Fred J. Cuthill 1929-2013

 

Fred Cuthill was born on 2 July 1929 and passed away on 3 October 2013.

He was a 1960 graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School and held a B.S. Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Washington State University and a Master of Business Administration from George Washington University. Prior to attending test pilot school, Fred flew F-86 and F-100 aircraft in fighter squadrons in the U.S. and Europe. After Test Pilot School, he flew various test programs on the F-101, F102 and F-106 aircraft.

After Command and Staff College he reported to Edwards AFB and served as test pilot in Special Projects (U-2’s) and later spent 2 years as Chief of Fighter Test at Edwards. During this period he flew test programs on the F-4, A-7 and various foreign classified programs. After one year’s combat in F-4’s in SEA, which included being Commander of the 433 Tactical Fighter Squadron, he returned to Edwards AFB as F-15 Project Director and was later appointed the F-15 Joint Test Force Director. Fred distinguished himself by meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight as chief performance test pilot for a highly classified project at the time, flying the MiG-21 jet fighter. The data contributed immeasurably to the understanding of a foreign weapon system; intelligence from a Soviet fighter that Israel and the United States would face in battle in the coming years. Fred then moved on to duties as Staff Assistant to the Director, Test and Evaluation Office of the Secretary of Defense. He later served as Deputy Commander of an Air Force Fighter Wing.