Gary Vacin

A U.S. Air Force veteran who flew 100 missions in F-80 Shooting Star aircraft during the Korean Conflict will be guest speaker at the Sun Lakes Aero Club (SLAC) gathering at the Sun Lakes Country Club on November 17. The session begins with coffee and camaraderie at 6:30 p.m. followed by the presentation at 7:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

Maj. Gen. (ret.) Carl Schneider was scheduled to speak to the club in January, but was forced to cancel because of an illness. He retired in 1978 as chief of staff, Air Force Logistics Command at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio.

Gen. Schneider completed advanced pilot training in P-51 Mustang fighters at Williams AFB in Arizona, and later served as an F-80 gunnery instructor at Luke AFB in Arizona. He later was an F-100 fighter commander at Luke AFB.

He was sent to Viet Nam in 1962. There he became one of the first USAF officers to help establish a forward air controller liaison officer program, working and flying with the Republic of Viet Nam Air Force.

Gen. Schneider is a command pilot. His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

SLAC sponsors programs the third Monday of the month November through April in the Sun Lakes Country Club Mirror Room. The public is invited to attend all gatherings. Additional information is available on the club’s web site at SunLakesAeroClub.org or by calling Bob Walch at 895-8869 or Gary Vacin at 298-7017 or [email protected].