UPT Class 73-03 returns to Columbus AFB

  • Published
  • By Sonic Johnson
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  In the midst of the last U.S. ground troops withdrawing from Vietnam, the Dow Jones closing above 1000 for the first time in history and gasoline selling for 55 cents a gallon, members of Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 73-03 were walking across the stage for their USAF pilot wings.

Members of UPT class 73-03 are returning this week to Columbus Air Force Base to commemorate their 40 year reunion. Twenty four guests will be visiting Columbus AFB, including 16 members of the "Nice High" class Sept. 6 through Sept. 9.

"It is great to see friends from pilot training," said Roger Tubbs, 73-03 class member. "During that hard year of training, you make life-long friends and we remain close, even after 40 years." Since the class's 25th reunion in 1997, the class has been getting together every five years to renew friendships, sharpen stories and relive the harrows of pilot training "back in the day".

While at Columbus, the class will be attending the graduation activities of Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 12-14 as their special guests. In addition to the graduation breakfast, formal ceremony and evening banquet, they will also be returning to the challenges of the simulator, tour the T-6, T-1 and T-38 training squadrons, host a golf tournament at Whispering Pines and wrap up with a reunion dinner at the Columbus Club Saturday evening. The group also took time out Thursday to tour the American Eurocopter facility at the airport.

The class also boasts two senior officers in its ranks who will be attending the reunion this year. Maj. Gen. F.C. "Pink" Williams was the Senior U.S. Defense Official; Chief, Office of Military Cooperation; and Defense Attaché, Cairo, U.S. Central Command, Cairo, Egypt before retiring in August, 2011. He is a command pilot with over 4,700 hours in the F-4C/D/E/F, F-5E and F-16A/B/C/D. Retired Brig. Gen. Timothy Cossalter was the Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Minnesota National Guard, based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Cossalter is a command pilot with over 3,000 hours in the T-33, F-101, RF-4, F-4, F-16 and C-130 aircraft.

In addition, Team BLAZE's own Bill Hodges, an Air Force civilian simulator instructor in the 14th Student Squadron is an alumnus of class 73-03. After the 1997 reunion, the class has met in 2002 in Osh Kosh and 2007 and now 2012 both at Columbus. Hodges and fellow Tupelo resident Roger Tubbs assisted heavily with the Columbus Reunions. Maj. Jeffrey Isgett, 14th Operations Support Squadron has been assisting the group though all their planning process to facilitate Team BLAZE support.

When asked what advice he could pass on to those following in his footsteps, Tubbs said "Stay in the Air Force... as I did not and regret it ever since." Tubbs also added "it's a good career; you are getting paid to do what other have to pay to do...fly airplanes!"