1 307TH BOMB WING www.307bwassoc.org B-47 KC-97 ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER NUMBER 50 For all former members of the 307th Bomb Wing at Lincoln AFB, Nebraska NOVEMBER 2006 Speaking of which, Wendy ’Column and I wish you and your families a ’Later Than You Think! memorable and joyous holiday season and a healthy, happy 2007. Keep well and start saving for Branson! deal we can get on rooms. (If we can he “ ” aka Brent reliably count on 150 couples, that Pete Todd THorn, ’letting any grass grow gives us much more clout in negotiat- under his feet as the 2008 Reunion ing contracts than 60 or 40 or a WAG.) Chairman. He and Anne have already made a recce trip to Branson and he Let me reemphasize ’request: if has kicked off the planning process you think ’ even the remotest Donations with Armed Forces Reunions, Inc. chance that you will attend the reunion We wish to acknowledge the generos- (AFRI), our professional reunion orga- in Branson, please let him know, either ity of those who have recently made nizer. The dates ’ settled on by e-mail ([email protected]) or donations to the ’General are 13-18 May, 2008. That slot looks phone (913-268-6368). There is no Fund. like an ideal compromise among obligation or commitment at this weather, show talent in town and point, simply an expression of inter- George E Davis school schedules (i.e., there ’ be est and intent. The only people he Roland England too many families with ankle-biters ’ want to hear from are those William P Johnson around). who definitely will NOT attend. Please William M Kant do it today; we all know how these little Gene Lee Those dates seem like a long way off, to-do tasks get swallowed up in our Jim M Lundak but with all that has to be done in the memory “ ” if we put them Janie Marvel next year and a half, ’none too early off. Perry C Meixel to start thinking about the trip. Yeah, I Thomas J Mills know: ’ all at the age where we I will now demonstrate my powers of George E Nigh III ’ make long-range plans, never distant perception. I know with high Wilmot E Y Paxton buy green bananas, yadda yadda. How- certainty what you have NOT done: you ever, unless you have specific plans to have not organized your notes, poured pack it in before the summer of 2008, I yourself a stiff drink and sat down in hope ’ seriously consider making front of your video camera and related the trek to Branson, MO, for what one or more “ ” or other Back in Touch could be our biggest and best reunion to recollections to send to RT Boykin for th date. his 307 video history. How do I know Harold T Beucus, 101 Pine Ridge Dr, Bas- this? Well, I ’ done it either. trop, TX 78602. I ’overemphasize how important it Like you, after seeing ’DVD at the Arthur J Newton, 15868 W Grand Isle is for Brent and AFRI to have a ball- Charleston reunion, I vowed to add my Way, Surprise, AZ 85374. park estimate of attendees on which to little slice of history to his project, but Kenneth D Pearce, 591 Laborcita, La Lux, base their planning. It affects almost summer travel and other excuses got in NM 88337. every aspect of reunion planning, in- the way. ’ do it right after New cluding tour and show options and the Years. 2 Around the Wing 1 November 1954 USAF retired the last B-29 ’always great to receive news of old from service. Ifriends. Nancy Ryder, the daughter of Glen and Lucy Hesler, was recently kind enough to give us an update on Glen and Lucy. Both have had their share of physical problems, but are not letting 307th Bomb Wing B-47/KC-97 themselves be overwhelmed. The nearby Association photo shows clearly that Glen still enjoys his time with a fishing pole, and Nancy Officers of the Association: says they would enjoy hearing from you. President: Pete Todd, 1250 Big Valley Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80919-1015. Phone Please email them at 719-531-5874. Email: [email protected]. [email protected]. *** Vice President/Newsletter: Mike Gingrich, 2527 Greenlefe Drive, Beavercreek, OH Several months ago, Bob & Genelle 45431. Phone 937-426-5675. Cox, of Lakeside, California, found our Email:[email protected] association through our website, and got in touch. You 307th old-timers out there Secretary: Larry Boggess, 4304 Ridgecrest might remember that back in 1956, Bob Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80918. Phone 719- st 548-8024. Email: [email protected]. was a young copilot in the 371 , and had refueling pit duty the night a plane crashed into the birds being refueled. For the Treasurer: Tony Minnick, 5920 Robin Court, lifesaving actions he performed in the conflagration that night, he was awarded the Lincoln, NE 68516. Phone 402-423-6848. Email: [email protected] Soldiers Medal. Thinking he was a casualty, his squadron mates were very pleasantly surprised the next morning when Bob walked into squadron ops for duty! Association Founders: Wife Genelle is an accomplished writer and has sent a number of engaging short Billy Williams, 5546 Enterprise Drive, Lincoln, stories about various adventures they have had along the way in Air Force and NE 68521. Phone 402-438-6061. Email: [email protected] retired life, that we will publish for your pleasure as space permits. We begin here, as Genelle writes: Betty C Pelletier, deceased 29 November 2004. “were located on 42nd Street near O St. Charles Starkweather, one of the first The Association is strongly reliant upon famous serial killers, was our garbage collector. One time when Bob was on the key members who have volunteered their roof adjusting the TV antenna, Bob saw our garbage man (Charles Starkweather) time and effort to keep the wheels running trying to persuade the little neighbor girl who lived across the street to go with him. smoothly. They are: He was walking through the alley behind our place and the neighbors. The mother Membership: Jan Boggess, 4304 Ridgecrest saw this, called her child into the house and phoned the Lincoln police. (Meanwhile Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80918. Phone 719- Starkweather quickly slipped away). A motorcycle policeman immediately came by, 548-8024. Email: [email protected] Starkweather was nowhere to be found. A few months later there was a big manhunt Membership: Bev Minnick, 5920 Robin for Starkweather as he had killed a couple who lived not too far from us and several Court, Lincoln, NE 68516. Phone 402-423- other people. I have seen this story on TV several times and a movie too. It was 6848. Email: [email protected] pretty scary when the city was on lockdown, the National Guard was patrolling the Co-Historian: Robert Loffredo, 6004 SW 2nd streets and they asked us to stay home and not to answer our door to anyone. St, Des Moines, IA 50315. Phone 515-285- 3445. Email: [email protected] When we were stationed in Greenville, Missisippi, while Bob was in flight school, Elia Kazan came into Greenville to make a move called "Baby Doll" starring Karl Co-Historian: Ernie Pence, 1301 Lincoln Mall Skypark, Ste 101, Lincoln, NE 68508. Malden, Carol Baker and Eli Wallach who were the leads in the movie. Two of the Phone 402-317-1180. Email: wives of the student pilots who were good friends of mine worked for Elia Kazan. [email protected]. Missy Rex got a job as stand in for Carol Baker, she sat in a tree and other Branson 2008 Reunion Chairman: uncomfortable places while they adjusted the lights, camera and etc. Another friend Brent Horn, 12014 W 68th Terrace, Shawnee, Eleanor Crandall made out payroll checks, worked for the production company KS 66216. Phone 913-268-6368. Email: bookkeeping department, They used a lot of local Greenville people as extras and [email protected]. they actually burned down an old cotton gin outside of town for the movie. Some of The Association is a non-profit Veterans Orga- the people from the base went to see the cotton gin burning. Since Missisippi was a nization. All contributions to the organization dry state then, the only place you could get booze was at the base, or a little shack are gratefully received, but presently are not outside of town that the Sheriff ran for the locals; there were not bars or anything of deductable under IRS Code. The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer are that nature, except at the base. Karl Malden would come out to the officers club in elected by majority vote of all members at each (Continued on page 3) business meeting. 3 (Continued from page 2) *** the evening and have a snort or two. We saw him often in the The Kisner family continues to excel in the Air Force as Frank officers club, I don't remember seeing Carol Baker, Eli Kisner writes “ daughter, Janet Augustine, is on the Wallach or Elia Kazan at the club. After that, John Wayne Colonels List just released. Air Force Personnel Center has decided he wanted to make movies in Mississippi. His whole published the ” Congratulations to Janet and her proud crew came out to Greenville. The alligators, water moccasins parents. and mosquitoes and other type bugs were so bad they canned *** the ” Boomerang Publications: A number of people have asked about Boomerang Publications, Another story about ’ adventures in Greenville ap- that supplied us with SAC and 307th momentos, hats, shirts, etc pears elsewhere in this issue.