John Kelly

About John Kelly...

I served in both the US Army and the US Air Force, in the units shown. I entered the Army in Aug 1968 enroute to the Signal Corps as an avionics repair technician. In Feb 1969 I volunteered for Warrant Officer Flight School and graduated in Dec 1970. I was assigned to C-Company the “Blackwidows” and subsequently to the 3rd Brigade as a Huey AC as well as a OH-6 LOH aircraft commander. I was then assigned to Ft. Gordon as an instructor pilot in both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. I served in that assignment from Jan 1971 until 1976, II then left active duty to go to college. In 1979 I joined the Air Force as a 2nd Lt and as a Captain until I was injured in the crash of my MH-53 Pave Low when my entire tail rotor system ate itself and fell off. I was badly injured