He was one of three children born to Percie and Margaret (Eadie) Thacker. He attended a two-year community college in El Centro, hoping to become an aeronautical engineer. But his family did not have the money for him to complete college, so he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1939 and received his wings as a lieutenant in June 1940. He was caught in the attack on Pearl Harbor while piloting an unarmed B-17 bomber to Hawaii for refueling, but managed to make an astonishing landing with his landing gear shot out. He flew 80 WWII bombing missions out of New Guinea, Italy and England. In February 1947, he piloted a P-82 fighter plane on the first nonstop flight from Hawaii to New York City in what remains the longest nonstop flight ever made by a propeller-driven fighter. In addition to flying B-17 Flying Fortresses in WWII, he piloted Superfortresses in the Korean Conflict and high-altitude missions in the Vietnam War. He later joined the nation's leading test pilots in experimental flights over Muroc Army Air Field in California (now Edwards AFB). He retired from the USAF in 1970, and was awarded 2 Silver Stars, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 10 air medals, and the French Croix de Guerre with palm. He was an adviser to the aviation industry and pursued his hobby of flying radio-controlled model planes (2010 Academy of Model Aeronautics Hall of Fame inductee). He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jo (Smoot) Thacker. Surviving is his daughter, Barbara Thacker.
He was one of three children born to Percie and Margaret (Eadie) Thacker. He attended a two-year community college in El Centro, hoping to become an aeronautical engineer. But his family did not have the money for him to complete college, so he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1939 and received his wings as a lieutenant in June 1940. He was caught in the attack on Pearl Harbor while piloting an unarmed B-17 bomber to Hawaii for refueling, but managed to make an astonishing landing with his landing gear shot out. He flew 80 WWII bombing missions out of New Guinea, Italy and England. In February 1947, he piloted a P-82 fighter plane on the first nonstop flight from Hawaii to New York City in what remains the longest nonstop flight ever made by a propeller-driven fighter. In addition to flying B-17 Flying Fortresses in WWII, he piloted Superfortresses in the Korean Conflict and high-altitude missions in the Vietnam War. He later joined the nation's leading test pilots in experimental flights over Muroc Army Air Field in California (now Edwards AFB). He retired from the USAF in 1970, and was awarded 2 Silver Stars, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 10 air medals, and the French Croix de Guerre with palm. He was an adviser to the aviation industry and pursued his hobby of flying radio-controlled model planes (2010 Academy of Model Aeronautics Hall of Fame inductee). He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jo (Smoot) Thacker. Surviving is his daughter, Barbara Thacker.
Gravesite Details
Ashes scattered over the Pacific Ocean; memorial at columbarium with his wife
Family Members
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