Officer Candidate Colonel Gerard W. Vanderwaal was OCS Wing Commander of Class 61-C, December 1960 through March 24, 1961. From OCS he was assigned to Vance AFB, Oklahoma.

From classmate Bill King: "Gerry Vanderwaal is interred in the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, in Plot: 6 989." This from Tom Edge, August 24, 2002, ". . .visited the Fort Sam Houston Nat'l Cemetery today . . . (Gerry's) stone reads:

Gerard W.
Vanderwaal
Maj
US Air Force
Vietnam
Apr 12 1936
Jul 12 1979

More from Gerry's son, Bill via Tom Edge: Gerry stayed at Vance as a T-38 instructor pilot and later (circa 1969) served a tour in Vietnam, thought to be flying F-100s. He retired at Randolph in late 1976 or 1977. He died of a stroke on July 12, 1979. Tom Edge capsulated Bill Vanderwaal's thought on his dad from their conversation, ". . .Dad was a fighter pilot, and darned proud of it. When he had to stop flying, things started to fall apart. He and Mom got a divorce and he was very unhappy -- it was as if his life had ended." Rest in peace, OC Colonel Vanderwaal. Thanks to Bill King and Tom Edge for the research.