Foil: 6 Panel: Distinguished Flying Cross Society Column: 1 Line: 42

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

CW 4 Jack Cattilini enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1962 and spent six years as an Air Traffic Controller. In 1969, he enlisted in the U.S. Army for Rotary Wing Flight Training at Ft. Wolters, TX and Ft. Rucker, AL. He served in Viet Nam as an AH-1G Cobra gun ship pilot assigned to "A" Troop, 7/1 Air Cav, from Jun, 1970 through Jul, 1971 during which time he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism while defending and preventing an American fire base in the Delta from being overrun during a large force Viet Cong night attack.

CW4 Cattilini completed a military career that spanned 28 years of active duty service. Upon retirement from the U.S. Army, Jack continued his aviation career that included flying corporate jets; working with Advisory Special Committees to the Federal Aviation Administration; and as an instructor pilot and training evaluator for an International Aviation Pilot Training Organization.

Jack's aviation career (military and civilian) include assignments as rotary wing instructor pilot, fixed wing instructor pilot, aircraft accident investigator, Air Traffic Controller, Safety Officer, Instrument Flight Examiner, gunnery instructor pilot, aviation technical advisor to the FAA and simulator instructor in numerous aircraft.

Jack's flying career was as diverse as could be, from flying helicopters in combat in Southeast Asia, to supporting the Bureau of Land Management in fighting forest fires in Alaska.. His fixed wing flying ranged from high altitude, unpressurized, electronic warfare missions, to worldwide jet transportation for chief executives, both military and civilian.

Early on, between his service in the Navy and the Army, Jack also worked as a Passenger Service Agent for the old Western Airlines at a major airport in the Midwest.

Recently retired, Jack and his wife live in a small but growing community a little south of Tucson, AZ. He remains tied to aviation through membership in the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, the Combat Helicopter Pilots Association, The Army Aviation Association of America, the Distinguished Flying Cross Society, and several other professional aviation organizations.