An Air Force military career that began as an Airman Basic and terminated in retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel twenty-two and one-half years later serves as the basis for the twenty-two stand alone chapters that comprise this compilation. From farm hand to a jet fighter pilot, Lt. Colonel Armstrong recaps significant events of his life that detail in easily followed accounts a time that encompassed the end of the Korean War to the conclusion of the “Cold War.”
Unsure of his life’s direction, Bill Armstrong left the dairy farm in Western Maryland where he was a member of a large family, become an enlisted member of the United States Air Force in 1952, went through pilot training as an Aviation Cadet, and progressed through the ranks of the military before retiring in 1975. His dedication and interest in the pursuit of flight is evident throughout his life. The Air Force aircraft that he has flown include the T-6, T-28, T-33, F-84E, G, & F, F-86F, F-100C, D, & F, and T-38. Among his fourteen Air Force Awards are the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Combat Readiness Medal, Commendation Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation.
As an owner and operator of his own aircraft, Bill Armstrong remains an active pilot who intends to enjoy slipping the surly bonds of earth and the high untrespassed sanctity of space.
Wings Over Cumberland 