Frank Morton
Preferred Name: Frank
Nickname/Call Sign:
Date of Birth:
Highest Military Grade Held:
Hometown: Portsmouth, VA
Biography
Frank Morton grew up in Portsmouth, VA which is the home of the Norfolk Navy Yard. There were many Navy aircraft that flew in the area, and he wanted to fly them. Instead, he made model airplanes and flew them with friends.
After he graduated from high school, he (and the bank) owned a Luscombe aircraft. Having already learned to fly, he joined the Air Force during the Korean War and signed up for Aviation Cadet Training. He had to wait a year to get to Aviation Cadets during which time he was a Control Tower Operator.
After undergraduate pilot training, he went to multi-engine aircraft and flew the C-47 in Korea. He was then assigned as a B-25 Instructor Pilot at Vance AFB, OK. Later, he instructed in T-33s and T-37s.
After eight years as an Instructor, he was assigned to fly C-130s in France and then Lockbourne AFB, OH for five years. At Lockbourne he was the Wing Special Weapons Officer. He then moved to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ flying the DC-130, a drone-launch version of the Hercules.
The Vietnam War took Frank to Thailand flying the AC-130s at night over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. After the war, he returned to Davis-Monthan in Tucson and retired at age 39 with 6,000 flying time.
- Biography
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Biography
Frank Morton grew up in Portsmouth, VA which is the home of the Norfolk Navy Yard. There were many Navy aircraft that flew in the area, and he wanted to fly them. Instead, he made model airplanes and flew them with friends.
After he graduated from high school, he (and the bank) owned a Luscombe aircraft. Having already learned to fly, he joined the Air Force during the Korean War and signed up for Aviation Cadet Training. He had to wait a year to get to Aviation Cadets during which time he was a Control Tower Operator.
After undergraduate pilot training, he went to multi-engine aircraft and flew the C-47 in Korea. He was then assigned as a B-25 Instructor Pilot at Vance AFB, OK. Later, he instructed in T-33s and T-37s.
After eight years as an Instructor, he was assigned to fly C-130s in France and then Lockbourne AFB, OH for five years. At Lockbourne he was the Wing Special Weapons Officer. He then moved to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ flying the DC-130, a drone-launch version of the Hercules.
The Vietnam War took Frank to Thailand flying the AC-130s at night over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. After the war, he returned to Davis-Monthan in Tucson and retired at age 39 with 6,000 flying time.
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