Born in Fort Smith, Arkansas to Allie & Eunice Callan on November 24th 1921.He graduated high school in 1938 and Arkansas Tech in 1940, majoring in Mechanical Engineering and earning his private Pilot Certificate. The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor while earning his Secondary Civilian Pilot Training at Conway, Arkansas, prompted his entry into US Navy flight training.
He was deployed twice in fighter squadrons during WWII flying Hellcats and Corsairs, credited with three air victories and one enemy troop transport sinking, participated in the 2000 plane flyover during the signing of the peace treaty aboard the USS Missouri.
Marrying Emily Sue Hendricks of Fort Smith in 1946, his career continued as Navy experimental test pilot and graduate of Test Pilot Training Flight Test Division at US Naval Air Test Center, one of the pioneer Navy jet pilots having flown the Bell P-59 in January 1946; served in five fighter squadrons, one attack squadron and one observation squadron, and commanded one instrument training squadron and one all-weather jet fighter squadron, operating from 18 aircraft carriers and flying 71 different types of aircraft. He was a Graduate of USAF Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College and George Washington University with a Masters in 1967.
Retiring from the US Navy in 1968 to join Aviation Management faculty at Auburn University serving as Program Head for 13 years, served as Faculty Advisor for Alpha Eta Rho professional fraternity and founded the first honor society for Aviation Management students Eta Mu Sigma serving as its Faculty Advisor until retiring in 1986.
Moving to northwest Arkansas, served as Director of the Arkansas Air Museum for 14 years and president for three terms; also Member of Aviation Advisory Council for Northwest Arkansas Community College Aviation Program. He was escorted by alumni members of Gamma chapter Alpha Eta Rho, after a tour of the Aviation and Space museum to see the museum wall of honor and find his name engraved on the Airfoil shaped tribute panels.
OA NEWS 4/3/15
He was deployed twice in fighter squadrons during WWII flying Hellcats and Corsairs, credited with three air victories and one enemy troop transport sinking, participated in the 2000 plane flyover during the signing of the peace treaty aboard the USS Missouri.
Marrying Emily Sue Hendricks of Fort Smith in 1946, his career continued as Navy experimental test pilot and graduate of Test Pilot Training Flight Test Division at US Naval Air Test Center, one of the pioneer Navy jet pilots having flown the Bell P-59 in January 1946; served in five fighter squadrons, one attack squadron and one observation squadron, and commanded one instrument training squadron and one all-weather jet fighter squadron, operating from 18 aircraft carriers and flying 71 different types of aircraft. He was a Graduate of USAF Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College and George Washington University with a Masters in 1967.
Retiring from the US Navy in 1968 to join Aviation Management faculty at Auburn University serving as Program Head for 13 years, served as Faculty Advisor for Alpha Eta Rho professional fraternity and founded the first honor society for Aviation Management students Eta Mu Sigma serving as its Faculty Advisor until retiring in 1986.
Moving to northwest Arkansas, served as Director of the Arkansas Air Museum for 14 years and president for three terms; also Member of Aviation Advisory Council for Northwest Arkansas Community College Aviation Program. He was escorted by alumni members of Gamma chapter Alpha Eta Rho, after a tour of the Aviation and Space museum to see the museum wall of honor and find his name engraved on the Airfoil shaped tribute panels.
OA NEWS 4/3/15
Born in Fort Smith, Arkansas to Allie & Eunice Callan on November 24th 1921.He graduated high school in 1938 and Arkansas Tech in 1940, majoring in Mechanical Engineering and earning his private Pilot Certificate. The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor while earning his Secondary Civilian Pilot Training at Conway, Arkansas, prompted his entry into US Navy flight training.
He was deployed twice in fighter squadrons during WWII flying Hellcats and Corsairs, credited with three air victories and one enemy troop transport sinking, participated in the 2000 plane flyover during the signing of the peace treaty aboard the USS Missouri.
Marrying Emily Sue Hendricks of Fort Smith in 1946, his career continued as Navy experimental test pilot and graduate of Test Pilot Training Flight Test Division at US Naval Air Test Center, one of the pioneer Navy jet pilots having flown the Bell P-59 in January 1946; served in five fighter squadrons, one attack squadron and one observation squadron, and commanded one instrument training squadron and one all-weather jet fighter squadron, operating from 18 aircraft carriers and flying 71 different types of aircraft. He was a Graduate of USAF Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College and George Washington University with a Masters in 1967.
Retiring from the US Navy in 1968 to join Aviation Management faculty at Auburn University serving as Program Head for 13 years, served as Faculty Advisor for Alpha Eta Rho professional fraternity and founded the first honor society for Aviation Management students Eta Mu Sigma serving as its Faculty Advisor until retiring in 1986.
Moving to northwest Arkansas, served as Director of the Arkansas Air Museum for 14 years and president for three terms; also Member of Aviation Advisory Council for Northwest Arkansas Community College Aviation Program. He was escorted by alumni members of Gamma chapter Alpha Eta Rho, after a tour of the Aviation and Space museum to see the museum wall of honor and find his name engraved on the Airfoil shaped tribute panels.
OA NEWS 4/3/15
He was deployed twice in fighter squadrons during WWII flying Hellcats and Corsairs, credited with three air victories and one enemy troop transport sinking, participated in the 2000 plane flyover during the signing of the peace treaty aboard the USS Missouri.
Marrying Emily Sue Hendricks of Fort Smith in 1946, his career continued as Navy experimental test pilot and graduate of Test Pilot Training Flight Test Division at US Naval Air Test Center, one of the pioneer Navy jet pilots having flown the Bell P-59 in January 1946; served in five fighter squadrons, one attack squadron and one observation squadron, and commanded one instrument training squadron and one all-weather jet fighter squadron, operating from 18 aircraft carriers and flying 71 different types of aircraft. He was a Graduate of USAF Air Command and Staff College, the Air War College and George Washington University with a Masters in 1967.
Retiring from the US Navy in 1968 to join Aviation Management faculty at Auburn University serving as Program Head for 13 years, served as Faculty Advisor for Alpha Eta Rho professional fraternity and founded the first honor society for Aviation Management students Eta Mu Sigma serving as its Faculty Advisor until retiring in 1986.
Moving to northwest Arkansas, served as Director of the Arkansas Air Museum for 14 years and president for three terms; also Member of Aviation Advisory Council for Northwest Arkansas Community College Aviation Program. He was escorted by alumni members of Gamma chapter Alpha Eta Rho, after a tour of the Aviation and Space museum to see the museum wall of honor and find his name engraved on the Airfoil shaped tribute panels.
OA NEWS 4/3/15
Inscription
CAPT US NAVY
WWII, KOREA, VIETNAM
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
