Lockheed test pilot Tony LeVier presenting Maj Robert E. Messerli a silver tray
for being the first pilot to fly 2000 hours in the F-104 in 1964

Major General Robert E. Messerli (Ret.) started flying the F-104A in 1958 at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
In 1959 he went to George AFB, California flying F-104C and in 1961 he was in the first USAF Squadron (435TFS)
to train experienced German AF pilots in the F-104G.
In 1964 he was assigned to Luke AFB, AZ where as Chief of Training Analysis and Development,
designed and wrote the syllabi for all training phases of the newly formed German Air Force F-104G training program.
First man to fly 2000 hours in the F-104 aircraft. That was in the fall of 1964.
In 1967 he departed Luke AFB to fly the F-4 aircraft and was assigned to Vietnam where he flew 205 combat mission,
103 of them over North Vietnam.
He was involved with the German Air Force F-104 training program from its very beginning.

copyright © Bob Messerli