John Robert Hilliard

Today I joined friends and colleagues to celebrate the life of John Hilliard, who recently passed at 87. For more than two decades, John was a dedicated volunteer at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum (formerly the Air Force Space & Missile Museum). His steady presence and warm spirit are already deeply missed.

John´s life reflected honor and service. A 1960 graduate of VMI, he served 23 years in the U.S. Air Force as a missile commander, intelligence officer, and arms control negotiator, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1983. He continued another 12 years in the aerospace industry.

I first met John in 2019 when he gave me my inaugural tour of the Cape. His passion for its history was contagious and helped convince me to take the helm as museum director. I soon counted him among my "Grand Triumvirate" (John, Jim Hale, and Roger McCormick) of museum knowledge. His meticulous research and willingness to share it shaped exhibits, tours, and countless conversations.

I will miss John´s company at Fly-In and Rickety Rocketeer breakfasts; Missile, Space and Pioneer banquets; museum volunteer meetings; and quiet hours in the archives digging for that elusive launch photo. I will miss his DV tours and historical briefings. Most of all, I will miss his smile and the wisdom he carried so effortlessly. I´m grateful he joined us to celebrate 75 years of launch this summer. RIP, John.

Jamie Draper
Museum Director

John. I will always remember you for your kindness and support. You took me under your wing, encouraging me and and teaching me something new every time we met. I miss my morning doughnut on the days you had duty. I will think of you every time I see a rocket launch - those were the best of times for me. Rest in peace.

Though born 9 years apart, we shared the same birthday and hairstyle. I'm going to miss sharing annual happy birthday emails. You must have stayed up until midnight to get yours out first. You always shared your knowledge of missile programs and that let me share the information with others. I will miss standing out at the press site at 1AM on a cold winter morning waiting through a 3 hour launch window but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Thanks for the past 20 years of friendship, John. It was fun and you made it so.

Here's John with Chris Calkins' "Good Guys" - Mark Heibert and Jim Hale and myself. John and Jim showed me the ropes on being a Media escort back in 2014 and was a great friend to have, many nice memories. Such days these were. His lasting advice, "Whatever you do, be the best at it. The rest will come!"

We are deeply saddened by the loss of John Hilliard. He was always the first to step up, always willing to give his time and energy in service to others. His support was unmatched and will never be forgotten. John was not only a dedicated volunteer, but also a friend, a veteran, and so much more. His presence brought strength and kindness to everyone around him. He will be deeply missed.