Markings on the Pima RF-101

[JohnB]

Anyone here know the origin of the pilot markings on the RF-101 at Pima?

I was there a couple of weeks ago and for the first time I noticed very faintly under the canopy "PILOT COL DEL LIGHT". Colonel Light won the Silver Star for recon flights in Vietnam flying the RF-101.

Colonel Light was a neighbor of our when I was a kid, a great guy let me ride his horses, play with his hunting dog and drive his M38A1 on the back roads of the base.
in the early 70s, IIRC he was the wing commander at Cannon and their F-111.
In retirement, he moved to the same town we lived in, but I lost contact during my own military career. I thought he'd moved south to retire when in fact he just wintered in the Tucson area and was a volunteer at the museum. He passed away in 2007.

So what I'm asking is...does anyone know whether he flew that actual aircraft or whether it was an honorary marking to recognize a volunteer?

[jamesintucson]

Anyone here know the origin of the pilot markings on the RF-101 at Pima?

I was there a couple of weeks ago and for the first time I noticed very faintly under the canopy "PILOT COL DEL LIGHT". Colonel Light won the Silver Star for recon flights in Vietnam flying the RF-101.

Colonel Light was a neighbor of our when I was a kid, a great guy let me ride his horses, play with his hunting dog and drive his M38A1 on the back roads of the base.
in the early 70s, IIRC he was the wing commander at Cannon and their F-111.
In retirement, he moved to the same town we lived in, but I lost contact during my own military career. I thought he'd moved south to retire when in fact he just wintered in the Tucson area and was a volunteer at the museum. He passed away in 2007.

So what I'm asking is...does anyone know whether he flew that actual aircraft or whether it was an honorary marking to recognize a volunteer?

As far as I know he did not fly that particular aircraft. It was common here at one point to put the names of volunteers on aircraft. We no longer do that and as planes are repainted the names are removed.

James

[JohnB]

When it comes time to paint the aircraft again, it would be nice to put his name on it, since he did fly SEA camouflaged 101s in Vietnam and did get a Silver Star in one.

It would be a nice gesture for a man who was the real deal...And a Pima volunteer.

[StangStung]

Minor thread jack: What happened to the part of the Pima website about restorations?

[jamesintucson]

Minor thread jack: What happened to the part of the Pima website about restorations?

We transitioned the Restoration updates to Facebook several years ago. I haven't done on in a while, but I do post updates every now and then on WIX. I'll try to do one today or tomorrow.

James