Robert J. "Bob" Sandvick

Bob Sandvick enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Air Force on September 17, 1953, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and awarded his pilot wings at Bryan AFB, Texas, on December 18, 1954. Lieutenant Sandvick next attended F-86 Sabre Combat Crew Training, followed by service as an F-86 pilot with the 386th Fighter Bomber Squadron at Clovis AFB, New Mexico. He attended F-100 Super Sabre conversion training, and then served as an F-100 pilot with the 387th Fighter Bomber Squadron at Clovis (renamed Cannon AFB in June 1957) from November 1956 to October 1957. His next assignment was as an F-100 pilot with the 477th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Cannon AFB, followed by service as an F-100 pilot with the 481st Tactical Fighter Squadron at Cannon. Captain Sandvick served as an F-100 and then F-105 Thunderchief pilot with the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Kadena AB, Okinawa, and then as an F-105 pilot and instructor pilot with the 561st Tactical Fighter Squadron at McConnell AFB, Kansas, from July 1964 until he deployed to Southeast Asia in July 1966. He served as an F-105F pilot with the 454th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from July 1966 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on August 7, 1966.