Patrick Reardon


Recent stories by Patrick Reardon

Lessons from Vietnam: ‘It’s All of Us Together’

The 555th “Triple Nickel” Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base scored 39 MiG kills during the Vietnam War—and six of those kills were credited to one pilot. Retired Col. Charles “Chuck” DeBellevue flew nearly 100 combat missions in 1972, becoming ...

Ground-Penetrating Radar and AR Guide Airmen to Spark Tank Win

No one wants to stand up in front of the entire Department of Air Force leadership team and own up to being personally responsible for cutting vital communications lines in a war zone, but Tech. Sgt. Raymond Zgoda turned that error into a winning point ...

Lessons from Vietnam: ‘Stay Connected, Don’t Be Alone’

st Lt. Lee Ellis’ F-4C Phantom was shot down on his 53rd bombing mission over North Vietnam. Captured immediately on Nov. 7, 1967, he was take to the notorious Hoa Lo prison in Hanoi, where he stayed for the next five and a half years. ...

Lessons from Vietnam: ‘I Shall Always Be Grateful’

The AFA Warfare Symposium kicked off March 6 with three storied heroes of the Vietnam War. This is the first in a three-part series on their talks. Lt. Col. Gene Smith (Ret.). Smith joined the 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron at...

Maintaining What Matters: An Engine Fit for the F-35

The looming decision on the future of the F-35’s engine—Pratt & Whitney’s F135—has fostered plenty of debate, with some suggesting the F135 should be completely replaced with a new engine through the Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP), while others say integrating a new adaptive engine into...

AFA In Action: Finding ‘Gold’ and Funding STEM

Since 2020, The Air & Space Forces Association has presented three young women with the Dr. Sydell Perlmutter Gold Memorial Scholarship, an award of $5,000 per year for young women pursuing degrees in STEM.

‘A Generational Leap’: Why the F-35 Needs GE’s XA100 Engine Today

Generational improvements to combat propulsion performance have never been more pressing for the U.S. as it seeks to ensure continued air dominance in tempestuous theaters like the Indo-Pacific. GE Aerospace's XA100 is the most advanced combat engine in the world, and if implemented it would ...

F-35 Pilot Recognized With 40th Anthony C. Shine Award 

It took two years, but Maj. Matthew J. “Eraser” Riley, an F-35 pilot, finally received the Anthony C. Shine Award recognizing his combat prowess as a member of the 34th Fighter Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing, at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Delayed as a result of ...

Outstanding Airmen of the Year: Senior Airman Christopher T. Thao 

The Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2022 will be formally recognized at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference from Sept. 19 to 21 in National Harbor, Md. Air & Space Forces Magazine has highlighted one each weekday through today, when we ...

Outstanding Airmen of the Year: Senior Airman Caden A. Soper 

The Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2022 will be formally recognized at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference from Sept. 19 to 21 in National Harbor, Md. Air & Space Forces Magazine is highlighting one each weekday from now until the ...

Outstanding Airmen of the Year: Senior Airman DeMarion N. Davis

The Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2022 will be formally recognized at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference from Sept. 19 to 21 in National Harbor, Md. Air & Space Forces Magazine is highlighting one each weekday from now until the ...

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