Colonel Frederick L. Breitinger, USAF(Retired) had a distinguished 30 year career amassing nearly 10,000 flying hours as a rated officer in worldwide operations. Inspired at a young age by a demonstration of barnstormers at a local airport, Fred would wait years to experience his first flight in an O-1 Birddog of the New Jersey National Guard. When the Korean War broke out, he enlisted in the active duty Air Force, where he was selected for airborne radar maintenance. He applied and was accepted for flight training in the Aviation Cadet program, earning his Navigator Wings, and was assigned to the 54th Strategic Reconnaisance Squadron, Guam. From this island base he flew both weather tracking and classified reconnaisance missions. The next assignment was to Charleston AFB, navigating worldwide missions in the C-54 and C-121 Super Constellation. He was selected for pilot training, graduating #1 in his class, with orders back to Charleston, flying the C-124 Globemaster II with the 3rd Military Airlift Squadron; later at Hunter AFB with the 53rd ATS, "Blackjacks". Fred loved flying "Old Shakey", and was afforded the honor of flying the last C-124 to the "Bone Yard" at Davis-Montham AFB. The replacement aircraft was the first all jet transport aircraft; the C-141 Starlifter. Fred was assigned to the initial cadre with the 14th MAS at Norton AFB, developing tactics for the Combat Airlift role, as well as flying global airlift missions, mostly to Southeast Asia. In 1973 he was selected to command the 53rd MAS Blackjacks at Norton, reactivated from his old squadron at Hunter AFB. This was probably the most enjoyable assignment in his career. Known as "Colonel B" to his troops, he was respected as a motivational leader, mentor, and an unwavering advocate for the officers and airmen under his command. During his tenure, he led this young squadron through significant organizational and technological changes.
His success resulted in his promotion to Colonel, and he reluctantly reliquished command of this flying squadron to assume command of the 603rd Military Airlift Support Squadron, Kadena AB, Okinawa. Notably, his squadron operated in support of the Mayaguez incident, as well as the massive airlift evacuation of Saigon after the fall of the goverment of South Viet Nam.

Fred was a skillful aviator, and genuinely loved flying, but, as is customary in the careers of military aviators, his flying assignments were interspersed with non-flying tours, which he fulfilled with dedication and distinction. He retired 30 July 1980 after 30 years of distinguished service. He was awarded the Legion of Merit, in addition to his previous awards of the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Korean Service Medal, and Viet Nam Service Medal. He was credited with 79 combat missions. Following retirement from active duty, he was employed by Boeing in both the B-1 and
B-2 programs. Fred's aviation legacy continues in his son, Rick, Jr., also a distinguished military and commercial aviator, as well as with those of us who served with him and were inspired by his example, mentorship, and friendship.