Flying The B-52: Cold War & Vietnam
Class | Registration opens Tuesday, February 3, 2026 10:00 AM
Step into the cockpit of one of the most iconic aircraft in history with John Rownak, a former B-52 pilot who served during the Cold War and the Vietnam War. Drawing from firsthand experience, Rownak will guide participants through the B-52’s critical mission during the Cold War and its evolving role in Vietnam.
Participants will explore what it meant to live on constant “alert,” ready to respond to a nuclear strike at a moment’s notice. Learn how crews trained for these high-stakes missions, where the bombers were based, and how operations unfolded across Southeast Asia. Through vivid stories and mission insights, Rownak will illustrate how B-52 tactics changed in late 1972 and how those missions helped shape the war’s conclusion.
This engaging session offers a rare insider’s view into military aviation history—something you can’t gain from books or documentaries. Join us for a unique opportunity to understand not just the aircraft, but the people, pressures, and purpose behind its missions.
This program will meet in person at OLLI Headquarters (HQ), located at 481 S. Shiloh Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72704. Please read your class reminder email for the exact room location.
Class changes occasionally happen; please watch for (and read) announcements or emails from OLLI regarding your class.
Click on the link below for a Google map shot of our location:
OLLI HQ
John Rownak
John Rownak, a graduate of the University of Arkansas, spent five years in the United States Air Force and twenty years in the Oklahoma Air National Guard. As a B-52 pilot, he lived the Cold War and the Vietnam War, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross and seven Air Medals. In civilian life, he spent twenty-nine years in banking followed by consulting/contract work and six years as an adjunct instructor at the University.