posted 05-05-2016 05:46 PM               

It is with great sadness I tell you all that my father Col. Joseph Cotton has taken his final flight today. Born 1/21/22 - 5/5/2016. One amazing man. I have been so blessed beyond words to have him has my Dad and friend.

posted 05-05-2016 08:02 PM               

Was honored to interview him back when I was in college - an experience I truly treasure...

Link: http://www.check-six.com/lib/Cotton_interview.htm

posted 05-11-2016 08:31 AM               

To show you what great character he had, at the Gathering of Eagles in Lancaster a few years back, he sat on the XB-70 panel with Fitz Fulton, Don Mallick and a couple of Flight Test Engineers.

He told me before the panel that he had something to get off his chest and asked if I'd sit with Rena. Confused but of course I would I said. Then Connie told me what was going on.

So he had made arrangements with the FTHF to tell his tale, his tale of his involvement in the fatal crash of the XB-70 that killed Carl Cross and Joe Walker.

He was in charge from the USAF standpoint, and the photo op of all of the North American aircraft was approved by him. With trepidation. He had full faith and confidence in all of the pilots (Al White and Carl Cross were onboard the XB-70 - White ejected, Cross's escape capsule did not), but Walker's F-104 got too close to the XB-70, got caught in the wingtip vortices and began the event.

Although exonerated later, he carried the burden of allowing this event to go on as the person in charge. He would never talk about it after the accident board review was complete. So he sat on this panel, and poured his heart out and let me tell you, there was not a dry eye in the house.

Truth of the matter was, it was no more his fault than the man in the moons (pardon the pun) and intellectually and professionally he knew that.

But as a leader, he was responsible he felt, and their lives were on his hands.

Poor Rema was in tears, I held her hand and she leaned on me. The others on the panel assured him they did not feel that way (and coming from Fitz that was immense).

It turned out to be a great catharsis for him and equally as important, it showed what leadership and responsibility was all about.

Oh but that we could be half as responsible, and be half the leaders.

posted 05-11-2016 04:39 PM               

It was an extremely emotional and powerful talk that unfolded that evening. One of the more poignant moments I recall in my life perhaps. The next morning at breakfast I took up conversation with David Hartman and we commented back and forth on how we were both in awe of what had unfolded the night before. It was a wow moment that night.

posted 05-13-2016 02:46 PM               

quote:

---

Originally posted by Aztecdoug:
Al, I am glad you brought that up. I believe it was 2008. When I heard he passed, this talk was one of the first things that flashed back to me.

---