South Dade High School Alumni
Homestead, Florida (FL)

Recent Members
Ben Ben Drawdy | 1997 |
Chen Chiu | 2015 |
Douglas Moore | 1967 |
Edna Bob Whit | 1950 |
Jimmy James Chambers | 1969 |
Kathy Mullin | 1967 |
Lisa Davila | 1991 |
Ronald Hush | 1994 |
Military Alumni
Honoring Our Heroes
This area is dedicated to our alumni that have served or are serving in our armed forces!
Lost Class Rings
Have you lost your South Dade High School class ring? Have you found someone's class ring? Visit our Buccaneers lost class ring page to search for your class ring or post information about a found ring.
Honored Military Alumni

Brynn (Pratt) Whitehurst
Class of 2002
Air Force, 3 Years
Flying on RC-135's out of Omaha, NE
Class of 2002
Air Force, 3 Years
Flying on RC-135's out of Omaha, NE

David K. Parks Jr.
Class of 1968
Air Force, 20+ Years
Stared off with F-4's and Advisor duty in Viet-Nam. Transitioned from flightline to Mobility and Planning. Member of several base honor guards, First Sgt in Shemy Alaska.
Class of 1968
Air Force, 20+ Years
Stared off with F-4's and Advisor duty in Viet-Nam. Transitioned from flightline to Mobility and Planning. Member of several base honor guards, First Sgt in Shemy Alaska.

David Parnell
Class of 1966
Army, 20+ Years
I enlisted one week after graduation. I served in the Army Security Agency in for locations stateside and then in Viet Nam with 1st Cav Div in 1968 and Korea in 1969-70 when I got out. I enlisted in the SC National Guard in 1976. I went to work full time with the Nationnal Guard serving as MP, Recuriter, Personnel SGT and then finally as a Chief Warrant Officer for a Combat Brigade. I retired with two days short of 35 years in Military.
Class of 1966
Army, 20+ Years
I enlisted one week after graduation. I served in the Army Security Agency in for locations stateside and then in Viet Nam with 1st Cav Div in 1968 and Korea in 1969-70 when I got out. I enlisted in the SC National Guard in 1976. I went to work full time with the Nationnal Guard serving as MP, Recuriter, Personnel SGT and then finally as a Chief Warrant Officer for a Combat Brigade. I retired with two days short of 35 years in Military.

Eddie Caldwell
Class of 1975
Army, 20+ Years
Signed up as an Airborne Infrantry Soldier. Ended my Career in an Armored Tank Division inside of an M-1 Abrams Tank.
Class of 1975
Army, 20+ Years
Signed up as an Airborne Infrantry Soldier. Ended my Career in an Armored Tank Division inside of an M-1 Abrams Tank.

Edgar Vitola
Class of 2000
Army, 11 Years
4 years in the marine corps, then 7 years in the army. Sgt Vitola has done over 6 deployment over seas protecting our freedom. Sgt Vitola has been married for 7 years, and has 3 beautiful lil girls.
Class of 2000
Army, 11 Years
4 years in the marine corps, then 7 years in the army. Sgt Vitola has done over 6 deployment over seas protecting our freedom. Sgt Vitola has been married for 7 years, and has 3 beautiful lil girls.

Frank C Gentner
Class of 1962
Air Force, 23 Years
Lieutenant through Lieutenant Colonel, USAF 1968-1991. Served at Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam 1971-72. Served in Personnel, Safety, Social Actions, Occupational Analysis and career field restructuring, Insturctional Systems Development, Training Management, Acquisition, Human Systems Integration / Human Factors, and Scientific Manager. Served at Lackland, Bien Hoa, Kingsley Field, Randolph, Patrick, and Wright-Patterson AFBs. Performed acquisition analyses on C-17 to determine if women could fly the system as it was designed and F-22 maintenance training and manpower to reduce maintainers per aircraft from 24/25 on F-16 and F-15 down to 18.2 per aircraft as these aircraft were being designed and acquired.
Class of 1962
Air Force, 23 Years
Lieutenant through Lieutenant Colonel, USAF 1968-1991. Served at Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam 1971-72. Served in Personnel, Safety, Social Actions, Occupational Analysis and career field restructuring, Insturctional Systems Development, Training Management, Acquisition, Human Systems Integration / Human Factors, and Scientific Manager. Served at Lackland, Bien Hoa, Kingsley Field, Randolph, Patrick, and Wright-Patterson AFBs. Performed acquisition analyses on C-17 to determine if women could fly the system as it was designed and F-22 maintenance training and manpower to reduce maintainers per aircraft from 24/25 on F-16 and F-15 down to 18.2 per aircraft as these aircraft were being designed and acquired.


James Sampson
Class of 1979
Navy, 20+ Years
Joined the Navy in 1980 Recruit Training Command Orlando FL, Naval Training Command Great Lakes Il. Graduated as a Boiler Technician
Spent five years in CA serving on the USS Norton Sound AVM-1 research and development, then Hawaii for shore duty at SIMA repairing ships, served on USS Worden CG-18 sent back to CA, San Francisco area on the USS Mount Hood AE-29 back to Hawaii for shore duty at Submarine Squadron ONE, THREE and SEVEN, transfer to Submarine Support Command Hi as Master at Arms . Served in Operation Southern Watch 1992, Served in support of the task for off the coast of Mozambique 1993. Retired in 2000
Class of 1979
Navy, 20+ Years
Joined the Navy in 1980 Recruit Training Command Orlando FL, Naval Training Command Great Lakes Il. Graduated as a Boiler Technician
Spent five years in CA serving on the USS Norton Sound AVM-1 research and development, then Hawaii for shore duty at SIMA repairing ships, served on USS Worden CG-18 sent back to CA, San Francisco area on the USS Mount Hood AE-29 back to Hawaii for shore duty at Submarine Squadron ONE, THREE and SEVEN, transfer to Submarine Support Command Hi as Master at Arms . Served in Operation Southern Watch 1992, Served in support of the task for off the coast of Mozambique 1993. Retired in 2000


Jim Spain
Class of 1967
Air Force, 20+ Years
Nuclear Missile Launch Officer, Mission Support Squadron Commander, General Officers' Exec (five times), Air War College faculty
Class of 1967
Air Force, 20+ Years
Nuclear Missile Launch Officer, Mission Support Squadron Commander, General Officers' Exec (five times), Air War College faculty

John Alan Cassube ( Jack )
Class of 1968
Air Force, 4 Years
Technical Illustrator with the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing , Head Quarters " The Flying Tigers " at Mcconnell Air Force Base Wichita , Kansas .
Class of 1968
Air Force, 4 Years
Technical Illustrator with the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing , Head Quarters " The Flying Tigers " at Mcconnell Air Force Base Wichita , Kansas .

John Harris
Class of 1974
Coast Guard, 20+ Years
Did my job. Retired... Wish I had of been a better friend to the class of 72 73 74. Found out over a long period of time that you all were great folks that got me through my hardest days by remembering how nice you were to me. Thanks; I should have tried to be a better student and friend to you all.
Class of 1974
Coast Guard, 20+ Years
Did my job. Retired... Wish I had of been a better friend to the class of 72 73 74. Found out over a long period of time that you all were great folks that got me through my hardest days by remembering how nice you were to me. Thanks; I should have tried to be a better student and friend to you all.





Matthew Slater
Class of 2001
Air Force, 16 Years
C-130 Crew Chief. Fancy way of saying I maintain Air Craft. Been all over the world. Loving every minute of it.
Class of 2001
Air Force, 16 Years
C-130 Crew Chief. Fancy way of saying I maintain Air Craft. Been all over the world. Loving every minute of it.

Myron A. Price
Class of 1970
Air Force, 4 Years
Served in U.S and United Kingdom.
Security Police
Class of 1970
Air Force, 4 Years
Served in U.S and United Kingdom.
Security Police

Nathaniel Monroe
Class of 1970
Army Reserves, 20+ Years
Active Duty: Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, Ft. Rucker Alabama, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
Air Traffic controller
Army Reserve:324th General Hospital, 324th Combat Support Hospital, 5th Brigade
Medic, Nurse, Instructor
Class of 1970
Army Reserves, 20+ Years
Active Duty: Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, Ft. Rucker Alabama, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
Air Traffic controller
Army Reserve:324th General Hospital, 324th Combat Support Hospital, 5th Brigade
Medic, Nurse, Instructor

Rick Horan
Class of 1981
Navy, 20+ Years
Served this great country for 26 years in the Submarine Force. USS SIMON BOLIVAR SSBN 641, USS TREPANG SSN 674, USS PASADENA SSN 752, USS GREENEVILLE SSN 772, USS SAN FRANCISCO SSN 711, USS FRANK CABLE AS 40, FBM OTSU-2, COMSUBPAC STAFF, COMSUBGRU TRIDENT STAFF.
Class of 1981
Navy, 20+ Years
Served this great country for 26 years in the Submarine Force. USS SIMON BOLIVAR SSBN 641, USS TREPANG SSN 674, USS PASADENA SSN 752, USS GREENEVILLE SSN 772, USS SAN FRANCISCO SSN 711, USS FRANK CABLE AS 40, FBM OTSU-2, COMSUBPAC STAFF, COMSUBGRU TRIDENT STAFF.

Roberto Castaneda
Class of 1979
Navy, 20+ Years
Retired Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman (Parachute Rigger), Working on A-7E, FA-18, EA-3, EP-3E, P-3, S-3 and H-46 aircraft. Stationed at Cecil Field, Florida - Rota, Spain - Atsugi, Japan and Guam. Sailed all over the world onboard Aircraft Carriers USS Eisenhower, USS Coral Sea and USS Independence in support of Iran Hostage Crisis, Desert Shield and Desert Storm 1 and 2 and others. Life Support Tech for Joint Task Force-Full Accounting Mission to Hanoi, Vietnam. Still sailing as Merchant Mariner.
Class of 1979
Navy, 20+ Years
Retired Navy Aircrew Survival Equipmentman (Parachute Rigger), Working on A-7E, FA-18, EA-3, EP-3E, P-3, S-3 and H-46 aircraft. Stationed at Cecil Field, Florida - Rota, Spain - Atsugi, Japan and Guam. Sailed all over the world onboard Aircraft Carriers USS Eisenhower, USS Coral Sea and USS Independence in support of Iran Hostage Crisis, Desert Shield and Desert Storm 1 and 2 and others. Life Support Tech for Joint Task Force-Full Accounting Mission to Hanoi, Vietnam. Still sailing as Merchant Mariner.

Rod E Dubuque
Class of 1978
Navy, 20+ Years
Retired now, but still involved testing Navy ships. It was a rewarding career that allowed me to travel and see many places. Thank you to those that are serving today keeping us safe!
Class of 1978
Navy, 20+ Years
Retired now, but still involved testing Navy ships. It was a rewarding career that allowed me to travel and see many places. Thank you to those that are serving today keeping us safe!


William McCarter
Class of 1974
Army, 20+ Years
Stayed in long enough to get a blue I.D. card. Did a lot of airborne jumps out of planes and helicopters while in the 1st Special Forces Group. Wouldn't do that now! Was young and dumb once upon a time.
Class of 1974
Army, 20+ Years
Stayed in long enough to get a blue I.D. card. Did a lot of airborne jumps out of planes and helicopters while in the 1st Special Forces Group. Wouldn't do that now! Was young and dumb once upon a time.
Alumni Stories

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School News
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Our South Dade High School military alumni are some of the most outstanding people we know and this page recognizes them and everything they have done! Not everyone gets to come home for the holidays and we want our South Dade High School Military to know that they are loved and appreciated. All of us in Homestead are proud of our military alumni and want to thank them for risking their lives to protect our country!