Class of 1959

Class of 1959


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Class of 1959 - Key Data

  • Appointed:306 on Monday, July 11, 1955
  • Graduated:207 on Wednesday, June 3, 1959
  • Commissions:
  • USAF-204
  • US Navy-1
  • US Marine Corps-1
  • Not commissioned-1
  • Graduation Speaker:
  • The Honorable James H. Douglas, Secretary of the Air Force
  • Presented Commissions:
  • General Thomas D. White, Chief of Staff, USAF
  • Presented Diplomas:
  • The Honorable James H. Douglas, Secretary of the Air Force
  • Cadet Wing Commanders:
  • Robert D. Beckel (twice), Dean C. Wood (Spring); Herbert A. Adamson
  • Scholarships:
  • Rhodes Scholar: Bradley C. Hosmer; Olmsted Scholars: Richard B. Goetze, Jr., Wayne O. Jefferson, Jr., Edwin J. Montgomery,Jr., Walter E. Schmidt
  • All-Americans (sports):
  • Brock Strom (Football); Robert H. Siteman (Rifle)
  • Class Officers:
  • President: Max I. Miller, Jr.; Vice-President: James W. Brown III; Secretary/Correspondent/Scribe: Richard E. Carr; Treasurer: Thomas I. Anderson; Class Senator: Larry D. Fortner; President Emeritus: Joseph G. DeSantis
Heraldry:

The First Graduating Class.

The Academy side of Class ring shows a traditional American Eagle and a Shield and, perhaps most importantly, the Prop and Wings symbol which was so much a part of USAAF and General Harmon's days as he visualized our school and what it could and should be. We're not sure what role the Prop and Wings plays at USAFA today, but for us it was the link between our class and those who created it.

The Class side a Falcon and the four-pointed star (the Polaris symbol) which carried forward to our yearbook. The number "1" placed in the center of the star for obvious reason. Polaris - the North Star - guidance and destination.

The idea was that the Academy side which 59 created would serve all succeeding classes. The Class side is individual to each class, but the use of the Polaris symbol originated with '59.

Contributions of Graduates:

Bob Beckel becomes the first recipient of the Daedalian Foundation's Orville Wright Achievement Award, presented to the outstanding graduate of each pilot training class (1960). 

Henry Canterbury becomes first USAFA graduate to fly with the Thunderbirds (1965).

Robert E. Blake becomes first USAFA graduate to shoot down a MIG (1971).

Robert D. Beckel becomes first graduate to serve as Commandant of Cadets (1981).

Karol Bobko receives Jabara Award for Airmanship (1983).

Bob Beckel receives the Silver Anniversary Award from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.  The award recognizes student-athletes who have led distinguished professioinal lives for 25 years after competing their college careers. (1984).

Brock Strom is first USAFA graduate to be named to the National Foorball Foundation's College Hall of Fame (1985),

Hansford Johnson is first USFA graduate to be promoted to four star General  (1989)

Bradley Hosmer becomes first graduate to serve as Superintendent of USAFA (1991).

Robert Oaks named USAFA Distinguished Graduate (2002).

Bradley Hosmer named USAFA Distinguished Graduate (2003).

H. T. Johnson named USAFA Distinguished Graduate (2005).

Robert Beckel named USAFA Distinguished Graduate (2006).

Karol Bobko, the first USAFA graduate to fly in space (1983), is inducted into United States Astronaut Hall of Fame (2011).

Dick Trail inducted into Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame (2015).

David Archino inducted into Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame (2016).



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