Notable Graduates of the United States Air Force Academy

Lieutenant General Bradley C. Hosmer (Class of 1959)

- Number one cadet in the General Order of Merit and first graduate of the Air Force Academy
- Attended Oxford University, became an Air Liaison Officer with the First Cavalry Division in Vietnam
- Served as the USAFA Superintendent from 1991-1994

Major General Harold W. "Pete" Todd (Class of 1959)

- Became the first graduate to be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on December 1, 1978
- Served as a B-52 pilot, flew 156 missions during the Vietnam War, and received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal

General Hansford T. Johnson (Class of 1959)

o First graduate promoted to the rank of four-star general
o 423 combat missions as a forward air controller in Southeast Asia
o Commander-in-Chief of the United States Transportation Command and Military Airlift Command

Colonel Karol J. Bobko (Class of 1959)

o First graduate to enter the space program
o Commanded the Space Shuttle Challenger on STS-6 and received the Jabara Award for Airmanship

Lieutenant General Robert D. Beckel (Class of 1959)

o Served as the Cadet Wing Commander twice
o Flew the F-100 and F-105, completing 280 combat missions in Southeast Asia
o Served a tour with the Air Force Thunderbirds and became the first Commandant of Cadets, serving in this position from 1981-1982

General Ronald R. Fogleman

o First graduate to later become the Air Force Chief of Staff
o Flew F-100s in Vietnam and later returned to USAFA to teach history
o Earned the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with one cluster, Purple Heart, and Air Medal with 17 clusters

First Lieutenant Karl W. Richter

o Became the youngest Air Force pilot to down a MiG in combat
o Flew the F-105D and completed one tour consisting of 100 missions
o On his 198th mission, his plane was hit by ground fire, forcing him to eject, causing him to become fatally injured
o Received the Air Force Cross, Purple Heart, 22 Air Medals, Vietnamese Government Decorations, and the Jabara Award

Charles V. Bush, Issac S. Payne, and Roger B. Sims (Class of 1963)

o First African American cadets to attend USAFA
o Encountered both professional and unacceptable racial prejudice, serving as exemplary pioneers for others who would follow them in the Long Blue Line

Valmore Bourque (Class of 1959)

o First cadet sworn into USAFA and the first graduate to become a casualty in Vietnam
o Killed on October 24, 1964, when his C-123B was struck by ground fire and crashed

Captain Robert E. Blake (Class of 1959), Captain Norman E. Wells (Class of 1963), and First Lieutenant Steven B. Croker (Class of 1964)

o Pilots in the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, known as the "Wolfpack"
o Blake was the first graduate to down a MiG
o Wells and Croker each downed two MiGs during their service

Captain Lance P. Sijan (Class of 1965)

o On November 9, 1967, Sijan ejected from the back seat of an F-4 and successfully evaded capture for more than six weeks
o He was seriously injured and suffered from shock and extreme weight loss due to lack of food
o Captured by the North Vietnamese and later escaped his POW camp for seven hours before being recaptured
o He was tortured but never surrendered information or complained about his condition
o Became the first graduate to receive the Medal of Honor

Captain Richard S. Ritchie (Class of 1964)

o First Air Force Ace of the Vietnam War
o Earned the Air Force Cross, Silver Star with three clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross with nine clusters, and twenty-five Air Medals
o Won the McKay Trophy and Jabara Award for Airmanship

Captain (Retired Col) Donald D. Stevens (Class of 1960)

o Directed the successful rescue mission of a wounded soldier in an unarmed O-2A
o The soldier was successfully rescued without any friendly casualties

Captain (Retired Brig Gen) Dale E. Stovall (Class of 1967)

o Led a formation of two HH-53 rescue helicopters deep into North Vietnam to pick up a downed airman
o Braved MiGs, SAMs, anti-aircraft artillery, and small arms fire to successfully accomplish their mission
o Earned the Air Force Cross and Jabara Award

First Lieutenant Donald R. Backlund (Class of 1971)

o Led the initial flight of three HH-53 helicopters carrying a boarding party of United States Marines to be placed aboard the USS Holt for use in the retaking of the SS Mayaguez after its capture by the North Vietnamese

First Lieutenant Ronald T. Rand and First Lieutenant Barry C. Brims (Class of 1971)

o Provided cover for rescue attempts and continued to ferry troops in the face of intense hostile fire and severe battle damage
o Contributed to the success of the Mayaguez rescue mission and provided spectacular photo coverage

Captain Charles McMillian II (Class of 1973)

o Killed on April 25, 1980, when his EC-130 aircraft was struck by an RH-53 helicopter, causing both aircraft to explode
o Received the Air Force Cross

Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Brenci (Class of 1963)

o Awarded the Air Force Cross and the Jabara Award for his calm ability to regroup the rescue operation and return safely after the EC-130 and RH-53 collision

Major Richard C. Brims (Class of 1971)

o Died in an HH-53 mishap on May 21, 1986, at Nellis Air Force Base, NV

Captain Brent D. Brandon (Class of 1984)

o Earned an air-to-air kill against an Iraqi Mirage F-1 in the first minutes of Operation DESERT STORM
o This was the only time an F-111 ever achieved a victory over another aircraft

Captain (Retired Col) William F. Andrews (Class of 1980)

o Shot down while attacking heavily defended armor forces in Iraq and broke his leg
o Continued to direct friendly aircraft from his precarious position on the ground
o Captured, escaped, captured again, and continued to serve as a POW
o Awarded the Air Force Cross, Purple Heart, two Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor, and the Jabara Award

Major (retried Lt Gen) Susan Helms (Class of 1980)

o First female graduate to go into space as a Mission Specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor

General (retired ) Janet Wolfenbarger (Class of 1980)

o First woman in the Air Force promoted to the rank of General

First Lieutenant (retired Col and former U.S. Senator) Martha McSally (Class of 1988)

o First woman in U.S. history to fly a combat aircraft into enemy territory

Heather Wilson (Class of 1982)

o First graduate elected to Congress, representing New Mexico's First Congressional district until 2009
o Rhodes Scholar with master's and doctoral degrees in international relations from Oxford
o First academy graduate to be appointed as Secretary of the Air Force

Linda Garcia Cubero (Class of 1980)

o First Hispanic woman to graduate from any service academy

Colonel (retired) Frederick D. Gregory (Class of 1964)

o First African American to command any space vehicle

Captain Kim (Reed) Campbell (Class of 1997)

o Returned a severely damaged A-10 from over Baghdad, Iraq on April 7, 2003
o The aircraft had sustained damage to one engine and the redundant hydraulic systems, disabling the flight controls, and had hundreds of holes in the airframe

Brigadier General Ruben A. Cubero (Class of 1961)

o First Hispanic graduate to be named the Dean of the Faculty

Brigadier General Dana H. Born (Class of 1983)

o First woman to become the Dean of the Faculty

Lieutenant Colonel Nicole (Ellingwood) Malachowski (Class of 1996)

o First female pilot of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

Terrie A. McLaughlin (Class of 1986)

o First woman to graduate first in the Order of Merit for her class

General (Retired) Kevin P. Chilton

o Assigned to NASA's astronaut program in 1987 and piloted STS-49, STS-59, and STS-76
o Returned to the Air Force in 1988 and went on to command the wing, Numbered Air Force, Major Command, and unified command levels
- Only former astronauts to serve in these positions

Lieutenant General Michelle D. Johnson (Class of 1981)

o First female Cadet Wing Commander
o Became the first female Rhodes Scholar and first female superintendent of USAFA (2013)

Captain Barry Crawford (Class of 2003)

o Awarded the Air Force Cross for his actions during a ten-hour long firefight with U.S. Special Forces Operators

First Lieutenant Roslyn Shulte (Class of 2002)

o First female graduate to be killed by enemy action when her vehicle hit an IED in Afghanistan
o Awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and National Intelligence Medal for Valor

Harry J. Pearce (Class of 1964)

o Served as Vice President of General Motors

Gregg Popovich (Class of 1970)

o Coaches the San Antonio Spurs to five NBA Championships

John Martinson (Class of 1970)

o Flew in combat before embarking on a successful business career as an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and philanthropist

LeRoy W. Homer, Jr. (Class of 1987)

o First officer on United Airlines flight 93, the fourth aircraft to be hijacked on September 11, 2001

Chesley B. Sullenberger, III (Class of 1973)

o Successfully made a water landing on the Hudson River in New York, saving all 155 people aboard U.S. Airways Flight 1549