Winter 1978          Willie Cosby III

Welcome to 1978. I hope everyone remembered to change calendars. If it seems like you have been losing days somewhere, you might want to check that out.

In the News: Remember Dale Yourflower – I mean Meyerose? He is now stationed at Kapaun Air Station, Germany where he received the Air Force commendation Medal. The medal was presented for meritorious service as Chief of Communications systems flight facilities radio maintenance at Altus AFB. See what hard work can get you?? I almost forgot to mention that his wife’s name is Linda.

Silver Wings: Tom Finn and Rick McAlister now have Navigator wings. Tom goes to a C-130, Dyess AFB, and Rick heads for a KC-135 at Wurtsmith AFB.

Richard Kim, Charles Nash, and Lamar Lewis graduated from pilot training. The first two out of Laughlin AFB and Lamar from Columbus. Richard and Lamar will both fly C-141s. McGuire and Charleston are their respective bases of assignment. Nash will go to Davis-Monthan for F-4s.

Missile Men: Recently certified as a missile crew member was Phil Benjamin. He was a distinguished graduate from missile school at Vandenberg and is now stationed at Minot AFB. He married Laura at the chapel in May.

Moves: It appears that the way to get overseas assignments is to get an F-4.The following all have F-4s to the bases listed. Bentwaters, England: Michael (Ann) Gill and Randy Mason. Hahn, Germany: Chris (Karen) Glaeser and Spencer Roberts. Kadena, Okinawa: Michael (Kay) Gudmundson, Mark Jefferson, and K. P. (Karen) Smith. Kunsan, Korea: Butch Byrd and John Wissman. Rod Gunther is at Ramstein, Germany. Kerry Putt and his wife Celeste go to Spangdahelm, Germany. Torrejon, Spain: A. E. (Linda) Dahlstrom and Andy (Mary) Dichter.

Others on the move are: Jim Dill from Wright-Patterson to Hanscom AFB, Robert (Barbara) Hickcox from Anderson, Guam to Hanscom AFB, and Tom (Lori) Provost from Kincheloe to Offutt AFB.

Notes: James Foster married Donna in August. Jim Foreman and his wife Belle have an open invitation for anyone who visits Eglin AFB, Duke Field: “Come see us and have some oysters on the half-shell!”

I married a house in North Little Rock and have plenty of room for the weary or potential drunks. If you are through Little Rock, give me a buzz.

Like the potato farmer once said, “Plant you now and…Dig you later.”

 




Spring 1978          Willie Cosby III

People:

You may or may not know, but Mike Wisloski is now in the US Marine Corps. Since graduation from basic, he has commanded a weapons platoon, been an assistant Operations Officer, an Intelligence Officer, and a Supply Officer. He is now a Series Commander at Parris Island. What a career!

Don Henney is now at Fairchild AFB. Stationed there with him are Mark Holmes, Bob Allen, Mark Wells, and Mike Reese.

Last month, while out practicing the defense of our country, I happened to run across several familiar faces. I saw Jim Fellows at Norton AFB Command Post. In the appealing base ops cafeteria of Langley AFB, I ran into chopper jock Phil Kendall, and met with T-33 driver Jon Noetzel. At Pope AFB, where we spent a lot of time, I did a little running around with Bill Taylor.

Moves: Jim P. Marshall completed EWO training and moved to F-105s at George AFB. Phil Bethards is stationed at Altus AFB. Another EWO, Don Gunther, is now at Loring AFB. Eugene Holley has finished training at Homestead and has gone to Ramstein AB, Germany. Al Stoddard, a civil engineer, moved from Eglin AFB to Elmendorf, Alaska. Two weapons controllers recently moved from Korea: Scott Arnott to Clark, PI, and Dave Keene to Tinker.

Milestones: Richard E. Sarver earned the USAF Commendation Medal for meritorious service at Beale AFB. He serves at Ellsworth AFB as an EC-135 co-pilot.

Also receiving a USAF Commendation Medal was Robert C. Hickcox. He was decorated for meritorious service as deputy chief of data automation division at Anderson AB, Guam. He is now stationed at Hanscom, Mass.

Mike Lischak and Rudolph Roth are now attending the Uniformed Services University. They are in the first year of medical schooling.

Last, but certainly not least, this is my last article. It has been fun and I would like to say thanks to all those who kept me informed so I could pass the “news” on to everyone. Your new writer will be “Duck” Layman, Pease AFB, NH.

KEEP SMILING! – COS

 


 

Editor’s Note: Rick Layman informed the AOG that Jim Simonitsch was in an aircraft accident on 15 April in California. He was subsequently moved to Wilford Hall. He has reportedly been medically retired and at last report was in critical but stable condition.

 



Summer 1978          Rick Layman

Rick Layman Takes Over as Class Scribe

Greetings, 75…I’ve found my first attempt at journalism was fairly easy. I guess it’s due mostly to Jeff Hackett’s recent letter. I got a nine-pager from Jeff last week, and it seems that he either knows where everyone is, or knows who knows. In any case, the following few paragraphs are from that letter:

“Dave Haugen is busy rescuing people, that is, he’s flying HC-130s. Sam and Patti Ryals and Willie Drow associate with the rest of the gas-passers in KC-135s on the SAC side of Kadena. Gary Exelby works in the 400th MMS, also at Kadena. TAC Fighter types on the rock include Mike Gudmundson, Mark Jefferson, and Tug McGraw. Ken Nease, Ken Smith, Rick Finke, and Tom Calhoun. Tom’s wife, Candy is due in November.

Randy James, Carl VanPelt, and Sam Hollins are all flying F-4s at Osan. I guess Sam is tickled to death that he’s got a concurrent overseas assignment. He’ll be going to Clark soon.

Speaking of Clark, (What a transition!!!) Bruce Hopkins is in fighters there and John Wolter is in C-9s. For all of you who were wondering if that was John’s wife Meg in the Air Force Times a couple of weeks ago, the answer is yes. She’s apparently doing a great job working with kids with disabilities. Charlie Sargent is also at Clark, but it appears that Jeff can’t ever get in touch with him.

Jeff tells me that Frank Dubuisson is working in RC-135s out of Offutt, and my boss saw Scott Hente and Bruce Hevey on his last trip up there to fly the LOOKING GLASS.

Larry Colletti and Jan are at McConnell and Paul and Kathy Williams are at Plattsburgh. Both are new parents. On my last trip to Plattsburgh I saw Hugh Gray and Charlie Beadling. Hugh flies choppers and Bead is in KCs.

Tom Popp got married the first of July and Kent Traylor ties the knot on the twenty-second. Welcome to 75, Vicki and Carole.

Apparently all of our classmates who aren’t in the Pacific are at Williams. Rich Chanick and Mary announce Rich’s selection as Junior Officer of the Quarter for Willy. Dave and Barb Commons, John and Dianne Turner, Mark Donnelly, Bob Walden, Scott Hammond, and Marlo Mellum are all still at Willy. Brent Hall is out there somewhere.

Jeff also asked that I mention his BUFF buddies at Ellsworth, Mike Anderson and Chuck Holland.

Dave Fleming wrote in from somewhere in the Pacific. According to he and Ann, his job is classified so secret that he’s prevented from knowing what’s he’s doing.

I figured that part of being in New England was visiting Loring in the dead of winter, so I went there a couple of times. Brian Gomes, Al Krukowski, Dan Kolakowski, Denney Mellen, Don Gunther, and Joe Stein were all there enjoying the scenery. Joe married Patti Brown, daughter of Chief Brown, formerly the Wing Sergeant Major at AFA, and gave Joe a son in January. Al is married too, but I can’t say for sure about any of the others.

Have you ever noticed how some people just seem to keep showing up time after time? Every time I move I run into Rod Hennek. We went to maintenance school together, then met at SOS. Rod was a distinguished grad both times. I guess he can’t be held down…He’s just become aide/exec to the division commander at Blytheville.

Bob Shappell is doing the same. DG at Maintenance School and second in his class at SOS. Bob and Nancy will be going to Elmendorf in December if all goes well this time. This is the third time he’s been on orders for Alaska and they keep falling through.

Al Nash, the class squid, just completed the Navy’s Aviation Indoctrination Course at Pensacola. From the description in the news release, it looks like he just repeated SERE and basic Aero.

For those of you who haven’t found out since last issue, Marc Simonitsch was in a C-130 accident in late April. He died of injuries received in that accident on 4 May. He was buried at the Academy on the eighth. I don’t have Jane’s address, but if you want to write her, you can likely reach her through Jed Vanden Dries at Sheppard.

Pease is normally the jumping-off place for the overseas KC-135 task force operations, so I know some of you guys must be traveling through. Ed Sienkiewicz, Dale Smith, and Tom Laurie are also in the area. If any of you get in the area, look one of us up and we’ll give you a tour of the New England area and put you on to a couple of good restaurants for lobster and shrimp.

I promised Jeff that I’d include a note from him in exchange for writing half of this article. He is very anxious to receive a post card or letter from any or all of the BACK DOOR BOYS. Please send a letter to Jeff if you are a member of the BACK DOOR BOYS or if you want any news published in the Fall issue.

Well, Diane’s asleep in bed and Heather needs changing and I’ve fallen asleep on the typewriter twice, so I guess I’d better wrap it up..

Drop a line if you get a chance…

 


1Lt Promotion Orders



Fall 1978          Rick Layman

Right after the last issue of the AOG magazine came out I got a call from Tom McClain. He was a tad upset that I had mentioned a mess of the SAC types and had neglected to say anything about all of the fighter-gators out at Nellis and such. I think the problem is that you fighter types move around so fast that nobody knows where you are for long. Anyway, Tom said that everyone at Nellis either just got there or is about to leave. He, John Fouts, and Jim Ruttler will all be leaving for Kunsan shortly. Al Bready has just left for Mather where he has finally started UNT. Brad Logan, Kevin Smith, Mike Cox, Tom McKee, Mike Rosebush, Gary Craig, and Rick Takacs are all at Nellis with Tom and all are in F-4s. Al Greene and Mike Little will be leaving for Osan soon.

Bran McAllister sent a letter to tell me the particulars on Mike Mark’s accident. He, Chris Goetsch, and Mark Holmes are all flying F-15s, but at Langley. Randy Barrett and his wife, Debby, are also at Langley. Randy called last week to say that he is transitioning in F-106s. He’s TDY at Tyndall for awhile.

Rod and Theresa Reay are the parents of twins, Pete and Katie Strunk have a daughter, and Tom and Sheryl McClain have a son. I got a report that Pete was out at Fort Carson playing soldier earlier this summer.

Mike “the Flash” Dehart sent in a line to say that he’s still a bachelor and is a communications planner at Sembach. Dave Tillotson is a weapons controller at Bremerhaven, and Dale Meyerrose is at Ramstein, also in communications. Barry Abbott flies C-130s out of Rhein Main and Duane Lodrige and Merv Meraviglia fly F-4s somewhere in Germany. Mike asked that I put in a “HOWGOZIT” to the crowd from 31.

Fred Whitican stopped in a few weeks ago. He was over here from Griffiss for a ride in the altitude chamber. He’s a nav on the BUFF.

Jim Dill was awarded the AFCM for his work at Hanscom, and Dave Herlong and Mike Ruth won one each for their parts in winning the RAF Bombing Competition. By the way, Mike is the hero of the quarter. I received three news releases on Mike…He’s been in Red Flag, the RAF Bomb Comp, and has won the AFCM. I wouldn’t be surprised if his name was on the Captain’s list too. I saw the stats on that list. All but 26 made if from 75. I guess that’s about a 97% success rate. Hope you all enjoy the pay raise.

Kip Fong called from Luke to see how things were going, and I ran into Paul Williams up at Plattsburgh…I guess one of the better things about this job is that I keep running into classmates.

Bill Ashcraft has recently completed his MBA and Steve Morris has just entered AFIT.

The approaching winter finds A. T. Stoddard and Susan in the CE Squadron at Elemendorf AFB. Steve and Nancy Ruth Stich are up there to share the Northern Lights with them. Steve is a pilot in the rescue outfit there (HH-3s).

Stan Siefke and Suzie will be going to Edwards in December. Stan’s been hoping to go to test pilot training. Looks like he’s getting closer. Speaking of the old crowd from 30, Chumley Collins was up with his parents awhile back. We had a super time…holding out a chance to get some hunting in, but the times just don’t seem to match up. Chum’s down at Del Rio, now that Craig has been closed.

Congratulations to Steve Redman for being named Junior-Officer-of-the-Quarter at Blytheville. I hear Steve is really burning up the course out there. Keep up the good work, Steve.

Keep those cards and letters coming…

 




Album


 

1. Jim Carlson & daughter Jennifer.

2. Gerry Conticchio: That photo [of my niece and myself] was during an ACE flight to Willow Grove NAS. Couldn't do much of a show there because of noise and airspace constraints. That day they allowed a fly-by and closed pattern. Exciting enough for people who haven't ever been on an airplane.

3. Scott Arnott as a T-38 Aggressor Pilot.

4. Bill Lyerly: Receiving a laboratory award while serving as (1LT) Chief, Laboratory Service, Andrew Rader US Army Health Clinic, Department of Primary Care and Community Medicine, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Ft. Myer, Virginia.

 

 

 

 

5. Jim Marshall at Weasel RTU, George AFB.

6. Phil & Christine Pearce uniting in marriage. (August 1978)


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