This 'veteran's day'

Air Force Col. (ret.) Mac Vickrey tells tales of his days of flying supplies to Germans caught behind a Soviet blockade of West Berlin during the 1948 Berlin Airlift Nov. 10 at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. The 90-year-old Colonel Vickrey visited the base's 302nd Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve Command, and aircrew members, seeing the wing's C-130 Hercules up close. The colonel entered the U.S. Army in 1942, after being drafted in support of World War II. After joining, the colonel signed up for pilot training and served in the Army Air Force, then later the U.S. Air Force until 1973. During his career, he accumulated more than 15,000 flying hours on various aircraft, flew precious supplies to beleagured West Berliners during the 1948 Berlin Airlift, was tasked with running a Vietnamese base in support of the Vietnam War and flew the first airborne command and control aircraft for the Air Force: the EC-121. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)

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This 'veteran's day'

Air Force Col. (ret.) Mac Vickrey is surrounded by aircrew members of the Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing Nov. 10 as he tours one of the unit's C-130 Hercules aircraft at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. The 90-year-old Colonel Vickrey entered the U.S. Army in 1942, after being drafted in support of World War II. After joining, the colonel signed up for pilot training and served in the Army Air Force, then later the U.S. Air Force until 1973. During his career, he accumulated more than 15,000 flying hours on various aircraft, flew precious supplies to beleagured West Berliners during the 1948 Berlin Airlift, was tasked with running a Vietnamese base in support of the Vietnam War and flew the first airborne command and control aircraft for the Air Force: the EC-121. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)

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This 'veteran's day'

Air Force Col. (ret.) Mac Vickrey shows off the 302nd Airlift Wing's flying scarf Nov. 10 after meeting members of the unit and seeing one of the Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules aircraft at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. The 90-year-old Colonel Vickrey entered the U.S. Army in 1942, after being drafted in support of World War II. After joining, the colonel signed up for pilot training and served in the Army Air Force, then later the U.S. Air Force until 1973. During his career, he accumulated more than 15,000 flying hours on various aircraft, flew precious supplies to beleagured West Berliners during the 1948 Berlin Airlift, was tasked with running a Vietnamese base in support of the Vietnam War and flew the first airborne command and control aircraft for the Air Force: the EC-121. Colonel Vickrey also met with aircrew and senior enlisted leaders of the 302nd AW. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)

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This 'veteran's day'

Air Force Col. (ret.) Mac Vickrey talks with Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Westerlund Nov. 10 during a visit to the Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing to see one of the unit's C-130 Hercules aircraft at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. The 90-year-old Colonel Vickrey entered the U.S. Army in 1942, after being drafted in support of World War II. After joining, the colonel signed up for pilot training and served in the Army Air Force, then later the U.S. Air Force until 1973. During his career, he accumulated more than 15,000 flying hours on various aircraft, flew precious supplies to beleagured West Berliners during the 1948 Berlin Airlift, was tasked with running a Vietnamese base in support of the Vietnam War and flew the first airborne command and control aircraft for the Air Force: the EC-121. Colonel Vickrey also met with aircrew and senior enlisted leaders of the 302nd AW. Chief Westerlund is the 302nd AW's command chief. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Stephen J. Collier)

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This 'veteran's day'

Published Nov. 10, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Stephen Collier
302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing hosted Air Force Col. (ret.) Mac Vickrey Nov. 10 during his visit to Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. The 90-year-old Colonel Vickrey met with aircrew members of the wing and saw one of the unit's 12 C-130 Hercules aircraft up close. The retired colonel entered the U.S. Army in 1942, after being drafted in support of World War II. After joining, the colonel signed up for pilot training and served in the Army Air Force, then later the U.S. Air Force until 1973. During his career, he accumulated more than 15,000 flying hours on various aircraft, flew precious supplies to beleagured West Berliners during the 1948 Berlin Airlift, was tasked with running a Vietnamese base in support of the Vietnam War and flew the first airborne command and control aircraft for the Air Force: the EC-121.