page_title: Eugene Peyton Deatrick
section_title: Later years
hierarchical_section_title: Eugene Peyton Deatrick / Later years
caption_attribution_description: English: Deatrick and son, Will, visiting Doolittle’s marker
context_page_description: Eugene Peyton Deatrick Jr. is a retired United States Air Force colonel, test pilot, and combat veteran. He is best recognized for his role in the rescue of United States Navy Lieutenant Dieter Dengler during the Vietnam War. The rescue was recounted in the Werner Herzog films Little Dieter Needs to Fly and Rescue Dawn and the national bestseller Hero Found: The Greatest POW Escape of the Vietnam War by author Bruce Henderson.
context_section_description: In 1996, Deatrick portrayed himself in Little Dieter Needs to Fly, the Werner Herzog documentary about the escape and rescue of Dieter Dengler. In 1997, Deatrick was interviewed by the Air Force Historian, Richard P. Hallion, during the review of Operation TAILWIND. On March 9, 1999, on the thirty-third anniversary of the Battle of A Shau, Deatrick and other members of the 1st ACS gathered at a Pentagon ceremony to honor Bernie Fisher. In 2007, he attended the premier of Rescue Dawn at Andrews AFB and spoke of his role in Dengler's rescue. As of 2012, he lives in Alexandria, Virginia. Deatrick's wife of 55 years, Zane, died in January 2012 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
  In October 2014, Deatrick returned to Edwards AFB to attend the 70th anniversary celebration of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School presented during the Flight Test Historical Foundation's Gathering of Eagles event. Before touring the school to view the many improvements since his tour as commandant in 1967, Deatrick attended a mission briefing presented by current TPS commandant, Colonel Charles Webb Jr. Deatrick was especially pleased to find that TPS students now receive a Master of Science degree in flight test engineering upon graduation.
caption: Deatrick and his son Will visiting the grave of Jimmy Doolittle at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day 2018
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