A Dutch Wolfhound
Captain Mike Dietvorst was born in Amsterdam in 1951 as Michael Maria Jacobus Dietvorst. He lived for almost six years in the Netherlands before the Dietvorst family emigrated to the United States of America.
At the age of eighteen Mike started as an assistant air traffic controller with the USAF and was stationed at several bases in Japan and Vietnam. To get ahead, he started to study some college courses. This helped him greatly to be selected for the reserve officers training school. As a staff sergeant he was studying at the University of Maryland and completed his study in three years. He rose through the ranks and became an officer. During his training it became clear, that as an Air Traffic Controller, got the chance to become a pilot. In his last year of the University, he flew a Cessna for 25 solo hours, and received his private pilots license. After that, Mike started his aviation training at the flight school at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas and received his wings in March 1978. After more than three years of flying on the Cessna O-2A Skymaster for the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron at Shaw AFB he transferred to the F-15 Eagle. Not many pilots receive the chance to become a fighter pilot, so he seized it with both hands.
 | After graduating from fighter pilot school, Mike found out that he would be stationed with the 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Camp New Amsterdam, and in September 1982, Mike became a Wolfhound. He started to study Dutch, which made it easier for him to read newspapers and understand Dutch TV programs. His fellow pilots often came to him with questions when dealing with the Dutch. |