ALBUQUERQUE, NM — Lt. Col. Samuel “Sam” Galloway, a member of the 415th Special Operations Squadron, was honored Aug. 10 at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial just outside of Kirtland Air Force Base, NM.

His service also included roles in the two-day Operation Eagle Claw, then-President Jimmy Carter’s military response to rescue 52 hostages held in the U.S. Embassy and State Department buildings in Tehran (then the capital of Iran). Galloway flew as a navigator on the MC-130E that landed in the Iranian desert, “Desert One,” in April 1980.

Galloway, a decorated veteran of the United States Air Force, has died after battling cancer.

Galloway’s military career was marked by several key deployments, including his first operational role with the 345th Tactical Airlift Squadron at Ching Chuan Kang Air Base in Taiwan. He flew combat missions in South Vietnam, where his C-130 aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire during a supply drop at An Loc. Despite the damage, Galloway and his crew managed to return to base, earning him the Distinguished Flying Cross.
General Norton A. Schwartz (Ret) USAF, who served as the 19th Chief of Staff of the Air Force, attended the service and spoke of Galloway’s professionalism and character. Schwarts said he was “inwardly grateful” for the care Sam took of his crew and pilots.

Hundreds of members of the 377th Air Base Wing, Col. Jason Allen, 58th Special Operations Wing, Col Timothy Hale (Ret) USAF and General Norton A. Schwartz (Ret) USAF were in attendance, as well as numerous friends and family from across the country.

Galloway was also involved in the development of Operation Credible Sport in the second half of 1980, a joint project between the U.S. military and Lockheed Martin that involved converting three C-130s to ultra-STOL (short takeoff and landing) capability under the code name “Credible Sport.” This operation set up a second rescue attempt for the hostages held in Iran and demonstrated Galloway’s commitment to his country and his willingness to take on challenging missions to rescue others.

After retiring from the Air Force on June 1, 1992, Galloway continued to contribute as an instructor at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, where he worked for Loral and Lockheed Martin. Galloway worked directly on training all USAF pilots for the new MC-130H, Combat Talon II (CT-II) aircraft from 1992 to 2016. Pilots were trained on the technical aspects and simulator of the Combat Tallon Two (MC-130H). Sam trained until October 2016.

He retired from Lockheed in January 2011, leaving behind a legacy of excellence and mentorship.

Galloway was the first in his family to earn a college degree, earning a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Tennessee in 1969. His Air Force career began shortly thereafter, when he enlisted on May 20, 1970. He was promoted to lieutenant from Officer Training School on August 18, 1970, and received his navigator squadron commission in June 1971 at Mather Air Force Base, California.

“He flew the attack and I moved the helicopters that landed in the desert when I was a C5 man,” said MSgt Ron Lenoard, (Ret) USAF MC130 Load Master. A few years later, Ron became a Lockheed employee and worked with Galloway again. Ron said that Sam was a really great guy, always funny, always in a good mood and fun to be around and work with.

Timothy Hale, Col USAF (Ret), who presided over the ceremony, knew Galloway since Hale was a Second Lieutenant with the 8th SOS at Hurlburt Field, FL. Hale has flown and worked with Galloway all over the world. According to Hale, “Sam is a true American hero.” Galloway was the lead navigator on Dragon One, the very first aircraft to land on Desert One runway south of Tehran. Galloway was the most humble and cheerful person Hale had ever met, and he was honored to help Galloway’s family celebrate the life of a true American hero.

Two MC-130Js from the 58th Special Operations Squadron performed a flyover at the Sam Galloway memorial service. Photo by Allen Winston, 377 ABW/PA.
Galloway often downplayed his accomplishments, saying, “I was just doing my job. The real heroes are the ones who didn’t make it home.” In 2021, he was inducted into the prestigious Gathering of Eagles Foundation – an organization that seeks to preserve the legacy of the U.S. Air Force by celebrating 70 years of air power and empowering youth in Alabama’s River Region.