Born: United States of America
Primarily active in: United States of America

1946-2023

Mike Nyalko

Marine Aviator, STOVL Pioneer

Michael Nyalko was born on Dec. 25, 1946, in Monessen, Pennsylvania. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout at age 14. He was an avid outdoorsman; he hunted, fished and trapped in Pennsylvania at a very young age with his father. He attended The Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology.

Nyalko was commissioned as a Marine 2nd Lieutenant upon graduation. He began Naval Aviation flight training in Pensacola, Florida, and received his Wings of Gold in November 1969 and joined Marine Attack Squadron VMA-324 flying the A-4E Skyhawk attack jet, based in Beaufort, South Carolina, in early 1970. Nyalko deployed to the Western Pacific, joining VMA 311 at Da Nang, South Vietnam, for a combat tour in August 1970. He flew 179 combat missions in the Skyhawk in support of the Vietnam War. Upon return, he served as a Navy Advanced Flight Training Instructor in Beeville, Texas, with Training Squadron VT-25 from 1971–73, flying the TA-4 Jet aircraft. In 1974, Nyalko was selected as one of the first Marines to fly the AV-8A Harrier, the Marines’ short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) “Jump Jet” and was assigned to VMA-231 at Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina. As VMA-231’s Landing Signal Officer (LSO), he completed a Mediterranean cruise with Carrier Air Group CAG-19 as part of the Harrier Air Integration trials aboard the USS Roosevelt (CVA-42) in 1976–77.

Nyalko attended Amphibious Warfare School (AWS) at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Quantico, Virginia, in 1977–78. Upon graduation, Nyalko joined the Marine Attack Training Squadron (VMAT) 203 at Cherry Point, North Carolina, as a flight instructor for Harrier jets. He was instrumental in training Harrier replacement pilots in 1977–80. He was then accepted to the Navy’s Test Pilot School (TPS) at Patuxent River, Maryland, in 1980. He graduated with distinction, following a highly rigorous selection and training program, and was selected as the Outstanding Student of his class. Nyalko performed development and testing of the AV-8B Harrier II from 1980 to 1985.

In 1985, Nyalko deployed overseas to Iwakuni, Japan, to join Marine Aircraft Group 15, flying the F-4 Phantom II fighter aircraft. Throughout his military career, including at TPS, he flew a total of 36 different type/model/series aircraft. He then attended Military Top-Level School at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF) in Washington, DC, in 1986–87.

From 1987–98, Nyalko was assigned to Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in Arlington, Virginia. He was the first Marine assigned to the A-12 Avenger II attack aircraft program, serving as the Integrated Test Team lead. After the A-12 Program was cancelled, he became the Director of Engineering for the Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST)/Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. This competition between the X-32 and X-35 demonstrators with conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL), carrier capable (CV) and the STOVL variants resulted in today’s Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.

Nyalko retired from the Marine Corps at the rank of Colonel in 1998. His decorations, medals, badges and citations awarded were: Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (strike/flight with 13 devices), Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V”, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation (third award), National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (second award), Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

During 1998–2010, Nyalko served as Vice President of Business Development for Rolls-Royce in the Patuxent River office, supporting Rolls-Royce military engine products, including the Harrier’s Pegasus engine and the F-35B LiftSystem. Also in that role, he performed leadership and mentoring roles that were instrumental in the technical development of the vertical lift system for the successful production and maintenance of the F-35.

Nyalko retired in 2010 to become a full-time outdoorsman. Throughout his military/civilian career, he continued his love and pursuit of the great outdoors by hunting and fishing. His zoology degree and interest in nature shaped him into a local expert. “Mike perfected the true artistry of fly tying for fly fishing,” his obituary read.

During his combat tour in Da Nang, Vietnam, Nyalko and his squadron were exposed to Agent Orange. In the 1990s, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and given only six months to live. Instead, he found a trial program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and enrolled as a “patient zero” for experimental treatment. As one of only two patients who survived the initial trial, he paved the way for NIH to further develop the trial into a successful treatment used to this day, now resulting in a five-year US survival rate of 71%. His involvement in these clinical trials was, in essence, an extension of his military combat service.

Nyalko continued to thrive through 30+ years of intermittent chemo and a successful stem cell transplant. The stem cell transplant was successful in curing his lymphoma. However, the many years of chemotherapy eventually led to a fatal case of leukemia. His experience with cancer motivated his interest in helping others to navigate their treatments. He was always supportive and openly shared his vast knowledge, advice and compassion. He was a member, volunteer and guide for the non-profit Project Healing Waters, Inc., dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active-duty military service personnel and disabled veterans, working in the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing program. He was also a member, volunteer and guide for Reel Recovery, a non-profit organization that conducts free fly-fishing retreats for men living with all forms of cancer.

The Vertical Flight Society recognized his career in advancing vertical flight with the prestigious Paul E. Haueter Award in 2016 at Forum 72.

In April 2023, Nyalko received the Marine Corps Aviation Association (MCAA) John Glenn Squadron’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. In the future, this award will be presented as the Colonel Michael A. Nyalko Lifetime Achievement Award. The MCAA enthusiastically embraced “Iron Mike” Nyalko as their first recipient.

Nyalko was recognized as “a very specialized, skilled and recognized leader — a one-of-a-kind throughout his life. He was simply a personal and professional role model in every respect to those lucky enough to have served with him or who just knew him as a friend,” stated his obituary. “He will be remembered by generations for the gifts he left behind for all of us. He taught us how to live our lives with love, respect and humility to become better persons … and he taught us to have the courage to die with grace and dignity.”

Michael Alan Nyalko, Col., US Marine Corps (Ret.), 76, of Leonardtown, Maryland, passed away on May 26, 2023. A funeral service and burial with military honors was held at Arlington National Cemetery on Nov. 7, 2024.

Society Updates: In Memoriam, Vertiflite, January/February 2025