Cliff Call
Yearbook Photo
Cliff and Holly Today
The Calls in Colorado during the Advance Trip for the reunion
I plowed back after UPT into T-38s right back to good old Enid by God America. That believe it or not turned out to be great fun, as many of you know who did the same thing either in T-38s or T-37s. While there I married Holly who had been my high school and college girlfriend. Next up was Aircraft Commander training at Castle AFB in B-52Hs. Then it was off to Kincheloe AFB and Strategic Air Command. I can’t say that particular aircraft or major command had been high up on my dream sheet but the people were great and I enjoyed the assignment up until September 26th 1976. On that day I took a ride on a KC-135 originating out of KI Sawyer AFB, which had stopped to pick up myself and five other Kincheloe crewmembers for a weeklong First Team briefing. A total of sixteen First Team members and the four-man aircrew were to eventually arrive at Offutt AFB. However the aircraft crashed enroute and killed all but five on board. Luckily I was one of the survivors and about five months later I left the Brooke Army burn center hospital in San Antonio, medically retired and facing civilian life.
Since my injuries precluded flying at the time I found employment with Allstate Insurance Company as a Territorial Underwriting Manager serving Alaska, Washington, and Hawaii. That gig lasted for nearly eight years when being cooped up in an office finally got the better of me. I had resumed flying privately by then, and found that I once again could hold a first class medical. That opened the door to flying for the Flying Tigers in 1987, which in 1989, merged with FedEx. While with Tigers and FedEx I flew 727s, 747s, and finished as Captain on the MD-11 flying internationally all over the world. I was lucky to get a second chance to have a great career in aviation.
Now I am a full time member of the Retired Old Farts club. I’ve taken up golf and Holly keeps us busy with travel so while I can’t tell you what I do all day, it seems I’m busier than ever.
I have kept up with Andy Johansen and Dick Reynolds over the years but have lost touch with the rest of you. Needless to say I’m really looking forward to the reunion and finding out what paths you found yourselves following, and renewing old friendships.