Captain John Graziano dreamed of being an Air Force pilot since the age of 2. He was very ambitious and determined while achieving his dream. At the age of 28, you could say Graziano was fulfilling his life long dream. He was an instructor pilot at a Texas base, training the 87th Flying Training Squad.
Captain Graziano was a great role model for his training squad, as he valued integrity, faith, family, and friends. He was raised in a small, Elkridge, Mass., town. Captain John Graziano was out on a normal, plane training mission on Tuesday. Graziano, along with another pilot, crashed their plane in Texas, near the Mexican border. This tragedy sent the co-pilot to the hospital in critical condition, while Graziano didn’t survive the crash.
The plane they were flying was a training model of a T-38C. This T-38C plane model has made up about half USAF aircraft losses in the past 12 months. As a precaution, the military departments are now being much more cautious about flying this model of plane. The family of Captain John Graziano is currently dealing with this tragedy as best they can. Many people have come out to the crash site to pay their respects.
Brendan Eisinger, a current Prep senior, is interested in becoming a pilot. “It really does hit home to me more than the average person because I am so interested in this career,” he said. “I have always wanted to become a pilot, and this really does prove the dangers of being one. Also, my dad knows how to fly planes, as he does it often, and that is another reason as to why this affects me more than most,” Eisinger said.
The memorial service for Captain John Graziano took place on Wednesday, and another one will be on Dec. 1.