Harold Dean Shultz

West Point, 1951

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Andy Chacon on November 14, 2004:

Harold Dean Shultz Born March 11, 1930 - Died December 17, 1978 Born the son of parents of German, Welsh and Irish descent, Hal grew up on small farms in northeastern Indiana. In 1947, he graduated as the valedictorian of his 135 member Huntington, Indiana high school class. During high school he participated in football, basketball, track, and tennis. Hal then entered USMA. While at West Point, he starred in football and track. He also set a high hurdle record while at West Point. Honored as the most outstanding athlete in his graduating class, he received the Army Athletic Association Trophy. Hal believed his training at West Point, particularly those lessons he learned from Colonel Earl Blaik, his football coach, prepared him to meet life head-on and to win. He was graduated 11th in general order of merit in a class of 475 cadets. Hal excelled in the classroom and was one of six West Point cadets nominated to compete for a Rhodes Scholarship in 1950. In June of 1951, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the USAF. Following completion of pilot training in 1952, he served eighteen months as a fighter pilot in the 469th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. From 1954 to 1955, he served as an F-86F fighter pilot and flight commander in the 80th Fighter Bomber Group. While stationed in Korea, he completed the Far East Air Force Air Ground Operations School, which was conducted at Johnson Air Base, Japan. His next assignment was as a fighter gunner instructor at Nellis Air Force Base in 1955, this was interrupted so that he could attend Stanford university where he acquired a Master of Arts degree in History in preparation of instructional duties at USAFA. Following a nine-month interim assignment as a fighter pilot in the 434th Day Squadron at George Air Force Base he reported to the Air Force Academy in 1957 for a four-year tour. Hal served as instructor and assistant professor of History at the Academy from 1957 to 1961 and as assistant track coach in charge of the hurdlers and sprinters. In 1961, he was selected for an extended tour as the air officer commanding the 10th Cadet Squadron. At the end of one year in that capacity, his tour was interrupted so that he could attend the Air Command and Staff College in residence. He then served three years in the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hahn Air Base, Germany where he flew the F-100D and served successively as chief, Operational Plans Division, chief, Operational Control Division, special assistant to the wing commander, and wing executive and wing inspector general. Upon return to the US, in 1966, Hal served one year as a faculty member at the Air Command and Staff College. He then entered A-1 fighter training and was assigned to England Air Force Base for two months as assistant operations officer to help in forming, equipping, and training the newly organized 6th Air Commando Squadron (A-1H) which was deployed as a unit to Pleiku Air Base in February 1968. After flying 93 missions in 101 days in A-1's, Hal was transferred to Headquarters, Seventh Air Force and served as executive to the Director, Tactical Air Control Center. Returning from South East Asia in February 1969, Hal became a member of the evaluation branch of the CORONA HARVEST Project Office. Initially, he was involved with designing the evaluation process, and subsequently served as the project office representative to the Command and Control Report Preparation Committee and Verification Panel until February 1972. In addition to completing the Air Command and Staff College course in residence, Hal completed the Squadron Officer School and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces courses by correspondence. Hal's awards, decorations, and citations include the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two Oak Leaf Clusters and "V" device, Republic of Vietnam Air Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Honor Medal First Class, and Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. In addition to his extensive military education, Hal held three master's degrees; one in history, another in business administration, and the third in education. After serving twenty-three years. Hal retired from the Air Force on 1 July 1974. He and his family settled in Maryville, Tennessee, the hometown of his wife, Dorothy. After his retirement, Hal taught mathematics at Eagleton Junior High School. He loved the challenge. "One of the greatest rewards," he once said, "is to struggle for five to ten minutes, using various strategies, explaining a problem to a student, and then finally to hear that student say 'now I understand.'" Hal had three deep loves; his family, West Point, and teaching. He focused his life on important things. All of us who knew and loved Hal miss him deeply. He is survived by his wife Dorothy, sons Tye and William, daughters Jean, Anne, and Debbie; and a grandson, Michael (son of daughter, Jean). Click to find out what makes Fly Boys tick Air Force Values ufa

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