AS A YOUNG

AS A YOUNG, STOOP LABORER IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ’S SWELTERING VINEYARDS, HANK CERVANTES DARED TO DREAM A DISTANT AND UTTERLY PREPOSTEROUS DREAM—TO BE A PILOT. THROUGH HIS INITIATIVE AND DETERMINATION, HE BECAME ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF MEXICAN-AMERICANS TO EVER SERVE AS A PILOT IN THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE.

AFTER FLYING 26 B-17 BOMBER MISSIONS OVER GERMANY , HANK TURNED TO JETS. HE SERVED AS AN ENGINEERING TEST PILOT UNTIL STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND HEADQUARTERS SELECTED HIM AS THEIR PROJECT OFFICER FOR THE TOP-SECRET B-58 “HUSTLER”—THE WORLDS FIRST SUPERSONIC BOMBER. IN 1965 HE RETIRED FROM THE AIR FORCE AS A LT. COLONEL.

HE THEN WROTE THE PILOTS FLIGHT HANDBOOK FOR NORTHROP'S F-5, WAS AN EXECUTIVE IN THE CONTRACTING ARM OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, HELD AN ADVISORY POST WITH THE LOS ANGELES MAYOR’S OFFICE, AND MOST RECENTLY WROTE A SUCCESSFUL BOOK TITLED, “PILOTO, MIGRANT WORKER TO JET PILOT”.

AWAY FROM THE DESK, HANK GIVES MOTIVATIONAL TALKS AT SCHOOLS, IS A TOP-RATED TRACK & FIELD OFFICIAL, AND AN AVID SKIER.

On August 26th, 2006 a post was made on our site asking "anyone know how I can contact Henry Cerventes." Not wishing to provide this information to just anyone I placed a post for that person to contact me, which was done. A week later I received a reply stating;

My father-in-law, Dr. W. Budd Wentz, was a B-17 Pilot with the 487th BG, and he would like to write Hank Cervantes. He and I just finished a paper regarding a mission on 7 April 1945 which may have been similar to one of Hank's. See http://home.earthlink.net/~tom.mccrary/TargetParchim-RammedOverGermany.htm

In later conversation with Hank I found out he was indeed involved in a similar incident, being rammed by a German fighter plane. I was proud indeed to help make a connection through our site and I'm sure you will be able to get the whole story in his book. I understand that there is still more to come about this incident and if there is I'll report it here.