12 Nov 2012 08:39

Col. Joe Kittinger (ret), Red Bull Stratos Flight Operations And Safety, Capcom I

Marle Hewett, Red Bull Stratos Program Manager & Senior Flight Test Engineer

Marle Hewett- early days as a lieutenant at USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards AFB, class 64B with a T-38

Dr. Jonathan Clark, Red Bull Stratos medical director

Mike Todd, Red Bull Stratos life support engineer

USAF (formerly Capt.) Joe Kittinger & Astronomer William C. White during project Stargazer, a balloon astronomy experiment. 82,000 ft (U.S. Air Force photo) // National Museum of the US Air Force

ATA Aerospace crew

Ed Coca, ATA Aerospace

FlightLine Films' Dennis Fisher, at age 21 in the U.S. Marine Corps

We salute you on this Veterans Day. Who on the Red Bull Stratos Team served his country? Wonder where Felix Baumgartner gained his incredible skydiving skills? His roots go right back to his homeland Austria.

Felix Baumgartner: Served in the Austrian military and was a member of its Special Forces demonstration team.

Mike Todd: Served in the U.S. Air Force 1959-1964 first as a heavy equipment operator and later proved his skydiving proficiency on the parachute team.

Col. Joe Kittinger (ret): During a distinguished U.S. Air Force career, Joe served as a test pilot, Squadron Commander, and Vice Wing Commander, and he spent 11 months as a POW in Vietnam. He retired as a Colonel and subsequently set two world ballooning records and won numerous ballooning competitions.

Marle Hewett, PhD: His 20-year military career also included service as a decorated pilot and test pilot, head of Flying Qualities and Performance in a flight test division, and chairman of the U.S. Naval Academy’s Aerospace Engineering Department.

Dr. Jonathan Clark: Prior to joining NASA as Space Shuttle crew surgeon, Jon devoted 26 years to active service with the U.S. Navy, during which he headed the Spatial Orientation Systems Department at the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory in Pensacola; the Aeromedical Department at the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One in Yuma, Arizona; and the Neurology Division and Hyperbaric Medicine at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute. He qualified as a Naval flight officer, Naval flight surgeon, Navy diver and Special Forces freefall parachutist.

Ed Coca: ATA Aerospace (crew chief responsible for the balloon launch, personnel and equipment) served more than 20 years in the Air Force. He’s not alone. The list of veterans is remarkable. Here are the guys who contributed to successful Red Bull Stratos balloon flights: Ray Phipps-Recovery Director, Sam Becerra-Helium Tech, Paul Myers-Parachute Tech, Harvey Harris-Recovery Tech, Joe Fumerola-QA, Bob Cross-Electronics Tech, Glen Chadbourn-Electronics Tech, Troy Jensen-Electronics Tech Served in the Navy, Sean Riordan-Electronics Tech Served in the Army.

And from FlightLine Films we have Dennis Fisher and Mitch Schleis. Dennis was in the Marine Corps during Vietnam for 1966-1969, 20 months in theater.  He served the first six months as a rifleman with the 1st Marine Division and the rest of his time as a combat photographer. He was wounded in action in 1967 and spent two months in the Naval Hospital in Guam.

Mitch served in the Air Force from 1983 to 1987 as an “integrated avionics instrument and flight control system specialist” also known as an avionics technician.

Thanks to all veterans named and unnamed. We appreciate your dedication.

Tags: ATA Aerospace, Ed Coca, FlightLine Films, Joe Kittinger, Jon Clark, Marle Hewett, Mike Todd, Red Bull Stratos, Veterans Day, Mitch Schleis, Dennis Fisher