Darrel Whitcomb, a 1969 graduate of the Air Force Academy, served our country for over 30 years as a U.S.A.F. pilot, staff officer and historian. He has authored numerous articles, papers and stories for leading military journals and the books “The Rescue of Bat 21” and “Combat Search and Rescue in Desert Storm.” He served three tours in the Vietnam War as combat pilot, where he flew tours as a C-7 Caribou pilot at Phu Cat, RVN, a Forward Air Controller flying the OV-10 from Nakhon Phanom, Thailand and the O-1 Bird Dog as a Raven. He flew missions over South and North Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, and received numerous decorations. After a tour as a T-38 instructor pilot and maintenance officer, Darrel transferred to the Air Force Reserve, and accepted a flying position with Delta Airlines. He subsequently flew A-10’s and A-37’s and served tours with the Air Staff/ Joint Staff in Washington D.C. He was also assigned as a faculty member at the Air Command and Staff College and the Air Force Doctrine Center, both at Maxwell AFB, AL.

Darrel retired from the Air Force Reserve as a Colonel in 1999. Four years later, he retired as an international captain from Delta Airlines.

RotorHeads is proud to have Darrel as an Honorary Member/Historian of our group and thank him greatly for chronicling the part U.S. Air Force helicopters played in the rescue operations in Vietnam in his book “The Rescue of Bat 21”.

Darrel's latest project is to chronicle the history of the U.S. Air Force MH-53 "Pave Low" helicopter. We are looking forward to reading the history of this incredible helicopter.

Any “Pave Low” folks who would like to share information on the Pave Lows with Darrel can contact the RotorHeads webmaster.

"FREEDOM ISN'T FREE"

~SOMEONE PAYS FOR YOU AND ME~

"HELICOPTERS" - THE ONLY WAY TO FLY

~NEVER FORGOTTEN~