JOHN SCHLEIMER
John Schleimer graduated from Fillmore High School in Fillmore, CA in 1964 and became the youngest sports editor of a daily newspaper, Santa Paula Chronicle, in 1965. In February 1966, he enlisted in the United States Army and did his basic training at Fort Ord, CA. He was selected for the pre-officer candidate school advance training at Fort Sill, OK.
He went to Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox, KY and graduated in the top 10 of his class in September 1967 and received his commission as a second lieutenant. Shortly thereafter, he was accepted to primary helicopter school and went to Fort Wolters, TX for his initial training. He completed his flight instruction at Fort Rucker, AL in 1968. After a short assignment at Fort Benning, GA as an adjutant to a battalion commander, he applied for and was accepted at the Institute of Aerospace Safety and Management at the University of Southern California and graduated in the top 10 of his class in September 1968.
In October 1968, he was assigned to the 10th Aviation Battalion in Dong Ba Tinh, South Vietnam (II Corp) and served as the battalion’s aviation safety officer and flew UH-1 Huey “dust off” missions. After being promoted to Captain in 1969, he became the operations officer for the 243rd Assault Support Helicopter Company, also located at Dong Ba Tinh. He was trained to fly CH-47 Chinook helicopters as part of his assignment. He has over 200 combat sorties to his credit.
After his tour in Vietnam, he was assigned to the U.S. Army Board for Aviation Accident Research at Fort Rucker, AL where he taught aviation safety to Army flight commands within the United States and world-wide including Germany, Panama, Hawaii, and Alaska. After ending his service in 1973, he joined the California Army National Guard and flew CH-47s for the 140th Aviation Company in Stockton, CA for five years.
After his military service, he completed his VA training for single and multi-engine aircraft and began selling civilian airplanes in Orange County, CA and eventually became a successful sales manager for a full-line Cessna dealership in Long Beach.