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MCHS Hall of Famer, legendary Air Force ‘ace’ Hoot Gibson dies
Posted: Friday, Jan 09, 2009 - 01:35:11 pm EST
Funeral services were held at 10 a.m. today (Friday) Mountain Time, in Tucson, Ariz., for Ralph D. “Hoot” Gibson, formerly of Mt. Carmel.
Mr. Gibson died Friday, Jan. 2, 2009 while showing a piece of land to customers of his real estate business.
Mr. Gibson was born in Keensburg on Nov. 7, 1924, the son of Justus and Ruby (Jenkins) Gibson. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1974 with the rank of Colonel after a 31-year career in the military.
Mr. Gibson was a member of the Mt. Carmel High School Hall of Fame’s charter class in 1982. He graduated from MCHS in 1942.
He married Donna Dell Smith, and she survives. Also surviving are three sons, Scott, Duane and Craig; four grandchildren, Alexandra, Layla, Carrie and Michael; one sister, Opal Hamm of Clearwater, Fla.; one brother, Will Gibson of Lawrenceville; and several nieces and nephews.
Mr. Gibson entered the military in 1943 and graduated flight school in 1994. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1946.
He was posted to Japan after World War II and returned to the United States in 1948 where he spent tours at various air bases including Sioux City, Iowa, Scott Air Force Base near Belleville, Lowery Air Force Base in Colorado, and Selfridge Air Force Base in Michigan.
Mr. Gibson was assigned to the Fourth TFW Fighter Interceptor Wing during the Korean War and departed for the Far East on three days notice. He was assigned to several air bases while in the Far East. It was during his tour of duty there that Mr. Gibson became the world’s second jet ace, downing five MiGs in 1951.
He returned to the U.S. and, after a brief stay in Michigan, was assigned to Bitburg, Germany. He then returned to the U.S. and was assigned to Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nev., where he spent a six-year tour of duty. During that time he became the lead pilot for the USAF Thunderbirds, the famed Air Demonstration Team, serving a two-year stint in that capacity. While with the Thunderbirds, 1961-1963, Mr. Gibson flew in 180 air shows; he also toured Central and South America.
Mr. Gibson was then assigned to Wiesbaden, Germany for 3 1/2 years. During that time he received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, European College. Afterward he returned to the U.S. and was assigned to Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Ala., and then to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson.
He spent five months transitioning from the F-100 to the F-4, then was transferred to Ubon, Thailand for a year where he flew 130 missions over North Vietnam. Mr. Gibson returned to the U.S. for a two-year tour of duty at Langley Air Force Base, Newport, Va., and a two-year tour at Shaw Air Force Base, as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Ninth Air Force.
Mr. Gibson retired from the USAF at Shaw Air Force Base and returned to Tucson where he became a partner in a real estate firm, Hoot Gibson Realty.
In addition to realty-related organizations he was active in Kiwanis, the Business Association of Tucson, Caballeros del Sol, Executives International, the USAF Association, Daedalians, Fighter Aces Association, Thunderbird Alumni Association, River Rats, Sabre Pilots, Super Sabre Society, QB’s, and the Pima Air Museum.
Mr. Gibson was also inducted into the Illinois Military Aviation Hall of Fame and the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame.
Among his military decoration were two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star with a V, Meritorious Service Medal, 14 air medals, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
The services were held at Christ Community Church.
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