Major General John Thomas Buck, USAF
 
General Buck graduated from Farmington High School in 1949.  He married his high school sweetheart Nancy Isley. They were married in 1953 at the First United Methodist Church of Farmington.  He is a University of Michigan graduate and earned his master's degree from George Washington University.
 
He entered pilot training in 1955 and received his wings at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas. Then assigned as a fighter pilot to the 34th Fighter-Day Squadron at George Air Force Base, Calif.
 
Selected for exchange duty as a pilot with the Marine Corps Fighter Squadron VMF 333 at Beaufort Air Station, S.C.  During this tour of duty, he qualified in aircraft carrier operations. General Buck transferred to Homestead Air Force Base, FL as a pilot with the 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron. He received Army parachute training and was awarded jump wings.
 
He attended Air Command and Staff College. After graduation he was assigned to the Direct Air Support Center at Shaw Air Force Base, SC as a fighter duty officer supporting the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions of the US Army. The general was selected to attend the Special Forces Officers Course at Fort Bragg, NC. In the summer of 1966 he went to Bien Hoa Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, assigned to the 1st Australian Task Force as a forward air controller and air liaison officer, and later with the goth Tactical Fighter Squadron at Bien Hoa as a flight commander.
While in Southeast Asia he flew 367 combat missions.
 
He joined the F-15 System Program Office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, serving as chief, Production Division; deputy director, Procurement and Production Directorate; and airframe project manager.  From 1969 to 1973, General Buck flew with the 121st Tactical Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard.
 
He was assigned to Hanscom Air Force Base, MA, first as deputy for surveillance and navigation systems in Electronic Systems Division in July 1974; then as commander, 3245th Air Base Group in 1975; and finally as deputy for control and communications systems, also in the Electronic Systems Division.  He became chief of the Special Projects Office at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers

Europe in Belgium. In 1980 General Buck returned to Hanscom AFB and served as deputy for airborne warning and control systems, and deputy for tactical systems at Electronic Systems Division.
 
He was promoted to major general May 1, 1980.  Maj. Gen. Buck was vice commander of the Aeronautical Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command, with headquarters at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.  In 1984 he left service.
 
General Buck was a command pilot. His military decorations and awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal,  egion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster.
 
Returning to Farmington in 1998 he leaves his legacy behind where his family resides.  Nine of his twelve grand-children are also graduates of Farmington High School.