VETERAN'S STORY
Angelica Pilato

Angelica ‘Angel’ Pilato joined the United States Air Force in March of 1967 to make use of her degree as well as to serve her country.

Angelica ‘Angel’ Pilato joined the United States Air Force in March of 1967 after graduating college with a degree in Institutional Food Management. Lt. Col. Pilato joined the Air Force to make use of her degree as well as to serve her country.  Living in the Kennedy era, Lt. Col Pilato answered the call to see what she could do for her country. She was sent to Officer Training School in San Antonio, Texas where she was one of 11 women in her class of 600. She and 7 other women graduated nine and a half weeks later.  Lt. Col. Pilato was then assigned to Omaha’s Strategic Air Command Headquarters where she stayed for a year. She was sent to Seville, Spain for a year, serving on the Morón Air base. Next, she spent two and a half years on the base in Bitburg, Germany before moving to the war zone in Udorn, Thailand. In Udorn Lt. Col Pilato was the first and only woman to be assigned to manage and run the Officer’s Club. This included making sure everything from the food and liquor, to the entertainment was ready and carried out according to plan. The Officer’s Club was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and it was Lt. Col. Pilato’s job to keep it running smoothly and efficiently. Some major accomplishments include being the first and only woman to run the Officers Club, and contracting and designing the patio area for the Officer’s Club. She returned home after a year in Thailand and joined the reserves. She went back to school at Oregon State University and got her phd. Lt.Col. Pilato became the head of business at the University of Washington  for 1989 to 1993.She has worked at companies such as Tektronix, and Meals on Wheels , and has a private pilot licence. She is a life time member of the River Reds, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and is a Rotarian. She wrote an autobiography, Angel’s Truck Stop, and does speaking engagements talking about her experience. Lt. Col. Pilato currently lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon and is enjoying her retirement.

 

Soldiers profile
Angel flightsuit
Angelica Pilato
Vietnam War
Lake Oswego
Oregon
Oregon
US Army
White
Lieutenant Colonel
21
Angel Bohn
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