CDR Lewis E. HOYT, USNR (Ret) / (Maj USMC)
Golden Eagle
 

Gentlemen,
 
It is my sad duty to inform you that in the early morning of Wednesday, 10 September 2025, Golden Eagle CDR Lewis E. “Jumper” HOYT, USNR (Ret), made his Last Take Off in Sedona, AZ, with his wife Nancy by his side. Jumper was 82 years of age.
 
To be very clear to all our members, and as I am sure Jumper would say, he was first, foremost, and always a proud Marine, and part of our Golden Eagle Marine contingent. When he left active duty as a Major after 12 years in the Marine Corps, he joined the Navy Reserves so he could continue flying fighters out of NAS Miramar, eventually retiring as a USNR officer, hence his official title of CDR USNR (Ret). While also proud to serve in the Navy Reserves, his heart and soul was the Marine Corps.
 
Jumper was born in Glendale, CA, in June 1943. Growing up in nearby San Marino, he attended San Marino High School. He was a standout athlete — Captain of the football and track teams, and won the California Championship in the high jump, topping 6 feet, 8 inches. He was also a student body officer and excellent student, graduating in 1961. He earned both football and track scholarships to the University of Southern California, which he attended, and made the Dean’s List for all four years he was there. In 1963, while at USC, he won the National Collegiate Championship in the high jump and was selected to the All-American College Track and Field Team. He was the Captain of the USC track team for two years, and one of the first in the nation to exceed 7 feet in the high jump. Jumper was also a member, as an alternate, on two USA Olympic teams, 1964 and 1968. He graduated from USC with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology — he would later add a Master of Science in Systems Engineering also from USC, earned during off-duty hours while in the Marine Corps.
 
While at USC Jumper decided he would become a Marine Aviator. He enrolled in the USMC Officers Candidate School (OCS) program, winning the Commandant’s Trophy as the number one graduate and setting new records in the Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and obstacle course. Commissioned in July 1967, he reported to NAS Pensacola, FL, in December 1967 to VT-1, beginning his flight training in the T-34B Mentor. Reporting to NAS Meridian, MS, in March 1968 he commenced basic jet training flying the T-2A/T-2B Buckeye for one year before reporting to VT-4 back at Pensacola for air-to-air gunnery and carrier qualification in the T-2B. In June 1969 he reported to NAS Beeville, TX, for advanced jet training in the TAF-9J Cougar, finishing as the number one graduate and earning his Wings of Gold on 14 November 1969.
 
Jumper next reported to the VMFAT-101 Sharpshooters, the F-4 Phantom II RAG at MCAS El Toro in April 1970. Completing the transition syllabus for the Phantom II, Jumper joined his first fleet squadron in August 1970, the VMFA-531 Grey Ghosts, at MCAS El Toro, CA, flying the F-4. Fellow Golden Eagles Fokker RIETSCH and Stick RICHARD were also in the squadron, serving as mentors to Jumper. In August 1971 Jumper reported to the VMFA-232 Red Devils, based at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, flying the F-4J. Deploying to Da Nang, Vietnam, in April 1972 for approximately 3 months before redeploying to Nam Phong, Thailand, the squadron was engaged in combat operations in Vietnam. During this time Jumper flew 30 combat missions prior to departing for his next assignment in July 1972, reporting back to El Toro to serve as the aide to the Assistant Wing Commander, 3rd Marine Air Wing. Completing that one year assignment, he joined the VMFA-323 Death Rattlers in July 1973, again flying the F-4 from MCAS El Toro. The squadron was commanded by Golden Eagle Lancer SULLIVAN, another mentor to Jumper.
 
After two years in the squadron, Jumper received orders to TOPGUN to serve as an instructor, reporting to NAS Miramar, in July 1975, where he flew the T-38 Talon, A-4E Skyhawk, and F-5E/F Tiger II. In those three plus busy years, he had the opportunity for multiple experiences flying with both U.S. and foreign aviators. He hosted at his home two Israeli fighter pilots while they attended the five week TOPGUN syllabus, and he made several training detachments to other foreign countries — flying and instructing with Canadian air force F-5s, F-104s, and F-18s, Dutch F-5s and F-104s, Egyptian F-4s, Mirage 5s, Mirage 2000s, and Mig-21s, and Kuwaiti A-4Ms, Hawker Hunters, and Mirage F-1s. Finally, when a trip fell through, he took leave and funded his own trip to Israel to fly and instruct with their F-4s, KFIRs, and Mirage 3s and 5s. He finished his tour in TOPGUN  participating in what was then the highly classified Project Have Idea, now declassified, the exploitation and use as adversaries of Mig-17 and Mig-21 aircraft.
 
Jumper completed his active-duty time with the Marine Corps in October 1979, transitioning to the Navy Reserve where he joined VF-302 at NAS Miramar, flying the F-4N and F-4S for the next five years. He also joined Western Airlines, and then Delta Airlines for a 25-year career as a commercial airline pilot.
 
In his twelve years of active duty with the Marines, Jumper accumulated 4,441 hours of flight time, with a heavy emphasis on air combat maneuvering (ACM) as the above paragraphs note. He also had a significant amount of time not logged due to flying with other countries. He had a single combat tour in Vietnam, with 30 missions flown and was awarded five Strike/Flight Air medals. Without question, he was a superb tactician, aviator, and an expert in the realm of ACM, with world-wide current experience. His subsequent career as an airline pilot would add another 15,000 hours of flight time to his logbook. Clearly, he was born to fly. As he stated to many, he was very proud and humbled to be a Golden Eagle.
 
Jumper married the love of his life, Nancy, in August 2000. They permanently settled in Sedona, AZ, in 2003, from San Diego, when he retired from Delta Airlines. Jumper and Nancy were very active in the Sedona community, with Jumper coaching, mentoring, and motivating students at Sedona Red Rock High School. He was a member of the Sedona 30, a charitable service association that improves the community through financial support to nonprofit organizations. He was founder and chairman of the Sedona Miracle, a now annual fund-raising event that supports local nonprofits. In 2006, Jumper was Sedona’s “Citizen of the Year.” Remarkably, this was a year after he fought and survived a hard battle with throat and tongue cancer. In their quest to continue to give back and promote youth education, Jumper and Nancy have created two endowments to the Sedona Red Rock High School that supports both academic and athletic programs, as well as funding several other endowments supporting student scholarships and teacher supplies support. They have also made a generous estate gift to Kappa Alpha, Jumper’s fraternity, in a commitment to funding leadership and education.
 
Jumper is survived by his beloved wife, Nancy, and his brother Paul. Memorial services are in the planning stage, and those details will be provided in a Special Notice when known.
 
He will be missed.
 
In sadness,
Marty CHANIK
Pilot