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In this episode of the Air Facts podcast, we sit down with Colonel Dale “Boots” Hill, a decorated Air Force veteran and longtime Air Facts contributor. From flying 165 missions in the OV-10 Bronco during Vietnam to commanding F-16 squadrons and training the next generation of pilots, Boots brings a wealth of experience and insight to the conversation. He shares the intense story behind one of his most-read articles, “Sounds You Never Want to Hear,” and reflects on how preparation, training, and teamwork shaped his military flying career. Along the way, he offers valuable lessons for every pilot—military or civilian—about leadership, mindset, and staying sharp in the cockpit.
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Air Facts began in 1938 with Leighton Collins’ vision to promote private air transportation. Today, as an online journal, Air Facts brings pilots together by sharing real-world flying experiences that inspire learning, good judgment, and a love of flying.
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Just wondering if Dale ever met “Boots” Blesse. He was a good friend of my father’s and shared stories on the golf course all the time. Couple of my father’s, strafed by Zeros Wheeler Field at 18, commission and wings at 19, flew with the 56th FG in 1943, two DFCs at 20. Most difficult landing for him — over Luke where he graduated from flight school 14 years back. Middle of the night, only soul onboard, so to speak, engine out, dead-sticked T-33 from 34,000 feet through thunderstorm to the numbers. Told the controller wasn’t bailing out. Did that over the North Sea in May 1944. Did not like the “no-dingy” swim to the English fishing boat, almost an hour, nearly killed him. And, by the way, to note, no pandering, conditioned, reflexive “Thank you” required — as it was for all of us, “every citizen’s duty to country”, that is, before our current mercenary military post-1973. And “thank you” for what exactly, warmongering Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine? Our first mercenary war, “The Gulf War” — Saudi dollars to the treasury, Americans to the desert for the “Princes”?
TR-2, as a matter of fact, I have met Boots Blesse. I was at an an air show in Miami and I had just finished his book, “Check Six”. I retrieved it from my car and he signed it for me, writing, “To Boots Hill — with my best personal regards.” and signed it “Boots Blesse, M/Gen USAF (Ret) 25 May 2004” What a gentleman! When I flew with the 56th Fighter Wing at MacDill, I commanded the 61st Fighter Squadron, the “Top Dogs”. We hosted a reunion for the 56th FG and I got to meet some of my genuine heroes like Bobby Johnson and Frank Klibbe. ‘Gabby’ Gabreski (the commander of the 61st in WWII) wasn’t there, but I was at Oshkosh once and ran into his crew chief. You can read about that here: https://airfactsjournal.com/2024/12/checking-off-a-bucket-list-item/