Lyman M. Kidder is originally from New Richmond, Wisconsin. He entered the
United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant after graduating from the
University of Colorado in 1953. He later earned a Masters Degree in Business
Administration from George Washington University.
Colonel Kidder's first flying assignment was as a B-47 co-pilot with the 301st Bomb Wing, Lockbourne AFB, Ohio, where he served as an aircraft commander and instructor pilot from 1955 to 1961. He was assigned to the Air Force Academy from 1961 to 1964 as an air officer commanding the 9th Cadet Squadron. following Air Command and Staff college in 1965 he went to Hahn AB, Germany, where he performed duties as Operations Officer of the 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron until December 1968. During this period he flew the F-100 and the F-4C. He served in Southeast Asia from 1969-1970 as Operations Officer and pilot with the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, Cam Rahn Bay, Vietnam. Following his tour, he spent three years in Washington D.C. His first year was as Action Officer for the Air Staff, DCS Plans and Operations, and Tactical Forces Branch. His time from 1971 to 1973 was spent as Joint Staff Exchange Officer to the Department of State in the Bureau of Political Affairs. He left that assignment in 1974 for the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the Strategic Air Command as Vice Commander of the 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Davis-Montham AFB, Arizona.
Colonel Kidder was assigned to Beale AFB as the 9th Strategic Wing Vice Commander in October of 1976. In September of 1977, he assumed the duties as Commander, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, serving in that capacity until January of 1979.
Colonel Lyman M. Kidder is a command pilot, qualified in the U-2 and the T-38 with more than 4,300 flying hours in his logbook. In Vietnam, he flew 232 combat flying hours in Southeast Asia.
His military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with six Oak Leaf clusters and the Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf cluster.