HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Wayne Freeman’s Air Force career ended at Keesler Air Force Base in 1984, but it started 30 years prior.

Freeman had just graduated high school in Indiana.

“The Navy would not let me fly,” he said. “That’s the truth.

“I had joined the Navy Reserve out of high school and was interested in flying, but their requirement was you had to have two years of college, which I did not have. And, so, the Air Force had a very, very vigorous advertising campaign and said, ‘Hey, come fly with us.’”

Freeman said he earned his commission and wings at the age of 21.

Then, he became a training officer in the Aviation Cadet Branch, where he trained about 250 students.

After about four years of teaching, Freeman attended the University of Wisconsin and graduated with a Bachelo

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