Wilson “Buddy” Flagg

1961

Rear Admiral Flagg was commissioned with the Class of 1961 as a fighter pilot. He served three tours of duty in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. By the time his tours were complete, he took on dual responsibilities as both a captain for American Airlines and as an officer in the Naval Reserve. He retired as a rear admiral in 1995 and retired from American Airlines in 1998. Over the years, Rear Admiral Flagg had set a record as only the fifth person in history to log more than 3,000 hours in an F-8 Crusader. Rear Admiral Flagg and his wife were aboard Flight 77, headed for a family gathering in California.