NOTAM 02-2015 (Schulte)

Golden Eagle NOTAM CAPTAIN Richard J. Schulte, USN (Ret) Golden Eagle Emeritus

Dear Golden Eagles,

It is my sad duty to inform you that Emeritus Member, CAPT Richard J. “Dick” Schulte, USN (Ret), made his Last Take-Off on 22 January 2015 in Brecksville, OH. Beloved husband of Virginia “Ginny” (nee Bechtold); father of Rick (Liz), John (Anna), Russell, Robert, and Rebecca Amsdell (Jeff);  grandfather of six and great-grandfather of Brenna Schulte. The celebration of his life will start with a viewing on 27 January from 2:00 to 4:00pm and 6:00 to 8:pm at the Nosek- McCreery Funeral Home in Brecksville, OH. A service at St. Basil the Great Catholic Church will take place at 10:30 am on 28 January in Brecksville followed by a burial at 12:30 pm  in the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, OH.

Dick began flight training in March 1948 and was designated a Naval Aviator on 1 July 1950. He served in VP-6 flying P-2V’s from 51-53 out of Barbers Point, HI, and was forward based at NAS Atsugi and Iwakuni Japan during the Korean War where he flew 53 missions. He served on USS Hancock as CIC, Flight Deck and Assistant Air Ops from late 56 to 9/58 and then he transitioned to F-9’s at NAS Olathe, KS. He flew A-3 Skywarriors in VAH-4 off USS Ticonderoga in 59-61, went to Post Graduate School in Monterey, and then joined VX-5 in China Lake where he flew A-3,  A-4 and F-4 projects from 63-66. He served as XO and CO in VF-161 from 5/66 to 2/68, flying F-4’s from USS Constellation and USS Coral Sea in Vietnam, where he flew 216 combat missions. His combat awards include a Silver Star, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 2 Bronze Stars, 21 Air Medals, 2 Navy Commendation Medals and 5 Navy Unit Commendations.

He served as Air Officer on USS Ticonderoga for 18 months; then became CO of VF-121, the F-4 RAG at NAS Miramar where he set up “TOPGUN” and obtained the first Air Combat Range and sited it at Yuma, AZ.  Because of this, the Navy kill ratio climbed almost immediately from 1 to 1 in 1970 to 12 to 1 in favor of USN through the end of the war. Dick attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Ft. McNair; then became Program Manager for the Sidewinder (AIM -9D,-9L) missile at NAVAIR Systems Command. He was CO of USS White Plains (AFS-4) and in 1972 moved the ship, with approximately 100 families, from San Feancisco to become the first ship to home port in Sasebo, Japan. As  CO of USS Midway  from 9/73 to 3/75 he moved USS Midway (CVA-41) and (CVW-5) with approximately 800 families from Alameda to home port in Yokosuka, Japan. He served as COS for COM3RDFLEET at Ford Island , HI, from 4/75 to 3/79; then retired from active duty in March 79.

After retirement in 1979, Dick joined American Greetings Corporation as an Executive Director. In 1985  he became Managing Director, Continental Europe. He retired from American Greetings Corporation in 1994 as Vice President. Dick loved his family, and he really enjoyed the grandchildren after his retirement. He was proud to be a member of The Golden Eagles. A VX-5 squadron mate and Golden Eagle Ray Powell said in an email today,"Our years flying together in VX-5 are still one of the highlights of my 30 years of service. Dick was one of the most sincere, dedicated, hardest working people I have ever had the priviledge of knowing. Yet, he still had the time for family, friends and always found time to enjoy all the good things of life".  Dick Schulte will be missed.

In Sadness,

Don Boecker-Pilot