Dale Stovall was raised in Toppenish, Washington. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in Engineering Management in 1967 and earned his wings in 1968.
In 1972 then-Captain Stovall, flying an HH-53 Super Jolly Green helicopter, rescued 12 downed U.S. airmen from North Vietnam and Laos. His rescues include eight AC-130 gunship crew members who were shot down in Laos; an OV-10 pilot in Laos; an F-4 pilot and pararescueman from North Vietnam; and Captain Roger Locher, an F-4 backseater downed in North Vietnam. Locher was the longest successful evader (23 days), and his rescue was the second deepest in North Vietnam. In 1973 Dale received the Air Force Academy Association of Graduates ‘Jabara Award for Airmanship’ which goes to the most outstanding AFA graduate for his rescue of Captain Locher.
Dale held several senior leadership positions in the Air Force including DCO for the 438th Military Airlift Wing; Vice Commander and Commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing; and Director of Plans and Programs at U.S. Special Operations Command. In 1990 he was promoted to Brigadier General and became Vice Commander of the Air Force Special Operations Command and in his final assignment he served as Deputy Commanding General of the Joint Special Operations Command
General Stovall's combat decorations include; the Air Force Cross (the nation’s 2nd highest award for valor); the Silver Star with oak leaf cluster in lieu of 2nd award; the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster and 6 Air Medals. He has over 500 hours combat time.
General Stovall retired from the Air Force in 1993 and moved to Missoula where he became a pilot for FedEx. From 1995 to 2008 Dale and Carol (callsign COS) have operated together as a team for 44 years. They have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.
.png)
Rotary Connects the World
Missoula, MT 59804
United States of America