Arthur Theodore Ballard, Jr.

Ted Ballard enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Air Force on January 15, 1954, was commissioned a Second Lieutenant , and awarded his pilot wings at Greenville AFB, Mississippi, on June 1, 1955. After completing gunnery training in the T-33 Shooting Star and F-86 Sabre Combat Crew Training, Ballard was assigned to the 436th and then the 476th Tactical Fighter Squadron at George AFB, California, where he flew the F-100A & C Super Sabre and the F-104C Starfighter from January 1956 to March 1960. His next assignment was flying F-100's with the 7272nd Air Base Wing at Wheelus AB, Libya,. Captain Ballard then served as a Command Post Controller with the 4520th Combat Crew Training Wing, followed by F-105 Thunderchief Combat Crew Training, at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Ballard then flew F-105's with the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Kadena AB, Okinawa, from September 1965 to June 1966. He flew 68 combat missions with the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from June 1966 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam on September 26, 1966.