3 2 nd ▁F ighter ▁Group — ▁better ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁T usk eg ee ▁Air men   — d uring ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁He ▁fle w ▁ 1 5 0 ▁miss ions ▁during ▁the ▁Korean ▁War . ▁He ▁achieved ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁lieutenant ▁colon el ▁and ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁He ▁then ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁personnel ▁and ▁equal - o pport unity ▁officer ▁for ▁the ▁Air ▁Force , ▁serving ▁in ▁Japan , ▁Mont ana ▁and ▁San ▁Bernard ino , ▁California . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Che ath am ▁attended ▁a ▁V eter ans ▁Day ▁event ▁where ▁he ▁expressed ▁his ▁regret ▁at ▁not ▁ear ning ▁E agle ▁Sc out ▁to ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁organiz ers ▁who ▁happened ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁E agle ▁Sc out . ▁Exec ut ives ▁from ▁International ▁Prof it ▁Associ ates ▁pet ition ed ▁the ▁National ▁Council ▁of ▁the ▁B SA ▁to ▁award ▁Che ath am ' s ▁E agle ▁Sc out . ▁Unable ▁to ▁locate ▁records , ▁the ▁Sc outs ▁tested ▁Che ath am ▁and ▁performed ▁an ▁exhaust ive ▁board ▁of ▁review ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁requirements ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁Che ath am ▁was ▁awarded ▁his ▁E agle ▁Sc out ▁in ▁a ▁ceremony ▁at ▁the ▁San ▁Diego ▁Air ▁& ▁Space ▁Museum . ▁ ▁Che ath am ▁died ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁from ▁pan cre atic ▁cancer ▁and ▁is