Donnie Cochran - Military Biography

Military Biography

Cochran completed flight school and earned his Navy wings in 1978 after completing basic and advanced jet training.

On July 13, 1985, during an air show at Niagara Falls International Airport, two A-4 Skyhawk jet aircraft collided. Navy Lieutenant Commander Mike Gershon, of Pensacola, Florida was killed; the other, Lieutenant Anthony Caputi, 30, ejected from his plane and landed safely on the grounds of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. Lieutenant Commander Cochran, along with two other pilots, were selected to replace these two members of the Blue Angels precision flying team.

On October 4, 1985, Cochran became the first African American to become a member of the Blue Angels precision flying team in the history of its 40 year existence. He flew planes #3 and #4 during this 3 year assignment. In 1986, Lieutenant Commander Cochran had flown more than 2,000 hours in jet fighters and completed 469 carrier landings. On July 4, 1986, Cochran, along with other members of the Blue Angels flew an A-4 Skyhawk in a ceremonial celebration saluting the restoration of the Statue of Liberty.

Following two years of flying with the Blue Angels Cochran was stationed at the Naval Air Station at Miramar. Next Cochran joined the "Bounty Hunters" of fighter squadron 2 (VF-2) while the squadron was deployed aboard the carrier USS Ranger (CV-61). He attended the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama and during this time earned a masters degree in Human Resource Management from Troy State University. Following this Cochran reported to Fighter Squadron 1 (VF-1) in March 1992 as Executive Officer. He took command of that same squadron in July 1993. When VF-1 was disestablished in September 1993, he became the commander of Fighter Squadron 111 (VF-111) known as the "Sun Downers".

On May 10, 1991 Savannah State University dedicated a memorial on the university's campus in honor of Cochran. The memorial contains an A4 jet painted in the Blue Angel's traditional colors of blue and gold and memorial plaque with the inscription:

A second plaque was later added which bears the inscription:

In 1994, Cochran, was called to replace Commander Robert E. Stumpf, the Blue Angels' commanding officer, who had been grounded (placed in a no flying status) as a result of the "Tailhook Scandal."

By 1995, Cochran had accumulated more than 4,350 total flight hours in seven (7) different types of naval aircraft and completed 570 carrier landings. During his tours as a Blue Angel pilot, he flew over 2,200 hours in more than 300 air shows before over 30 million spectators throughout the United States and Canada.

In September 1995, while Commanding Officer of the Blue Angels, then Commander Cochran "grounded" himself and cancelled a performance at Naval Air Station Oceana for what he called "flaws in his flying." On May 26, 1996, Cochran resigned as the Blues Commanding Officer, citing loss of confidence in his own flying. He said at the time, "I can hold my head high. I have not crashed any airplanes, none of my pilots have crashed an airplane, none of my pilots have been hurt."

Captain Cochran served as the Commanding Officer of the NROTC Unit at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) from August 1996 until July 1999.

During his final assignment he served as the Deputy Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, second in command of over 7,000 people at over 1,500 locations around the nation and abroad. Captain Cochran retired from the U.S. Navy with over 24 years of aviation experience.