Keith & his Fighter Pilot Buddies

In 1950, while attended Texas A&M’s newely formed ROTC program, Keith visited his folks at Scott Air Force Base, where his father was base commander. After seeing his first jet fighter, Keith asked his father to arrange the physical examination required for an Air Force commission. The flight surgeon delivered devastating news: allergies to tetanus antitoxin and egg protein would prevent Keith from becoming a military fighter pilot

Determined to fly fighter aircraft and serve his country, Keith used his artistic talent to document Air Force history and fulfill his dreams. These photographs feature many of Keith's fighter pilots friends my father flew with during his 50-year career. They trusted his flying abilities and skill while shaking the stick and saying, “Keith, the aircraft is yours.” They soon recognized that he was both an exceptional aviation artist and a skilled fighter pilot. Keith began flying with the U.S. Air Force in 1958 at age 29. He completed his final mission at age 80, flying an F-15 on an aggressor training mission. Afterward, he realized that his body could no longer withstand the G-forces of combat flight training so he decided to hang up his helmet and flight suit.