Donald Lopez
Encyclopedia
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
and U.S. Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
fighter and test pilot and until his death the deputy director of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. His son, Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
Donald Sewell Lopez, Jr. is currently the Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at the University of Michigan, in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures....
, is a highly regarded scholar of Buddhism.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Lopez showed an interest in aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
at an early age. He often rode his bike to Floyd Bennett Field
Floyd Bennett Field
Floyd Bennett Field is New York City's first municipal airport. While no longer used as an operational commercial, military or general aviation airfield, the New York Police Department still flies its helicopters from its heliport base there...
where he occasionally got free flights from a family friend. During his teenage years, his family moved to Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, inside the traffic pattern of Drew Army Air Field, so he could see Army Air Corps fighters flying overhead. That hardened his resolve to become a fighter pilot.
He learned to fly in college, then volunteered for the Army Air Forces Aviation Cadet Program when the age limit was lowered to 18 in early 1942. After earning his wings, he saw combat in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
as a member of the 23rd Fighter Group, successor to the famed Flying Tigers
Flying Tigers
The 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, famously nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was composed of pilots from the United States Army , Navy , and Marine Corps , recruited under presidential sanction and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The ground crew and headquarters...
. He became an ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
, credited with shooting down five Japanese fighters, four in a P-40 and one in a P-51.
Lopez returned to Florida in 1945 and served as a fighter test pilot at Eglin Field, flying most of the early jet fighters. After Eglin, he served two tours in the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, earned a B.S. and M.S. in aeronautical engineering, and was an associate professor of thermodynamics at the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
. Following his retirement from the Air Force in 1964, he spent eight years as an engineer on the Apollo and Skylab programs with Bellcomm, Inc., a subsidiary of Bell Labs. In 1972 he joined the staff of the National Air and Space Museum.
His publications include two memoirs, Into the Teeth of the Tiger (Smithsonian, 1997, ISBN 1-56098-752-9), and Fighter Pilot's Heaven: Flight Testing the Early Jets (Smithsonian, 2001, ISBN 1-56098-916-5).
He has two children, Joy Lopez and Donald S. Lopez Jr., and one grandchild, Laura V. Lopez. Mr. Lopez was a true historical figure who was rightfully honored by a full military honor funeral. Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
Donald S. Lopez, Jr.
Donald Sewell Lopez, Jr. is currently the Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at the University of Michigan, in the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures....
is currently a professor of Buddhist studies at the University of Michigan.
Donald Lopez died from a heart attack on March 3, 2008. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.
See also
- Hispanics in the United States Air ForceHispanics in the United States Air ForceHispanics in the United States Air Force can trace their tradition of service back to the United States Army Air Forces , the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, which was the predecessor of the United States Air Force which was formed as...
- Hispanic Americans in World War IIHispanic Americans in World War IIHispanic Americans, also referred to as Latinos, fought in every major battle in the European Theatre of World War II in which the armed forces of the United States were involved, from North Africa to the Battle of the Bulge, and in the Pacific Theater of Operations, from Bataan to Okinawa...
External links
- Aviation Legend Donald Lopez Dies National Air & Space Museum Announcement, 2008-03-04