March 2003 Vol. 86, No. 3

AFA/AEF National Report

By Frances McKenney, Assistant Managing Editor

This month in AFA/AEF
AEF On the Radio	50-Plus
AFA On Your Car	A C-17 for Strom Thurmond
Calendar Art	More AFA/AEF News
At the Head of the Class	Unit Reunions
Second Lieutenant Starter Kit	AFA Conventions

AEF On the Radio The Aerospace Education Foundation has produced a series of public serviceannouncements for radio stations to use in connection with celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ flight. The series is called “Up From Kitty Hawk—This Week in Aviation History.” Each announcement describes a milestone in aerospace or aviation history that took place during a given week over the past 100 years. These announcements are formatted for one-minute or 30-second time slots, and AEF and the Air Force Association both receive mention as sponsors. In December, AEF mailed out about 500 CDs containing these short history lessons—covering 26 weeks from January to June—to radio stations. A second CD covering milestones for the rest of the year will be mailed out later. The first 26 segments can be downloaded from the AEF Web site: http://www.aef.org/KittyHawk/default.asp. The Web site lists the radio stations that received the initial CD mailing.

AFA Board Chairman John Politi toured Lockheed Martin’s Marietta, Ga., facilities in January for briefings on several aircraft programs. Above, in the cockpit of a C-5, Politi (left) listens to test pilot Stephen Knoblock describe modifications being carried out for the Galaxy under the Air Force’s Avionics Modernization Program. At left, Jim Bailey, F/A-22 major assembly director, explains manufacturing processes for the Raptor, as Lockheed’s Ed Tenoso and Bob Elrod listen in.

AFA On Your Car An initiative of the Gen. Charles A. Gabriel (Va.) Chapter may soon result in AFA license plates for association members in Virginia. The project began two years ago when Gabriel Chapter Treasurer James M. Holt, a recently retired USAF colonel, ecided he wanted a license plate with an Air Force theme. On the Virginia state Department of Transportation’s Web site, he found USAF– oriented plates for the Air Force Reserve and recipients of the Air Force Cross. Holt discussed this with Chapter President Jeffrey R. Barnett, and they decided to create an AFA license plate, since it would represent both USAF and the association. First, they received the go-ahead to represent the association on the state level for this endeavor, and Barnett then began rounding up support. State Sen. Janet D. Howell, a democrat representing part of northern Virginia, sponsored the enabling legislation, which Barnett said they expected to pass early this year. After the governor signs the bill, the chapter will contact members of AFA in the state, notifying them of the plate’s availability. Holt said they need a minimum of 350 prepaid applications to begin an initial plate run. The basic license plate for Virginia has a white background with blue letters and numbers. The chapter’s proposed design features a small “Wee Wings” AFA logo on the far left of the plate, with “ Air Force Association” in blue letters centered at the bottom. Holt said they will work with the transportation department on the final design. “I’m hoping that by late this year or early next, we will have AFA plates on our cars,” said Holt, who has four family vehicles on which to display his AFA affinity. Calendar Art The Lincoln (Neb.) Chapter joined forces with the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics and several other aviation-oriented organizations in the state to produce a Centennial of Flight calendar. The calendar lists important dates in aviation history, as well as events specific to Nebraska. It notes, for example, when Strategic Air Command at Bellevue, Neb., took delivery of its first B-52 (June 29, 1955); when the Nebraska Air National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Squadron—now the 155th Air Refueling Wing—stood up (July 26, 1946); and when the 155th, from Lincoln Airport, began supporting Enduring Freedom at Moron AB, Spain (Sept. 20, 2001). The calendar is illustrated by art work collected from an annual aviation art contest, also cosponsored by the Lincoln Chapter. The contest is open to students age six to 17, and selected winners go on to compete at the national and international level. Robert Hurst, chapter communications Vice President, said 1,500 calendars were printed and distributed mostly to schoolchildren. For this project, he and Diane R. Bartels, chapter aerospace education VP, joined a committee— including representatives from the FAA, Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, and the University of Nebraska Omaha Aviation Institute—that researched the calendar entries, wrote the background material, and gathered the art. The Lincoln Chapter served as the lead for raising funds, and Bartels literally took the calendar to press—working with a local Kinko’s. The calendar is the first in a series of monthly projects the chapter has planned, at the request of NASA, for Centennial of Flight activities in Nebraska. Upcoming events include unit reunions; a flight day camp during spring break for fourth- and fifth-graders; Native American Aviation Aerospace Day, aimed at schoolchildren from the fourth grade through high school; and a program honoring Evelyn Sharp of Ord, Neb., one of the original World War II Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron pilots. At the Head of the Class The Portland (Ore.) Chapter not only sponsored the participation of five classrooms in the Visions of Exploration program, Chapter President Maj. Bryon R. Fessler has taught two of them. Fessler attributes this to John Moore, former chapter president, who was determined to start up the program again in the Portland area last fall. Moore donated funds to sponsor classrooms, inspiring Fessler and the other elected state and chapter officers to do the same. USA Today, AEF, and AFA chapters sponsor the Visions program, which provides elementary and middle school classrooms with the newspaper for 18 weeks, along with lesson plans focusing on math, science, and technology. Fessler zeroed in on his son’s classroom at Felida Elementary School in Vancouver, Wash., showing fourth-grade teacher Karen Owen how to fit the program into her curriculum. Then in December, he taught a session on solids and gases (along with liquids, the three states of matter the children are required to learn about). He led two classes of 50 fourth-graders through hands-on demonstrations of the properties of air and solids and showed a video on Air Force aircraft and missions. He followed this group session with a visit to each classroom, where the kids asked him questions about the Air Force and his own career. As a follow-on activity, Fessler organized a field trip in late December to the Pearson Air Museum at Vancouver’s Pearson Field, where airplane operations date back to 1911. Joining Fessler in acting as docents for the two classes were AFA volunteers from the chapter and state level: Gregor J. Leist, state president; Tom Stevenson, state VP; John Lee, an AFA national director; Phillip A. Szymkowicz, chapter VP; Robert W. Menestrina; and Morris E. Giesler. The students toured the museum’s main display hangar to see a Curtiss Jenny and the largest surviving piece of the Hindenberg. At a hands-on center, they learned about such science-of-flight principles as air flow, resistance, and propeller design. They then visited the museum’s wooden hangar, built by the Army in 1918 and now serving as a restoration facility. Fessler said his stint as a fourth-grade teacher was so successful that he’s going back to teach more classes this year. Second Lieutenant Starter Kit When AFROTC cadets at the University of Central Florida in Orlando received their commissions in December, the Central Florida Chapter helped them mark the occasion with a gift—a second lieutenant’s starter kit consisting of a pair of gold bars, the USAF training ribbon, and a USAF hat insignia. Kathy Shuman, chapter VP, also presented the new officers with three-year AFA memberships. Several other chapter members participated in the commissioning ceremony. Capt. Mike Liquori, Det. 159’s commandant of cadets and a chapter member, served as master of ceremonies for the event, held at the student union. Chapter member Lt. Col. Timothy D. Wieck, detachment commander, introduced guest speaker Thomas G. Walters, mayor of Oviedo, Fla. Walters, who is a chapter member and retired Air Force colonel, spoke about core values and how they affected his more than 28 years on active duty. Richard A. Ortega, chapter aerospace education VP, gave the invocation and conducted the Pledge of Allegiance. The seven new lieutenants are: John A. Alden, Michael A.R. Castro, Walter W. Miller II, Edwin Rodriguez Jr., Abbillyn M. Schwartz, James A. Stinger, and William F. White. 50–Plus At a December gathering, three members of the Billy Mitchell (Wis.) Chapter received chapter Outstanding AFA Service Awards as a tribute to their more than 50 years—each—of AFA membership. According to the association’s membership database, Edgar W. Kynaston joined in May 1946, three months after AFA was incorporated in Washington, D.C. Anthony J. LaPorte joined that December. Max R. Harner has the distinction of having become a member in the same month and year that the US Air Force became a separate service. At this meeting, Chapter President Victor L. Johnson Jr. and State President Henry C. Syring presented awards to the 128th Air Refueling Wing, General Mitchell Airport, Wis.; the 440th Airlift Wing (AFRC), also from General Mitchell Airport; and restaurant owner Lori Adamczyk.

From left, Max Harner, Anthony LaPorte, and Edgar Kynaston received awards from the Billy Mitchell Chapter, recognizing their more than 50 years each as AFA members. LaPorte’s membership card is signed by AFA founder Jimmy Doolittle.

A C-17 for Strom Thurmond The Thomas W. Anthony (Md.) Chapter hosted the ceremony for Sen. Strom Thurmond when he attended the christening of a C-17 Globemaster III in his name at Andrews AFB, Md., on Dec. 12. A large banner in Hangar Three at Andrews proclaimed the chapter’s salute to Thurmond on his 100th birthday, which the senator had celebrated the week before. The transport aircraft, too, was 100—the 100th C-17 to roll off the assembly line. Seated in the VIP section at this ceremony were Andrew Veronis, Maryland state president; Charles X. Suraci Jr., chapter president; Sam O’Dennis, VP; Natalie L. Desmond, secretary; Thomas Bass Jr., treasurer; and William H. Thomas, chapter communications VP. The chapter hosted a luncheon in the hangar after the christening. Thurmond served in the Army in World War II and was a member of the Senate Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs committees until his retirement. The C-17 is assigned to his home state, to the 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, S.C. More AFA/AEF News Democratic Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, the Senate minority whip, was guest speaker at the Thunderbird (Nev.) Chapter’s Pearl Harbor Remembrance luncheon held at Nellis AFB, Nev. Reid, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, paid tribute to the men and women in the military. Among the more than 100 guests at the event were 10 survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor, as well as several AFA leaders: Emory S. Wetzel, an AFA national director; Robert J. Herculson Jr., state president; and Col. Wilhelm F. Percival, Thunderbird Chapter president. Richard W. Hoerle of the Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker Memorial (Ohio) Chapter led the annual commemorative ceremony to honor the chapter’s namesake in his hometown on Dec. 7. Rickenbacker, a World War I ace with 26 victories, is buried in Columbus, Ohio, at Greenlawn Cemetery, where the AFA chapter members and AFJROTC cadets from Westland High School conducted the ceremony. The chapter has been hosting this commemoration for 27 years, Hoerle told the local newspaper covering the event. Chapter member Melvin H. Gerhold, who retired from the Air Force and became a AFJROTC instructor at Westland High, organized the first commemoration in 1975 to educate youngstersabout Rickenbacker’s accomplishments. The Portland (Ore.) Chapter recently presented a painting to the 142nd Fighter Wing “Redhawks” in recognition of the mission it assumed after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The Air National Guard unit is based at Portland Airport and has been responsible for Operation Noble Eagle combat air patrols in the Pacific Northwest. Entitled “Redhawks 2 Go,” the artwork depicts the unit’s F-15s in flight near a snow-capped Mt. Hood. Artist Jerry Moore, who is a chapter member, painted the original oil for the US Air Force Art Collection. He painted and donated a copy of that piece to the Redhawks. Moore joined State President Gregor J. Leist and Chapter President Maj. Bryon R. Fessler in presenting the artwork to Col. Garry Dean, wing commander, at a commander’s call for wing maintainers in December. Beverly Liberty from Milton Bradley Elementary School in Springfield, Mass., was honored as New England Region Teacher of the Year at a ceremony at Westover ARB, Mass., in December. David T. Buckwalter, region president of the New England Region, presented the award, with Michael J. Owczarzak, president of the Pioneer Valley (Mass.) Chapter, and Winston S. Gaskins, chapter aerospace education VP. Owczarzak said Liberty was selected because she developed a space club at her school and a district-wide program for teachers to travel to the Kennedy Space Center for educational programs. The Air Force Memorial Foundation recently received $500,000 in pledges from Lockheed Martin and from Northrop Grumman. This donation brings Lockheed Martin’s total contribution for the memorial to more than $4 million and Northrop Grumman’s total to more than $1.5 million. The memorial is to be located on a promontory point of land overlooking the side of the Pentagon that was reconstructed after 9/11. The Navy Annex now occupies the site. More than 200 guests turned out at Hanscom AFB, Mass., Chapter in December. Joe Bisognano, chapter president, said each table at the party had a miniature tree on it. The trees were hung with tags listing a gift requested by a veteran from the Lowell, Mass., area. Bisognano said the chapter eventually collected more than 20 gifts and more than $1,600 to buy presents. Each veteran got at least two gifts, he said. “The response from the Hanscom community was unbelievable.” Retired Lt. Col. Ralph J. Tosti, senior aerospace science instructor at Bellevue West High School and a member of the Ak–Sar–Ben (Neb.) Chapter, discovered an unusual number of family ties among his 220 AFJROTC cadets: Thirty-six students in the school’s “Thunderbird Wing” are related. Among the 36 are a trio of sisters—Ester, Naomi, and Anna Knope—and the Goswicks, Jeana, Brandon, and Donald. Tosti said he and the other JROTC instructors looked through several years of class records and found that this is the highest number of siblings in their program at one time.

Every Saturday in October, the Hawaii Chapter cleans the Korean–Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the grounds of the state capitol in Honolulu. Here, chapter member Michael Hutcheson supervises a cleanup by (l–r) A1C Jason Casebolt, A1C Rondale Chapman, SSgt. Rictavius Green, and A1C Tasha Lorthridge, all volunteers from Hickam AFB, Hawaii.

Unit Reunions 5th AF, Hq and Hq Sq, 314th Composite Wg (WWII and Korea), and Hq, 5th Bomb Command (WWII). Sept. 17–21 in Branson, MO. Contacts: Louis Buddo or Bob Kendall, Box 270362, St. Louis, MO 63127 (314-487-8128). 5th BG, Thirteenth AF (WWII). April 10–13 at the Holiday Inn in Savannah, GA. Contact: Lee Benbrook (909-677-3853) benbrook@earthlink. net). 5th/108th Station Hospital (WWII), Fifth AF. Sept. 17–21 in Branson, MO. Contact: Jeff Seabock, PO Box 3635, Hickory, NC 28603 (828-324-6464). 7th SOS/ACS, UK and Germany. Oct. 11–26 in Europe. Contact: Omar Bradley, 1448 Bahia Dr., Navarre Beach, FL 32566 (850-939-8628) (bradtnt@aol.com). 27th/474th TFW and 832nd AD. Oct. 2–4 in Clovis, NM. Contacts: Virginia Murphy (505-763-3356) or Mike Connolly (mikec@plateautel. net). 33rd Photo Recon Sq, 363rd Tactical Recon Gp, Ninth AF (WWII). Oct. 10–13 at Wright–Patterson AFB, OH. Contact: Leonard Gold, 3265 Perry Ave., Oceanside, NY 11572 (516-766-0452) (captgold88@aol.com). 56th FG. June 5–8 at Bradley Field, CT. Contact: Ron Brubaker, PO Box 57, Red Creek, WV 26289 (304-866-4415). 62nd Troop Carrier/Airlift Wg Assn. Aug. 13–16 at the Tacoma Best Western Inn in Tacoma, WA. Contact: George Phillips, 62nd TC/AW Assn, PO Box 4220, McChord AFB, WA 98438-0220 (253-582-6059) (gphildc8@aol.com). 80th Service Gp (WWII), Fifth AF. Sept. 17–21 in Branson, MO. Contact: Virgil Staples, 725 16th St., West Des Moines, IA 50265 (515-225-8454). 320th ARS, March AFB, CA. April 28–May 2 in San Diego. Contact: Jack Templeton, Box 270443, San Diego, CA 92198 (858-613-0218) (jackinrb@san.rr.com). 331st Tactical Control Sq. May 23–24 at the Nashville Marriott in Nashville, TN. Contact: Jarv Adams, PO Box 213, Greenfield, NH 03047. 354th TFW. May 6–9 in Myrtle Beach, SC. Contact: George Branch, 9404 Cove Dr., Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 (843-449-7371) (agbranch@ aol.com). 405th Signal Co., Fifth AF. Sept. 17–21 in Branson, MO. Contact: Phil Treacy, 2230 Petersburg Ave., Eastpointe, MI 48021-2682 (810-775-5238). 481st Tactical Fighter Sq, Cannon AFB, NM. May 15–17 at the Lodge of the Ozarks in Branson, MO. Contact: Bob Finley, 6618 E. Valle di Cadore, Tucson, AZ 85750 (520-577-1006). 487th BG Assn, Eighth AF (WWII). May 29–31 in Savannah, GA. Contact: Henry Hughey, 1529 Delia Dr., Decatur, GA 30033 (770-939-2462). 494th BG (H), WWII. June 4–8 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Dearborn, MI. Contacts: Bill Goodman (313-886-0736) or Marshall Keller, 7412A Vassar Dr. East, West Bloomfield, MI 48322 (248-626-3684). 502nd Tactical Control Gp, 5th AF, Korea. Sept. 17–21 in Branson, MO. Contact: Fred Gorsek Jr., 445 S. State, Greenview, IL 62642 (217-968-5411). 1198th OE&T Sq. Oct. 5–7 in Las Vegas. Contact: Jerry Baird, 24 S. Groveland Ave., Medford, OR 97504 (541-779-4875) (orajerry@aol.com). 7330th FTW (MAP) Furstenfeldbruck, Kaufburen, and Landsberg ABs, Germany (1953–60). Aug. 20–24 in Furstenfeldbruck, Germany. Contact: Mike Cale, 14017 Fortunes Ridge Ct., Midlothian, VA 23112-4658 (804-744-2117) (jwctwig@aol.com). AACS Alumni Assn, all eras. Sept. 25–28 at the Fairview Park Marriott Hotel in Falls Church, VA. Contact: Mac Maginnis (253-474-8128) (cmagin4375@aol.com). Air Forces Escape & Evasion Society. May 1–4 in Wichita Falls, TX. Contacts: Clayton David, 19 Oak Ridge Pond, Hannibal, MO 63401 (573-221-0441) (davidafe@packetx.net) or Larry Grauerholz, PO Box 2501, Wichita Falls, TX 76307 (940-692-6700). BAD 2 Assn (Warton, UK). Sept. 4–6 in Salt Lake City. Contact: Dick McClune, 527 Quarterfield Rd., Newport News, VA 23602 (757-877-3826) (bad2trsr@msn.com). Bolling AFB, DC, B-25 Bunch. May 18–22 in Biloxi, MS. Contact: C.J. Smith, 5249 Old A&P Rd., Ripley, OH 45167 (937-375-4671). Flying Tigers of the Fourteenth AF Assn (WWII), veterans of the American Volunteer Gp (1941–42), China Air Task Force (1942–43), and Fourteenth AF (1943–45). May 22–25. Contact: Robert Lee, 717 19th St. S., Arlington, VA 22202-2704 (703-920-8384). Inflight Refueling Assn. Oct. 23–26 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel & Inn in Kissimmee, FL. Contacts: John Realmoto, 243 Harbor Ct., Winter Garden, FL 34787 (407-656-9724) (kc135qibo @cfl.rr.com) or Jim Threet, 8144 Larch Pl., Newburgh, IN 47630 (812-490-3288) (jl3t3733 @sigecom.net). OCS Class 53-A, Delta Flight. May 7–10 in Hilton Head, SC. Contacts: Ray Ballew, PO Box 4038, Greenville, SC 29608 (864-233-4147) (rayballew @yahoo.com) or Adrian Flakoll, 650 Toyon Pl., Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650-493-8106) (flavik650 @aol.com). OCS 63-D. June 18–22 at the Blue Moon Hotel in Miami. Contacts: Ray and Ceil Oliver, 261 S. Monterey St., Mobile AL 36604 (251-476-8737 or 678-427-2172). Pilot Tng Class 47-C. October in San Diego. Contact: Maj. Keith Smith, 14417 Colorado Pl., Canyon Country, CA 91387 (661-298-0625) (keithramsey2@socal.rr.com). Pilot Tng Class 53-D, Bartow, FL. April 29–30 in Hope, AR. Contact: Dave Gueldner, 17200 Newhope 101A, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (714-549-3283) (chilidave@hotmail.com). Pilot Tng Class 69-B, Webb AFB, TX. Aug. 21–24 in Cashiers, NC. Contact: Clint Price, 4228 West Creek Dr., Dallas, TX 75287 (972-250-4937) (marclint@iwon.com). Portland Rescue Units (1957–2003). April 25–27 at Portland Airport, OR. Contact: Dottie Johnson, 939th RQW, 6801 NE Cornfoot Rd., Portland Airport, OR 97218 (503-335-4683) (airforcerescuereunion@yahoo.com). AFA ConventionsFont>

April 25-26 Tennessee State Convention, Nashville, Tenn.

May 2-3 South Carolina State Convention, Charleston, S.C.

May 2-4 New Jersey State Convention, Cape May, N.J.

May 10 Kansas State Convention, Topeka, Kan.

June 6-8 AZ, NM, NV State Convention, Albuquerque, NM

June 7 Alabama State Convention, Montgomery, Ala.

June 13-16 New York State Convention, Fredonia, N.Y.

June 25-28 Alaska State Convention, Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska

June 25-29 California State Convention, March ARB, Calif.

July 12 Washington State Convention, McChord AFB, Wash.

July 18-20 Florida State Convention, Tyndall AFB, Fla.

July 18-20 Pennsylvania State Convention, Washington, Pa.

July 18-20 Texas State Convention, Austin, Tex.

July 25-27 Virginia State Convention, Hampton, Va.

July 26 Iowa State Convention, Sioux City, Iowa

Aug. 15-16 Utah State Convention, Ogden, Utah

Aug. 16 Georgia State Convention, Robins AFB, Ga.

Aug. 22 Missouri State Convention, Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.

Aug. 22-23 Colorado State Convention, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Sept. 15-17 AFA National Convention, Washington, D.C.

Sept. 28 New Hampshire State Convention, Manchester, N.H.

Oct. 24-25 Michigan State Convention, Alpena, Mich.

Copyright Air Force Association. All rightsreserved.