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Air Commando Journal, Fall 2012

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Air Commando Journal, Fall 2012 You can help us protect their children. The Special Operations Warrior Foundation has been caring for the families of fallen and wounded Special Operations Forces since 1980. College Scholarships - Caring for Wounded - Family Support Consistently ranked among the top-rated charities in the nation by Charity Navigator. CFC # 11455 www.specialops.org Air Commando JOURNAL Fall 2012 Vol. 2, No 1 15 No Room For Error 23 Combat Shadows in Operation Puma AC-119 Shadow and Stinger Gunships in SEA (Photo by David Voisey) 29 25 Raven 26: Gunships III The Story of Chuck Engle AC-119G Shadow & AC-119K Stinger 34 4 Commander Leadership Awards Foreword: Michael W. Wooley, Lt Gen, USAF (Ret.) 40 5 AC-130s and Iranian Hostage Chindit Chatter: Editorial Rescue Attempt (Part 2 of 2) 7 Hotwash: Letters & Comments ON THE COVER 44 On the Shoulders of Giants The Legacy of the Air Commando 11 Air Commando 48 Hall of Fame Medal of Honor (U.S. Air Force photo by SSgt Julianne Lt Col Joe Jackson M. Showalter/Released) www.aircommando.org Fall 2012 │ AIR COMMANDO JOURNAL │ 3 FOREWORD WOW! What a Convention/Reunion we had this year. They just keep getting better and better. I am very proud of each of you for what you continue to do as Air Commandos, past and present, and for your support of your Air Commando Association. As we grow as an organization, I want to say a few words about the Air Commando Hall of Fame and your Hall of Fame Committee. We had five very deserving inductees this year, all which had a lifetime of service to our GREAT NATION as Air Commandos and you will read about each of them in this issue. As you know, we (ACA) also sponsor the AFSOC Commander’s Leadership Awards and you will find out more about them as well. Back to the Hall of Fame—to find a detailed discussion about nomination criteria, just go to our website www. aircommando.org/content/hall-fame/nominations or go to the “About” pull down and click on “Hall of Fame” to find all the resources that you will need to nominate an Air Commando that you know has made significant contributions to the betterment of Air Commando or Air Force Special Operations Forces. The committee uses a one to ten (in half point increments) scoring system similar to the Air Force Promotion System to select our Hall of Famers. Therefore, the package you submit is very important and must communicate to the committee the specifics on why your nominee should be chosen!At the end of the process, if your Air Commando was very close to being selected, then I will send a letter of feedback to you so you can rework the package, present additional facts or other things to make the package stronger. I am confident that our process allows us to select the “very best” of “the best” to be inducted into the Air Commando Hall of Fame. It’s not too early to start thinking about whom you want to submit as the 2013 nominees. I know that you are as proud of this very professional journal as I am and we get your feedback often! As Lt Gen Brad Heithold said in our last issue, “I look forward to a hearty response from my AFSOC brethren.” Well, as many of you reminded us, we left out our AC-119 Shadow and Stinger Gunships in our Gunship issue—shame on us! We’ve corrected that oversight and have a super article on the AC-119s in this issue. Sit back, relax and enjoy your Air Commando Journal. Michael W. Wooley, Lt Gen, USAF (Ret.) Seventh AFSOC Commander Board of Directors, ACA Chairman, Air Commando Hall Of Fame Committee 4 │ AIR COMMANDO JOURNAL │Fall 2012 www.aircommando.org CHINDIT CHATTER s Gen Wooley pointed out in the foreword, this edition of ACJ focuses on the Air Commando Hall of Fame. First, I want to point out is that this is the AIR COMMANDO AHALL of FAME… not the Air Commando ASSOCIATION Hall of Fame. There is no requirement to have any affiliation with ACA to be nominated and selected for this honor. That is often misconstrued. When I look at the Hall of Fame board that hangs in the ACA conference room, I am awed by the names that are represented. There are 160 names on that board. 160 names that represent some of the finest Americans and Air Commandos who have served this great nation of ours gallantly since World War II. When I think of the thousands of patriots who have served as Air Commandos for nearly 70 years and yet the number on this wall is only 160, I am awed by the prestige of this group and the role ACA serves to ensure Air Commando history and legacy are preserved. I am awed thinking of the stories that could be told of days and days of pure boredom interrupted by the occasional few moments of pure adrenaline rush and terror before and during the execution of the missions for which they are renowned. Names like Cochran, Alison, Aderholt, King, Gleason, Kittinger, Secord, Lutz, Bourque, Ifland, Klingaman, Manor and Levitow represent the foundation of Air Commandos that led the way in making Air Commandos a force to be reckoned with today and well in to the future. They are the giants that provided the examples used by those who followed to vault Air Commandos to today’s most highly skilled, utilized and demanded capabilities in the Air Force; whose role is only going to grow in capability and employment. More recent inductees who took the stick and continued to pave the path are Schwartz, Doster, Steinbeck, Walter, Wurster, Hobson, Carney, Lampe and Downs. This year’s group clearly represents the same Air Commando ethos and impact of these Hall of Famers will ensure the paths that were laid by our founding giants are broader and truly a thoroughfare for the future. There is no reason to doubt that the list of 25 superb airmen selected for this year’s Commander’s Leadership Award contains at least one or more names that will be added to this wall in the future. God bless the Hall of Famers and all the other Air Commandos they represent and God bless today’s Air Commandos that continue to carry the fight to those in this complex world that would do America harm. Dennis Barnett, Col, USAF ( Ret) ACA Vice President and Editor In Chief www.aircommando.org Fall 2012 │ AIR COMMANDO JOURNAL │ 5 Advertisers in this issue: Air Commando Black Diamond ................................................... 50 JOURNAL Blanchard Family Wines .................................... 10 Publisher Bless The Children ...............................................47 Richard Secord [email protected] Emerald Coast Convention Center ..................... 24 Editor in Chief Lockheed Martin ................................................ 30 Dennis Barnett [email protected] Rally Point Management, LLC ...............................6 Contributing Editors Sierra Nevada Corporation ................................. 10 Rick Newton Pete Riley SSAI ................................................................... 18 Public Affairs/Marketing Director Special Operations Warrior Foundation ................2 Shannon Pressley Veteran Data Solutions ....................................... 10 [email protected] Graphic Designer Jeanette Moore [email protected] Air Commando Association Board of Directors Maj Gen (Ret) Richard Secord, President Col (Ret) Dennis Barnett, Vice President Col (Ret) Paul Harmon, Treasurer CMSAF #9 (Ret) James Binnicker, Director Col (Ret) Thomas Bradley, Director Maj (Ret) David Freeman, Director MSgt (Ret) Joe D. Harris, Director Maj Gen (Ret) Clay McCutchan, Director SMSgt (Ret) Pete Riley, Director Lt Gen (Ret) Michael Wooley, Director CMSgt (Ret) Micheal Wright, Director Air Commando Association P.O. Box 7, Mary Esther, FL 32569 Telephone: (850) 581-0099 Fax: (850) 581-8988 Web Site: www.aircommando.org Email: [email protected] This publication is for the information, interest, and enjoyment of our readers. Views and opinions expressed are of the author or source of material and do not necessarily reflect opinions, views, or endorsements of the ACA. Material in the Air Commando Journal may be reproduced provided the source is credited. Air Commando Journal is not sponsored by DoD, USAF or AFSOC. ACA does not endorse any particular candidate or political action group. Individual members are asked to restrain from inferring or stating any such association of the ACA in their dealings with these type groups. 6 │ AIR COMMANDO JOURNAL │Fall 2012 www.aircommando.org HOTWASH Teammates, the back end crews on the very simple ever considered doing an article on the I just received the latest issue of modification. I can personally attest to 604th ACS ‘Combat Dragon’ test of the the Air Commando Journal and was the type of leader Col Terry is. In my 29 A-37 ‘Dragonfly’ in the Vietnam War in thoroughly impressed. I read the entire years active duty I never served under a 1967. With it having flown over 100,000 magazine cover to cover twice. I have been better man, he had a way of motivating missions during the war, many in close associated with AFSOC and AC-130s people that is very rare and I respect him air support of troops in contact, I feel the since 1991 and for all I thought I knew, greatly. A-37 deserves to have its story also told there is obviously a lot I don’t. Many On a later tour with the AC-119K in an exceptional publication such as your thanks to Col-retired Ron Terry, Lt Col- Detachment at NKP, I got requested journal. Having around 400 contacts in retired Tim Schaffer, and Chief-retired to help install a Modification to the our A-37 Association, I know you could Bill Walter for their very insightful and C-47 consisting of the installation of receive a lot of help and photos for such entertaining articles.
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