Release Date: March 2024
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Chances are, you’ve never heard of him. But rarely has an American warrior’s life-story been as varied and engaging as that of Air Force Brigadier General Robert F. Titus. His 32-year military career began as an 18-year-old Army paratrooper at the end of World War II. Against the odds, he later became an Air Force fighter pilot, flew a staggering 550+ combat missions in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and shot down three North Vietnamese MiG-21 fighters. As a test pilot, he flight-tested USAF Century-series fighters in the 1950s, including the rocket-boosted “Zero Launch F-100.” Given the appropriate call sign “Earthquake,” his tectonic drive and superb leadership as F-15 project manager ensured the Mach 2 Eagle became a legendary fighter aircraft. Political battles to ensure the F-15 would be fielded with an internal 20-mm cannon cost him a few more stars, but every USAF fighter since the 1970s has been equipped with a gun. After he retired, “Earthquake” continued to inspire countless Air Force Academy cadets, who learned to lead by example from one of the Air Force’s preeminent commanders.
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