USAF Ret. Col. Donald S. Lopez died on March 3, 2008

[syscom3]

I saw this just now. I dont know if anything official has been released or said.


USAF Ret. Col. Donald S. Lopez died on March 3, 2008. There will be an obituary later.

Don was a leader in the 75th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group in China.

He served as Deputy Director of the Air and Space Museum for many years.

Thank you,

J M Taylor
President, 75th FSA

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I've met Don Lopez - very saddened to hear this news. RIP!

 

[timshatz]

Read his book. Good book. RIP.

 

[evangilder]

 

[Njaco]

 

[HoHun]

>Read his book. Good book.

The title is "Fighter Pilot's Heaven" ...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

 

[Micdrow]

 

[Jerry W. Loper]

>Read his book. Good book.

The title is "Fighter Pilot's Heaven" ...

Damn I'm sorry to hear about Lopez's passing. He wrote another book about his combat career during World War II, titled Into the Teeth of the Tiger. Got a kick out of his anecdote about a tremendous putdown his friend, Flash Segura, pulled on a cowardly CO named Home (I think Home is a pseudonym):

Home: Segura, stand at attention! Have you been telling all the new pilots I'm a yellow no-good son-of-a-bitch?
Segura: No sir, I don't know how they found out!

 

[syscom3]

Heres a painting of him knocking down a Japanese Oscar the hard way.... colliding with him!!!

 

[DOUGRD]

I'm really sorry to hear this. I was fortunate enough to meet Mr. Lopez back in 1976 at the Smithsonian. I was stationed at Patuxant River Naval Air Test Center at the time and my best friend was involved in launching the NATC museum. We went up to Washington DC in May '76 to look into the possibility of getting the "Flapjack" on loan. Mr Lopez took us out the the NASM rework facility in Silver Hill MD to check it out. This was way before the rework facility was open to the public. It is still one of the most memorable days of my life. Believe it or not the "Enola Gay" forward fuselage section was just leaning up against a wall inside one of the storage sheds next to crates containing its other compnoents. I spotted it and froze in my tracks. I guess Mr. Lopez saw me stop because the next thing I recall is him standing next to me and saying "Eerie isn't it?" He was really a gentleman. Rest in Peace Colonel

 

[Wildcat]

 

[Wurger]

 

[Johnny Signor]

I met Don at the recent Mid Atlantic Air Show,he was a super guy and I'm glad I had the oportunity to talk with him shake his hand and thank him for what he did for us all,also got his autographed photo,RIP DON!