Klickitat County's "Air-1" Celebrates Retirement After Two Decades of Service
Doug Herlihy also known as “Air-1” retired on May 1, 2024. Contributed photo from KCSO.
By Cole Goodwin
Goldendale, WA, May 4, 2024 — The skies over Klickitat County will see a notable absence after May 1, 2024, as Doug Herlihy, also known as "Air-1," has retired from the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Airwing. For twenty years, Herlihy has piloted his yellow Piper Cub, logging over 1,411 hours of his impressive 19,000 career flight hours in service to the county.
The Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Airwing, which started with Herlihy’s single airplane in 2004, has grown into the largest volunteer air unit of its kind in Washington State. Over the years, seven pilots have volunteered their time and planes to support a variety of critical tasks including fire watch, search and rescue for lost vehicles and people, and police activity oversight.
Herlihy’s career began in the U.S. Coast Guard, where his first assignment was flying seaplanes out of Port Angeles, Washington. He later captained the Lockheed Hercules, serving in Alaska and earning membership in the Grumman Silver Albatross Club for his rescue efforts with the Grumman Albatross aircraft. His dedication to aviation safety was recognized in 2016 when he received the FAA Wright Brothers “Master Pilot” Award, marking fifty years of accident-free flying.
As Herlihy transitions from public service to private practice as a forensic investigator of aviation accidents, the Klickitat County Sheriff's Office expressed deep gratitude for his years of service.
"We are thankful for all his knowledge and skill he has brought to the KCSO airwing. KCSO thanks Doug for being a great American and an outstanding patriot. When you see the yellow Piper Cub in the sky, give a wave and a thank you.” said the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office.
Klickitat County and its residents have greatly benefited from the "guardians in our skies," and while Herlihy will be missed, his legacy within the Airwing and the broader community will undoubtedly endure.
