20/10/2026
Francis J. “Frank” Murray
September 21, 1930 – March 27, 2023
Lt. Col. Frank Murray (ret.), an aerospace legend and patriotic United State Air Force wartime Veteran, has flown his last and final mission.
Frank was born in Omaha, Nebraska to William and Agnes Murray and was raised in Southern California. After graduating from St. Augustine High School (San Diego) in 1948, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at the age of 17 and became a mechanic. He was later accepted as a Pilot Candidate, when enlisted men were allowed to apply for the position, and graduated as a Lieutenant. He spent the next several decades as a Fighter Pilot. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1977 after 29 years of service.
Along the way, Col. Murray flew the F-84, F-86, F-101, and F-94. In the 1960’s, he was chosen to fly the F-101 chase plane to a brand new CIA plane, the (Mach 3) A-12, in Project Oxcart at Area 51. He later became one of only SIX pilots chosen by the CIA to fly the A-12 in reconnaissance operations over Southeast Asia. The Top Secret A-12, still holds the unofficial worldwide altitude and speed records for the highest and fastest Jet powered flights.
Col. Murray’s call sign, by which he was widely known, was “Dutch 20”. When the Oxcart Program was shut down, he returned to the USAF and flew 64 “Sandy” rescue missions over Viet Nam in the A-1 Skyraider. Frank prided himself on flying the fastest jet plane in the world (A-12) and then going on to fly the slowest plane (A-1 Skyraider).
Frank Murray was born 21 September 1930, an Army brat of William and Agnes Murray. Raised in San Diego, California, Frank graduated from St. Augustine High School class of 1948. In August 1948, he enlisted in the USAF, the military branch in which his two older brothers were serving. Advanced to the rank of corporal after attending A&E Mechanics School, Murray was later promoted to sergeant and subsequently accepted in the Aviation Cadet Flying Training Program. In April 1952, he commenced training at Columbus AFB, Mississippi and Laredo AFB, Texas. Graduating with Class 53-C, Murray was commissioned a second lieutenant and transferred to Laughlin AFB and Luke AFB for Gunnery School in the T-33 and F-84B. Murray's first fighter plane assignment was the F-84G and F-86-F at Chaumont, France. Assigned to Bergstrom AFB, Texas, Murray flew the F-84F and F-101A/C. From there, Murray was assigned to Otis AFB, Mass to fly the F-94C and F-101B. In 1963, Murray was articles/tn_a12_9_jpg.jpgselected for the 1129th Special Activity Squadron at Groom Lake where he flew the F-101, T-33, and Cessna 180/210. At Groom Lake, Murray was later selected by the CIA to be a Project Pilot flying the A-12. Resigning his USAF commission to take this new assignment, Murray stayed with the OXCART Project until it shutdown in 1968. Rejoining the USAF, Murray was assigned to Tyndall AFB, Florida where he flew the F-101 and T-33 until his volunteering for training in the A-1 Skyraider at the 56th Special Operations Wing, 1st Special Operations Squadron (Hobos) at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB, Thailand. Murray flew 67 combat missions in the A-1 before being reassigned to Tyndall, AFB to continue flying the F-101. During his flying career, Murray accumulated 6,000 hours of flying military aircraft and another 1,000 hours flying civilian planes.
