From growing up in New Jersey, raising a family and even becoming a Wayland Baptist University professor, the chapters of Eversole's life have been well-written for the longtime Plainview resident.
However, for Eversole, some of the most exciting passages of his life were written in the clouds as the former pilot served 22 years in the United States Air Force, ending his career as a major in that branch of the service.
During some of the most pivotal moments in our nation's history, Eversole served as an aircraft commander, experiencing everything under the aviation sun from flying nuclear bombers to surviving a horrific crash in South East Asia.
"I really enjoyed flying," said Eversole, who retired as a WBU professor in 2000.
Though raised in New Jersey, Eversole graduated in Ohio in 1952.
Pushed to become an engineer, Eversole said he attended a few years of college, including a stint at the General Motors Technical Center.
However, that route wasn't in the stars for the young Eversole, who started to explore different career paths for the future.
And the new path came after seeing an advertisement for an aviation cadet program offered through the Air Force.
"It was a program that you didn't have to be commissioned or be a college graduate. You could just enroll and they'd send you to train as a pilot. It seemed like a great program" said Eversole.
Convinced that his future was in the air, Eversole signed up and headed to San Antonio for training in 1955.
Though the physical and discipline aspects of basic training took a little getting used to, Eversole said going up in the air for the first time was a piece of cake.
"I wasn't really nervous," said Eversole, who begin flight training in a small Piper Cub airplane.
But once Eversole got the basics down, he began piloting bigger planes as he moved on to a WWII T-6, which he learned to fly over North Carolina. After learning to fly a T-33, Eversole was commissioned as a second lieutenant and continued training with the Strategic Air Command program.
After graduating from aviation cadet school in 1956, he trained to fly B-47s and B-52s.
"They were six engine jets. Bombers built for nuclear weapons. They were good planes," said Eversole.
After being promoted to first lieutenant Eversole continued to train, traveling the country with the Strategic Air Command through the end of the 1950s and into the early 1960s.
It was during this time Eversole meet his wife and had children.
But with the ’60s came change and diplomatic unrest, as Cold War tensions heated up and fighting grew in Vietnam.
With the nation on alert because of the actions of Communist countries like Russia, Eversole was assigned to his first tour, spending three years in Puerto Rico near Communist Cuba.
With threats of nuclear war abuzz, Eversole said SAC was always on alert.
"We were ready," said Eversole.
As they waited, Eversole, who by this time was promoted to an air commander, said they would often run training missions, sometimes spending two days on practice fly routes.
But eventually tensions eased over Cuba and Eversole was sent back to the States for continued training.
However, matters were escalating in Vietnam as American forces were fighting in the jungles of Southeast Asia.
"Most of us knew we'd be tapped for a session over there," said Eversole.
And the pilot was right as he was chosen to lead a team into a tour of Vietnam in 1969.
Before departing, Eversole was trained to fly the smaller EB-66C aircraft which specialized in electronic reconnaissance.
Heading into Southeast Asia, Everole and his team were stationed in Thailand. From there they would assist ground troops by using equipment to electronically jam enemy radar looking for gun layouts.
"We didn't have any armaments in that plane, I flew and the guys would use the jammers," said Eversole.
Also during the missions the crew would try to figure out where enemy missile sites were in case they needed to start bombing.
Eversole was eventually moved to an airbase in Korat, Thailand.
It was there that Eversole had a brush with mortality after crashing-landing in a tapioca field on Oct. 26, 1970.
"We were in an old plane coming back from a night combat mission," said Eversole, as he explained that the nighttime darkness was intensified by fog and sheets of rain.
With five crew members on the plane, Eversole said they were ready to return to the base and were clear for landing. However, the pounding rain and low visibility made conditions difficult to land.
After checking in with the tower, Eversole elected to make the approach to see what conditions were like before diverting if necessary to a clear base at Takhli.
According to a report filed by a crew member on the plane, all was going well down to the six-mile point where the aircraft was cleared to the published minimum descent altitude of 1,140-feet.
Eversole continued to descend without caution from the navigator, even though neither had the air field in sight.
With the navigator announcing the field looked clear, Eversole continued to drop altitude.
Unfortunately, the navigator was referring to his radar presentation rather than a visual reference.
"We came in too low and took out the tops of two trees," said Eversole.
Eversole said the tree limbs entered the engines, causing them to flame out.
With no engines, Eversole knew the plane was going to crash.
As the plane descended, Eversole's pilot seat was equipped with an ejection seat he could still deploy at that altitude. But fellow crew members needed at least 400-500 feet to eject from the bottom of the plane.
"I knew there wasn't any 400-foot trees in Thailand, so I knew there wasn't enough time for them to get out," said Eversole.
"I gave the signal for a crash landing and that's the last thing I remember," said Eversole.
The next thing Eversole recalls is waking up jammed in the crashed cockpit.
"I remember a shadowy figure yelling at me 'Major, we got to get you out of here,' " said Eversole.
Stuck in the cockpit, Eversole said he had broken his ankles and three vertebrae in his back.
"I could hear hissing and fuel pouring everywhere," said Eversole.
Knowing that the engines were hot, Eversole ordered the crew member to run away before the plane exploded.
"I said get out of here — things are about to explode," said Eversole.
Still connected to the ejector seat, Eversole became worried that it would go off, slamming him right into the side of the wrecked plane.
With time running out, Eversole said he did all he could to get free.
"With rain in my face, I said 'Lord, I got four kids at home, this is not the way I'm going to meet you,’ " said Eversole.
About that time, the seatbelt came loose and Eversole was out the harness.
It was then that Eversole saw more fuel heading back to the burning disabled aircraft.
"I saw one spot to the left of the cockpit that was not in flames," said Eversole. "I dove for it."
With a broken back and ankles, Eversole was able to get to the muddy spot in the tapioca field, which helped soften the landing of the crash.
"From there, the crew came back and got me. I was so thankful to be alive," said Eversole.
Eversole was transported to a medical facility in Thailand where he was treated for 2-3 weeks before being transferred home. It would be Eversole's last mission.
After time passed, Eversole healed nicely and eventually regained his flying status.
For the remainder of his flying career, Eversole continued as air commander and flew test flight at Pinker Air Force base in Oklahoma.
After retirement, Eversole decided to go back to college where he eventually earned a master’s in business from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Story and Photos: http://www.myplainview.com
Don Eversole
Courtesy Photo
An EB-66C aircraft, flown by Plainview’s Don Eversole, is shown after it crashed in a Vietnam tapioca field in 1970.
An EB-66C aircraft, flown by Plainview’s Don Eversole, is shown after it crashed in a Vietnam tapioca field in 1970.
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