Buenos Aires, Argentina

"El Gaucho" Dickens sat in the offices of the State Department in Buenos Aires when someone handed him a copy of West Point Today. Two years later after a hitch in the U.S. Army, Sergeant Dickens joined us of the Class of '51. A hard worker in the section rooms, an excellent all-around athlete, Sam's true love in the diplomatic affairs will perhaps outshine all of his other qualities.

Honor Committee
Gymnastics
Soccer
Portuguese Club Secretary
Spanish Club Secretary

Sam's history as provided by him for his 50th reunion book:

Pilot and combat crew training followed graduation then off to Korea for 12 jet reconnaissance combat missions before the truce. The next year turned more exciting with max speed , altitude and range planning for Top Secret reconnaissance missions over the Soviet Union and China in RF-86F Sabres. I was fortunate to fly over Valadivostok taking photography of airfields, port and industrial facilities, earning a peacetime Distinguished Flying Cross.

Then two years in the U.S. as an Instructor Pilot with 9th Air Force before serving as a Flight Commander with a British RAF Hawker Hunter fighter squadron. Three years then followed at the Naval Academy as a Company Officer, including much sailing and flying open cockpit biplanes with floats off the Severn, indoctrinating midshipmen with the mysteries of flight. Then Air Command and Staff College, Instructor Pilot duties in the F100 Super Sabres in Arizona followed by three years as Assistant Air Attache, in Madrid. While there a major coup was the collection of Soviet space debris sent for analysis to Wright-Patterson AFB. Vietnam followed serving as an Operations Officer and Commander of an F-100 Squadron engaged in close air support missions. I flew 225 combat missions. Then to the Pentagon in Air Force Doctrine before a year at ICAF and an MS degree at George Washington University. Back to Spain as Base Commander of Torrejon Air Base, then Director of Operations of the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing (F4E Phantom) with nuclear alert responsibilities in Turkey. Coordinating all US efforts through EUCOM to maintain US Military presence in Spain in Spanish negotiations followed. Then back to the Pentagon for four years as Chief Western Hemisphere Division, Plans and Policy, on the Air Staff before retirement as a Colonel. Highlights were being Co-Chairman of US-Canada Regional Planning Group, NATO, delegate to the Inter-American Defense Board, working the Panama Canal Treaty issues and forecasting the communist attempted takeover of Central American Countries. After retirement, twelve years were spent working national security issues involving communist activities in Latin America; supporting the president's Strategic Defense Initiative and foreign policy, all with frequent appearances on national television and radio, testifying before congressional committees and writing articles. One has been blessed with a wonderful supporting wife, Marcella; three children, David, Pamela and Sam Jr.; their spouses, Lisa, Duncan and Jill; and Seven wonderful grandchildren; Jake and Victor; Sophia, Henry and Gavin; and Sam III and Brandon.

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