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USAF MSC Association

NEWSLETTER

_____________________________________________________ DECEMBER 2012

FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

This is a busy time of the year. Thanksgiving was a wonderful time to give thanks for

our many blessings and to enjoy time with our families. And now we are all preparing

for Christmas and a New Year!

For the holidays this year, surprise a fellow MSC by giving them a gift membership in

the Association. I challenge each of you to recruit one new member. Help us to

document, preserve and disseminate historical information about the Corps. The

Corps is what it is today because of your contributions.

Have you submitted a nomination for the Commitment to Excellence Award? If not,

you still have time to do so. Nominations are due to Jennifer Riggins, newly appointed

Association Secretary, by 15 January 2013 to the secretary@mscassociation.org or

mail to Jenifer Riggins at 895 Gloucester Drive, Sumter, SC 29150-2281. The purpose

of this award is to recognize outstanding service by a retired Medical Service Corps

officer who has contributed to the advancement of the Association, the Air Force

Medical Service Corps and/or to the Air Force Medical Service. The period of

consideration for this award is the member’s service following retirement from active

duty. Candidates for the Commitment to Excellence Award must:

Be a member in good standing in the Association,

Be nominated by an active member of the Association,

Be a recognized as a leader among Association members,

Have made a significant contribution to the advancement of the Association,

the Air Force Medical Service Corps and/or the Air Force Medical Service

after retiring from the Air Force,

Be a consummate team player and role model for others in the Association and

Medical Service Corps.

In October the Board approved a proposal presented by Charlie Brown and Kevin O’Shea to have the

responsibilities of the Secretary realigned into two positions. The second position will be Member Services which

assumes the responsibilities for all activities affecting the membership. Neither the Secretary nor Member

Services position will require the officer to be an elected board member. Kevin will continue to carry out the

responsibilities for Member Services. Lt Col Jennifer Riggins has been selected by the Board to assume the

responsibilities as Secretary pending approval of AF/SG3 IAW Section 3-201 of the Joint Ethic Regulation, DOD

5500-7-R due to her active-duty status.

Officers and Key Contacts

Col Joe Vocks

Chairperson

Col Debra Cavanaugh

President

Col Randy Borg

Vice President

Col Kevin O’Shea

Secretary

Col Al Obuchowski

Treasurer

Col Kevin O’Shea

Director & Member

Services Representative

Lt Col Sam Bowker

Director

Col Charlie Brown III

Director

Col Bob Hauser

Director

Col Denise Lew

Director

Col Tim Morgan

Director

Col Jim Pearce

Director

Col Pat Dawson

AD Liaison/Advisor

Lt Col Jennifer Riggins

Association Secretary

Maj Wayne G. Terry

Newsletter Editor

Capt Wm. M. Copeland

General Counsel

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I hope you will “Meet Me in St. Louis” for our 2013 Reunion 19-22 September. St. Louis offers a lot to see and do.

I look forward to renewing old friendships and making new ones.

Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season and a blessed new year,

Joe Vocks, Chairman of the Air Force MSC Association Board of Directors

_____________________________________________________________________________________

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Time to count your blessings

In my last letter, I was lamenting about what I was going to do after my employment ended in March. In August,

God threw a huge speed bump in my path to help me stop and take notice of the many blessings I have. My

family and friends supported me through some tough health issues and they are among my greatest blessings. I

firmly believe it was their prayers and positive thoughts that pulled me through and still get me through most

days.

As the holidays grow closer, take the time to count your blessings and don’t assume you’re bullet proof. Hug your

spouse, kids and grandkids. You can never spend too much time with them because they will be the ones to be

there for you when it really gets tough.

Have a happy and safe holiday season!

Sincerely

Debra Cavanaugh, Association President

_______________________________________________________________________________

PROJECT CONNECT

Project Connect is still alive and well! One of the benefits of Association Membership is our Project Connect.

Our current Project Connect network includes about 300 of our 800 active members. Being part of Project

Connect does not necessarily mean you are looking for a new position. What it also means is that you want to

remain part of the “network” for spreading the word about employment opportunities, having current

information for your “mentoring” opportunities, and keeping your communication channels open for those who

are actively seeking a new position.

Project Connect receives employment opportunities from a variety of sources, and each one is broadcast by email

to the 300 of our members that have indicated they want to receive Project Connect notices. If you want to have

your email address added, just drop a note to me (Jim Moreland) at: webmaster@mscassociation.org. And,

anyone who knows of an employment opportunity, send me an email at webmaster@mscassociation.org, and

please include the points of contact you want respondents to contact.

For those seeking employment, we also offer the opportunity to have your résumé broadcast to our members, and

to have your résumé posted on the website for a period of time. When you send résumés for distribution, please

keep in mind that our bulk mailing system is “text only”, so please submit your résumé in that format. Be clear in

your email to me about when you will be available, and what you are looking for. I generally send résumés out

with the proviso that résumé subjects are making their résumés available to our “network” to both solicit

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feedback or how they might improve their résumés, as well as to alert our network that they are actively seeking

employment.

Feedback is always welcome. We like to know if Project Connect is working for our members. I have heard

personally from a dozen members in the past year that they actually connected with an employer and got hired, so

we know Project Connect works! (Jim Moreland, webmaster@mscassociation.org, 210-595-0090)

Furnished by Jim Moreland, Col, USAF, MSC (Ret), Association Webmaster and Past Chairman of the Board.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2013 REUNION – MEET ME IN SAINT LOUIS

Plans are moving along well for our next reunion! Mark your calendars and

make plans to join us for what is sure to be a wonderful event. We’ve selected

the Millennium Hotel in Saint Louis as the location for the reunion, scheduled

for 19-22 September 2013. A block of rooms at a reduced rate has been set

aside for the reunion, and the hotel is now taking reservations. Please call the

hotel reservations desk at (800) 325-7353, and be sure to tell them you are

booking your reservation as part of the Air Force Medical Service Corps

Association Reunion to take advantage of the reduced room rates. The

Millennium offers an attractive location in beautiful downtown Saint Louis

near many dining and entertainment venues. It provides beautiful views of the

Arch, which is within walking distance, including those from its rotating

restaurant atop one of its two towers. In our April 2013 newsletter, you’ll

receive all of the information you’ll need to register for the reunion itself. For now, be sure to save the dates, and

reserve your hotel rooms!

Randy Borg, Vice President of the MSC Association and Chairman of the 2013 Reunion Planning Committee.

___________________________________________________________________________________

CRISIS IN THE GULF

Boudreaux suddenly quit drinking, started taking a bath, quit chasing women, quit his poker games and stopped

lying around. He started cutting the grass around the church, even painted the church and was faithful to be first

to attend on Sundays!

Father Thibodeaux asked Boudreaux “…What about dis wonderful change that had done overtook him.”

Boudreaux explained, “I heard ‘Crisis in the Gulf’ and if He’s dat close, I wanna be good to go!”

Contributed by Jim Pearce, Col, USAF, MSC (Ret), and Association Board Member.

_________________________________________________________________________________

A COWBOY TOMBSTONE:

Here are the Five Rules for Men to follow for a Happy Life that Russell J. Larsen had inscribed on his headstone

in Logan, Utah. He died not knowing he won the "Coolest Headstone" contest.

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FIVE RULES FOR MEN TO FOLLOW FOR A HAPPY LIFE:

1. It’s important to have a woman who helps at home, cooks from time to time, and cleans up. 2. It’s important to have a woman who can make you laugh. 3. It’s important to have a woman who you can trust, and doesn’t lie to you. 4. It’s important to have a woman who is good in bed and likes to be with you. 5. It’s very important that these four women do not know each other or you could end up dead like me.

Contributed by Bill Copeland, MSCA Member & General Counsel to the Board

______________________________________________________________________________

MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS DUE IN JANUARY

MEMBERSHIP DUES ARE PAYABLE IN JANUARY FOR 2013! The address label on the front of the

newsletter reads “DUES PAID THRU: XXXX.” Use this to find your current membership status. Annual

dues are $15 for active duty, drilling guard and reserve majors and below. For all others, they’re just

$20. Remember, we also offer a discount for annual members who upgrade to life membership status!

You can renew your membership online at www.MSCassociation.org using PayPal™ or by mailing

the enclosed renewal form and check to:

USAF MSC Association, Inc.

4008 Plantation House Road

Summerville, SC 29485-6239

Please be sure to update all your contact information. This helps us to get in touch with you more quickly.

If you have any questions, please contact our member services coordinator at info@mscassociation.org or by

calling toll free: (866) 818-2110.

_________________________________________________________________________________

"America needs God more than God needs America.

If we ever forget we are 'One Nation under God',

then we will be a Nation gone under."

~ Ronald Reagan ~

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MARILYN MONROE AND THE GENERAL

Posted 8/13/2012 Updated 8/14/2012

By Col Michael J. Underkofler, 514

th Air Mobility Wing Commander

GENERAL HOYT S. VANDENBERG

General Hoyt S. Vandenberg was the second chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. The general

was born at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1899. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy June 12, 1923, and

commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Service.

8/13/2012 JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX – LAKEHURST, N.J. – Plastered across the pages of many

magazines, blogs and newspapers last month were photos and stories about the untimely death of actress

Marilyn Monroe 50 years ago. Some authors went beyond just simply discussing her beauty or sexual

exploits and opined she was actually quite brilliant. Sources said Monroe worked incredibly long hours,

almost singlehandedly, to strategically manage her image to keep the public fascinated. These recent

stories and photos have exposed the starlet to a new generation of Americans, many of whom will

become similarly captivated.

Besides her beauty, Monroe was famous for her quips and sexual innuendos. When asked what three

men she'd like to be trapped on a deserted island with, she responded Joe DiMaggio, Albert Einstein and

Hoyt Vandenberg – her husband, the scientist and the Air Force general respectively.

Like Monroe, Vandenberg was incredibly good looking and was featured, albeit not often, on the cover

of popular magazines. A West Point graduate and pilot, Vandenberg quickly advanced through the

ranks, serving in key positions like the 9th Air Force commander, where he helped to plan the

Normandy invasion. He also served as the director of Central Intelligence, the forerunner of the CIA.

Well-known in Washington's social and political circles, Vandenberg was a gentleman and professional.

Despite the daunting task, as the deputy commander of the air staff, along with the Army deputy, he

helped carve the manpower, equipment and bases to subdivide the United States Air Force from the

Army.

It could be characterized as the most amicable divorce ever, the model of cooperation and agreement.

He was an easy pick to later become the vice chief and later the Air Force's second chief of staff in 1948.

Vandenberg had style too.

He took a major role in designing a new uniform for the Air Force. President Harry Truman liked the

idea but told Vandenberg he had to win over Congress.

To do so, Vandenberg and a colonel went to Capitol Hill in the suggested garb. Instead of Vandenberg

making the pitch before the Senate Armed Forces Committee, the colonel did. This was calculated as

Vandenberg secretly dressed as a sergeant and kept quiet. When the colonel finished speaking he

introduced the "sergeant." Once the congressmen realized the ruse, they roared with approval and gave

Vandenberg the go-ahead for the new uniform.

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As chief of staff, Vandenberg labored on weightier issues too, such as doctrine, force strength and basing

- every day a laundry list of tasks to be accomplished to make the Air Force a stronger service. This

took a heavy toll on him, but he kept pushing forward.

Vandenberg also decided we needed an air-centric way to address Air Force enlisted personnel. No

longer would the first five enlisted grades be referred to by the Army ranks of private, private first class,

corporal, sergeant and sergeant first class.

On February, 20, 1950, Vandenberg directed that all Air Force enlisted personnel be called airmen with

the first five grades shortly thereafter being addressed as basic airman, airman, airman third class,

airman second class and airmen first class.

He wrote, "The habitual use of the term 'airman' should aid in distinguishing the enlisted personnel of

the Air Force from those of the other services and in identifying them more closely with their chosen

service in the structure for national defense.”

Like most military members, Vandenberg spent much time away from his family. He sought ways to

make his time with them precious and memorable. When his son graduated from West Point, the two of

them went to Detroit and purchased a new car off the factory floor and drove it back to Washington.

His son, who later became a general himself, said he cherished the time his father was able to carve out

of his busy schedule to make that trip.

In 1952 President Truman nominated Vandenberg for a second term as chief of staff, but he only served

until June 1953. The general with boyish good looks was ill and retired after serving 30 years in the

military.

Sadly, he died of prostate cancer the following spring at age 55. The funeral procession from the

National Cathedral to Arlington National Cemetery was one of the biggest in Washington with

thousands lining the road to honor him.

Just like Marilyn Monroe, we lost a talent too early. Vandenberg's life and service to the nation are

incredibly instructive: hardworking, dedicated, visionary, professional, courteous and a family man are

some of the things I think best describe him. Fortunately for, us our military has had many great

leaders – officers, enlisted and civilian alike – to learn from and to emulate.

The challenge for us is to make sure we tell their stories often so future generations are as captivated by

them as they are of former blonde bombshells.

SOURCE: Air Force Reserve Command Bulletin 8/14/2012.

________________________________________________________________________________

“I fear the day when technology overlaps with humanity.

The world then will have a generation of idiots.”

~ Albert Einstein ~

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BRIGADIER GENERAL DON WAGNER TEAMBUILDER AWARD

AND OUR NEWEST LIFETIME MEMBER, 1ST

LT ERIC EASY

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st Lt Eric Easy is the first time awardee of the newly

created Brigadier General Don Wagner Teambuilder

Award in HSA Class 13-A, and presented to him by BG

Wagner at the graduation exercise on 2 November 2012.

The association congratulates Lt Easy on receiving this

prestigious award. Lt Easy has served the past year as

Medical Logistics OIC at Forbes Field ANGB in Kansas.

His hometown is Englewood, Florida. He is married to

Madelyn Easy and has two children, Azariah and

Jeremiah. He has a BS in Science-Health Services and an

MBA in Healthcare/Finance. His future plans are to

finish medical school and become a flight surgeon. And,

in conjunction with the Teambuilder Award, he has also

been given life-time membership in the Association.

Pictured l-r is BG Don Wagner. Lt Eric Easy, Col Michael Schell Chief Medical Support Division and Command

Medical Administrator, HQ Air Force Materiel Command, and Col Pat Dawson, Director of the Medical Service

Corps and Chief, Medical Personnel and Data Management Division for the Office of the Air Force Surgeon

General.

_____________________________________________________________________________

AIR COMMANDO MEDIC

September 11, 2001. Terrorists attack America in New York City

and Washington D.C. President George W. Bush immediately

called on the Armed Forces to be ready. Lt Col John (Jay) Felins

was assigned as the Administrator to the 59th Medical Wing’s

Surgical Operations Group when he was summoned by name

request straight from USCENTCOM Surgeon’s staff through the

Air Force Surgeon General.

The task – serve as the Director of Medical Operations and Plans

Officer within Special Operations Command Central Command

(SOCCENT) as America’s response to the terrorist attacks were

being prepared. This would be the first actions taken to prepare a

medical plan within Special Operations for Operation

ENDURING FREEDOM.

Lt Col Felins was charged with making sure all Special Operations medical forces, resources and plans were

coordinated in conjunction with other DoD components, USCENTCOM and other agencies. He would be

assigned to SOCCENT for two months orchestrating medical capabilities of small, highly trained, specialized

teams that would be sent to various locations within the AO, providing top notch medical care to the war fighter.

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In speaking with Lt Col Felins, he stated that “all the personnel called upon to take care of that mission knew each

other, the working relationships were strong, and no one questioned when something was needed.” Lt Col Felins

had stated that being asked to report to SOCCENT and planning for the early missions of Operation ENDURING

FREEDOM is one of the highlights and milestones of his career. He was selected to perform at the highest of

levels during a stressful and uncertain time. Lt Col Felins proved to be the right person for the job, earning many

accolades for the effective planning that undoubtedly saved lives in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Lt Col Felins had served in many roles as a Medical Service Corps officer before being placed in SOCCENT in

response to the events of 11 September 2001. Some of his roles were in the clinic and hospital setting, but most of

his experience was in Special Operations. He was assigned to the 1st Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) Squadron and

served on active jump status at Ft. Bragg with US Army Airborne medical units, assisting in developing an

Airborne Aeromedical Evacuation Liaison Team. He also served as the Chief of AE Operations and Plans,

HQ/ACC.

It was at this assignment where he was instrumental in advancing WRM assets, training, and assessment

programs into the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, Louisiana. Lt Col Felins also deployed to Saudi

Arabia as a Squadron Section Commander in support of Operation DESERT STORM. He deployed to Somalia

in support of Operation RESTORE HOPE, and served as the Director of AE Operations for Operation UPHOLD

DEMOCRACY (Haiti 1994), all the time serving and supporting Special Operations in some aspect.

He established AFSOC’s advanced medical capability with the stand-up of the expeditionary medical flight, which

provided emergency surgical and stabilization care to the war fighter. These Special Operations medical teams

have been a mainstay for SOF, saving lives in Operations IRAQI and ENDURING FREEDOM and UNIFIED

RESPONSE in Haiti. Lt Col Felins went on to command the 16th Medical Support Squadron, and later became

the Chief of the Medical Readiness Division for AFSOC at Hurlbert Field.

Lieutenant Colonel John (Jay) Felins retired on 27 July 2012 after 28 years of service in the Air Force Medical

Service Corp. Lt Col Felins answered the call when the Special Operations community needed a seasoned medical

planner and with over 16 years in SOF, Lt Col Felins has earned the title Air Commando Medic!

Written by Maj Kevin Ramsey and Capt Marc Rittberg and furnished by John “Jay” Felins MSCA Member.

_____________________________________________________________________________

C-130 MISSIONS BRINGING BACK US REMAINS OUT OF NORTH VIETNAM

The following is a first-hand telling of C-130 missions bringing US Forces remains back from North Vietnam, as

told by John “Jack” O’Connor who on 5 September 2012 put pen to paper to recapture his recollections of one of

the missions on bringing home the remains of fallen American service members who died during the Vietnam

conflict.

I have been toying for years about writing a full accounting of our missions to Hanoi to bring back our “Fallen

Heroes,” but just have not done so yet. Still may do so someday! But, for the moment, I’ll give you a fast and

dirty version.

A little background first: I had flown in and out of Hanoi twice before, flying out of U-Tapao AB, Thailand-with

the peace negotiating team. Both times, we were ordered to wear civilian clothes and be nice to them. They took

our pictures as we sat around a table for a briefing. The infamous "Rabbit" was in charge. At least that's who

we thought it was.

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They then took us to a hotel and fed us in a banquet room. The food was delicious and we were ordered to drink

their beer when offered. It didn't taste too bad and was only about 2-3% so the brass weren't concerned about us

being able to fly afterwards. Then they took us to museums – their War Museum on the first mission. They had

parts of our warplanes that had been shot down and also showed us the gun where Hanoi Jane Fonda sat for that

infamous picture. I don't know if it was the real gun or not – didn't matter – I think they just wanted a reaction.

They got none from any of us.

We were allowed to take photos of certain areas. They wouldn't let us take pix of their rail marshaling yard

which was full of bomb craters and wrecked engines – I got some anyway with my little Minox spy camera.

On the next trip they took us to the Peace Museum. Absolutely stunning!! Lots of HUGE White Jade figures. A

beautiful museum! Our bombs never got close to it. Strangely enough – they told us that the wrecked train yard

was where they were fixing their engines. If you didn't know better, it could have looked true. There was not a

single bomb crater outside of the yard. All buildings were intact! A lot more happened there, but don't want to

bore you with all the details. They were very proud of their many manhole covers in the sidewalks which they

used to hide from our bombing raids. All three trips were interesting!!

Anyway, that was why I was chosen to lead a two ship formation to retrieve our Heroes. I just happened to be

TDY at U-Tapao from Clark AB where I was stationed. That should set the stage. A little too wordy, but it

should help you to understand my involvement.

I was one of only a few crew members on either plane to have been there before. Our Mission Commander was

Col Novas and we had a One Star on board with an open line to President Nixon. It was a fairly high priority

mission.

After stopping in Saigon for a final briefing in Saigon, our two C-130E's (with augmented crews) left Tan son

Nhut AB and went "feet wet" up the coast of Vietnam. We stayed about 30 miles off the coast so as not to bother

anyone. We hit the mouth of the Red River and turned upstream toward our destination – Gia Lam Airport just

east of Hanoi. We were encountering broken clouds which were getting worse. After going over Thuan Nghiep,

the river straightens out considerably, so I requested we drop to about 1500 feet so I could better make out the

landmarks---both on radar but mainly visual – when I could see the ground. I wasn't about to trust the radio aids

from Gia Lam nor Hanoi. Before we descended, we could easily make out Hai Phong harbor on our radar about

40 miles to the Northeast so we were on track.

We made contact with Hanoi and advised them of our impending approach into their territory. This had all been

pre-arranged, so no problem there. It was on up-river that they started screwing around with us and trying to

subtly get us confused. They were trying to get us lost and force us to abort the mission so they could say we

caused an international incident by not picking up those who died in captivity when everything had been

arranged.

That's another reason I had been picked to lead. They tried to spoof us on earlier missions by moving the ADF

and VORTAC ever so slightly to locations which would cause us to fly into restricted airspace. In fact, a crew a

few weeks earlier bought the spoof and was threatened with a "shoot down" if they didn't abort the mission, so

that made this mission even more critical. If you were watching closely enough, you could see the needles quiver a

little each time they changed location. They were good at it though, so I had the other nav continually watch for

that in case we lost visual or radar contact. I had my head out the front searching for ground fixes.

Then, they really tried to get us fouled up. The second plane was following closely, mainly by keeping us on their

radar – depending on us to lead them in. Hanoi Approach Control called us and told us to take up a heading to

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final. The pilot started to turn and I virtually screamed into the mike "Negative, Negative – Maintain Heading."

That was the first of three times they tried to get us to turn too soon. After the second time, Col Novas told the

pilot to ignore the tower and go by my direction only. I knew we were still about 30-45 miles out and they were

doing their best to get us off course and lost in that bad weather with low ceilings and get us to an area with which

we were not familiar. The weather was really bad – the cloud cover was closer to full than "broken." We would

get a break in the under cast every mile or so. We descended to about 1,000 feet which helped some.

Now – remember that bridge that they tried so hard to take down during the war? We lost a lot of Thuds & F-4's

there. That bridge and a huge sand bar about 3 miles downstream were my aiming points. I was getting a little

concerned when they weren't coming in view as fast as I thought they should.

Guess I was just overly anxious. I checked radar and found both about 15 miles ahead. I alerted the pilot to be

ready to turn and he relayed to #2 that we would turn in a couple of minutes. Ground Approach had given up

trying to get us to turn early after a few scoldings from them that we were ignoring their instructions. We did not

answer. We descended a little further so I could get a visual on both the sand bar and the bridge. I remembered

where we had turned on my earlier approaches. We flew about 30 seconds past the sand bar, and with the bridge

in sight, I told the pilot to turn to the appropriate heading – I seem to recall it was 335 degrees – but not sure

now. Descent was begun and both planes broke out at about 750 feet. There it was – right in front of us. I

strapped myself in. The other aircraft radioed a "Talley Ho" so we knew everything was fine – or so we thought.

After we landed, Ground Control took over and marshaled us to the proper area to pick up the remains of our

Guys. There were two green tents and they were having us come in and turn so that our prop wash would flow

directly on the tents – probably blowing them away. Our Aircraft Commander called for neutral props and

warned the second aircraft to do likewise. Both planes coasted in to a nice easy stop in the right place –I'm sure to

the disappointment of the martialing crews.

Col Novas made the decision on the spot to set up an Honor Guard in front of each tent. This time, we were in

our Class A's and were not under orders to associate with the enemy. We all felt better about that! He sent us

out two at a time at 15 minute intervals; each pair did facing movements to relieve the previous pair as time

dictated. The first pair at our tent was Col Novas and our pilot. The tent flaps were tied wide open. What the

first set of Honor Guards – and ultimately all of us – saw was several stacks of green boxes with a rock on them

with white painted names and dates. The sight was shocking and really ticked us off. Unfortunately, I do not

remember any of the names. The boxes – which in reality were coffins – were about 30 inches by 18 inches by 18

inches. It tore us up to think that our guys who had suffered so much were in those tiny green boxes.

We all decided individually and as a team that the Vietnamese would never touch our fallen comrades again.

The Honor Guard rotation was maintained for well over two hours while the final release papers were being

signed at their government offices in downtown Hanoi. Obviously, the North Vietnamese didn't know what to

think of the Honor Guard. We saw the guys who had been our escorts on earlier trips. They smiled and waved at

us. We glared back at them. Some civilians tried to get close to watch – they were chased back over the dikes by

armed guards.

We were finally given the OK to load our precious cargo onto the waiting C-130's – their cargo ramps open, sat

waiting. As the word came that we could begin returning our Guys to American Soil – in this case – our C-130's,

the North Vietnamese moved in to begin loading. We immediately formed a cordon around the tents and, though

unarmed, we motioned for them to stop and basically dared the armed Northern troops to try us. They stopped

with a puzzled look on their faces – but never tried to cross the line. They had touched our Heroes for the last

time.

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It was early evening by then and the General was back by then and became part of our new makeshift Honor

Guard – set up on both sides of the ramps.

I was part of three pairs who tenderly picked up a "coffin" with it’s' "headstone" and proceeded up the ramp.

Two more were inside the plane to place an American Flag over each man as he came on board. We exited thru

the crew door to go retrieve another Hero. The General led the others on either side of the ramps in a "Hand

Salute" as each box of remains passed on board. I don't remember exactly how many bodies we recovered –

seems like 36 – but each was treated with ultimate respect. We took our time to make sure all were properly

honored. It took a considerable amount of time, but we didn't care. We did it right.

We finally all boarded and buttoned up the aircraft. As we were getting all four turning, I noticed the pilot had a

wicked smile on his face. I listened on a discreet channel while he suggested to the other pilot to change pitch

after they began moving and turn the planes so that the prop wash would now hit the tents and the Vietnam

officials and soldiers gathered around them. The turn was smooth, slow and graceful until the Load master gave

the word. Suddenly eight turboprops were at full forward pitch for about 3-5 seconds and brakes on. They

changed the pitch back to the taxi setting but we got turned around in time to see the tents flying and some of the

folks we left were on the ground. We received departure instructions from the tower and thus began an

uneventful trip back to Saigon and on to U-Tapao to the Identification folks stationed there. The General

informed President Nixon that extraction had been completed successfully.

Further ID would be performed at Hickam AFB as necessary. Our Heroes were then taken to Hickam AFB by

C-141's. I have talked to many people about this extraction of our Fallen Comrades – and to a man – they

thought that the C-141's did the entire mission. I hope someone will set the story straight someday. In fact, I have

never seen anything about C-130's being involved with the extraction of the first of those who died in captivity.

Believe me – I know they were!! I may have missed some story about it because I had to get busy for my PCS

stateside the next month. I have never heard anything about that mission since.

Well, that’s about it. A lot more little things happened on all three missions – even some funny things on the first

two, but that third mission was the best thing I ever did in my 24 year USAF career.

Following the last mission, there was an "after action" report which stated the final mission was outstanding. It

certainly made me feel honored to have been a member of our military as this was happening. The crews involved

could not have done a better or more honorable job! ______________________________________________________________________________________

FOR SENIOR CITIZENS ONLY!

Perks of reaching 50 or being over 60 and heading towards 70! And don't forget the 80's!

1. Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

2. In a hostage situation you are likely to be released first.

3. No one expects you to run – anywhere.

4. People call at 9 PM and ask, "Did I wake you?"

5. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

13

6. There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

7. You can eat supper at 5 PM.

8. You can live without sex but not your glasses.

9. You get into heated arguments about pension plans.

10. You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

11. You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter who walks into the room.

12. Your eyes won't get much worse.

13. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

14. Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather service.

15. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.

16. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to a manageable size.

17 And you notice these are all in Big Print for your convenience.

Contributed by John Biggerstaff, Captain, USAF, MSC (ret), Association Member.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Joke of the Quarter

No dictionary has been able to adequately explain the difference between COMPLETE and FINISHED.

However, in a recent linguistic conference held in London, England, and attended by some of the best linguists in

the world, Samsundar Balgobin, a Guyanese, was the clear winner.

His final challenge was this: Some say there is no difference between COMPLETE and FINISHED. Please explain

the difference between COMPLETE and FINISHED in a way that is easy to understand.

Here is his astute answer: "When you marry the right woman, you are COMPLETE. But, when you marry the

wrong woman, you are FINISHED. And when the right one catches you with the wrong one, you are

COMPLETELY FINISHED!"

______________________________________________________________________________

.

14

15

B-17 "ALL AMERICAN" (414th SQUADRON, 97BG) CREW

Pilot- Ken Bragg Jr.

Copilot- G. Boyd Jr. Navigator- Harry C. Nuessle

Bombardier- Ralph Burbridge

Engineer- Joe C. James Radio Operator- Paul A. Galloway

Ball Turret Gunner- Elton Conda

Waist Gunner- Michael Zuk

Tail Gunner- Sam T. Sarpolus Ground Crew Chief- Hank Hyland

A mid-air collision on February 1, 1943, between a B-17 and a German fighter over the Tunis dock area, became

the subject of one of the most famous photographs of World War II. An enemy fighter attacking a 97th Bomb

Group formation went out of control, probably with a wounded pilot, and then continued its crashing descent into

the rear of the fuselage of a Fortress named All American, piloted by Lt. Kendrick R. Bragg, of the 414th Bomb

Squadron. When it struck, the fighter broke apart, but left some pieces in the B-17. The left horizontal stabilizer

of the Fortress and left elevator were completely torn away. The two right engines were out and one on the left

had a serious oil pump leak. The vertical fin and the rudder had been damaged, the fuselage had been cut almost

completely though connected only at two small parts of the frame and the radios, electrical and oxygen systems

were damaged. There was also a hole in the top that was over 16 feet long and four feet wide at its widest and the

split in the fuselage went all the way to the top gunner’s turret.

Although the tail actually bounced and swayed in the wind and twisted when the plane turned and all the control

cables were severed, except one single elevator cable still worked, and the aircraft still flew – miraculously! The

tail gunner was trapped because there was no floor connecting the tail to the rest of the plane. The waist and tail

gunners used parts of the German fighter and their own parachute harnesses in an attempt to keep the tail from

ripping off and the two sides of the fuselage from splitting apart. While the crew was trying to keep the bomber

from coming apart, the pilot continued on his bomb run and released his bombs over the target.

When the bomb bay doors were opened, the wind turbulence was so great that it blew one of the waist gunners

into the broken tail section. It took several minutes and four crew members to pass him ropes from parachutes

and haul him back into the forward part of the plane. When they tried to do the same for the tail gunner, the tail

began flapping so hard that it began to break off. The weight of the gunner was adding some stability to the tail

section, so he went back to his position.

The turn back toward England had to be very slow to keep the tail from twisting off. They actually covered

almost 70 miles to make the turn home. The bomber was so badly damaged that it was losing altitude and speed

and was soon alone in the sky. For a brief time, two more Me-109 German fighters attacked the All American.

Despite the extensive damage, all of the machine gunners were able to respond to these attacks and soon drove off

the fighters. The two waist gunners stood up with their heads sticking out through the hole in the top of the

fuselage to aim and fire their machine guns. The tail gunner had to shoot in short bursts because the recoil was

actually causing the plane to turn.

Allied P-51 fighters intercepted the All American as it crossed over the Channel and took one of the pictures

shown. They also radioed to the base describing that the empennage was waving like a fish tail and that the plane

16

would not make it and to send out boats to rescue the crew when they bailed out. The fighters stayed with the

Fortress taking hand signals from Lt. Bragg and relaying them to the base. Lt. Bragg signaled that 5 parachutes

and the spare had been "used" so five of the crew could not bail out. He made the decision that if they could not

bail out safely, then he would stay with the plane and land it.

Two and a half hours after being hit, the aircraft made its final turn to line up with the runway while it was still

over 40 miles away. It descended into an emergency landing and a normal roll-out on its landing gear.

When the ambulance pulled alongside, it was waved off because not a single member of the crew had been

injured. No one could believe that the aircraft could still fly in such a condition. The Fortress sat placidly until the

crew all exited through the door in the fuselage and the tail gunner had climbed down a ladder, at which time the

entire rear section of the aircraft collapsed onto the ground. The rugged old bird had done its job.

______________________________________________________________________________

Furnished by the Ryan’s / FOWs – Friends of Wayne.

_____________________________________________________________________________

SOCIAL SECURITY WAGE BASE INCREASES TO $113,700 FOR 2013

Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, SC │13November 2012

The Social Security Administration announced that the wage base for computing the Social Security tax (OASDI)

in 2013 increased to $113,700. The wage base for 2012 was $110,100.

________________________________________________________________________________________

17

SOUNDING TAPS

*Colonel David J. Baker 01 Aug 2012

Colonel Emmit E. Dorsey 04 Oct 2012

*Lt Col Robert C. Gibbs 19 Apr 2010

*Colonel George L. Hahn 23 Nov 2011

*Major Mario F. Iafrate March 2012

*Lt Col Leon G. Keller 10 Nov 2012

*Major Leroy Little 29 June 2012

Captain Wilbur R. Long Unknown

*Lt Col Josephine A. L. Morgan 10 Nov 2010

Colonel Benjamin “Chris” Renn 27 Aug 2012

Lt Col Don Smith 08 Nov 2012

*Lt Col David M. Sorem 18 May 2012

*Denotes Life Member Status

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

MAJOR WIRELESS CARRIER DISCOUNTS

The information below applies to RETIRED military; your DD 214 is required when you apply. Verizon Wireless

offers a 15 percent discount on their monthly wireless bill. You must visit a corporate Verizon Wireless Store and

ask for discount 11718 under Government Employee. Once enrolled, you will receive an automatic 25 percent

discount on any future Verizon store purchases.

Similar discounts are available from T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint. If the sales representative at your local store

is not aware of this discount, request that the store manager or representative follow up. Policies change

frequently and all employees may not know that retired veterans are eligible for this discount. If you, the retired

veteran, do not have the primary line, this can usually be switched in the store at no cost and hassle-free. No

discount is available on the $9.99 lines you have added. From my point of view, ANY DISCOUNT is worth

receiving.

Information furnished by Gary Penwell, Lt Col, USAF, MSC (Ret), Association Member

_______________________________________________________________________________

18

NEW MEMBERS

The association continues to grow! As of the date we went to press, below are our

new members who’ve joined since our previous newsletter. Highlighted entries are

our new life members.

RANK FNAME MI LNAME CITY ST E-MAIL ADDRESS CAPT DAVID P. ABBOTT SUMTER SC sixabbotts@yahoo.com

2LT ADEN A. ACKLIN WICHITA KS aden.acklin@gmail.com

1LT JEREMIAH P. ALMOSARA KAPOLEI HI jpalmosara@gmail.com

2LT DANIEL D. ARNOLD PECK KS daniel.d.arnold@ng.army.mil

CAPT JOHN M. BERNABE DERBY KS bernabe.jm@hotmail.com

CAPT JERAMY S. BROWNING COON RAPIDS MN jeramy.browning@ang.af.mil

LT COL CHARLES D. CHAPDELAINE STERLING VA cchapdelaine@aim.com

1LT LOUISA M. CLIFT MINOT ND louisa.clift.1@us.af.mil

2LT CARMEN L. COLN-ALEMAÑY EASTAMPTON NJ cariluz79@gmail.com

2LT CHRISTOPHER R. COTE NELLIS AFB NV christopher.cote.4@us.af.mil

LT COL BRIAN J. CRAMER CEDARBURG WI mbacramer@aol.com

MAJ DANA L. DALLAS PHILADELPHIA PA danadallas@hotmail.com

1LT KEITH P. DIAMOND SUMTER SC kpdiamond17@gmail.com

1LT ERIC E, EASY MINNEAPOLIS MN Eric.easy@yahoo.com

1LT NICHOLAS Z. EDVARCHUK NIBLEY UT medvarchuk@gmail.com

2LT MICHAEL A. ESTACION LANCASTER CA michael.estacion.1@us.af.mil

CAPT ERIC C. GARDNER BEAVERCREEK OH ericgardner.msc@gmail.com

1LT NICOLE M. GRAVES FORT WALTON BEACH FL nickyg_317@hotmail.com

LT COL GLEN H. GRAY STARKVILLE MS gulfportglen@aol.com

2LT ZVI GRUENSPECHT VACAVILLE CA zvi.gruenspecht.1@us.af.mil

2LT AMBER E. HARRIS APO AE amber.harris.1@us.af.mil

LT COL ROBERT E. HAYHURST ALEXANDRIA VA novabobby@aol.com

2LT ALICIA D. HOGAN PIEDMONT SD adnewman84@gmail.com

2LT JANELLE N. HOLLAND CHEYENNE WY hollandrost@yahoo.com

1LT BRADLEY W. HOWARD WICHITA FALLS TX howardb3419@yahoo.com

2LT KRISTEN L. KENNEDY SPOKANE WA kristen.kennedy.6@us.af.mil

LT COL JOSEPH C. KENNEDY SAN ANTONIO TX joe.kennedy11@yahoo.com

2LT BENJAMIN R. KIFER LILLINGTON NC benjamin.kifer@us.af.mil

CAPT MICHELLE G. KOLCUN SAINT LOUIS MO michelle.kolcun@gmail.com

2LT JAMES L. LAUGHRIDGE WHITEMAN AFB MO james.laughridge.2@us.af.mil

2LT TAE K. LEE AURORA CO eurowagon@gmail.com

2LT ALISON R. LEGARDA HADDON HEIGHTS NJ alison.legarda@us.af.mil

LT COL CAMILLE R. LOONEY COLORADO SPRINGS CO looney-bin@q.com

2LT JASON R. MADEY BELLEVILLE IL madey.jason@gmail.com

1LT DAVID E. MALEY BELLEVUE NE dem.maley@gmail.com

LT COL CHRISTOPHER P. MARCUS BEAVERCREEK OH chrispmarcus@gmail.com

LT COL CHARLES J. MCCLOUD BRISTOW VA charles.mccloud@tma.osd.mil

LT COL ROBYN MIDDLETON APO AE robynmiddleton7@yahoo.com

2LT IRENE M. MITCHELL YORKTOWN VA imfdez@gmail.com

1LT KELSEY MONSAERT ENGLEWOOD FL kmonsaert@gmail.com

1LT JASON E. MYERS OLYMPIA WA jasonmyers4@gmail.com

MAJ ALFONSO M. NOYOLA LAS VEGAS NV anoyola100@cox.net

1LT REY Y. ORTIZ UNIVERSAL CITY TX reyortiz@yahoo.com

1LT PHILIP A. PEREZ ALBUQUERQUE NM philip.perez1@verizon.net

MAJ CADINA C. POWELL WASHINGTON DC cadina.powell@hotmail.com

1LT TIMOTHY W. PULS LITHIA FL timothy.puls@yahoo.com

1LT ANGELA K. SCHWEIZER WICHITA KS aschweizer0918@gmail.com

1LT THOMAS S. SHADD FORT WALTON BEACH FL thomas.shadd.7@us.af.mil

2LT MATTHEW G. STEELE SAN ANGELO TX mattsteele86@yahoo.com

2LT TIMOTHY STOECKLE ELKTON MD tjstokes78@hotmail.com

CAPT MIRIAM L. THORNE NEW CASTLE DE miriamlthorne@yahoo.com

2LT TIMOTHY E. WILLIAMS GOLDSBORO NC timothyearlwilliams@gmail.com

19

THREE LITTLE WORDS

If someone mentioned the phrase "three little words" what would your mind conjure up? So many of the most significant

messages that people deliver to one another often come in just three words. When spoken or conveyed, those statements have

the power to forge new friendships, deepen old ones and restore relationships that have cooled. The following three word

phrases can enrich every relationship every bit as much as the most obvious one.

I am here. Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we are truly present for other people,

important things happen to them and to us. We are renewed in love and friendship. We are restored emotionally and

spiritually.

I miss you. Perhaps more friendships could be salvaged and strengthened if people simply and sincerely said to each other,

"I miss you." This powerful affirmation tells others that they are wanted, needed, desired and loved.

I respect you. Respect is another way of showing love. Respect conveys the feeling that another person is a true equal. It is a

powerful way to affirm the importance of a relationship.

You are right. This phrase is highly effective in diffusing an argument and restoring frayed emotions and, of course, the

flipside of “you are right” is the humility of admitting “I am wrong.”

Please forgive me. Many broken relationships could be restored and healed if people would admit their mistakes and ask for

forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to faults and failures. A person should never be ashamed to own up that they have been

in the wrong, which is saying in other words that they are wiser today than they were yesterday.

I thank you. Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those

who don't take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their many expressions of kindness.

On the other hand, people whose circle of friends is constricted often do not have attitude.

Count on me. "A friend is one who walks in when others walk out." Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship; it

is the emotional glue that bonds people. When troubles come, a good friend is there saying “you can count on me.”

Let me help. The best of friends see a need and try to fill it. When they spot a hurt they do what they can to heal it. Without

being asked they pitch in and help.

I understand you. People become closer and enjoy each other more if they feel that the other person accepts and understands

them. Letting other people know in so many little ways that you understand them is one of the most powerful tools for

strengthening a relationship.

Go for it. Some of your friends may have dreams and plans that may seem beyond reach. Support them and rather than

urging them to conform, encourage their uniqueness. Everyone has dreams that no one else has.

I love you. Of course three little words that you were probably expecting to see first in this list have to be reserved for

someone very special in our lives. So often God speaks to us in messages of three words and, even if our relationship with

him is not as close as it should be at times, we can still be reassured that no matter when we turn to him, he will always say to

us: I forgive you; I love you; You are mine; Take my hand, and Go in peace.

This week, or at any time in the future, use whatever three little words that are required, to restore and deepen relationships

with the important people in your life.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ж

20

DEAD PENGUINS - I NEVER KNEW THIS!

Ever wonder why there are no dead penguins on the ice in Antarctica? Where do they go? Wonder no more!

It is a known fact that the penguin is a very ritualistic bird which lives an extremely ordered and complex life.

The penguin is very committed to its family and will mate for life, as well as maintain a form of compassionate

contact with its offspring throughout its life.

If a penguin is found dead on the ice surface, other members of the family and social circle have been known to

dig holes in the ice, using their vestigial wings and beaks, until the hole is deep enough for the dead bird to be

rolled into and buried.

The male penguins then gather in a circle around the fresh grave and sing:

"Freeze a jolly good fellow."

“Freeze a jolly good fellow.”

You really didn't believe that I knew

anything about penguins, did you?

It’s so easy to fool OLD people.

I am sorry; a sudden urge came over me

that just made me do it!

Oh quit *whinging. I fell for it too!

*Whinging – an old English word/term used to describe excessive complaining [Editor].

__________________________________________________________________

Well folks, that another wrap. Do hope you enjoyed your December edition of the AF MSCA Newsletter.

Here’s wishing you all a wonderful Yuletide Season and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

W.G.T.