Former USAF Captain Dr. Larry Elton Fletcher flew 177 combat missions as a pilot in AC-119 Shadow gunships during his tour of duty in Vietnam from May 1970 to May 1971. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Medal with eight clusters. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia and has penned two novels. He and his wife currently reside in Missouri.