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�������� Alumnus, Military and Commercial Pilot, �������� Benefactor

�������� College of Aviation Hall of Honor Class of 2012

Colonel(R) Richard Andrew Sperling was born in Elmhurst, Illinois on July 4^th, 1942. After graduating from �������� Michigan University as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in June 1965, he entered the US Army where he became a helicopter pilot. During his military career Col. Sperling earned numerous awards including the Legion of Merit, the Air Medal w/22 OLC and a Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism when rescuing a downed aircrew in Vietnam. His career in the Army and Army Reserves spanned 30 years, eventually retiring at the rank of Colonel. As a civilian, Col. Sperling was a commercial pilot with United Airlines, flying Boeing 737, 747, 757 and 767 aircraft until his retirement on August 1^st, 2002. After retirement he continued to share his passion for aviation as a Boy Scout’s Aviation Merit Badge Counselor and EAA Young Eagles Coordinator. The “Colonel Richard A. Sperling Distinguished Service Cross Endowed Scholarship” at �������� was established to provide students aviation opportunities. This scholarship assists Army ROTC cadets pursuing an Aviation Flight Science degree at the �������� College of Aviation.