“Happy Valley” Phan Rang AB, RVN ...keeping the memories alive Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Stories worth telling” In this issue: KNOW YOUR COMMANDER Colonel Frank L. Gailer Jr. Lt. Col. Robert M. Hodges Lt. Col. Robert C. Cherry Lt. Col. Kenneth S. Smith Lt. Col. Ben H. Varner Colonel Kenneth E. Bethe Lt. Col. Len C. Russell Colonel Walter T. Galligan Lt. Col. Donald J. Yuen Lt. Col. Ben J. Varner Lt. Col. Albert E. Smith Colonel Harry V. Bankard Lt. Col. Frank F. Cannon Colonel Leslie J. Campbell Lt. Col. Robert H. Buss Lt. Col. Allan H. Aaronson Lt. Col. Craig C. McCall Wg. Comdr. John Whitehead Colonel Amin George Jr. Lt. Col. Edwin G. Jones Lt. Col. Joseph F. Hermann Colonel Robert G. Goold Lt. Col. Joedan J. Saunders Lt. Col. James H. Bauer Lt. Col. Eugene Tiddy Lt. Col. Eugene E. Hustad Lt. Col. Lloyd Russell Lt. Col. Charles F. Brower III Lt. Col. James E. Muldoon Colonel Noble F. Greenhill Jr. Colonel Tony M. Greget Lt. Col. Samuel T. Dickens Colonel John W. Pauly Lt. Col. Paul E. Rova Lt. Col. I. W. Bailey Colonel Kenneth P. Miles Colonel Kenneth T. Blood Jr. Colonel Bill M. Richardson Colonel Tony M. Greget Colonel Wallace C. Bosworth Jr. Doug’s Comments Page 1 The Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Happy Valley” Phan Rang AB, RVN ...keeping the memories alive Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Stories worth telling” Colonel Frank L. Gailer Jr. Colonel Frank L. Gailer Jr. is the commander of the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing. He assumed command on Sept. 23 from Col. Herndon F. Williams, who has been reassigned to the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, Torrejon AB, Spain. Colonel Gailer comes to Phan Rang from the faculty of the National War College in Washington, D.C. Prior to that assignment he served as the commander of the 3630th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas. A member of the American Fighter Aces Association he is credited with destroying 6 ½ German aircraft during World War II before being shot down and captured. He destroyed 3 ½ FW 190s and 3 ME 109s while compiling 45 combat missions. He was held as a POW for five months and liberated by the Russian forces. His major assignments have included Jet Fighter Advisor to the Uruguayan Air Force and Special Assistant to the Chief of Mission, Montevideo, Uruguay. When he returned to the United States he was assigned to Headquarters USAF, DCS/Operations as the Chief of the Missions Section and later served as the Chief of the Latin American Missions Branch. He then became the Action Officer, Western Hemisphere Branch in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Colonel Gailer’s decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 9 oak leaf clusters, the Joint Services Commendations Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Purple Heart. He also has been awarded the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identifications Badge. (Source: Phan Fare, The Happy Valley Weekly, 26 September 1968) Page 2 The Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Happy Valley” Phan Rang AB, RVN ...keeping the memories alive Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Stories worth telling” Lt. Col. Robert C. Cherry Lt. Col. Robert C. Cherry is the commander of the 120th TFS, Phan Rang Air Base’s newest fighter squadron. He took command of the 120th TFS on its activation in January 1968 and led the move to Phan Rang last April. Colonel Cherry entered aviation cadet training during the fall of 1942 and graduated as a second lieutenant from Moore Field, Mission, Texas in July 1943. After a short transition in the P-47 Thunderbolt, he went to the European Theatre of Operations in November of 1943, joining the 62nd Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group. He completed 83 combat missions and over 300 hours of combat time during which he destroyed five enemy aircraft and probably destroyed another. Upon completion of the combat assignment he became an instructor at the ETO Replacement Training Squadron, returning to the U.S. in December 1944. During the first few months of 1945, Colonel Cherry was assigned to the Air Training Command, completing the Instructor’s Training course and being transferred to Goodfellow Field as a flight instructor. In May of that year, he transferred to the First Air Force, attended Gunnery Instructor’s School and became a gunnery instructor at Selfridge Field, Michigan, once again flying the P-47’s. This assignment terminated in 1946, when the 56th Fighter Group was reactivated at Selfridge and Colonel Cherry was assigned as assistant group operations officer. In January of 1947, Colonel Cherry separated from the Army Air Corps. During the period 1947 to 1953, he was in the Air Force Reserve joining the Colorado Air National Guard in August, 1953. He checked out in the F-80 and during gunnery competion and became an alternate on the Air National Guard Gunnery Team. The team placed third overall in the World-Wide meet at Nellis AFB in 1955, flying F-86’s. Shortly thereafter, he was employed by the Colorado Air National Guard as a flying training instructor. Colonel Cherry joined the Minute Men Air National Guard Demonstration Team early in 1956, Page 3 The Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Happy Valley” Phan Rang AB, RVN ...keeping the memories alive Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Stories worth telling” as slot man. He moved to left wing in 1957 and assumed command of the Minute Men in 1959. In 1965, Cherry assumed command of the 140th Tactical Fighter Group. A Command Pilot, Colonel Cherry has received decorations including the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the Army Commendation Medal. He makes his home in Denver with his wife, Phyllis, and twins Robert S. and Rebecca L. (The Phan Fare, The Happy Valley Weekly, November 7, 1968) Lt. Col. Ben H. Varner Lt. Col. Ben H. Varner, a native of Elm Mott, Texas, has arrived at Phan Rang to become the new 315th Special Operations wing Deputy commander for materiel. Graduating from aviation cadets at Spence Field, Ga.( Spence Air Base was a United States Air Force base that operated from 1941 to 1961. It was later reopened as Spence Airport), in 1943, then Second Lieutenant Varner departed for his first flying as a P-47 pilot at Dale Mabry Field, Fla. His dream of becoming a fighter pilot were rudely interrupted however, when there was a urgent need for bomber crews. Boarding a train, his entire class was diverted to Pocatello, Idaho, for transitioning to B-24s. As a group, they flew the Atlantic to North Africa and later to Italy. During this tour, he accumulated more than 500 combat hours in 50 missions. Upon the close of World War II, Colonel Varner became a civilian. At the outset of the Korean hostilities in 1950 he was recalled to active duty and was sent to assist in establishing a civilian contract flying training school at Bainbridge, Ga. There, he instructed fledgling pilots in the T-6. Page 4 The Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Happy Valley” Phan Rang AB, RVN ...keeping the memories alive Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Stories worth telling” Two years later, he was bound for the war zone himself as a T-6 “spotter.” He was “short- stopped” in Japan, however and sent to Matsushing air field to help found the Japanese Pilot Training Program, forerunner of the present Japan Air Self Defense Force. In 1966 he was assigned to the Strategic Air Command at McCoy AFB, Fla. As a B-47 aircraft commander. Lt. Col. Len C. Russell Lt. Col. Len C. Russell, commander, 352nd TFS, is a native of Macks Creek, Mo. After pilot training as an aviation cadet, he received his wings and commission on Aug. 2, 1952, at Bryan AFB, Texas. Following advanced training at Nellis AFB, Nev., he joined the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Osan AB, Korea, flying the famed F-86 Sabrejet. He flew 81 aerial missions and 112 combat hours and was credited with one MIG-15 destroyed. Returning to Nellis in December 1953, Colonel Russell served there until January of 1960. During that time, he held positions as fighter gunnery instructor with the training branch of operations; liaison officer with the tactical fighter liaison branch, and weapons instructor. Reassigned to Luke AFB, Ariz., in 1963, Colonel Russell held positions as wing weapons officer and squadron assistant operations officer before being reassigned to Hq. USAF as operations staff officer, Current Systems Branch, Tactical Division, Deputy Director for General Purpose and Airlift Forces, Directorate of Operational Requirements and Development Plans, DCS/Research and Development. He was reassigned to Vietnam in August of last year and was promoted to his present rank in November. He and his wife, the former Miss Ramona Kelso, also of Macks Creek, have three children, Carol, 13; Peggy, 9 and David, 7. The family presently resides in Alexandria, Va. (Source: Phan Fare, The Happy Valley Weekly, March 13, 1969) Page 5 The Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Happy Valley” Phan Rang AB, RVN ...keeping the memories alive Phan Rang AB News No. 139 “Stories worth telling” Lt. Col. Donald J. Yuen Lt. Col. Donald J. Yuen, commander of Det. 1, 504th TASG (FAC-U), has performed widely diversified duties in operations, maintenance, and staff positions during his 18-year Air Force Career. He enlisted on Feb. 15 1951, and entered the aviation cadet program in October of the year.