Bob Gilliland was ‘Papa Bear’ pilot for top-secret Blackbird

By , Daily Memphian Updated: July 09, 2019 2:16 PM CT | Published: July 08, 2019 4:30 PM CT

Bob Gilliland flew into aviation history in 1964 as the test pilot for the top-secret SR-71 Blackbird. He died Thursday at his home in California at age 93.

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Bob Gilliland
Jane Roberts

Jane Roberts

Jane Roberts has reported in Memphis for more than 20 years. As a senior member of The Daily Memphian staff, she was assigned to the medical beat during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also has done in-depth work on other medical issues facing our community, including shortages of specialists in local hospitals. She covered K-12 education here for years and later the region’s transportation sector, including Memphis International Airport and FedEx Corp.


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