LtCol Joe L. Ruthenberg, USMC

Life as a Marine One Pilot for President Reagan

About Our Speaker for the December Meeting

I was born in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, on 11 September [we do not celebrate that date since 2001] 1948. Our family moved around a lot and finally came to rest in Waukesha, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee. I graduated from Waukesha South High School in 1967. I went on to the University of Wisconsin, Madison that fall only to feel the pressure of the Draft Lottery in 1970, after I took a semester off to earn some college money. The Marines had a program at that time to make officers out of college students who had completed two years of school, who could also pass the flight physical and mental test to be a pilot. I passed the tests, went to Officer Candidate School (OCS) and became a Marine Second Lieutenant in December 1970. Reporting to Pensacola in January 1970, I began Flight School, barely surviving the Navy trying to drown me, receiving my Wings of Gold in April 1972.

Reporting to the ‘RAG’ (Replacement Air Group), Marine Helicopter Training Squadron (HMT) -204 at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, North Carolina, in June 1972, I was assigned to fly the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter. I arrived in the Squadron just as a ‘world-wide’ grounding occurred due to transmission problems and finally moved to my first tactical squadron, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 264 in December 1972. We cruised to the Mediterranean on the USS Guadalcanal in May 1973 with me as the Squadron Intelligence Officer. The Yom Kippur War broke out as we were in port at Athens, Greece and stayed off the south of Crete until December. The following June 1974, I reported to Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron (H&MS)-36, Sub-Unit Two, Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan [outside Tokyo]. I flew CH-46’s in support of the Marines at Camp Fuji.

Promoted to Captain in June 1975, I transferred to my only non-flying job as the Air Officer for the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity (MCTSSA), Camp Pendleton, California in October 1975. This ‘desk’ job allowed time for me to complete my bachelor’s degree and finish a master’s degree.

Leaving there in January 1980, I transitioned to the AH-1J Cobra helicopter. I joined the ‘Gunfighters’ of HMA-369 at MCAS Camp Pendleton for transition flight training. Re-assigned to HML/A-267 Detachment ‘C’ I deployed to MCAS Futenma, Okinawa, Japan in November 1980 returning to the stateside HMA-369 in May 1981. I was promoted to Major in July 1981. We deployed to MCAS Futenma, Okinawa in May 1982, returning to Camp Pendleton in November 1982.

I joined HMX-1 the Presidential Helicopter Squadron, MCAS Quantico, Virginia in February 1983. I became a White House Helicopter Aircraft Commander in the CH-46 Sea Knight, VH-1N Iroquois and the VH-3G Sea King. Assignments there included Squadron Administrative Officer, White House Liaison Officer and ‘Greenside’ Aircraft Maintenance Officer. I served President REAGAN on a variety of trips in the Continental United States, Hawaii, Guam, China, Ireland and Germany.

Detaching from HMX-1 in May 1987, I reported to H&MS-36, MCAS Futenma as Executive Officer. I reported to Marine Air Group 16, MCAS Tustin, California in July 1988 and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel upon arrival. I served as the Group Administrative, Logistics Officer and Commanding Officer of the Personnel Support Detachment until April 1990.

After transition training at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona into the OV-10 Bronco, I transferred to Marine Air Group 49, Detachment ‘B’, Naval Air Station Atlanta, Marietta, Georgia. Assuming the duties as Commanding Officer in July 1990 of the Marine Detachment, I flew both the OV-10 and AH-1J. Two of the squadrons and the Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) Battery of the command deployed, supporting Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Following my change of command in June 1992, I was reassigned to MCAS Camp Pendleton as Operations Officer, flying the C-12 Super King Air. I retired in August 1993.

My personal awards include the Rifle Expert Badge, Pistol Expert Badge, Presidential Service Badge, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with 3 stars, Navy Commendation Medal, Marine Expeditionary Medal, and Meritorious Service Medal (2 nd award).

After retirement from the Marine Corps, I assumed the duties as Senior Marine Instructor, Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, Campbell Union High School District, San Jose, California from August 1993 until July 1998. In August 1998 I became Senior Marine Instructor (SMI), Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps [JROTC], Orange High School, Orange, California.

Lieutenant Colonel Ruthenberg is married to the former Pat Blake and has a son, Matthew, by a previous marriage.