Major Douglas L. Blake, USAF (Ret) went west with his F-4 Phantom in full afterburner, on November 13, 2025 at 3:30 PM. He was born on February 24, 1939, to the late Mary Frances Hutchinson Blake and Douglas Leslie Blake in Syracuse, NY, and raised with his 6 siblings in the countryside near Baldwinsville, NY.

In 1956 he graduated from Baldwinsville High School, where he was on the Track, Cross Country and Wrestling teams. Doug joined the Air Force after a brief stint at Syracuse University, and attended primary Navigator Training at Harlingen Air Force Base (AFB) in South Texas as an Aviation Cadet.

A Distinguished Graduate, he was awarded his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant in March 1960, and subsequently earned a Navigator Bombardier rating from Mather Air Force Base in CA. After serving as a B-52 Navigator at Travis AFB until May 1966, Doug, now a Captain, went to Primary Basic Pilot Training at Webb AFB, Texas, earning his third rating, as a Pilot, in May 1967, again as a top graduate.

After training in the F-4 Phantom in Tucson AZ, Doug served a tour in Vietnam as a Forward air controller with call sign Rash 22. Then upgrading to F-4 Aircraft Commander, served a second combat tour at Udorn Royal Thani AFB, Thailand. He served his remaining flying years at Homestead AFB, FL as a flight instructor in an F-4 Replacement Training Unit, serving an additional Temporary Duty combat tour, again at Udorn Thani.

He served a Staff Officer tour in Virginia Beach and the Washington DC area, and finding staff duty stifling, retired as a Major on March 31, 1979. Doug's combat service awards include the Silver Star, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses with device for Valor, the Meritorious Service Medal, 25 Air Medals and the Vietnamese Cross with Palm.

Doug met his sweetheart Erica Marie Lorentz within pilot training at Webb and they were married on December 27, 1969. They had one daughter, Susan, who is dad's pride and joy. After retirement, Doug was employed by General Dynamics, which later became Lockheed Martin, as a Technical Writer/ Editor for the F-16 Flight Manual, where he also worked diligently to upgrade the manual writing systems used to produce flight and service manuals to fully automated, modern systems.

Upon his second retirement in 2004, he began Medical training and was awarded the Masters in Physician Assistant Studies in 2008. He then served as a volunteer at Mission Arlington Medical Clinic and other free clinics until weeks before his death.

In the last years of his life, he enjoyed travel and choir singing at his church and in a chorale, culminating in a concert at Carnegie Hall.

Calling hours will be held on Friday, November 21, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Falardeau Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 22, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home, 93 Downer St., Baldwinsville.

He will be interred in Jacksonville Cemetery near his boyhood home in rural NY, beside his mother and father.

Doug was predeceased by his father and mother; brothers, Richard, Ronald, and David Blake; and sister, Cheryl Warner.

He is survived by his daughter, Susan; ex-wife Erica; sister, Joyce (Nick) Grasso; brother, Gary (Helga) Blake; several nieces and nephews; and celebrated by many friends in Texas at his church and Mission Arlington.