Cmdr. Stacy Uttecht participated in the first ever all-female flyover Feb. 2 in Maynardville, Tennessee. Officially referred to as a “Missing Man Flyover,” the tribute was part of the funeral service for retired Navy Captain Rosemary Mariner, who passed away on Jan. 24 following a long fight with cancer.
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| Uttecht, Bottom Row, Second From Left |
“I originally found the love of flying when I was young and my father, a civilian pilot, would fly my family around West Texas,” Uttecht said. “I loved the freedom of being in the skies and the perspective it gives you. I always knew I wanted to fly for the military because my grandfather flew F-86 Sabers during the Korean War, and I remember hearing his stories of flying up ‘MiG Alley.’ I chose Naval Aviation because I wanted to fly in the F-14 Tomcat, a dream that was realized before they were decommissioned.”
Uttecht graduated from Virginia Tech in 2000 with a B.S.in Business Management. She earned her wings of gold in June 2002 and has logged over 3,500 hours with over 400 arrested landings. Her personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Strike Flight Air Medal (10 awards), Joint Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2 awards), and numerous other campaign and unit awards.
After completing flight training in 1974, Mariner was designated a naval aviator and received her Wings of Gold to became the Navy’s first female jet pilot, flying the A-4E/L “Skyhawk” and the A-7E “Corsair II”. She also was the first female military aviator to achieve command of an operational air squadron. During Operation Desert Storm, Mariner commanded Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron Thirty-Four (VAQ-34). In 1982, she reached yet another milestone by being among the first females to serve aboard a U.S. Navy warship, USS Lexington, and qualifying as a Surface Warfare Officer.
Mariner retired from the U.S. Navy in 1997 after obtaining the rank of Captain and logging seventeen carrier arrested landings, or “traps,” and completing over 3,500 flight hours in fifteen different aircraft.
The Missing Man Flyover is a special tribute honoring the service of aviators who have died serving their country. The maneuver features four aircraft flying above the funeral service in formation as one of the aircraft leaves the formation and climbs vertically into the heavens.
All of the aviators who participated in the flyover are from squadrons based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana flying F/A-18E/F “Super Hornets.”
Uttecht graduated from Virginia Tech in 2000 with a B.S.in Business Management. She earned her wings of gold in June 2002 and has logged over 3,500 hours with over 400 arrested landings. Her personal awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Strike Flight Air Medal (10 awards), Joint Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2 awards), and numerous other campaign and unit awards.
After completing flight training in 1974, Mariner was designated a naval aviator and received her Wings of Gold to became the Navy’s first female jet pilot, flying the A-4E/L “Skyhawk” and the A-7E “Corsair II”. She also was the first female military aviator to achieve command of an operational air squadron. During Operation Desert Storm, Mariner commanded Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron Thirty-Four (VAQ-34). In 1982, she reached yet another milestone by being among the first females to serve aboard a U.S. Navy warship, USS Lexington, and qualifying as a Surface Warfare Officer.
Mariner retired from the U.S. Navy in 1997 after obtaining the rank of Captain and logging seventeen carrier arrested landings, or “traps,” and completing over 3,500 flight hours in fifteen different aircraft.
The Missing Man Flyover is a special tribute honoring the service of aviators who have died serving their country. The maneuver features four aircraft flying above the funeral service in formation as one of the aircraft leaves the formation and climbs vertically into the heavens.
All of the aviators who participated in the flyover are from squadrons based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana flying F/A-18E/F “Super Hornets.”