Lt.Col Michael V Love 1938-1976

 Colonel Michael V. Love in front of the X-24B  research aircraft at Edwards Air Base in 1976. The X-24B was a wingless aircraft designed to test theories for development of space ships that could be flown into space and the land back on Earth. His efforts helped the development of the Space Shuttle program.

Air Force Lt Col Michael Love was born September 26, 1938.   He was a test pilot for a joint NASA-USAF flight test program at the NASA Flight Research Center and test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He was a combat veteran of the Vietnam War and was awarded the distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters.  He perished in the line of duty while attempting an emergency landing in an RF-4C on Rogers dry lake bed on March 1, 1976.