More detail on this person: Gregory Adrian McAllister Etzel was born April 9, 1936 in Brooklyn, NY, to Adrian John and Elwina Clair McAllister Etzel. He earned his heavenly reward May 5, 2026 in Orangevale, CA. He was the loving and devoted husband of Veronica Diane Peters Enabnit Etzel, and the father of Deborah Shupe (Doug), Jennifer Longstreet (Dan), Guy Etzel (Kristi), Chris Etzel, and Mimi Stevens (Don). He was blessed with 13 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. He is survived by his sisters Muffin Fitzpatrick, Brooke Danna, Tara Frederick (Philip), and Victoria Huddleston (Keith). Greg graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY, with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering Degree. There, he joined various clubs, including JrROTC and their rifle team, as well as the Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity's track and hockey teams. He worked at Sikorsky in Bridgeport, CT as a Jr Electrical Engineer in Experimental Test. The Air Force then called him up for pre-flight pilot training. Upon completion, he was given his choice of aircraft. He chose helicopters, which became a lifelong passion. His Air Force career took him overseas to Iceland, South America, Belgian Congo, Ethiopia, and Vietnam. He participated in balloon-chasing and photomapping. May 31-June 1, 1967, he was a pilot in one of two helicopters that flew the first nonstop Transatlantic flight made possible by in-air refueling. They landed at the Paris Air Show to great fanfare. Next, he was sent to Vietnam as part of the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service, whose motto is "These things we do that others may live." He was an HH3-e Jolly Green Giant helicopter pilot recovering downed pilots. He was awarded the Air Force Cross for a particularly harrowing rescue - his first mission. In addition to the AFC, he was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and several medals for meritorious achievement in flight and service. His next assignment was to the Naval Test Pilot School. Upon graduating, he was sent to Edwards AFB for astronaut training, but to his disappointment, that program was canceled. He then became a Test Pilot there. Later, he earned a Master of Science in Systems Management from USC. Retiring after more than a 22-year Air Force career as a Lieutenant Colonel, he worked for Aerojet for 20 years (plus 13 more as a consultant for them). He belonged to the Legion of Valor, an elite organization whose membership is restricted to the top two military awards in the nation. He also belonged to several helicopter organizations. He was an avid reader, enjoyed attending family and military reunions, helping to rebuild a vintage aircraft, target shooting, researching genealogy, and traveling. He was a lifetime member of the NRA since 1963, an NRA instructor, and helped design the long-distance rifle range in Ione, CA. He was a founding member of the El Dorado County Veterans Monument, a member of the VA Northern CA IRB, and an RCIA sponsor in the Catholic Church. Friends and family are invited to attend a viewing on Thursday, June 4, 2026 from 10:30 - 11:00 am, Mass from 11:00 - 12:00 pm, and a celebration of life immediately following (Please RSVP), at Holy Family Catholic Church, Citrus Heights, CA. Burial Friday, June 5th at 10:15 am at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery (5810 Midway Rd., Dixon, California) Gregory was a member of our USAF helicopter family and served tours >in the Vietnam War as a pilot on HH-3E Jolly Greens in the 1967-1968-time frame. He also made history as the co-pilot on one of >the HH-3E helicopters to make the first non-stop helicopter flight >across the Atlantic in 1967.
Burial information: Sacramento Valley National Cemetery , Dixon, CA
This information was last updated 06/15/2026
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Date posted on this site: 07/15/2026
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