Dave Hughes

Wow! Can it really be 42 years since I grabbed my wings, hopped in the car, and left Columbus in the dust—all the time hoping that ATC wouldn’t come to its senses and revoke my aeronautical orders. I was off to find the “real Air Force.”

Here’s how it went:

1970-1974: EC-121 pilot, 552 AEW&C Wing, McClellan AFB, CA. A great time and place, but the job left a lot to be desired. After spending 180-220 days a year TDY to Korat, Kwang Ju (RK), Keflavik, McCoy AFB, and other garden spots, it became apparent that the reward for hard work was a remote to Udorn as a weapons controller (see Tom Bowman’s bio). The war was winding down, pilots were numerous, and I needed an escape….

1974-1975: Student, San Diego State University. MS, Mass Communication. Always wanted to attend a large coed school. A hardship tour. Lots of time and effort, but fun.

David E. Hughes — “Dave”

One week after his arrival in Columbus, Dave succumbed to the charm of the Old South and promptly fell in love with a senior at the “W.” This quieting influence on an already quiet personality soon caused him to become the least well known member of B section…

We know that Dave’s talents cannot go unnoticed by the Air Force, and we wish him the best of luck in the future.

71-01 Yearbook, page 34.