---
id: ff20_eberly_student_to_pow_colonel
title: "FLYINGFREE - David Eberly: From T-38 Student to POW Colonel"
category: Biblical Life Counsel
predicted_narrative_arc: student-pilot-to-pow-recognition
sentiment: Reverent
emotions:
- Reverent
- Reflective
- Proud
keypoints:
- Dean instructed David Eberly in the T-38 Talon after Vietnam
- David and Barbara were class leaders; outstanding student pilot
- Gulf War: Colonel Eberly shot down and missing; CNN Indiana note
- Dean first thought it might be the student’s father
- The missing colonel was his former second lieutenant, now ranking POW path
summary: >
  Dean introduces David Eberly: T-38 student after Vietnam, class leader with Barbara, then Gulf War colonel shot down — the Indiana CNN detail that shocked recognition.
tags:
- flying-free
- chapter-20
- david-eberly
- pow
- t-38
- gulf-war
- faith
- dean-rush
- book-excerpt
sycophancy: 0
truth_score: 9
entropy: 2
sample: false
consent: owner_approved
agent: flyingfree
created: '2010-01-01'
updated: '2026-09-09T00:00:00Z'
vault_stage: 07_CODEX
headwaters: FLYINGFREE
prefix: FLYINGFREE
enrich_status: ok
enrich_blockers: []
enrich_method: manual
pipeline_filename: FLYINGFREE_20_eberly-student-to-pow-colonel.md
source_kind: book_excerpt
proposed_topic: FlyingFree
lane: FlyingFree
voice: desk
active_voice: desk
voices:
- desk
routing_source: carbon
corpus_topic: FlyingFree
content_status: active
date: '2010-01-01'
share_url: https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md
source_url: https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md
site_category: Flying Free
book_title: Flying Free
book_chapter: 20
book_chapter_title: A Moment to Act – Use Faith
source_file: flyingfree/flying-free-20-a-moment-to-act.md
description: >
  Chapter 20 — meeting David Eberly; student to missing colonel.
---

# David Eberly: From T-38 Student to POW Colonel

**Author:** Dean Rush  
**Book:** *Flying Free* · **Chapter 20:** A Moment to Act – Use Faith  
**Full book:** [deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md](https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md)

## Context for the Reader

Chapter 20’s centerpiece testimony is David Eberly’s faith under POW trial. This lesson is only the recognition arc — instructor memory to Gulf War shock — before the return and prayer.

Do not invent combat detail Dean does not give here.

> Voice note: Everything under **Dean's excerpt** is Dean's original prose (lightly cleaned only). Sections marked **Biblical foundations**, **Scholar sidebar**, **Takeaways**, and **First-time learner** are enrichment for Asker / first readers — not Dean speaking.

---

## Biblical foundations (preface)

Honoring a brother’s trial fits bearing burdens and remembering prisoners as though in prison with them.

| Dean's claim | Scriptural undercarriage |
| --- | --- |
| Privileged to know a hero of faith under fire | Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them (Hebrews 13:3) |
| Instructor saw special leadership early | Let the greatest among you become as the youngest (Luke 22:26) |
| Years later: shot down and missing | When I am afraid, I put my trust in you (Psalm 56:3) |
| Public news met private memory | Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15) |
| Identity clarified over time | God’s steadfast love endures (Lamentations 3:22–23) |

---

## Dean's excerpt

### Student, then missing colonel

I am privileged to have met and known a great American hero by the name of David Eberly, who illustrated what faith can do in a very dire situation. Many years ago, after returning from Vietnam, I was assigned to be an instructor pilot in the Air Force’s T-38 Talon. During that assignment I was one of David’s instructor pilots. It was apparent even as a student that David was a special individual. He and his beautiful wife Barbara were leaders in that class of budding pilots and he had been an outstanding student pilot as well. I lost contact with David after I left the Air Force. During the first Gulf War, I saw that a pilot, Colonel David Eberly, had been shot down and was missing. CNN even mentioned on TV that Colonel Eberly was from Indiana, the same home state of my former student. I had a passing thought that the guy they were talking about might be the father of our associate because my student was a second lieutenant when I knew him. The guy who was shot down was a colonel.

> **Scholar sidebar — Name the man; hold the gap**  
> Dean’s prose stops at recognition shock — keep the gap. Hebrews 13:3 frames how readers hold POWs. Do not invent interrogation scenes; the next lessons carry return, prayer, and theology Dean actually supplies.

---

## Takeaways

1. **Hero named.** David Eberly illustrates faith in dire situation.
2. **T-38 instructor link.** Dean taught him after Vietnam.
3. **Barbara and leadership.** Couple led among student pilots.
4. **Gulf War missing.** Colonel shot down; CNN Indiana cue.
5. **Identity lag.** Dean first wondered if it was the student’s father.

---

## First-time learner

### What is Dean saying in one sentence?
After Vietnam Dean instructed outstanding T-38 student David Eberly — years later CNN’s Indiana colonel shot down in the Gulf War turned out to be that same man, now a POW path.

### What must we not invent?
Combat and prison details Dean has not yet given in this slice.

### Key verses to read with this lesson
- **Hebrews 13:3** — Remember prisoners.
- **Psalm 56:3** — Trust when afraid.
- **Romans 12:15** — Weep and rejoice with others.
- **Lamentations 3:22–23** — Steadfast love.
- **Luke 22:26** — Servant leadership.

### A simple practice
Pray by name for one person in danger or isolation. If you do not know a name, pray for “the captive and the missing” using Hebrews 13:3.

### How this feeds Ask Dean
Seed material for: *Who is David Eberly to Dean? How did Dean learn he was missing?*