Jump to content

Joseph F. Cotton: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Edited categories
m →Early life: replaced: , Indiana]] → , Indiana]],
(6 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|American military test pilot}}
{{Infobox military person
{{Infobox military person
|honorific_prefix= Colonel
|honorific_prefix= Colonel
|image =
|image = Joe_Cotton_at_the_B-47_Association_Reunion_in_2002.jpg
|image_size = 250
|image_size = 250
|alt =
|alt =
|caption =
|caption = Cotton in 2002
|birth_name = Joseph Frederick Cotton
|birth_name = Joseph Frederick Cotton
|birth_date = {{Birth date |1922|1|22}}
|birth_date = {{Birth date |1922|1|22}}
Line 34: Line 35:


==Early life==
==Early life==
Cotton was born in [[Rushville, Indiana]] on Jan. 21, 1922, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Cotton. Cotton was a graduate of Manilla High School where he was a member of the basketball team and a 4H club member. He lived in Rush County and helped his father with work on the family farm until he reached the age of 20.<ref name=obit/>
Cotton was born in [[Rushville, Indiana]], on January 21, 1922, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Cotton. Cotton was a graduate of Manilla High School where he was a member of the basketball team and a 4H club member. He lived in Rush County and helped his father with work on the family farm until he reached the age of 20.<ref name=obit/>


==Military service==
==Military service==
Line 40: Line 41:


He later attended the Empire Test Pilot School, and eventually was the chief test pilot for the Air Force. He was head of the B-58 Hustler and XB-70 test programs, and was flying in the ill-fated formation flight that resulted in [[North American XB-70 Valkyrie#Mid-air collision|the loss of XB-70 A/V2 on June 8, 1966]].<ref name="C6" /> He retired from the Air Force in 1968 having been involved in aeronautical research for 22 of his 26 years.
He later attended the Empire Test Pilot School, and eventually was the chief test pilot for the Air Force. He was head of the B-58 Hustler and XB-70 test programs, and was flying in the ill-fated formation flight that resulted in [[North American XB-70 Valkyrie#Mid-air collision|the loss of XB-70 A/V2 on June 8, 1966]].<ref name="C6" /> He retired from the Air Force in 1968 having been involved in aeronautical research for 22 of his 26 years.
<ref name="PMLAA">{{cite web|title=Joe Cotton|url=http://www.pmlaa.org/newsletters/2003-03.pdf|website=Pine Mountain Lake Aviation Associatio}}</ref>
<ref name="PMLAA">{{cite web|title=Joe Cotton|url=http://www.pmlaa.org/newsletters/2003-03.pdf|website=Pine Mountain Lake Aviation Association}}</ref>


==Awards and decorations==
==Awards and decorations==
Line 80: Line 81:
===Other achievements===
===Other achievements===
{{Plainlist |
{{Plainlist |
* 1966 - "Pilot of the Year"<ref name=obit>{{cite web|last1=Gulker|first1=Linda|url=http://inmenlo.com/2016/05/14/aviation-pioneer-col-joe-f-cotton-takes-his-last-flight-at-age-94/|publisher=InMenlo|date=14 May 2016|title=Aviation pioneer Col. Joe F. Cotton “takes his last flight” at age 94|accessdate=14 July 2017}}</ref>
* 1966 - "Pilot of the Year"<ref name=obit>{{cite web|last1=Gulker|first1=Linda|url=http://inmenlo.com/2016/05/14/aviation-pioneer-col-joe-f-cotton-takes-his-last-flight-at-age-94/|publisher=InMenlo|date=14 May 2016|title=Aviation pioneer Col. Joe F. Cotton "takes his last flight" at age 94|accessdate=14 July 2017}}</ref>
* 1997 - Enshired on the [[Aerospace Walk of Honor]] in [[Lancaster, California]]
* 1997 - Enshired on the [[Aerospace Walk of Honor]] in [[Lancaster, California]]
* 2016 - A bridge near his hometown is named in his honor,<ref>{{cite web|title=House Resolution 3|url=http://iga.in.gov/static-documents/6/1/2/f/612f9b6c/HC0033.02.COMH.pdf|website=Indiana General Assembly|accessdate=11 May 2016}}</ref> and was dedicated on July 4th, 2017.<ref name="Bridge" />
* 2016 - A bridge near his hometown is named in his honor,<ref>{{cite web|title=House Resolution 3|url=http://iga.in.gov/static-documents/6/1/2/f/612f9b6c/HC0033.02.COMH.pdf|website=Indiana General Assembly|accessdate=11 May 2016}}</ref> and was dedicated on July 4th, 2017.<ref name="Bridge" />
Line 88: Line 89:
Cotton was hired as an engineering flight test pilot for United after his military retirement. In total, he flew more than 16,000 flight hours in 80 different military bombers, fighters, transports, and civilian aircraft.<ref name="PMLAA"/>
Cotton was hired as an engineering flight test pilot for United after his military retirement. In total, he flew more than 16,000 flight hours in 80 different military bombers, fighters, transports, and civilian aircraft.<ref name="PMLAA"/>


Cotton passed away on May 5, 2016, survived by his wife Rema, and three children.<ref name=obit/>
Cotton died on May 5, 2016, survived by his wife Rema, and three children.<ref name=obit/>


==References==
==References==
Line 98: Line 99:
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Rushville, Indiana]]
[[Category:People from Rushville, Indiana]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces pilots]]
[[Category:United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II]]
[[Category:United States Air Force officers]]
[[Category:United States Air Force officers]]
[[Category:American test pilots]]
[[Category:American test pilots]]

Revision as of 04:57, 5 July 2023

Colonel

Joseph F. Cotton
Cotton in 2002
Birth nameJoseph Frederick Cotton
Nickname(s)Joe
Born(1922-01-22)January 22, 1922
Rushville, Indiana, U.S.
DiedMay 5, 2016(2016-05-05) (aged 94)
Atherton, California, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States United States
Service / branch
Years of service1942–66 (24 years)
Rank Colonel
Battles / wars
AwardsSee below
Spouse(s)Rema Nelson (1944–2016; his death) (3 children)[1]
Other workFlight instructor, Airline pilot

Joseph Frederick Cotton (January 21, 1922 – May 5, 2016) was an American military test pilot.

Early life

Cotton was born in Rushville, Indiana, on January 21, 1922, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Cotton. Cotton was a graduate of Manilla High School where he was a member of the basketball team and a 4H club member. He lived in Rush County and helped his father with work on the family farm until he reached the age of 20.[2]

Military service

In his first combat mission, in November 1943, the plane he was co-piloting crash-landed on the island of Corfu after being hit by anti-aircraft fire. After four months the crew members were able to escape with the help of Italian allies, and Mr. Cotton was sent back to the U.S. to recover from malaria and return to flight school[3] to become a flight instructor.[4]

He later attended the Empire Test Pilot School, and eventually was the chief test pilot for the Air Force. He was head of the B-58 Hustler and XB-70 test programs, and was flying in the ill-fated formation flight that resulted in the loss of XB-70 A/V2 on June 8, 1966.[4] He retired from the Air Force in 1968 having been involved in aeronautical research for 22 of his 26 years. [5]

Awards and decorations

Badges, patches and tabs
U.S. Air Force Command Pilot Badge
Personal decorations
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges Legion of Merit
Air Medal - for his actions during an emergency with the XB-70 when he extended the jammed nose gear by use of a legal-style paper clip.
Air Force Commendation Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
 National Defense Service Medal with star
Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon

Other achievements

Post-military career

Cotton was hired as an engineering flight test pilot for United after his military retirement. In total, he flew more than 16,000 flight hours in 80 different military bombers, fighters, transports, and civilian aircraft.[5]

Cotton died on May 5, 2016, survived by his wife Rema, and three children.[2]

References

  1. ^ Farbstein, Michael. "Atherton couple celebrates 70th anniversary". TheAlmanac. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Gulker, Linda (14 May 2016). "Aviation pioneer Col. Joe F. Cotton "takes his last flight" at age 94". InMenlo. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b Wood, Barbara. "Hometown names bridge after longtime Atherton resident Joe Cotton". The Almanac.
  4. ^ a b "Afternoon with a Flight Test Legend". Check-Six.com.
  5. ^ a b "Joe Cotton" (PDF). Pine Mountain Lake Aviation Association.
  6. ^ "House Resolution 3" (PDF). Indiana General Assembly. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joseph_F._Cotton&oldid=1163485887"