Victor Joe Apodaca

Major Victor Joe Apodaca Jr.
Born	(1937-05-31)May 31, 1937 Sheridan, Colorado, U.S.
Died	June 8, 1967(1967-06-08) (aged 30) North Vietnam
Buried	U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Branch	United States Air Force
Rank	Major
Awards	Air Medal Distinguished Flying Cross
Education	U.S. Air Force Academy 1961
Spouse	Rosalind Apodaca Cain Holloman
Children	Robert Apodaca

Victor Joe Apodaca Jr. (May 31, 1937 – June 8, 1967) was a major in the United States Air Force and the first cadet of Native ethnicity to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Early life

Cadet Apodaca in 1961

Victor Apodaca was born in Sheridan, Colorado on May 31, 1937. He attended the University of Colorado from 1955 to 1957 when he was accepted as the first Navajo cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1957. He graduated in 1961 and was sent to pilot training.

Air Force career

Maj. Victor Apodaca Jr., an F-4C pilot and 1961 Air Force Academy graduate, was shot down while performing a reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam on June 8, 1967. Apodaca was listed as missing in action for 35 years. Major Apodaca's remains were positively identified in September 2001. His son, Robert Apodaca, escorted his remains from Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii to the Air Force Academy where he was laid to rest Sept. 15, 2001. (Courtesy photo)

Capt. Apodaca was trained as an RF-4C Phantom II reconnaissance pilot and was sent to Vietnam on 8 January 1967 and was assigned to the 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at Da Nang Air Base. On 8 June 1967, Major Apodaca and his wingman Capt. Jon T. Busch were flying over Dong Hoi, North Vietnam when his Phantom was hit by ground fire. He reported problems with the hydraulics and then made no more radio contact. He was listed as Missing In Action (MIA) as was Busch who never made it back to base either. He was posthumously awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Family struggle to find his remains

After Apodaca was declared missing, his sister Dolores Apodaca Alfond became active in organizations that tried to find Vietnam MIA/POWs and became the a founding member of the Washington State National Alliance of Families for the Return of America's Missing Servicemen.

On March 9, 2001, the Central Identification Lab-Hawaii identified the remains of Major Victor Joe Apodaca. His remains were interred September 15, 2001 at the U.S. Air Force Academy Cemetery.