Lt. Col. Darel E. Peacock (Retired) was born September 20, 1927 in Zion, IL. A young Darel started his military career in the Navy serving on the USS Topeka (CL67) during WWII in 1945. After the war, Darel left the Navy and reenlisted in the Army Air Corp in 1948. He completed basic flight school at Randolph Field in Texas in 1949. Aviation Cadet Peacock was later assigned to the Advanced Flight Training Squadron at Williams Air Base for the newly established United States Air Force. Darel had a huge appetite for flying. He just plain loved to fly. From the Piper Cub back in his hometown of Niles, MI to various aircraft serving in the US Military, Darel was a proficient flyer in a multitude of aircraft. Those include the T-6, T-28, T-33, F-94 (A, B, & C), F-80, F-84, F-101 Star Fighter, F-102 and the F-106 Delta Dart. During his years in the Air Force, Lt. Col. Peacock served three overseas tours of duty including Taiwan and Japan where he introduced both country's air forces in test flight maintenance best practices. He also served in Vietnam at Bien Hoa Air Base where he earned the AF Distinguished Service Medal. Lt. Col. Peacock ended his 22 Year Air Force career as the Field Maintenance Squadron Commander at McGuire AFB in 1971. He retired to St. Petersburg, FL.