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April Retiree's Corner

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Bob Barkalow (retired)
  • 169th Fighter Wing

A 44 member security police flight, later dubbed the “Forgotten 44”, ended up being sent to Jidda, Saudi Arabia for their Desert Storm deployment.  It was commanded by 2nd Lt. Charles E. Wesley, who had just assumed command of the flight. Actually he was enlisted and applied and was commissioned for the job as commander of the 169th Security Police Flight not too long before this deployment. They left in late December 1990 and was slated to go to Bahrain. While approaching the airfield in Bahrain, the pilots told the 169SFS members not to wander off or go into the airfield operations office while refueling. Evidently they received word from higher up they needed to re-board the plane after refueling and head somewhere else. They did and as soon as the plane left Bahrain, the commander of the Bahrain forces was running out to stop the plane. He needed security forces. But he was too late, the plane was in the air and headed to parts unknown which then became Jidda, Saudi Arabia. They landed and were assigned quarters in a hotel, not tents like most Desert Storm deployed folks were. Reason being Jidda is the jumping off place for all the people who go to Mecca to worship usually go through Jidda’s airport, and the Saudis did not want the pilgrims going to Mecca see a tent city.  After getting there and getting situated, the commander of the security police flight asked Lt. Wesley what security position would he like his flight to serve. I understand Lt. Wesley responded, “I have no idea”, so the commander, Sandy Edge, a fellow South Carolinian from Horry County, took a liking to the 169SFS and positioned them on flight line security. After retiring Col. Edge became the head ROTC instructor at Clemson University and he became fast friends with many of the 169SFS after the war and retirement. I recently talked with the Post 6 American Legion Executive Director, Kevin Stegall, and he told me Sandy Edge was a folk hero amongst the security police community.

Since the 169SFS was not deployed with all the other units from McEntire JNGB, they would often be shunned or overlooked on many communiques about their deployments. So they in turn along with their families at home starting calling them the “Forgotten 44”. They did their job, while on the flight line, there were a myriad of airplanes including a number of B-52s, they found out later after experiencing some eerie feelings on the flight line especially when the B-52s took off the tail gunners would take a bead on them to align their weapons. The tail gunners finally fessed up to their practice of doing this. So when the B-52s would take off they would stand out there as adjustment targets since they knew what was going on. I thank Master Sgt. (retired) Claude Turner for most of the information he shared with both me, and the folks attending our February 15 luncheon. Later, the 44 member security police flight became a 83 member security forces squadron and is still that presently.    

This article we will honor the entire group of the 44 members of the 169th Security Police Flight. The ranks at the time of deployment, and any other pertinent information I have about them, such as, their rank at their retirement, or if they were discharged, transferred, or passed away. They are as follows:

-Staff Sgt. Johnny C. Bailey retired in 1999 as a Master Sgt. He is believed to be still living and he is in our SCANG Retirees address book.

-Airman Gary A. Bates transferred to the Texas Air National Guard in 1992.

-Master Sgt. Richard E. Bennett retired in 1992 as a Master Sgt. He passed away in 2002 and his name is on our Monument.

-Staff Sgt. Archie M. Bull retired in 2000 as a Master Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Staff Sgt. Lavern S. Burton was discharged in 1992.

-Staff Sgt. Roger B. Church was discharged in 1992.

-Tech. Sgt. Samuel J. Coggins retired in 1995 as a Tech. Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Tech. Sgt. Curtis O. Coleman, Jr. retired in 2004 as a Chief Master Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Tech. Sgt. Robert J. Collins, Jr. retired in 1994 as a Master Sgt. He passed away in January 28, 2000 and his name is on our Monument.

-Master Sgt. Andrew R. Crossland. In 1995 he transferred to the Air Reserve Personnel Center.

-Staff Sgt. Robert E. Davis retired in 2014 as a Chief Master Sgt. and became the 6th Wing Command Chief. He is still living and lives in Sumter. He helps me with the Sumter Retirees at times.

-Sgt. Heyward W. Douglass, Jr. At this time I have no information on him.

-Staff Sgt. Jacob E. Eargle, Jr. retired in 2011 as a Master Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Airman 1st Class Edward R. Earle. At this time I have no information on him.

Staff Sgt. Shannon T. Fleenor, Jr. retired in 2006 as a Master Sgt. I believe he is still living.

-Master Sgt. Phillip W. Fleming retired in 2004 as a Chief Master Sgt. and is still living.

-Staff Sgt. Reuben E. George retired in 2001 as a Master Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Staff Sgt. Zerah Mike Gibson retired in 2001 as a Capt. He is still living. Later after Desert Storm he was commissioned and took over as the Commander of the 169th Security Police Flight.

-Master Sgt. Steve W. Gore retired in 2009 as a Tech. Sgt. As far as I know he is still living.

-Staff Sgt. Carl Greene retired in 1995 as a Tech. Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Staff Sgt. Malcolm S. Harris retired in 2015 as a Senior Master Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Airman James K. Hedrick transferred to the Air Force Reserves.

-Master Sgt. Jimmie L. James, Sr. retired in 2001 as a Senior Master Sgt. He is believed to be still living.

-Airman Benjamin H. Lesesne. At this time I have no information on him.

-Master Sgt. Freddie J. Lorick retired in 1998 as a Master Sgt. I remember him working for Security at the Dept. of Mental Health, later he was Police Chief of both Columbia and Winnsboro. 

-Airman Larry K. McAbee, Jr. At this time I have conflicting information about him.

-Airman 1st Class Robert L. McNeal, Jr. At this time I have no information about him.

-Master Sgt. James E. Mobley retired in 1995 as a Master Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Staff Sgt. Julius C. Moore he retired in 2000 as a Tech. Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Airman Stephen J. Nix, Il. I have on him in 1995 he either transferred or was discharged.

-Airman Carl A. Nunnally, Jr. In 1999 he transferred to the Michigan Air National Guard.

-Staff Sgt. William K. Outen, Jr. retired in 2004 as a Master Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Airman 1st Class Michael O. Payton. In 1992 he transferred to the ARPC.

-Tech. Sgt. John A. Pendergrass, Jr. retired in 1995 as a Tech. Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Tech. Sgt. Leonard C. Phillips retired in 1996 as a Master Sgt. He died November 9, 2019 and his name is on our Monument.

-Sgt. Alexander Richardson retired in 2004 as a Master Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Staff Sgt. Larry G. Smith, Jr. was discharged in1991.

-Airman Matthew B. Sullivan retired in 2013 as a Master Sgt. I’m not sure if he is living.

-Staff Sgt. Francis L. Swanson, Jr. retired in 1999 as a Tech. Sgt. I believe he is still living and have seen him around town, still working in different capacities.

-Sgt. Claude Turner he retired in 2015 as a Master Sgt. He is still working in Security Forces as a civilian. He spoke to us at our last Luncheon and explained their Desert Storm deployment. He did a great job.

-Staff Sgt. David D. Warr retired in 2007 as a Master Sgt. I believe he is still living.

-2nd Lt. Charles E. Wesley retired in 2010 as a Lt. Col. Later he worked as an investigator with the Richland County Coroner’s Office and is still living.

-Staff Sgt. John S. White retired in 1999 as a Master Sgt. I’m not sure if he is still living.

-Airman Jason T. Winegard. At this time I have conflicting information about him, not sure if he was discharged or transferred in 1997.

Statistics for this article: we have 29 people out of 44 who retired, and that equals 66 percent. The breakdown of the 29 people retiring by rank is one Lt. Col., one Capt., three Chief Master Sgts., two Senior Master Sgts., 16 Master Sgts., and six Tech. Sgts. The running total for all the 650 Desert Storm deployed people of which 436 became Retirees, which is 67 percent. And thus far breakdown by rank are two Maj. Gens., six Brig. Gens., 14 Cols., 19 Lt. Cols., eight Majs., one Capt., 69 Chief Master Sgts., 68 Senior Master Sgts., 176 Master Sgts., 64 Tech. Sgts., eight Staff Sgts., and one Senior Airman for a total of 436 Retirees.

Other deployments or significant happenings during the month of April:

April 1977, first ANG unit in Nation to deploy from home station to Hawaii.

April 1983, first delivery of the F-16 “Fighting Falcon” aircraft.

April 1952, the 240th Combat Communications Squadron was formed up, at that time it was the 240th Airways, and Air Communications Service.  It was stood down 3/31/2008.

April 2001, a deployment to Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia, Operation Southern Watch, 225 people deployed.

April 2012, Operation Enduring Freedom, Kandahar Afghanistan, approximately 500 people were deployed.