Nail 48

About the Book

Lt. Colonel Phillip Maywald, USAF (Ret.), graduated from The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) in the Class of 1963. The class of 63 was the first full size class, the first to go all four years at the permanent USAFA site in Colorado Springs, and the only class that had President Kennedy as its graduation speaker. Its future was entwined with the Viet Nam War even though that was not known until after its graduation. Eighteen of the class were killed in action, two were long term POWs and others were killed in training. The majority served in SEA. Phil Maywald considers himself an average member of the Class. He was average as a cadet and had an average career. While many, if not all of his classmates and other USAFA graduates, have had opportunities to to do extraordinary things and responded in ways that bring honor to themselves and the USAF there are only sixteen who are recognized in the USAFA Plaza of Heroes. Phil is one of those. (See Photos) He was awarded the Air Force Cross for combat actions as a forward air controller during the Viet Nam war, the highest award the Air Force can give, the only higher award being the Congressional Medal of Honor. This is the account of the combat actions and the UFAFA background that shaped him and led to that award. It was written to honor the class of 63.

About the Author

Lt. Colonel Phillip Maywald entered the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 1959 graduating on June 5, 1963. During his Air Force career he flew T-37s, T-38s, B-52s, O-1s, O-2s, T-39s, and C-131s. During the the Viet Nam War, he was as an O-1/O-2 forward air control pilot with the 23rd Tactical Air Support Squadron at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, and with the 606th Air Commando Squadron at Udorn Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from August 1967 to August 1968. He was awarded the Air Force Cross and three Distinguished Flying Crosses for his actions in combat. His flying assignments culminated as Squadron Commander of the 90th Flying Training Squadron at Sheppard AFB, Texas flying T-38s. He was a flight test engineer for the operational testing of the F-15 and A-10. His final Air Force assignment was Director of Propulsion Testing at the Arnold Engineering and Development Center at Arnold AFB, Tennessee, from July 1981 until his retirement from the Air Force in 1984. After retirement from the Air Force, he was employed by Sverdrup Technology at Arnold AFB as the Manager for Advanced Technology Projects from 1984 until 1997. He retired as an FAA flight instructor in 2021 at 80 years old and over 10,000 flight hours. He and his wife Bobbie had four daughters, Karen, Kimberly, Kristen, and Kelly. Kelly succumbed to cancer in 2013. They have twelve grandchildren, nine boys and three girls, and currently ten great grandchildren, three boys and seven girls.