Colonel George V. (Hector) Freese
August of 1983 to January 1985
Colonel Freese was previously Commander of the 17th Reconnaissance Wing, RAF, Alconbury, UK. He assumed command of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California on August 4, 1983. In January of 1985, Colonel Freese retired from the U.S. Air Force and went to work flying U-2 aircraft for the Research and Development Division of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at Moffet Naval Air Station in Mountain View.

Education: Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio, Bachelor of Science Degree in 1958.

Experience: He is a command pilot with more than 26 years of active duty and 5,500 hours of flying time. He previously served as a U-2 pilot and Commander of the 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron and Assistant Director for Operations at Beale AFB. For more than half of his career, he has flown the U-2 and logged more than 2,000 hours in the high altitude aircraft.

Decorations: Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Meritorious Service medal with 1 Oak Leaf cluster, Air Medal with 8 Oak Leaf clusters and the Air Force Commendation medal with 2 Oak Leaf clusters.

Family: Spouse, Janet; four children, Sherri, Diana, Greg and Lindy.