PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – On Feb. 17, the 40-year-long career of General Fred Buckingham was celebrated through his induction into the 2012 Wall of Warriors in Punta Gorda, Fla.
Buckingham, a 1960 graduate of Leesburg High School, went on to Indiana University and joined the ROTC program and after graduation enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1964. When Buckingham retired in 1994 he was a brigadier general, who had commanded a C-130 flying squadron and all three C-130 flying wings.
Buckingham was the commander of airlift forces during Operation Just Cause in Panama and Operation Desert Shield in Saudi Arabia. In addition, he has flown more than 6,000 hours including 680 combat hours in South Vietnam.
For his service he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters and Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters.
Since retiring from the Air Force, he has spent 15 years on the board of directors for the Florida International Air Show. He has also been the chairman for the air show for 12 years. He has served on the board of directors for the International Council of Air Shows and he is a past director of the National Board of Advisors to the Museum of Aviation Foundation.
