Bredette (B.C.) Thomas ’64, ’66
B.C. Thomas was named an “Outstanding Graduate” of Denison High School in Denison, TX and delivered the commencement address to 2014 graduates of DHS.
After graduating from SMU with a B.S. in mathematics in 1964 and an M.S. in statistics in 1966, Thomas entered the United States Air Force and served a 22-year career as a military pilot, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His service career includes a combat tour in Vietnam, graduation from the Air Force Test Pilot School and 11 years as an operational reconnaissance and test pilot in the SR-71, the world’s fastest and highest flying aircraft.
He logged more flight hours in the SR-71 than any other pilot and is the only person to have flown all three U.S. Air Force high-altitude (above 60,000 feet) reconnaissance aircraft: the RB-57F, U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird.
Following his retirement from the Air Force, he was a flight test engineer for the Northrop B-2 Stealth Bomber. He also served as a flight test captain for United Airlines, flying the airline’s entire fleet of commercial aircraft.
Thomas lives in Foster City, CA.