Wichita Falls Woman Remembers Capt. Lucas Gruenther
By: Melissa Foy
Updated: January 31, 2013
After three days of searching, the body of a former Sheppard Air Force Base pilot trainer was found off the Italian coast in the Adriatic Sea.
Captain Lucas Gruenther's F-16 disappeared Monday evening after taking off from Aviano Air Force Base for a nighttime training flight.
Luc, as he's known by family and friends, and his wife Cassy have ties to Texoma.
Lus was a T-37 instructor with the 80th Flying Training Wing before being assigned to Italy.
He was originally from California.
The 32-year-old most recently served as the chief of flight safety for the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base in Italy.
Luc previously served six months in Afghanistan.
He and his wife are expecting their first child in two weeks.
During Luc and Cassy's time at Sheppard, they came to know Shelly Wood and her husband Brian, a major in the Air Force.
Luc and Cassy were high school sweethearts.
"They were probably the strongest couple I've ever met. Probably the most adventurous couple I've ever met, too," Shelly says. "They were always off doing some sort of rock climbing adventure, biking adventure."
Wood says Luc was a phenomenal photographer and could often be found bending over backwards trying to get the best shot possible.
She says she and her husband were extremely concerned when they learned Luc went missing.
And now that he's gone, she says it doesn't seem real.
"Having a husband that's a pilot, you can't imagine anyone having to go through this. So when you first hear about it, I think the initial thought is, 'No, it's not true.' then you can't help but think what if that was you and that was your husband," Shelly says.
Fog and stormy weather hampered the search after the plane went missing Monday.
On Tuesday, debris from his aircraft as well as his helmet and parachute were recovered.
Captain Lucas Gruenther's F-16 disappeared Monday evening after taking off from Aviano Air Force Base for a nighttime training flight.
Luc, as he's known by family and friends, and his wife Cassy have ties to Texoma.
Lus was a T-37 instructor with the 80th Flying Training Wing before being assigned to Italy.
He was originally from California.
The 32-year-old most recently served as the chief of flight safety for the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base in Italy.
Luc previously served six months in Afghanistan.
He and his wife are expecting their first child in two weeks.
During Luc and Cassy's time at Sheppard, they came to know Shelly Wood and her husband Brian, a major in the Air Force.
Luc and Cassy were high school sweethearts.
"They were probably the strongest couple I've ever met. Probably the most adventurous couple I've ever met, too," Shelly says. "They were always off doing some sort of rock climbing adventure, biking adventure."
Wood says Luc was a phenomenal photographer and could often be found bending over backwards trying to get the best shot possible.
She says she and her husband were extremely concerned when they learned Luc went missing.
And now that he's gone, she says it doesn't seem real.
"Having a husband that's a pilot, you can't imagine anyone having to go through this. So when you first hear about it, I think the initial thought is, 'No, it's not true.' then you can't help but think what if that was you and that was your husband," Shelly says.
Fog and stormy weather hampered the search after the plane went missing Monday.
On Tuesday, debris from his aircraft as well as his helmet and parachute were recovered.
