Norman Patrick Quigley

Norman Patrick Quigley. A life marked by intellectual prowess, unwavering dedication to his country, and a profound love story. Norm's humble beginnings on a small Idaho farm, without electricity or running water until his second-grade year, instilled in him a resilient spirit. He graduated valedictorian from Castleford High School in 1953, a testament to his early academic excellence.

Norm's journey to the United States Air Force Academy began in 1955, and he proudly graduated as a member of the inaugural Class of 1959. This significant day, June 3, 1959, was also the day he married the love of his life, Carolyn Jones. Their bond, formed at an 8th-grade graduation party, was a testament to enduring love, as they navigated life hand-in-hand, a bond so strong they "needed nothing more." 

Immediately after graduating from the Academy, Norm's passion for science and engineering led him to Keesler AFB, Mississippi, for Electronic Countermeasures School. For the next six years, he distinguished himself as an Electronic Warfare Officer on a select B-52 crew and as Wing Intelligence Electronic Warfare Officer at Beale AFB, California. During the intense Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, Norm flew critical 24-hour airborne alert missions in the B-52, loaded with nuclear weapons, traversing vast distances and undergoing multiple aerial refuelings. These missions were a stark reminder of the world being "only one short message, 'GO', away from nuclear war."

Continuing to expand his expertise, Norm attended the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, earning a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering. His advanced skills were then deployed to Korat AFB, Thailand, where he served with the F-105 Wild Weasel Squadron during the Vietnam War. Flying 94 "Weasel" missions before the bombing halt, Norm played a vital role in suppressing enemy surface-to-air missiles, ensuring the safety of strike aircraft. The Weasels were known for being the first into hostile airspace and the last to leave, a testament to their bravery and critical mission.

Upon his return to the U.S., Norm attended the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. His career continued to flourish with assignments as Program Manager and Development Engineer for electronic systems on the Subsonic Cruise Armed Decoy (SCAD) at Wright-Patterson AFB, and later at the Pentagon as Chief, Operational Test of Electronic Systems for the Air Staff, and Chief, Electronic Intelligence Requirements for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). After attending the Naval War College, he became Commander of the Air Force Electronic Warfare Center (AFEWC) at Kelly AFB, San Antonio, Texas, a 300-person organization crucial to electronic warfare technical support. He retired from the Air Force as a Colonel after 21 years of exemplary service.

A prolific thinker, Norm authored several impactful concept papers during his Air Force career, including "Military Applications of Satellite Communications" (1964), "Computer Simulation Study of Countermeasures for Infrared Homing Missiles" (1968), "Hunter Killer Wild Weasel in Southeast Asia" (1970), and "Integrated Approach to C3CM" (1977).

After his distinguished military career, Norm brought his expertise to the private sector. He joined Martin Marietta Denver Aerospace as a system engineer and program manager, focusing on long-range planning and technology for Command, Control, and Communications Countermeasures (C3CM). He also served as principal investigator on a research and development project for an automated battle management system for C3CM. He then moved to Hughes Aircraft, Ground Systems Group, where, over a decade, he skillfully grew a classified world-wide command and control system program from a $50K study to a multi-hundred-million-dollar full-scale development – an extraordinary accomplishment for a "farm boy."

Norm and Carolyn retired to their dream home in Idaho, returning to their roots. They embraced gardening, with Norm earning his Master Gardening Certification, and enjoyed fishing during their golden years. Norm wrote two western novels, "Culture Clash" and "Napias Creek," both published on Amazon.