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 Preserving the history of the aviation pioneers and programs that developed the U-2, A-12 and YF-12 during the Cold War. The high water marks of aeronautical development |
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Preserving the history of the aviation pioneers and programs that developed the U-2, A-12 and YF-12 during the Cold War. The high water marks of aeronautical development |
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DENNIS SULLIVAN - CALL SIGN: DUTCH 23
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Awarded CIA Intelligence Star for Valor
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During a flight on 30 October 1967, pilot Dennis Sullivan detected radar tracking on his first pass over North Vietnam. Two sites prepared to launch missiles but neither did. During the second pass at least six missiles were fired at the OXCART, each confirmed by missile vapor trails on mission photography. Sullivan saw these vapor trails and witnessed three missile detonations. Post-flight inspection of the aircraft revealed that a piece of metal had penetrated the lower right wing fillet area and lodged against the support structure of the wing tank. The fragment was not a warhead pellet but may have been a part of the debris from one of the missile detonations observed by the pilot. |
BRIGADIER GENERAL DENNIS B. SULLIVAN
Retired March 1, 1983.
Dutch 23
Brigadier General Dennis B.
Sullivan
is a command director in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex for the North
American
Aerospace Defense Command, headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base,
Colo.
General Sullivan was born in 1927,
in Chippewa Falls, Wis., where he graduated from McDonell High School
in
1944. In 1946 he entered the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md.,
graduating
in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as a second
lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He received a master's degree in
international
affairs from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., and is
a graduate of the Advanced Management Program for Executives,
Carnegie-Mellon
University in Pittsburgh; the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell
Air Force Base, Ala., and the National War College, Fort Lesley J.
McNair,
Washington, D.C.
His initial pilot training began in
June 1950 in T-6s at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and continued in
F-80s
at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., and Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
In January 1952 General Sullivan was
assigned to the 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 8th Fighter-Bomber Wing
in
South Korea, where he flew 100 combat missions in F-80s. After
completing
his tour of duty in South Korea, he transferred to Truax Field, Wis.,
and
flew F-86 Sabrejets and F-102 Delta Daggers with the 126th, 432nd and
323rd
Fighter-Interceptor squadrons. In October 1957 he moved with the 323rd
Fighter-Interceptor Squadron to Harmon Air Force Base, Newfoundland,
where
he continued flying F-102s until September 1960. Following graduation
from
the Air Command and Staff College in July 1961, General Sullivan served
with the 318th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at McChord Air Force Base,
Wash., flying F-106s.
From June 1963 to August 1968, General
Sullivan was a special projects officer at Headquarters U.S. Air Force,
Washington, D.C. He was then assigned to Headquarters Aerospace Defense
Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colo., as chief, Test Branch, Weapons
Division.
He attended the National War College and concurrently earned his
master's
degree in international affairs from The George Washington University
from
August 1969 to August 1970.
General Sullivan served from August
1970 to August 1972 as director of operations and later vice commander
of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base,
Calif.,
the only Air Force unit flying the SR-71 "Blackbird" strategic
reconnaissance
aircraft. He then moved to Air Training Command as vice commander of
Chanute
Technical Training Center, Chanute Air Force Base, Ill., where he
served
for three years.
In July 1975 General Sullivan took
command of the only navigator training wing in the Air Force, the 323rd
Flying Training Wing at Mather Air Force Base, Calif. From September
1976
to July 1978, he was assigned as deputy chief of staff for operations
at
Air Training Command headquarters, Randolph Air Force Base. In this
position
he was responsible for monitoring and providing staff support to pilot,
navigator and survival training programs at 11 bases and several
detachments.
He then took command of 12th Air Division at Dyess Air Force Base,
Texas,
and assumed his present duties in September 1981.
General Sullivan is a member of the
Society of Experimental Test Pilots and a command pilot with 7,000
hours
flying experience. His military decorations and awards include the
Legion
of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak
leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal and Air Medal with two oak leaf
clusters.
He was promoted to brigadier general
Feb. 1, 1977, with date of rank Jan. 24, 1977.
Click on images to enlarge - Stall mouse over image for caption
 Warming up for my military career |
 Start of military career - Seaman 1st Class - 1945 |
 Naval Academy |
 Marriage at Randolph AFB, 1950 |
 Korea 1951 - 1952 |
 Sitting in cockpit of #778 in Korea - 1952 |
 Korea - I am #4 in #778 |
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 Dennis showing his stuff |
 Oh! Oh! Dennis is coming |
 Ontario, Canada - 1964 |
 Rose Marie |
 Dennis in his A-12 |
 Dennis standing beside A-12 |
 Hard to spear with a F-101 |
 Retirement - 1983 |
 Dennis & Rose Marie |
 Dennis remembering earlier times |
 Son Dan & Wife Willa - Salem, MA |
 Daughter Kathy |
 Daughter Maureen & family - Phoenix |
 Son Tim & Family - Hong Kong |
 The Sullivan Family |
A-12 Project Pilot Dennis Sullivan attending A-12 Article 128 Dedication
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