U.S. B-29s
U.S. SR-71
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Credits and our thanks to William Burrows for the above work of art, first published in his story “Beyond the Iron Curtain,” Air & Space Magazine, September 1994.
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Editor’s Introduction
It gives me great pleasure to be able to offer this remarkable presentation as a part of our RB-29.net web site. The author of this work is Frederick J. Ferrer, already a major contributor to our collection of stories and related information relating to the History of the 91st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron. Additionally Fred, although a generation younger than most of the personnel involved in the 91st History during the WW II, Korean War and Early Cold War periods, has been a remarkably capable, inspired and energetic participant in ferreting out and piecing together the various elements of this organization’s history since its creation back in 1917. We are indebted to him for his generosity in sharing this historical compilation of important Cold War History as a public service. If you have not come to know Fred’s background through other elements of this web site, please permit me to introduce him to you here.
Biographical Notes re Frederick J. Ferrer
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| Retired from a 20-year career in the military and national intelligence communities. Over this career, served as: an operational linguist (in Russian, Spanish and Italian language fields); intelligence language instructor; course manager for national counter-narcotics training; and, director of senior executive leadership development courses.
Last assignments spent working for the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency and Central Intelligence Agency located in and near Washington DC. Worked with national law enforcement (FBI, DEA, Coast Guard) and foreign intelligence organizations. Recipient of twenty-seven military awards and decorations and numerous intelligence and teaching awards.
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Fred and Cindy Ferrer (L) in the company of their
four children, son-in-law and granddaughter.
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| Completed three Associate of Science degrees in Teaching, Interpreting and Translating from the Community College of the Air Force and Miami-Dade Community College. Received a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Excelsior College in New York. Completed both the Undergraduate and Graduate Intelligence Programs and earned a Masters of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence from the Department of Defense’s classified Defense Intelligence College (later, renamed Joint Military Intelligence College) in Washington DC.
Pursued Ph.D. studies in History at Florida State University. Spearheaded recognition and posthumous awards ceremony for Cold War reconnaissance crew. Inducted into the Chapel of the Four Chaplains Legion of Honor. Led 400-person team in creation of the Aerial Reconnaissance Memorial and National Vigilance Park located at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. Honored as first Historian Emeritus of the 91st Squadron. Invited to serve on Board of Directors by President Gary Powers Jr. for the Cold War Museum. President of the newly created 91st Squadron Heritage Foundation. Currently employed with a not-for-profit national defense consulting group working on national security and defense matters in the Washington D.C. area.
Married to Cynthia Steffens of Cape Coral, Florida with whom he helped raise four children: Allison (23); Mack (21), Amy and Beth (20). Proud grandfather of fifteen-month-old Grace Elizabeth Leisure.
Credits Information
In keeping with Fred Ferrer’s practice in his published study of these materials, we have strived to give credit and reference information on each page where related text materials or illustrations are referenced. An exception to this, is the symbolic image of the American Bald Eagle, used to accent selected pages of this presentation. This dramatic photograph was copied from the cover page of “Air Force Magazine, Journal of the Air Force Association,” issue dated May 2002.
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End of Editor’s Introduction — Go to Overview
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