Keith Melvin Bischoff
Era: Cold War
Military Branch: Air Force
Mr. Bischoff served during the Cold War, both domestically and abroad.
He served in the U.S. Air Force.
In December 1955, Mr. Bischoff graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelors Degree in Agriculture Education and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force through the Reserve Officers Training Corps program. Mr. Bischoff retired from active duty on June 30, 1982, at Duluth International Airport. He served 26 years, 2 months of active duty.
His grade was Regular Lt. Colonel.
Lt. Col. Bischoff’s decorations include: the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters; the Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster; the Army Commendation Medal; the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award: the Combat Readiness Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with four devices and the Weapons Controller Badge.
Mr. Bischoff was born in November 1933, in Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio, the third of seven children, to Dorothy and Paul Bischoff. He graduated from North Fairfield High School in May 1951, the salutatorian of his ten-member class.
The details of his service are as follows:
Mr. Bischoff entered active duty Air Force for training as an interceptor controller at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, in May 1956. He was subsequently assigned duty at Highlands Air Force Station, New Jersey, for interceptor controller duties at the 646th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron. In April 1958, he was assigned aircraft controller duties at the 931st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Pengarset Mountain, remote from Thule Air Base Greenland. Upon his return from Thule Air Base in March 1959, he was assigned to the 4645th Support Squadron, Duluth Air Defense Sector, Duluth International Airport, Minnesota, as a Semiautomatic Ground Environment (SAGE) weapons controller.
In May 1960 he completed the Squadron Officers Course at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama. In August 1962 he was assigned to the 1173rd Foreign Mission Squadron with duty in Bangkok, Thailand, as an air defense operations advisor to the Royal Thai Air Force. In July 1965 he completed the Ground Electronics Officers Course at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. He was assigned as a Computer Maintenance Officer Course Supervisor and then as Defense Systems Branch Chief of the Computer Systems Department, Keesler Technical Training Center.
Under the Air Force Institute of Technology program, he completed his Masters Degree in Business Administration in management in residence at Ohio State University in March 1969.
He was then assigned to the 1131st Special Activities Squadron with duty in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as the communications-electronics (C-E) advisor to the Royal Saudi Air Force.
Upon his return from overseas in March 1970, he attended the residence C-E Staff Officers Course at Keesler Air Force Base, MS. He was then assigned to command the 775th Radar Squadron, Cambria, California, in November 1970.
In July 1972 he was assigned to the 4624th Air Defense Squadron, Hancock Field, North Syracuse, New York, as Chief, Maintenance Quality Control and later as Chief of Maintenance for the 21st Air Division, Air Defense Command (ADCOM).
In May 1974 be was assigned to the 1141st Special Activities Squadron at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Mons, Belgium as a C-E staff officer in the Combat Operations Branch of the Operations Division.
In August 1976 he was assigned as Director of C-E for the 23rd Air Division (ADCOM), Duluth International Airport. He was also assigned as Commander of Detachment 3, 1913th Communications Group, Air Force Communications Command.
Lt. Col. Bischoff retired from active duty on June 30, 1982, at Duluth International Airport in the grade of Regular Lt. Col. with 26 years, 2 months active duty.
Source: Information provided by veteran
