Lt. Col. Richard Bradford Gertz, Command Pilot, USAF
Rick was born on April 30, 1960 in Traverse City, Michigan, the son of Richard and Phyllis Gertz. He was a 1978 graduate of Suttons Bay High School. In 1983, he graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. After college, he went to work for the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Division in St. Louis, Missouri as a propulsion engineer on the AV-8B Harrier aircraft.
In 1985, Rick was commissioned through Air Force Officer Training School and then went to Williams AFB, Arizona for Undergraduate Pilot Training. He graduated in 1986 from pilot training and then went to Castle AFB for initial qualification training in the KC-135A with a follow-on assignment to Grissom AFB, Indiana flying the EC-135C Looking Glass for Strategic Air Command. In 1990, Rick moved to Wright-Patterson, AFB, Ohio and the 4950th Test Wing and 4952nd Test Squadron flying in close formation with other aircraft to record infrared signatures. The data was then used to build countermeasures against enemy weapons systems.
In 1992, Rick was competitively selected for a highly coveted slot at the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, California. After graduating from Test Pilot School Class 93A, he was assigned as a test pilot in the Special Operations Combined Test Force flying AC-130U gunships and MC-130 Combat Talons as well as the newest USAF C-130, the J model. At the time, he was the Air Force lead test pilot for the C-130J.
While at Edwards AFB in 1997, Rick earned a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University, Fresno - graduating with distinction. Following his Edwards tour, Rick was selected to go to the Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command Standardization and Evaluation division at Eglin AFB, Florida where he was Air Force Materiel Command’s chief C130 Evaluator Pilot and responsible for writing all the command’s policies on training – a daunting task with the numerous types of planes flown within AFMC. While at Eglin, Rick also continued to direct major portions of the flight test for the C130J fleet.
In 2000, Rick was again specially selected as the Operations Officer of the 645th Materiel Squadron at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. This unit is a selectively manned squadron (only the best officers and aviators get selected) of 220 people operating 21 aircraft types. Rick was directly responsible – through his leadership and the operation oversight he provided – for the continued superb safety record of the 645th MATS of never having had a mishap in over 40 years. Throughout his distinguished career Rick accumulated over 3300 accident-free flight hours on more than 30 different aircraft types and was a command pilot – the highest pilot qualification attainable in the Air Force. He was also a graduate of Squadron Officers School and Air Command and Staff College. He attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
His decorations included two Meritorious Service Medals, an Aerial Achievement Medal, three Air Force Commendation Medals, two Outstanding Unit Awards, and Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, a National Defense Service Medal, and a Combat Readiness Medal.
Rick was medically retired on 21 March 2002 and died on the 29th of March 2002, Good Friday after a courageous battle with leukemia. In death as in his life he exhibited great dignity and grace. His motto was: “Every day is a good day” and “Follow Your Dream”. He was preceded in death by his wife of fifteen years, Diana Leeper Gertz who died on July 18, 1999 from breast cancer.
He is survived by his wife, Susie Arnold Gertz, his sons, Nathaniel, Michael, Christopher and Alexander Gertz and his stepson Christopher Arnold.