72Nd Dental Squadron Welcomes New Commander
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Vol. 75, No. 28 Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. Friday, July 14, 2017 Lancer Gate AFSC welcomes Col. Froehlich as new vice commander will be closed July 29 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Darren D. Heusel 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs Liberator Gate 21 will be open instead. After weeks of anticipation, the Air Force Sustainment Center officially welcomed Tinker Gate 1 Col. Eric Froehlich as its newest vice will be closed July 30 commander on Monday. 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Froehlich replaces Brig. Gen. Tom Miller, Eaker Gate 2 who recently took over for Maj. Gen. Mark will be open instead. Johnson as the new commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex. “My family and I are excited to be part of Team Tinker and appreciate our warm INSIDE reception to the base,” said Froehlich. “AFSC provides incredible strategic value 752nd OSS for our great Air Force. I look forward to ABM grads learning the important mission of our air Page 3 logistics complexes and wings, and how I can contribute to their success.” Froehlich comes to Tinker Air Force Base, 564th AMXS having previously served as commander of Kitting office: the 377th Air Base Wing at Kirtland AFB, Big business N.M., where he provided highly trained forces in support of the Air Force nuclear Page 6-7 enterprise and expeditionary combat forces to combatant commanders. Col. Eric Froehlich, Air Force Sustainment Center vice commander He also was responsible for installation security, operations, maintenance and “We are extremely fortunate to have The Froehlich’s also come to Tinker mission support for more than 23,000 Colonel Froehlich join our team here at having just recently been named recipients military and civilian employees, who live the AFSC,” said Lt. Gen. Lee K. Levy II, of the Air Force 2017 General and Mrs. and work on Kirtland AFB. AFSC commander. “He brings a wealth of Jerome O’Malley Award. The O’Malley Award is given to the 72nd Med Group As the AFSC vice commander, Froehlich experience to the position and is absolutely the right person for the job. wing commander and spouse whose achieves 3-year will be responsible for assisting the AFSC commander in leading nearly 43,000 total “We welcome Colonel Froehlich, contributions to the nation, Air Force and accreditation force Airmen to deliver combat effects for Stephanie and their four children to the local community best exemplify the highest Page 8 the immediate and long-term requirements Oklahoma City area and look forward to ideals and positive leadership of a military of component and combatant commanders working with them and getting to know couple serving in a key Air Force position. in every area of responsibility. them better. He has accomplished great They will be invited to Washington, D.C. Construction Froehlich brings with him to Tinker his things during his career and I have no doubt later this year to officially accept the award. is progress wife, Stephanie, and four children. he will continue to excel here.” See related story on page 5. Page 11 72nd Dental Squadron Visit us online at www.tinker.af.mil welcomes new commander 72nd Medical Group Commander Col. Christo- Like us on Facebook pher Grussendorf passes the 72nd Dental Squad- www.facebook.com/ ron guidon to Col. Dawn Wagner during a change tinkerairforcebase of command ceremony July 10 in Heritage Hall of the Tinker Clinic. Col. Michael Suhler was the outgoing squadron commander and 72nd MDG deputy commander and Senior Master Sgt. Mary Lake served as guidon bearer during the formal ceremony. Col. Wagner will oversee 54 assigned personnel responsible for treating 8,000 active Air Force photo by Kelly White duty personnel.. Follow us on Twitter @Team_Tinker 2 — www.TinkerTakeOff.com —July 14, 2017 Tinker Air Force Base Commentary: Enlisted MOH recipient: “Woody” Vosler Part 2 of 2 A-7 line in Bldg. 3001 circa April 1982. Howard E. Halvorsen Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Air Force Sustainment Center Historian Corsair II aircraft As you will recall from last week, Forrest Lee “Woody” Vosler was returning on a B-17, the Jersey Greg L. Davis Bounce, after completing a mission over Germany 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs during World War II. He was badly wounded all over, including his eyes, along with fellow crewmember, The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II was tail-gunner George Buske, who was unconscious originally designed as a single-seat, mid-weight and thought to be dying. fighter/bomber for the United States Navy. The The plane had lost two engines and was so badly prototype A-7A took flight on Sept. 27, 1965, damaged the crew knew the plane would never make it after a short design and development period due back to England. The crew had thrown off every piece of to Vought’s experience with the supersonic F-8 equipment unnecessary for flying. Even the instrument Crusader. The A-7 has many features similar to panel was useless so the plane was flying at treetop level the F-8, but was a new-build design overall with to allow the pilot to see exactly where he was going. tricycle landing gear, a strong wing with many After jettisoning all unnecessary equipment, the Photos courtesy Tinker History Office hardpoints for ordnance and folding wingtip pilot’s next order was a passionate call for Vosler By Dec. 20, 1943, Woody was a crewman for the panels. The folding wings and “stinger” tailhook to transmit SOS calls. Thinking with unusual clarity 303rd Bombardment Squadron on a B-17 called were both hold-overs from the Navy design. The despite all he had been through, Vosler responded, Jersey Bounce, after the hit Big Band song penned wing met the fuselage high on the spine with low- “Sir, let me know when we’re going down, and by Buddy Feyne. horizontal tailplanes at the rear with a single, I’ll send the SOS When you can’t keep the aircraft but calmly gave instructions to the men who now swept vertical tail. The front and rear of the aircraft airborne, let me know. In the meantime, if you keep huddled around him in the radio room. have a “clipped” appearance and the aircraft was it up, let’s not break radio silence.” “I sent the SOS out at different speeds,” he often referred to as the “Short-little ugly fellow” After some time, flying low over the North Sea, recalled, “and I got an immediate response from or variations thereof. The denavalized version of he prepared to send out the SOS At first there was England. They receipted my message, and asked me the SLUF was operated by the Air Force and Air no transmission, but keeping his mind clear and to give a holding signal for 20 or 30 seconds while National Guard. remembering his training, Vosler quickly located the they shot a true bearing on me. I responded and gave Tinker was associated with the A-7 Corsair from problem – a loose connection on the transmitter key. the aircraft’s early days when on Nov. 8, 1966, the He couldn’t see clearly enough to make the repairs, See Vosler page 9. Oklahoma City Air Materiel Area took over all logistics management responsibility for what would become the Air Force version, the A-7D, which were first accepted into service in 1968. After initial fielding, This week in Tinker history the Corsair II was soon flying combat missions over Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. This resulted in July 8, 1941 - The Army July 8, 1960 - Oklahoma City Air Materiel the A-7 being sent to the depot maintenance lines awards a $14,270,000 Area completes the first phase of Project “Looking and, according to official Tinker history documents, contract for depot Glass” to modify five KC-135s as airborne hundreds of aircraft were processed along with F-4s, construction to Charles command posts. F-105s and B-52s during that time frame. On Jan. Dunning & Co., Guy H. July 10, 1964 - Col. Edwin P. Schmid succeeds 10, 1972, the first A-7D arrived for modification. James, and Patterson Steel Co. Col. Edwin B. Miller as the new Tinker base By July 1, 1975, the Oklahoma City Air Logistics July 10, 1941 - The Oklahoma commander. Center System Manager assumed logistics program City, Ada & Atoka Railroad begin building a spur July 8, 1968 - Oklahoma City Air Materiel Area responsibility for A-7D aircraft. In 1976, a major line to the depot site. gains management of the weather reconnaissance upgrade program provided the aircraft with laser-spot July 11, 1941 - The Army awards a contract aircraft sensor program. designation capability in the form of the Precision for architectural engineering to E.G. Turnbull of July 10, 2012 - Headquarters AFMC activates Avionics Vectoring Equipment, or PAVE PENNY Cleveland, Ohio. the Air Force Sustainment Center at Tinker AFB. upgrade. July 12, 1955 - Oklahoma City Air Materiel Area On this same date, Oklahoma City Air Logistics is named the specialized depot for J75 engines. Center becomes the Oklahoma City Air Logistics See Corsair II page 10. July 12, 1955 - Tinker receives its first modern Complex and the 72nd Air Base Wing, the 448th bearing plant and aircraft bearing conditioning shops. Supply Chain Management Wing and 635th Manufacturer: Ling-Temco-Vought July 12, 1957 - Oklahoma City Air Materiel Supply Chain Operations Wing realign to AFSC. Aircraft type: A-7 Area becomes the specialized activity for the On this date, Lt. Gen. Bruce A. Litchfield becomes Nickname: Corsair II overhaul and modification of the J75 engine.