Recce Site Director, Colonel Richard Graham USAF (ret.)

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   Colonel (retired) Richard Graham was born on 19 August 1942 in New Castle, PA. He graduated from the University of Akron, Akron, Ohio in 1964 and received a master's degree in sociology in 1977 and in Public Administration in 1979 from Pepperdine University, Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Air War College in residence in 1982.
   After receiving his commission from AFROTC he entered pilot training at Craig AFB, Alabama. in 1965 he graduated from pilot training and remained at Craig AFB as a T-37 instructor pilot and flight examiner. In August 1970 he was assigned to Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, to begin F-4D flight training. Upon completion of his training he was assigned to the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron ("Triple Nickel") at Udorn RTAFB, Thailand from March 1971 to March 1972. During this time he flew 145 combat missions over North Vietnam and Laos in F-4C/D aircraft.
   In April 1972 he was assigned to the 44th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, flying F-4D aircraft. Four months later he volunteered for, and joined the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron as a F-4C "Wild Weasel" pilot. In September 1972, until February 1973, Colonel Graham was deployed with his squadron to Korat RTAFB, Thailand, to augment F-105 "Wild Weasel" aircraft. At Korat he flew 60 combat missions suppressing enemy surface-to-air missile sites in North Vietnam. During Christmas 1972 he participated in six Linebacker II sorties over Hanoi. In March 1973 his squadron joined the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed to CCK Air Base, Taiwan. He departed Kadena as the F-4 Standardization/Evaluation Branch Chief.
   Colonel Graham was seleected to enter the SR-71 strategic reconnaissance program in 1974 at Beale AFB, California. After several years as a crew member, he was further selected to become an instructor pilot, and in 1978 was selected as the Chief, Standardization/Evaluation Division, which included the SR-71, U-2 and T-38 aircraft. In January 1980 he was selected to be the SR-71 Squadron Commander, 1st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, where he served until his assignment to Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama in 1981.
   Following Air War College in June of 1982 he was assigned to the Headquarters USAF (Pentagon) to work in Programs and Resources as a strategic force programmer. In April 1984, he was selected to work in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower, Reserve Affairs and Installations. As the Director of Program Integration, he worked Air Force budgetary matters closely with the Office of the Secretary of Defence, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Air Staff.
   In June of 1986 Colonel Graham was selected to be Vice Wing Commander, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (SRW), Beale AFB, California. In that capacity, he was able to fly all of the wing's aircraft, the U-2, T-38, KC-135Q, and SR-71. In June of 1987 he was selected to become the Wing Commander of the 9th SRW, where he remained until November 1988. He was assigned to the 14th Air Division, Beale AFB, until he retired on September 1989.
   Colonel Graham was a command pilot with more than 4,600 flying hours. His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters and the Air Medal with 18 oak leaf clusters.
   Upon retirement he joined American Airlines in Dallas, Texas, where he currently flies as a first officer on the MD-80 aircraft. His wife's name is Pat and they have five children and three grandchildren.

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