Institutes

Aviator Heroes From Five Wars Gather at Choctaw
April 23, 2008

Tom Rice of Magnolia Grill, Col. (Ret.) Bob Gates and many other local aviators brought in memorabilia from WWII and the Korean War.

Visitors enjoyed seeing the CHOICE Aviation classrooms where a large replica of the Wright airplane hangs from the ceiling.

The goal of the encounter was to bridge the generations of aviators, allowing each an opportunity to reflect on the larger meaning of patriotism, duty and the role of the individual.

Visitors enjoyed using the flight simulators, which students use to train for FAA Ground School. An actual BD-5 airplane hangs from the ceiling.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Everett Raspberry played a key role in Operation BOLO during the Vietnam War. In a few short minutes, seven enemy MiG's were destroyed, the most in any mission.

CHOICE instructor and County Commissioner John "Jazz" Jannazo was the moderator for the event. He flew the F-15 Eagle, the T-33 and the F-106 for the Air Force.

"We wanted to bridge the generations - and we did," said CHOICE Instructor John Jannazo.

At Choctawhatchee High School Sunday afternoon, a crowd of over 170 gathered to listen to five aviators from five different wars talk about their role in the war and how it affected their view of life in America.

"We had a good mix of people from young to old," said Jannazo. "The crowd mirrored the presentation."

Leo Murphy, who heads the CHOICE Aviation programs at Choctaw and Crestview, had long wanted to bring generations of aviators together. With a grant from the Florida Humanities Council and the support of the Choctaw principal, Cindy Massarelli-Gates, his dream was finally made a reality. 

"It was important to me because I truly respect the older generation's contributions, and as a recently retired veteran, I can more than appreciate the sacrifices that our young people on active duty are making today," said Murphy. "I just felt that it was important to bring them together before our greatest generation passes."

The presentation began with TSgt Jack Oyster, a Niceville resident who was shot out of the sky and taken prisoner by the Germans during World War II. As the Russians advanced, the POW's were forced to march for three months during one of the worst winters in history. "We walked 600 miles," he said. "There was no food. No medicine. We slept when we could and kept thinking of home."

Capt. Bob Pavlik spoke about his experience in the Korean War, where he flew at altitudes of just 50-150 feet above the ground with no navigator. "The enemy soldiers smoking cigarettes looked like fireflies," he recounted. His brush with history also included patrolling the skies over Europe with an atomic payload during the early days of the Cold War.

Next to speak was Lt. Col. Everett Raspberry, who shot down an enemy MiG-21 during Operation BOLO in the Vietnam War. "We were to imitate an F-105 strike force, hoping the North Vietnamese would come up. They took the bait and seven MiG-21's were destroyed within minutes." Raspberry noted the importance of helping other pilots, rather than focusing on personal success.

Lt. Col. Tony Murphy downed two MiG's during a battle in Desert Storm, in the winter of 1991. "We had not done any real training in months," he recalled. "Then all of a sudden, we were in combat and the training took over. Everything clicked." He reflected on his change from being a "cocky kid from Oregon" into a man who understood his duty and the importance of humility.

"People treat you differently," he said. "I was a young, average pilot and everyone listened to what I had to say. I had to choose my words carefully. I needed to be humble."

The youngest speaker was SSgt Dean Conner, who was wounded during the war in Afghanistan last fall. He served as a combat controller, directing pilots to targets while sitting in a Humvee the midst of the gunfire. He was shot through the stomach during a fierce attack, but didn't let it keep him from his duty. As the medics rushed in to stop the bleeding, he remained on his radio for 45 minutes, giving coordinates and directing the F-15's to the enemy targets.

Jannazo noted later that humility was a common trait among all the pilots who spoke. "To a man, they said, 'I was not a hero, but I know a lot of guys who were.'"