119Th Wing Travels to Hickam AFB for Annual Training PG. 14
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UARDIAN Volume G8, Issue 3 March/April 2015 Hooligan History N.D. Air National Guard Traces Roots to World War II PG. 4 Diving into Work 119th Wing Travels to Hickam AFB for Annual Training PG. 14 Emergency Response Domestic Operations Section Works With State Partners during Tornado Exercise PG. 9 Inside This Issue Features Caring Commander in Chief 6 North Dakota Governor Coalition Jack Dalrymple The Adjutant General ND Cares — a coalition dedicated to Maj. Gen. David A. Sprynczynatyk strengthening a network of support for the state’s service members, Chief of Public Affairs veterans, families and survivors — is Mr. Bill Prokopyk establishing a leaders’ network to Editor explore support needs, consolidate Sgt. Jennifer Joyce resources and close gaps in coverage to care for and meet the challenges faced Contributors Chaplain (Lt. Col.) David Johnson by families who’ve served. Maj. Donavan Blazek Maj. Penny Ripperger Capt. Joshua Breding Preparing for Chaplain (Capt.) Justing Fenger 9 Capt. Jeff Hoffer Disaster 1st Lt. Cathy Peterson Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kiel Skager Senior Master Sgt. David Lipp The N.D. National Guard Joint Force Staff Sgt. Eric W. Jensen Headquarters’ Domestic Operations, Staff Sgt. Brett Miller or DOMOPS, section recently had Tech. Sgt. Bradly Schneider the opportunity to strengthen the Sgt. Ashley Johlfs Spc. Kristin Berg organization’s partnerships with other Spc. Jessica Bilquist state emergency response agencies Senior Airman Skyler Moderow during a severe storm exercise, which simulated an EF3 tornado tearing The North Dakota Guardian is an authorized publication for members, families and retirees of the N.D. National Guard. through Devils Lake, North Dakota. • Contents of the North Dakota Guardian are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, or the Department of the Army or Air Force. • Editorial content of this publication is the responsibility of Outstanding the Joint Force Headquarters, N.D. National Guard ( JFND) 10 Public Affairs Officer. Airmen • Printed by United Printing, a private firm in no way connected to the U.S. Government under exclusive written contract with the JFND. Reproduction is by the offset method with a circulation The North Dakota Air National of approximately 4,900. Guard, known as the “Happy • The North Dakota Guardian is published by the JFND Public Information Office, Box 5511, Bismarck, N.D. 58506-5511, Hooligans,” recognized the 701.333.2007 organization’s top noncommissioned officers and unit members of the year ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS during its 2014 Outstanding Airmen Contributions to the North Dakota Guardian are encouraged! of the Year banquet. Fifteen airmen Send articles, photos and art to Editor, JFND PIO, Box 5511, were nominated for the award based Bismarck, N.D. 58506-5511. Electronic submissions are preferred. Please e-mail stories in Word format to: on their military and civic service [email protected] throughout 2014. Phone: 701-333-2195 Fax: 701-333-2017 Digital photos should be 300 dpi, if possible. Departments On the Cover Guardian Snapshots ..................... Page 16 119th Medical Group physician Col. Bryan Delage climbs out of the Pacific Ocean News Briefs ..................................... Page 21 during water survival refresher training March 12 at Hickam Beach, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, where the medical Sound Off! ..................................... Page 23 group Airmen completed annual training. Interact With Us! See even more N.D. National Guard highlights at our social media sites, and share your thoughts! www.youtube.com/NDNationalGuard www.twitter.com/NDNationalGuard Photo by Capt. Joshua Breding, 119th Wing www.flickr.com/photos/NDGuard www.facebook.com/NDNationalGuard VIEW FROM THE TOP A MESSAGE FROM THE ADJUTANT GENERAL maintaining partnerships As you know, the North Dakota and help them succeed in their assigned National Guard has three state missions. partnerships in Africa. We celebrated our There is no doubt that this African 10-year anniversary last year with Ghana Land Forces Summit was a success. and recently added Togo and Benin to our Representatives of 36 African nations Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk TState Partnership Program. convened with representatives of the Recently, I had the opportunity to United States. Thirty-seven nations left North Dakota Adjutant General attend the African Land Forces Summit the Summit as friends and allies better in Senegal, Africa. Thirty-six of the 54 prepared to cooperate in facing and African nations were represented, along defeating our common threats. As military Soldiers and Airmen are second to none with nine of the ten National Guard state leaders, the participants recognized when it comes to successfully carrying partnerships in Africa. Most of these the value of sharing, networking and out missions, no matter where they may African nations’ representatives were partnering. We found that most of our be. their Army chiefs of staff. Although there discussion with the African nations I see our African partnerships were language and cultural barriers, we mirrored the current discussions that we continuing to grow and I see greater definitely felt a bond as Soldiers serving are experiencing regarding the challenges opportunities for our Guard members. I our respective nations. As senior leaders of resourcing and shaping an appropriate thank you all for the great job you’ve done within our armies, we were all in favor of land forces structure for the future. in perpetuating the outstanding reputation peace and stability within our countries Although we are thousands of miles of our organization. This has directly and around the world. away from Africa, the N.D. National contributed to the high level of respect Discussion ranged from peacekeeping Guard has had a presence and an influence enjoyed by the N.D. National Guard operations training to the challenges on the stability within the continent of within the African continent. of regional military cooperation to the Africa. Our state partnerships are strong future and the four “Cs for success:” because of the efforts and professionalism coordination, cooperation, communication of the Soldiers and Airmen of the N.D. and consensus building. The four “Cs” National Guard and their participation apply to most every mission with which in the State Partnership Program. Our we may be tasked. Several senior leaders from other nations reiterated the four “Cs” and added a fifth “C:” commitment. As we all know, commitment is an important component in military service as we tackle all endeavors. Even though terrorism was not a formal agenda topic, it was mentioned several times in open discussion. Every nation is concerned about terrorism and wants to enhance their counter-terrorism response capabilities. Our regional approach to security cooperation activities with Ghana, Togo and Benin fits well with their joint efforts to protect their citizens and overcome terrorist organizations. In the coming months, we will pursue the idea of a joint command post exercise with these African nations. This exercise will help ensure that our armies and our Soldiers are Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota adjutant general, visits with representatives from the Togolese Republic during an better prepared to meet terrorist threats African Land Forces Summit in Senegal. www.ndguard.ngb.army.mil · 3 FROM THE DESK OF THE North Dakota National Guard Historian A 392nd Fighter Squadron P-47D Thunderbolt piloted by 367th Fighter Group Commander Col. Edwin S. “Chick” Chickering soars over the European countryside in early 1945. Chickering, originally from Oil City, Pennsylvania, commanded the 367th Fighter Group from November 1944 to September 1945. (U.S. Air Force photo) HISTORIC BEGINNINGS ‘Happy Hooligans’ Trace Their Lineage to World War II By Capt. Jeff Hoffer N.D. National Guard Historian The story of the North Dakota Air National Guard’s “Happy Hooligans” began with the formation of the 392nd Fighter became regular occurrences, as preparations for the Allied invasion of Nazi- Squadron at Hamilton Army Air Field near occupied Europe continued. San Francisco, California, on July 15, 1943. By June 6, 1944, the Allied invasion of Normandy was well underway, and As one of three squadrons assigned to the found the squadron providing air cover for British, Canadian and American 367th Fighter Group — later known as “The forces crossing the English Channel. That pivotal day was known simply Dynamite Gang — the unit trained with Bell as “D-Day.” With the withdrawal of the bulk of the German Luftwaffe P-39 Airacobras before arriving England in to Germany to protect against the ever-increasing devastation against April 1944, and being assigned to the 9th German war industry wrought by the bombers of the U.S. 8th Air Force Army Air Force’s IX Fighter Command. and the British Royal Air Forces Bomber Command, encounters with the Upon arrival at their new home at Royal Luftwaffe proved rare. Instead, missions against German ground targets, Air Force Stoney Cross, near Hampshire, such as troop concentrations, convoys, armor, artillery positions, flak towers England, the squadron was surprised to find and aerodromes all fell under the guns, rockets, and bombs of the 392nd twin-engine Lockheed P-38J Lightings as it supported the slow Allied advance in the hedgerow-framed Norman awaiting them. Trained as a single-engine countryside. squadron, the unit expected to receive North One of the squadron’s significant contributions in June was preventing American P-51 Mustangs, but began training German reinforcements from reaching the front lines by attacking with their new mounts. Following about transportation infrastructure, such as railroads, marshalling yards and trains. a month of retraining with the P-38s, the The killing and destruction in Normandy took on a whole new meaning 392nd Fighter Squadron flew its first combat for the 392nd in late June as the German 7th Army, threatened with being missions over Adolph Hitler’s “Fortress surrounded and cut off in France, withdrew eastward through a gap to Europe” in May 1944.