Bredette (BC) Thomas:
CLASS OF 1960
Denison High SchoolClass of 1960
Denison, TX
Southern Methodist University -Graduate StatisticsClass of 1966
Dallas, TX
Southern Methodist UniversityClass of 1964
Dallas, TX
Bredette (BC)'s Story
Life
Immediately after high school I went to SMU for 6 years, receiving a BS in Mathematics and MS in Statistics. While there, I married Barbara Ann Butcher (DHS 61) in December 1962. I was in Air Force ROTC and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the USAF in 1964.
After receiving my MasterÂs degree, I entered USAF pilot training in September 1966 at Reese AFB in Lubbock, TX. A year later I graduated, attended survival school and trained in the KC-135 refueling aircraft.
We transferred to Kincheloe AFB, in the upper peninsula of Michigan for a little over 2 years. During that time our daughter, Laura, was born (November 1968) and I first flew missions over Vietnam and Thailand.
My next assignment was in August 1970 when I was sent to Little Rock AFB, AK to train in the C-130. I then went alone to Udorn, Thailand for a year flying missions over Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Barbara and Laurie moved to a rental home in Dallas.
After my tour in the Vietnam War, I was assigned in 1971 to Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM flying the RB-57C (short wing B-57) and later transitioned into the RB-57F, a high-altitude, 4-engine reconnaissance aircraft. In 1973 our son, Jason, was born.
In 1973 I attended the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, CA and flew primarily the F-104 and T-38. After graduation I stayed at Edwards AF...Expand for more
B as a test pilot and flew the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft in systems test (cameras and other related mission equipment) and the T-38.
In 1976 I was assigned to Beale AFB, CA to fly the SR-71 as an operational, global reconnaissance pilot. I divided my time between California, Okinawa Japan, and RAF Mildenhall England. During this time, Barbara and I unfortunately divorced. I married Nancy Hajovsky in 1983. In 1984 I was assigned again to Edwards AFB to be the operational test pilot for the SR-71. My daughter, Amanda, was born in 1984 and my son, Sean, was born in 1987. I remained at Edwards AFB until my retirement from the Air Force in November 1988.
I became a civilian flight test engineer/test pilot for Northrop Aircraft Corporation for the B-2 bomber aircraft immediately after I retired.
In November 1989 I was hired by United Airlines as a test pilot for all of their fleet of commercial aircraft. I flew the Boeing 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, and 777 as well as the Douglas DC-8 and DC-10.
Shortly after 9/11 I retired from United Airlines and for 3 years was a high school mathematics teacher.
Claims to fame: Flown more hours as pilot in the fastest aircraft in the world (SR-71); I am the only person who has flown all three US Air Force high-altitude reconnnaissance aircraft (U-2, RB-57F, SR-71)
I am now retired.
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