Vietnam veteran achieves dream of flying through service in the Air Force


With dreams of flying dating back to his childhood, Dayton Shepherd served as an Air Force pilot during the Vietnam War.
With dreams of flying dating back to his childhood, Dayton Shepherd served as an Air Force pilot during the Vietnam War.

For local veteran Dayton Shepherd, the Vietnam War provided the opportunity to embrace a career in aviation with beginnings traced back to the dreams of childhood.

"I recall wanting to become pilot since I was 10 years old," said Shepherd.

Raised on a family farm near Centralia, Shepherd's journey took flight shortly after his graduation from Centralia High School in 1962.