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Born: January 14, 1938, Boston, Massachusetts
Attended a highly ranked state university
(possibly University of Massachusetts) in ROTC and graduated with a degree in astrophysics.We
postulate that Straker had a strong desire to go into space. These speculations assume that is the
case.
Commissioned a Second Lieutenant. Age:
21.
Assigned as a missile launch officer as a first
assignment from ROTC.
We conjecture that he would be an ROTC
graduate because an Air Force Academy graduate would be unlikely to draw an assignment as a
missileman. Also, his age puts his commissioning at
least a year prior to the graduation of the first Academy class.
After a year on active duty, applies for Undergraduate Pilot Training.(We
speculate
here as it seems more likely that he would go from missiles to flying than the other way around.)
The application and selection process takes about a year (assuming Straker gets selected the first
time he applies).
First Lieutenant - 1960 (age 22).
1961 - Pilot training (49 weeks) Edwards AFB (age 23) Completes pilot
training and
receives first assignment (probably fighter aircraft to be consistent with the speculations to come)
and goes through follow up training for his assigned aircraft (again, about 1 year).
Captain - 1962 (age 24)
1962 - 64 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, two years Lunar research (as
stated
in Exposed.)This is about the right length of time for a Master's Program, as well. This project
was most likely a combined USAF/NASA study in preparation for the Lunar landings. Straker's
selection for the project would have been based on his academic record at the University, his
service record and his success in pilot's school.
From what we've seen of
Straker, he would have
worked hard to do well in all his schooling. (Failure is not an option. Merely average is not
acceptable.)
As top students at pilot school are often
invited to continue as instructors, Straker may have turned down that offer to go to MIT.
Major - 1965, Test Pilot school, Edwards AFB.('64-'65) In the 60's and even
later,
astronauts were required to first be test pilots. (Space craft are strictly experimental) Test pilot
school is 6 months. Aerospace pilot school is another 6 months. This choice is still based on the
idea that Straker was bound and determined to get into aerospace, either NASA or USAF, NASA
preferably.
1966 - A slot at NASA or USAF aerospace not immediately offered, Straker
volunteered for combat. Typical of the time, predictable for him.
Captured by Viet Cong in late 1966. (History
shows that South Viet Nam would have been the only place he could have been captured and
escaped
within the appropriate time frame. No American successfully escaped from the north or from
Cambodia.)
Was injured and rescued (escaped)late
1967 by a Marine patrol. (Marine
and army patrols located and rescued many American prisoners in the South.)
At some point, he needed to have spent a year at either the National War
College or
the Air War College.
1968 Air Force Intelligence
Lieutenant Colonel - 1968 (age 30)
Early 1969 Assigned as Aide to General James L. Henderson, Angel
Project.
- Peterson AFB, & Pentagon. (Peterson is the home of the NORAD Combat Operations center in
the Cheyenne Mountain complex. It also is home to the Aerospace Defense Command.) It is a
reasonable assumption that Henderson was with NORAD and/or ADC (now SPACECOM) while
putting together the argument and plans for SHADO. Henderson's choice of
Straker as his aide would
have been based not only on Straker's versatility (missiles to pilot), and intelligence, but also due
to his stubborn streak. Straker doesn't give up and can't be coerced. If Henderson could convince
Straker the alien threat was real, he knew he could convince almost anybody.
It is this writer's belief that Henderson's opinion
here would be based on personal knowledge
of Straker as well as his service and scholastic records.
Straker promoted to Colonel in 1970 (age 32) Was involved in Rolls Royce
accident'
that caused the death of the British Defense Minister who was meeting with Henderson and
Straker. (I place this in late 1970 - Straker was a full colonel, Henderson a Lieutenant General.
(3stars))
April 1971 Straker makes the presentation promoting SHADO to the United
Nations
Special Committee on Aerospace. He was subsequently given the job of Commander-in-Chief of
Operations, United Nations International Astrophysical Commission Operational Unit known as
SHADO. This assignment was at the insistence of the French delegate Duval and was given
unanimous approval. (Given in Confetti-Check A-Okay)
There is some suspicion that the
assignment was an ass-covering device on the part of the special committee.
If Straker, at 33, could get SHADO up and running in the time frame given,
well and good and they could all take credit for their foresight. If he couldn't, they could blame
him, and cut their losses.
Spends time getting SHADO set up and is selected for astronaut training
somewhere
in the 1972-1978 time frame. | 
