Brock Strom: Air Force Falcons First All-American Tackle

Brock Strom anchored the trenches for the United States Air Force Academy, setting a standard of excellence as the program’s first All-American before becoming a decorated military aviator and space defense pioneer.

Football Bio

September 21, 1934 – Brock Strom was a former tackle from the Air Force Academy.

After high school, Strom attended Indiana University but soon transferred to the United States Air Force Academy. That first season in 1955, the entire Falcon squad was made up of Freshmen. The group gained experience together, and in a few years, they would become something special.

What a windfall for the Air Force Academy when 6-foot, 217-pound tackle Brock Strom became the team’s first All-American football player in 1958.

The 1958 Falcons were a special group, going undefeated and playing in the Cotton Bowl against a strong opponent in Texas Christian University. That regular season also included the memorable 13-13 tie against the heavily favored Iowa Hawkeyes.

Strom was also a national hero, receiving two distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, and three Air Medals. He later became one of the top men in the U.S. Space Defense Program!

The National Football Foundation selected Brock for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985. [National Football Foundation]

Brock Strom defined the ideal of the student-athlete and patriot, leading a legendary Air Force squad on the gridiron and carrying that same unyielding dedication into his combat service and national defense career.

The 1958 Cotton Bowl perfectly encapsulated the grit of Brock Strom’s squad. The undefeated Air Force Falcons battled TCU to a 0-0 tie in a grueling defensive struggle, capping an unbeaten season in just the program’s fourth year of existence—a meteoric rise that shocked the college football landscape.

Accolades and Football Accomplishments

• Served as a leading director in the U.S. Space Defense Program.
• First consensus All-American in Air Force Academy history (1958).
• Captain of the undefeated 1958 Air Force Falcons team (9-0-2).
• Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
• Academic All-American honors in 1958.
• Inducted into the inaugural class of the Air Force Athletics Hall of Fame (2007).
• Decorated military combat pilot in the Vietnam War (Two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Bronze Stars, three Air Medals)

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