SEATTLE – On Oct. 18 retired Air National Guard Maj. Gen. David E.B. (DEB) Ward shares exciting stories from his memoir, Portland, Check Our Contrails. Ward will talk about his career serving as a combat-qualified fighter pilot in the F-102 Delta Dagger, F-101B Voodoo, F-4C Phantom and F-15A Eagle, and he will focus upon the Museum’s McDonnell F-4C Phantom (tail number -776)—a plane that he flew with the Oregon ANG 142nd Fighter Wing’s Redhawks. The 2 p.m. program will be located next to Phantom 776 in the Museum’s Great Gallery and is free with admission to the Museum.
Ward will discuss the general history of the F-4, its effectiveness in the Vietnam War, and the history of 776 including its three air-to-air victories during the War. He will also pay tribute to the late Ken Coats, who served as the crew chief for 776 and was the first sergeant for the 142nd Fighter Wing. It is expected that a number of Redhawk 776 crew members will attend the book talk, including pilots, Weapon System Officers, flight surgeons, mechanics and technicians who worked on the airplane.
For Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org
