Jimmy Stewar's and George Kennedy's visits to Laughlin AFB, TX

When Jimmy Stewart and George Kennedy were shooting "Bandolero" in Bracketville, TX in 1967, I was a brand-new U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant attaending undergraduate pilot training at nearby Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas. I was in Class 68C, and my call sign was Presson Six Niner.

One day at the base convenience store, I turned a corner, and there was George Kennedy. I didn't know anything about "Bandolero" being shot up the road from us, and this was before any of his later movies, but I did recognize him, and introduced myself. He was very friendly, and I later learned that he was a 16-year veteran of the U.S. Army.

In October, 1967, we graduates were all surprised to learn that none other than Jimmy Stewart would be attending our graduation ceremonies out on the flight line. I learned later that Jimmy Stewart had sent a message to our wing commmander, Colonel Goad (later to retire as a Lieutenant General), asking him if he could attend our pilot graduation ceremonies.

You see, Jimmy Stewart had volunteered as a bomber pilot in WWII and flew quite a number of dangerous missions over Europe. He was later promoted to Major General in the Air Force Reserve before his retirement.

Apparently, Colonel Goad sent word back: "Of course you may attend, General, except that we would hope you'll be our guest of honor."

The Air Force rearranged the schedule of the Air Force Aerial Demonstration Team, The Thunderbirds, and on that beautiful fall day in the middle of October, 1967, each of us graduates got to salute Jimmy Stewart before he handed us each our new Air Force Pilot wings, then shook our hand.

During the finale of the Thunderbirds' show, as the fifth pilot pulled up, with his smoke on, into the "fleur de lis" of smoke from the other four Thunderbirds, both wings of his F-100 Supersabre snapped off the aircraft, and came fluttering down to the runway.

This was an unplanned event to say the least, but the young pilot successfully ejected, and floated to the runway area in his parachute, while the hulk of the aircraft crashed without fire in the desert a couple of miles away.

Years later, I learned that that Thunderbird pilot was Major Tony McPeak, who later became a four star general (Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Air Forces, at Hickam AFB in Honolulu, Hawaii), and during Operation Desert Storm, was named by President George H.W. Bush (No. 41) to be Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

I corresponded a few times with General McPeak in the mid-1990s, and he was quite gracious and prompt in his handwritten replies on his flag officer's blue-flag stationery.

Jim Pool, Temple, Texas Oct 13, 2007