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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Chris Blom

Jack W. Blom was born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1932. He was introduced to aviation early by his father, William, who piloted small planes and was a friend of a Mr. Corbin, a man noted as a pioneer in flight in the Midwest.

Jack joined the USAF in 1952 with hopes of becoming a pilot, but he was unable to qualify because of the strict eyesight requirements. He was trained as a radar technician and assigned to the 551st A & E outfit that serviced the radar planes which at the time patrolled both coasts of the United States.

As a Staff Sergeant stationed at Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, and determined to fly, he took private lessons, and never ceased to be interested in flying and air power.

Jack passed away in 1992 and is buried at the National Cemetery on Otis Air Force Base, where planes of a new generation fly overhead.

He left a legacy of love for and interest in flying and the history of flight. Jack would be thrilled to be a part of the Wall of Honor.

We, his family, have a keen interest in World War II history, space flight, and the wonderful National Air and Space Museum. It is a pleasure and an honor to contribute to the new museum in the name of Jack W. Blom.