Daniel E. Coons, PhD, Dover (1932-2017)- was the founder of the Airways Science Program at Delaware State University which was later broadened nationally via the USAF ROTC program. Since its inception in 1987, the undergraduate degree-granting program has trained and placed hundreds of graduates in commercial, corporate, governmental and military aviation careers.
Nancy J. Currie, PhD, Wilmington - is a NASA astronaut who has successfully performed as a mission specialist on four space shuttle missions, accruing more than 1000 hours in space. A retired U.S. Army Colonel with more than 4000 flying hours as a Master Army Aviator, she is the first female Army officer selected as an astronaut.
John D. Kroening, (1923-2016) Milford - enlisted in the Army Air Corps for pilot training at age 18 early in WW II. He flew B-25 medium bombers across the Atlantic to Africa. Stationed in Corsica, he flew 65 missions in southern Europe destroying bridges and RR tracks to disrupt enemy supply lines. He was awarded the Air Medal eight times and the Distinguished Flying Cross twice.
John A. Jordan, Newark - a U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer(Ret), flew AH-1G Cobra helicopters in Viet Nam for 780 combat hours. Following 20 years of Army service, he the joined Boeing/Defense Division for an additional 19 years of aviation service. He is currently employed by Survice Engineering Co. as a test pilot. He has a total of 10,000 accident and incident-free flight hours.
Lt. Col. David F. McCallister (1920-1961) - a WW II P-51 combat pilot with 131 missions, rebuilder of the Delaware Air National Guard starting in 1948, winner of a national jet air race, became Chief, Engineering Test Flight with Delaware’s All American Engineering Co. With more than 4000 flying hours, he was nationally known as a strong proponent of military airpower advancement and flying safety. He died in 1961 in an aircraft accident at age 41.
John P. Renzetti, Chief Warrant Officer (Ret), Chadds Ford, PA - became a helicopter pilot in 1969 and deployed to Viet Nam in 1971 with a total of 700 combat hours. In 1972, he joined the Delaware Army National Guard and became a full-time instructor following 8 years as chief pilot for an industrial company in West Africa. A Master Army Aviator, he has over 19,000 hours in fixed-wing and rotary aircraft, both military and civilian.
