Douglas W. Gover

Doug was born July 1, 1946 in Rochester, NY. to Dr. Douglas M. Gover and Eleanor G. Gover (both deceased). He, his sister Margaret and brother Bill grew up in Springfield, IL where their father practiced medicine until his retirement. He attended high school at Roosevelt Military Academy in Aledo, IL and graduated from Illinois College in Jacksonville, IL in 1970 and joined the Air Force in 1971. (The lovely draft!) Upon graduation from pilot training, he was stationed at CCK Air Base Taiwan, flying the C-130E for the 374th Tactical Airlift Wing with combat missions in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. He flew the North Vietnam negotiation team and Joint Military Commission between Saigon and Hanoi. From 1974 to 1979 he flew the DC-130A/E, with the 350th Strategic Recon Squadron and 22nd Tactical Drone Squadron at Davis-Monthan, AFB Tucson. This assignment began several years of temporary duty assignments in South East Asia. 1979-1983 Doug was assigned to the 21st Tactical Airlift Squadron, Clark Air Base, The Philippines. While there he held positions as C-130 Aircraft Commander, Instructor Pilot Flight Commander, and Worked with Special Operations as Special Mission Commander; Wing Maintenance Control Officer tasked by and supporting the National Command Authority. These are the highlights of his flying career. Upon returning to the US in late 1983 he worked for Directorate of Plans and Policy HQ AF Operational Test and Evaluation (AFOTEC) Kirkland AFB, NM followed by assignment to the Pentagon Plans and Policy Branch where he was responsible for managing and resolving Operational Test and Evaluation procedures. After five years in various positions at the Pentagon, he finished his military career at Andrews AFB, MD. After retirement from the AF in 1992, he began a second career with The Gateway Foundation, an Alcohol & Drug Treatment non-profit organization with treatment centers located throughout the country. He served as Director-at-large working with startup programs and as a consultant for the organization within the correctional facilities in Missouri, New Jersey, Illinois and Texas. On his 65th birthday his interest in private flying was rekindled and he had been working on renewing his private license with plans to purchase a light aircraft. He was associated with the 1099 Experimental Aircraft Association in Stafford, Va. Doug and Bev Jones were married in 1967 and have four children; Sherrie Miller (husband Oscar), Brett Stewart (wife Sara Etta), Sean (wife Rosemary) and Chris; eight grandchildren, Amanda, Jennifer, Jessica, Wilkie, Zach, Ethan, Jacob, Sarah-Rene, Alexander & Emily and six great-grandchildren. Doug lived a full and grateful life. 7/1/46-4/10/12 Donations may be made to The Men’s Home in Alexandria, VA http://www.themenshome.org/home.html