USAFA CLASS 1959
KEY DATA

• Appointed:306 on Monday, July 11, 1955

• Graduated:207 on Wednesday, June 3, 1959

• Commissions: 206

  • USAF-204

  • US Navy-1

  • US Marine Corps-1

  • Not commissioned-1

• Graduation Speaker: The Honorable James H. Douglas, Secretary of the Air Force

• Presented Commissions: General Thomas D. White, Chief of Staff, USAF

• Presented Diplomas: The Honorable James H. Douglas, Secretary of the Air Force

• Cadet Wing Commanders: Robert D. Beckel (twice), Dean C. Wood (Spring); Herbert A. Adamson

• Scholarships: Rhodes Scholar: Bradley C. Hosmer; Olmsted Scholars: Richard B. Goetze, Jr., Wayne O. Jefferson, Jr., Edwin J. Montgomery, Jr., Walter E. Schmidt

• All-Americans (sports):  Brock Strom (Football); Robert H. Siteman (Rifle)

• Class Officers: President: Max I. Miller, Jr.; Vice-President: James W. Brown III; Secretary/Correspondent/Scribe: Richard E. Carr; Treasurer: Thomas I. Anderson; Class Senator: Larry D. Fortner; President Emeritus: Joseph G. DeSantis

 

Heraldry of the Class of 1959

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The First Graduating Class

 

​The Class of 1959 left a legacy as profound as its military contributions. The Academy side of the class ring features the traditional American Eagle, a Shield, and—perhaps most significantly—the Prop and Wings emblem. This symbol held deep meaning for the earliest cadets, reflecting the traditions of the U.S. Army Air Forces and the vision of General Harmon, who visualized what the U.S. Air Force Academy could and should become.

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For the Class of ’59, the Prop and Wings was a cherished link between the founding vision and their place as trailblazers.

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The Class side of the ring displays a Falcon and the four-pointed Polaris star, a design element that carried forward into the yearbook and cadet identity. Centered within the Polaris symbol is the number “1”—a proud reference to their status as the inaugural graduating class. Just as Polaris (the North Star) has long served as a guide and destination, so too did this symbol guide the spirit and direction of the Class of ’59. The Class side of the ring is individual to each class, but the use of the Polaris symbol originated with the Class of 1959.

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Notably, the Academy side of the ring—designed by this class—was adopted for all future USAFA rings. The Polaris symbol, introduced by ’59, established a visual and symbolic language that still resonates with succeeding classes.

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Contributions of Graduates:

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The men of the Class of 1959 set enduring standards in service, leadership, and achievement. Their firsts became foundations:​

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✈️ First to Fly, First to Lead
Defining the future of flight and military excellence

• Robert E. Blake – First USAFA graduate to shoot down a MiG in combat (1971)

• Henry Canterbury – First USAFA graduate to fly with the Thunderbirds (1965)

• Karol Bobko – First USAFA graduate to fly in space (1983); inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame (2011)

• Bob Beckel – First graduate to receive the Daedalian Foundation’s Orville Wright Achievement Award (1960); First graduate to serve as Commandant of Cadets (1981)

• Hansford T. Johnson – First USAFA graduate promoted to four-star General (1989)

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🏛️ Shaping the Academy and the Nation  
Lifting USAFA’s legacy into the future

• Bradley C. Hosmer – Rhodes Scholar; First graduate to serve as USAFA Superintendent (1991); USAFA Distinguished Graduate (2003)

• Robert Oaks – USAFA Distinguished Graduate (2002)

• H. T. Johnson – USAFA Distinguished Graduate (2005)

• Robert Beckel – USAFA Distinguished Graduate (2006)

 

🏈 Athletic Excellence and Lifelong Leadership  
Their talents extended well beyond the flight line

• Brock Strom – First USAFA graduate inducted into the National Football Foundation’s College Hall of Fame (1985)

• Bob Beckel – Silver Anniversary Award from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (1984)

 

🛫 Aviation Honors Across America  
Recognized far beyond Academy walls

• Dick Trail – Inducted into Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame (2015)

• David Archino – Inducted into Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame (2016)