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Lieutenant Colonel Dick Jonas, USAF (ret.) “as born and raised in the Suwannee River valley of
northern Florida. He served four years as an infantryman in the Georgia Army National Guard while attending Valdosta State
College. Upon graduation in 1965 he entered the Air Force, receiving his commission through Officer Training School. In 22
years service he flew 3,000 jet fighter hours in the F-4 and F-16. During 125 missions in Vietnam he earned the Distinguished
Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters and the Air Medal with 12 clusters. After retirement from the Air Force, in 1986,
he became an Aerospace Science Instructor in the Air Force Junior ROTC program. During 1991 and 92, in 325 performances he
played the leading role in Guv: The Musical, a stage production of the Mill Avenue Theater in Tempe, Arizona. Dick retired
from the teaching profession after 15 years of service, in June 2004. He is now a fulltime entertainer and music producer.
His aim is to preserve and perpetuate the legacy of America’s warrior musicians.” Dick Jonas
is the author of PTF: Passing the Flame and RBAAB: The Red-Blooded All-American Boy.
According to the book description of
RBAAB: The Red-Blooded All-American Boy “is a book containing the complete lyrics to all 76
songs on the Dick Jonas six-CD collection of warrior songs. Among the 76 selections there are songs about World War One, World
War Two, Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm. Included with the song words are the war stories and background on when, where,
and why the songs were written. With 249 pages, the book measures 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches and fits nicely in a flight suit pocket.”
One reader of RBAAB: The Red-Blooded All-American Boy
said, “As an Air Force officer, son of a WWII vet (Dad also worked in Vietnam as a civilian) and lifelong military aviation
history buff, I love every bit of this songbook and the CDs themselves. The song lyrics and accompanying stories vary from
hilarious to poignant to informative to inspiring, and sometimes all of the above, and in every case top-notch entertainment.
Having sung many of Dick's songs
along with F-15 drivers at parties down at Tyndall AFB, FL, I can tell you that the book and the music capture the fighter
pilot's mentality spot-on! Those goody-two-shoes prudes who think officers "shouldn't drink, smoke, or cuss"
obviously don't know Dick Jonas! They bloody well ought to, as should all the old anti-war protestors who bad-mouthed
our Vietnam vets, and the LBJ-worshippers of the world and any surviving members of his Cabinet, especially Robert S. McNamara!”
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According to the book description of
PTF: Passing the Flame, it “is a book containing the lyrics to 115 songs on Erosonic CD albums
#7 through #13. It is the sequel to RBAAB: The Red-Blooded, All-American Boy, which covers Erosonic albums #1 through #6.
Along with the song lyrics are the war stories and historical background for the songs. It's as much a history book as
it is a song book. The CD titles which go with the book are Cold Warriors, Boozin' Buddies, God Bless America, Live at
Leeuwarden, Come and Join the Air Force, Passing the Flame, and Headhunters. Performers on the albums include Dick Jonas,
Toby Hughes, Irv LeVine, and Chip Dockery. These four represent the patriarchy of warrior musicians. Three new groups also
participate. Dos Gringos is a 2-man act, Chris "Snooze" Kurek and Rob "Trip" Raymond, both American fighter
pilots. The Juvat Boys Choir of the 80th Fighter Squadron, U. S. Air Force are also present. A group unique among them all
is Fresh Out of the Box. This is five young ladies, U. S. Air Force combat flyers all. They are Christina "Duke"
Deibel (F-16 pilot), Kat "BD" Burkhead (B-52 pilot), Carrie "HARB" Reinhardt (F-16 pilot), Rebecca "Coyote"
Muggli (A-10 pilot), and Bonnie "Sassy" PUcillo (A-10 pilot.) All of these, along with several other warrior musicians
helped to write the book, supplying lyrics, war stories, pictures, and other helpful BS. There are 292 pages and 126 pictures
in the book. It's 5 1/2 by 8 1/2, and 3/4 of an inch thick.”
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