James E. Hiteshew

James Hiteshew attended the U.S. Coast Guard Academy from 1949 to 1952, and then enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Air Force. He was commissioned a 2d Lt in the Air Force and awarded his pilot wings on September 16, 1953, followed by F-84 Thunderjet Combat Crew Training. His first assignment was as an F-84 pilot with the 510th Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the 405th Fighter-Bomber Group at Langley AFB, Virginia,  and then as an F-84 and F-100 Super Sabre pilot with the 55th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing at Wethersfield, England. Captain Hiteshew next attended B-47 Stratojet Combat Crew Training, followed by service as a B-47 pilot with 544th Bomb Squadron of the 384th Bomb Wing at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. His next assignment was as a B-47 pilot with the 529th Bomb Squadron of the 380th Bomb Wing at Plattsburgh AFB, New York, during which time he received an Operation Bootstrap assignment to complete his bachelor's degree at the University of Omaha. Major Hiteshew then attended F-105 Thunderchief Combat Crew Training, followed by service as an F-105 pilot with the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from September 1966 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on March 11, 1967.