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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Patrick Monroe Hardiman

Chief Warrant Officer Del Hardiman began his flying career as Line Boy at his local airport in Statesville, N.C. at the age of 14. He soloed in a J-3 Cub 10 days after his 16th birthday, having a pilot's license before his driver's license. He received the prestigious Certificate of Proficiency award as a Cadet in the Civil Air Patrol and was the only Cadet Pilot in the State of North Carolina at one time. His Cadet Pilot Wings were pinned on by COL Harp, Commander of Shaw AFB, S.C. Also as a Cadet, Del was selected for the Jet Aviation Course, in which one Cadet from each state was selected to attend a week of Jet Orientation at Perrin AFB, Texas. He received 7 hours of flight time in a T-33 Jet Trainer as well as Altitude chamber qualification. Del enlisted in the North Carolina Air National Guard as a Mechanic at age 20 where he served four years. He was Honor Graduate of his Flight Engineer's Course, and performed Flight Engineer duties in the C-124 Globe Master in which, as a crew member, he flew to Southeast Asia, Europe and Central America. In 1968, Del enlisted in the U.S. Army to attend the Aviation Warrant Officer Flight Program. After one year of Flight School, he served 19 months in Vietnam flying the Ul-A Otter and 0-1 Bird Dog. He met and married his wife, and life long companion Paula in Vietnam. From Vietnam en-route to Berlin, West Germany, Del attended the Aircraft Maintenance Officer's Course and Rotary Wing Qualification Course. In total, the Hardiman family spent 10 years in Germany through 2 assignments.
Del served 22 years, 5 months Active Duty; he and Paula having three sons along the way. His Army career was as a Maintenance Officer, Test Pilot and Aircraft Commander flying numerous types of aircraft. He has accumulated over 10,000 flight hours Civilian and Military combined not to include his time as Flight Engineer. His aircraft qualifications include Rotary, Fixed Wing, Sea Plane and Jet.
Del was selected as Maintenance Officer for the first Army Jet Company; United States Army Priority Air Transport (USAPAT) located at Andrews AFB, MD, which flew C-20 aircraft (Gulfstream III). He was honored to be selected to fly the very first mission. This first flight (August 4, 1988) included, as passenger, the Honorable John 0. Marsh Jr., then Secretary of the Army.
After retirement from the United States Army, Del flew a Gulfstream III (NASA1) 6 years for NASA1 Flight Operations out of Ronald Reagan National Airport, Washington, D.C. The mission was to support the NASA Administrator, administrative staff and support personnel. Flights included trips to Moscow to coordinate the U.S./Russian Joint Space Station Venture. Del had the privilege of witnessing the signing of the joint agreement by NASA Administrator Dan Goldin and Head of the Russian Space Program, Yuri Koptov, in Mr. Koptov's office in the spring of 1992.
Del observed over 25 Shuttle launches while flying with NASA1 Flight Operations. The unit was disbanded in June 97 for cost cutting to the dismay of many. He made the last landing of NASA1 at Reagan National. Del's awards include: U.S. Army Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star with "V" device, Air Medal with 24 devices, Army Achievement Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and others. He is a graduate of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University with a B.S. in Aeronautical Studies and is now an Aviation Systems Manager for the National Guard Bureau at the Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, Va. One of the highlights of his career was meeting Neil Armstrong at the First Flight Centennial, Kitty Hawk, N.C. December 16th 2003. He is extremely proud of his sons Michael, Patrick and Benjamin. Del and Paula reside at Fairfax Station, Virginia.