David B. Hatcher

David Hatcher entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Air Force for Aviation Observer and Navigator training on February 24, 1954, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and awarded his Navigator Wings at Harlingen AFB, Texas, on May 9, 1955. His first assignment was as a KB-29 Superfortress Navigator and Radar Operator with the 508th Air Refueling Squadron at Turner AFB, Georgia, from May 1955 to September 1957, followed by service as a KC-97 Stratotanker Navigator with the 341st and then the 71st Air Refueling Squadrons at Dow AFB, Maine, from September 1957 to June 1958. Lieutenant Hatcher next attended pilot training and was awarded his pilot wings at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, in September 1959. After completing F-100 Super Sabre Combat Crew Training, he served as an F-100 and then as an F-105 Thunderchief pilot with the 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing at Bitburg AB, West Germany, from September 1960 to September 1963, followed by service as an F-105 pilot with the 333rd and the 335th Tactical Fighter Squadrons of the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, from September 1963 to December 1965. Captain Hatcher then deployed to Southeast Asia where he served as an F-105 pilot with the 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from December 1965 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam on May 30, 1966. He was captured and taken as a Prisoner of War the next day, on May 31, 1966.