had quite the cadet football career followed by an outstanding military career where he served in four conflicts. He has quite interesting stories and we start with one from our cadet days and his intro to the Pink Panther mindset.

Here is my first Pink Panther roomie, Steve Jorgensen. Steve was a CS-36 Squadron Commander our Firstie year, lead the mass procurement event of Trans AM's our 2nd Class year, became an F-15 pilot in PACAF and left Active Duty for American Airlines where he flew for over 30 years. Now Steve occupies his time working with all types of railroads. He has great stories about skiing, flight physicals, and being a Pink.

This episode is with Steve Odiorne. Steve and I were doolies together in the harsh CS-15 and enjoyed two years as Pink Panthers before he was transferred to CS-38 for Fristie year. Steve was also a cadet in the Drum and Bugle Corps, flew T-33 and F-106's in Air Defense Command and spent over 30 years with Lockheed in their Space Systems group as an operator for several NASA missions to Venus, Mars, and the Moon.

This special episode you meet Jennifer Frye. Nope, she wasn't a grad, but did marry one of our classmates, Steve, who was her sweetheart from 6th Grade. This triggered Jennifer to move to C Springs and become the unofficial "den Mother" for us Pinks. She had a car, an apartment, and girlfriends downtown. I hope you enjoy another side of the Pink Panthers and an AF career.

This episode is with with Steve Frye, Retired USAF Colonel but, most importantly, husband of Jennifer. Steve fills in the mystery of why Rich Polemy left the squadron after only a couple of months (they were doolies together). After UPT and initial IP assignment he selected the life of a C-141 pilot. Across his long career on active duty Steve covered roles as Air University Prof, Vice Commander of AF training and was groomed for higher levels of command. A family situation triggered his retirement from active duty but Steve has continued to serve as a director in Government Service through this recording in 2021.

This episode you meet Jim Fisher, retired AF Major, RF-4 and F-16 Pilot, and long-time national security professional. While a cadet he hosted and, after graduation, visited Francois Pierre, a French foreign exchange cadet. Jim stays away from social media so he is a tough one to track down. I think you will agree, it was worth the effort.

This episode you meet the incomparable Dr/Col (Col/DR?) Pete Mapes. As a cadet Pete created a famous fife and drum and flag trio that got to travel and was photographed often during the bicentennial of 1976. On active duty Pete won many awards and was the only person to accomplish both a prestigious flying and medical award in the same year. He is now a leader of aviation Scouts in Michigan and still flying. There are several acronyms here, but that is our Pete!

This episode you meet Dr. John Dedic, USAF flight surgeon and radiologist. As a cadet John sang in the Cadet Chorale and boxed in the Wing Open Championship heavyweight bout. John grew up in a small town in Iowa and met the challenges of the academy with great success. Upon graduation he went directly to medical school at Tulane and since it was only a short drive from Pensacola we traded some fun weekends while I was in flight training.

This special length episode is with USAF (Ret) Major General Tony Przybyslawski. Tony and I initially share tales of academic woe at USAFA which he successfully turned into a fabulous AF career that spanned his time as an enlisted airman, prep school student, cadet on the hill, pilot of various bombers (B-52, B-1B, and B-2) and his spectacular climb to Major General. He is also the only Pink of 76 with a daughter who is also a grad.