Roll Call Tribute

Michael John "Mike" Steger, Col. USAF (Ret) 

February 7, 1927 - December 23, 2023 

Michael John Steger, 96, passed away peacefully at his home in Lompoc, CA on December 23, 2023. He was born on February 7, 1927, in Oshkosh, WI, the oldest child of Thelma Oleson and Clemens Steger. His earliest years were spent in Redgranite, WI. At the age of ten, after his parents had both passed, he moved back to Oshkosh where he was raised by his aunt.

Mike’s military career is quite remarkable. From an early age, he wanted to fly. However, his quest to become a pilot was challenging. At 17 he enlisted in the Navy’s pilot training program. After finishing high school, Mike reported to Western Michigan College at Kalamazoo, MI for the Navy V-5 program.

Shortly thereafter the Navy cancelled the pilot training program. Fortunately for Mike, he received an appointment to West Point, reporting there in July of 1945. At that time, it was a three-year program with pilot training. In September 1945 WW-2 officially ended and West Point immediately reverted to a four-year class, and flying training was curtailed. By the time Mike graduated from West Point in 1949, the Air Force had become a separate service and he was finally on his way to becoming a pilot. Primary pilot training was done at Perrin Air Force Base, TX. Mike had some “difficulties” there (he was the last man to solo). But he also had some good fortune in meeting his future wife, Barbara, there. The next stop was Williams Air Force Base, AZ, and jets. Things went better there and Mike was the first in his class to solo the P-80. Counting from the time he was sworn in the Navy until finally got his wings was a total of 6½ years. But he never relented.

After graduating from pilot training, Mike was assigned to Furstenfeldbruk AFB, Germany; flying the F-84 and F-86. He and Barbara were married there and their first child, Linda was born in Germany. The next stop was Bryan AFB, TX. Here he was an instructor pilot in the T-28 and T-33. Mike said this is where he really learned to fly! Also, in Texas, he was assigned to Texas A&M College and earned a Master’s degree in mathematics. The next two children were born: Shannon and Nancy. In 1959 he reported to the Air Force Academy (AFA). There he taught calculus for five years. Before leaving CO, the family was completed: Fred in 1960 (Ft. Carson, CO before the AFA completed their hospital) and Julie in 1962 at the AFA hospital.

The Vietnam war was ramping up and Mike volunteered to go as an advisor to a fighter squadron. In October of 1964, he went to Corpus Christi Naval Base, TX for training to fly the A-1 Skyraider. After completing the checkout and going through survival training at Nellis AFB, NV he reported to the VNAF 520th squadron at Danang Air Base, Vietnam in January 1965. A few months later he was sent to Nha Trang air base to be the advisor for a new squadron, the 524th. They were six pilots and four planes, hardly squadron size. To build up, they received 20 pilots who had just finished pilot training. Mike became the squadron instructor pilot (IP). Mike’s tour at Bryan AFB as an IP helped him devise a training plan for the new pilots to make them combat-ready. The A-1 carried a payload of 8,000 pounds with 15 bomb stations and four cannons (20 mm). Mike flew over 450 missions in Vietnam with about 900 combat hours.

When Mike returned from Vietnam, he put on his dream sheet for the next assignment flying jets at east coast bases. Well, he got his East Coast wish, but not flying jets. He was assigned to the Pentagon in “Studies and Analysis” as a mathematician. After three years in this assignment, he was selected to go to the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF) at Ft. McNair, VA. While taking this course, Mike also earned an MBA from George Washington University, leading to his next assignment of two years as the Director of Accounting and Finance in Systems Command headquarters at Andrews AFB, MD.

The next move in 1972 was across the country to Los Angeles, California. Mike was the Comptroller of the Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO) for two years, then Chief of Staff of SAMSO. After four years in the LA area, he moved to “heaven on earth” (Vandenberg AFB, Lompoc, CA). At VAFB he was the Commander of the Western Test Range, supporting the satellite and ICBM launches. Three years in this job gave him 30 and he retired in 1979 from the Air Force. He and Barbara had always planned on retiring in Colorado. The wonderful climate, small-town atmosphere, and nearness of Vandenberg made them change their minds. They decided to retire here in Lompoc. After his Air Force career, Mike worked for Lockheed/Martin Marietta for six years at Vandenberg. As a member of the Lompoc community, Mike taught pre-algebra at Allan Hancock College and did tax preparation for H&R Block. After 25 years of doing these jobs, he retired. However, he still continued to do taxes as an AARP volunteer, at age 96.

All our lives we heard stories of Dad’s adventures, antics, and heroics. We gave him the nickname of “Mr. Lucky” because of his near misses, especially with flying. He always said, “It’s not good enough to be the world’s best pilot; you also have to be lucky!” Mike lived life to the fullest; even went skydiving on his 90th birthday in 2017! He had a very active social life which kept him quite busy. Always the instructor, in recent years Mike was teaching a beginner’s bridge group. As a young Boy Scout, Mike learned about birds. He became a lifelong, avid birder with over 600 birds on his life list. Mike also enjoyed traveling. He and Barbara had many wonderful trips together. In his later years, he attended reunions for West Point, A-1 Skyraider, birding trips, hunting trips, and family trips with his daughters. Mike was most happy when surrounded by his family. As the patriarch of a large family – five children, eleven grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and his dog, Bear; his legacy is immense. In his words “Life has been good to me, full and content.”

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at 2 pm at the Mission Club 4300 Clubhouse Road, Lompoc, CA 93436. Mike will be laid to rest next to his wife at Arlington National Cemetery.

Donations can be made to the following charities, Alzheimer’s Association Alzheimer’s association.org, Central Coast Home and Hospice hospiceslo.org/donate, Special Olympics specialolympics.org/get-involved/donate, or Veterans Administration.