The StingerThe Official Magazine of the 180th Fighter Wing Vol. 55, Issue No. 4, Aug. 2017 1100th 0Anniversary0 Issue STINGER Vol. 55, Issue No. 04, September 2017 Contents Commander’s 180th Fighter Wing 2660 South Eber Road Swanton, Ohio 43558-9645 Editorials Comments Command Commander’s Comments Wing Commander Anniversary Message Col. Kevin Doyle 3 Vice Commander Col. Scott Reed Features Public Affairs Staff Public Affairs Officer History of the 180th Addison E. Baker 1st Lt. Jordyn Sadowski Fighter Wing Beyond the Call of Duty 1st Lt. Matthew Eck Public Affairs Superintendent 4 6 Senior Master Sgt. Elizabeth Holliker Editor 180FW Patch History Air National Guard Has Staff Sgt. Shane Hughes 9 Defended Ohio 50 Years Photojournalist Staff Sgt. John Wilkes 10 Airman Hope Geiger Broadcast Journalist Air Guard’s 200TH CES Air Guard Wives 1st to Master. Sgt. George Wolfe Saves Lives Join Mates on Job 12 13 Deadline Editorial by Col. Gregg Biddle Air Guard Unit Gets Teary National Guard Gets Deadline for the next Stinger is the Happy Birthday to the 112th Fighter Squadron! As we the cold war and were considered a “strategic force” for Sunday of November RSD @ 3 p.m. Send-off to Middle East Woman Jet Mechanic Hand deliver articles to the Public Affairs reflect back on this very momentous occasion, one can the Air Force. Office in Building 114 or e-mail: usaf. 14 15 only imagine the countless amount of Airmen who either As we converted to the F-16, Desert Storm was fresh in [email protected]. For more Neil Armstrong to Speak Alumni of World War II flew or supported the various missions of the 112th over our minds as we engaged in our first operational deployment information call ext. 4072 the past 100 years. Just think of the challenges the Airmen with the active duty supporting “Operation Provide Com- at Dedication Ceremonies Raid to Meet About The Stinger have endured over the past century to remain relevant, fort” leading into “Operation Northern Watch”, launching 16 17 lean forward with a vision, and most of all be an integral the wing into the modern day deployment cycle. As a wing The Stinger, a funded Air Force news- part of our nation’s defense. All of this does not happen we continually tested our resilience to keep the mission paper, is an authorized publication for West Toledoan is Best Future has Nurse Walking the personnel of the 180th Fighter Wing, in a vacuum, each and every one of you have contributed going while dealing with Unit Compliance Inspections, Ohio Air National Guard, 2660 S. Eber Shot in Military on Air to the success to help bring the fight to the enemy. Yes, Operational Readiness Inspections, Base Realignment Road, Swanton, Ohio 43558. Contents 18 19 every one of you have identified yourselves as “Stingers” and Closure challenges, aircraft and mission upgrades of The Stinger are not necessarily the - a proud heritage we can all point back to, a lineage that just to name a few. In the end, Stingers have risen to the official view of, or endorsed by, the New Unit to Begin Toledo’s Air Base Getting U.S. Government, the Department of binds us together to achieve a common goal. occasion, met the challenges put before them, not only Defense, the Department of the Air Operating at Airport New Aircraft As I look back on my career and think of the airmen have we excelled but continue to amaze those around us. Force, the National Guard Bureau or the 20 22 who have passed through this wing – Airmen who built Time has a way of softening the “good ole days”, with Adjutant General of Ohio. The editorial content is edited, prepared and provided the foundation of who we are today. Names you probably every generation having their particular challenges. Things by the 180th Public Affairs Office. 180th in Turkey; Mission: Training with George W. have never have heard before, like Chief Master Sgt. John we might see as trivial today but for our predecessors Provide Comfort Bush Arnett, Chief Master Sgt. Dick Royce, Chief Master Sgt. those challenges could be life changing. Someday in the 24 28 Ernest Huckels, Chief Master Sgt. Bob Mossing, Col. future, the things we fret about today, will be normal daily John Smith, Col. Jay Nielsen and Col. Larry Huckels just occurrences. One thing that is constant, every day we push OHANG is Protecting U.S. English Icon Finds an to name a few. Some of these airmen had more than 40 the envelope – not because we want to, but because it has and its Allies American Home years of service. Without them, we may not have had the been passed down between generations of Airmen based 30 32 vision to move the wing from one generation to the next, on the common ground we call “Stingers”. As you ascend or be celebrating this momentous occasion. throughout your career and work your way into leader- The base looks nothing like it did when I arrived as a ship positions, you’re going to wake up some day and the Extras senior airmen. Back then the base was smaller, the South previous generation will have handed you the torch – the The Code of the Warrior Gate, Baker building, Sonnenberg building, and civil en- torch that keeps the wing relevant, giving opportunities 38 gineering were all a wooded area, the dining facility was a to future generations as the past generations have given to wooden building where the pavilion now sits. There were you. Happy Birthday Stingers! May your next 100 years houses on both sides of Eber Road, where Parker Pond and be as great as the last 100. the solar field are today. We were flying the A-7, fighting The Stinger 2 September 2017 The Stinger 3 September 2017 http://www.180fw.ang.af.mil/ Facebook Twitter priority, our 24/7/365 mission, year after year, the team has History of the earned the highest possible “Mission Ready” NORAD Command inspection ratings and “Best Seen to Date” comments for both Alert 180th Fighter Wing Forces Evaluations and Alert Forces Operational Assessments in 2009, 2012 and 2014. The 180FW ACA was the first unit to ever oday’s 180th FW was formed in October 1995, but win the 1st Air Force ACA Unit of the Year title, two consecutive its origins stretch back to Aug. 18, 1917 when the years in a row in 2010 and 2011. 112th Aero Squadron was organized as a supply Our ACA team has produced several 1st Air Force-level unit at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas. Ten years individual award winners as well over the years to include Pilot later in 1927,the 112th moved to the Cleveland of the Year in 2011, Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year HopkinsT Airport, Ohio where they became known as the 112th in 2009, Noncommissioned Officer of the Year in 2009 and 2011, Observation Squadron flying a wide range of aircraft throughout Maintainer of the Year for 2010 and Command Post Controller of the late 1920’sand 1930’s including the PT-1, BT-1,the O-2 and the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Most recently a 180FW Airman the O-11. In 1940, the unit was regrouped as the 112th Liaison was selected as the 1st Air Force First Sergeant of the Year for Squadron. 2014. In 2015, a 180FW Airman was selected as the 2015 Security During that time, the 112th was activated in support of World Forces Aerospace Control Alert Airman of the Year. War II and Lt. Col. Addison Baker, a B-24 Liberator pilot received The team’s continued excellence has earned them the full the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the confidence of the continental U.S. North American Aerospace raids on the oil fields at Ploesti, Romania. After the war, the unit Defense Command Region Commander when he remarked “the was reorganized as the 112th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 180FW is the benchmark for these operations.” In the future, the flying Douglas A-26 Invaders and they were activated at Lawson 180FW and the 112FS will continue to be major contributors to Field, Georgia in support of the Korean Conflict in 1950. After the nation’s air superiority. the conflict ended, the unit returned to Ohio as an Air National Known for leaning forward in the research, development and Guard Fighter Bomber Squadron flying F-51 Mustangs at the implementation of green energy programs, in 2012, the 180FW Akron-Canton Airport. became the first Air National Guard wing to fly routine training Several more reorganizations and aircraft conversions took missions solely on biofuel as part of the testing plan with the Air place throughout the next 20 years. First, the unit moved to Toledo Force to certify more than 40 aircraft models for bio-fuel use. as a Fighter Interceptor Squadron and converted from the F-51 Two 180 FW aircraft were designated to test 100,000 gallons of to the F-84 E/F Thunderjet model aircraft in 1958. Then the unit the renewable fuel as one of the final steps before taking the fuel became the 112th Tactical Fighter Squadron in 1958 and was mainstream and allowing the F-16 to use bio-fuel in unrestricted activated for the Berlin Crisis in 1961. In 1962, the 112FS became operations. The wing’s use of Bio-fuels further reduces dependence part of the newly formed 180th Tactical Fighter Group. In 1970, on fossil fuels and brings us one step closer to achieving our goal the 180th TFG transitioned from the F-84 to the F-100 Super Sabre of energy independence.