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June Retiree's Corner

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Bob Barkalow (retired)
  • 169th Fighter Wing
MCENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. --  

Well here it is, Memorial Day. The year 2020 seems strange. No Luncheon to report how many folks showed up, no newcomers, no nothing. So overall we all have just been maintaining. Supposedly our June Luncheon is to be held June 2nd. However, it doesn’t look like a go, and at this time I can’t predict when we will have our next Luncheon. Don’t despair, sooner or later we will participate in our Luncheon routine. Personally, I have not let the pandemic get me down. I have been playing golf some. I see Bob Smart, Bob Fancher, Robert Dozier, Ed Sutton and others out at the Fort Jackson Golf Club as well. We are currently getting our house painted. As of late, we go out to dine in. So life is opening back up for us all.

We have been honoring the Berlin Crisis Call-Up folks and to date we have honored the members of Headquarters 169th Fighter Group, 169th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 157th Fighter Squadron, and 169th Air Base Squadron. What is left is the 169th USAF Dispensary and the 169th Materials Squadron. The Dispensary, or Medical Clinic only had 30 members, so I will combine them with part of the 169th Materials Squadron, which had 172 assigned members. It should take about another three months to finish the Berlin Crisis Call-Up folks.

McEntire History:  The 169th USAF Dispensary members are as follows:

  • Maj. George W. Fort, Jr., I am not sure but he could have been one of our first Flight Surgeons. I have seen pictures of him in our SCANG Anniversary books, but do not have him retiring.
  • Capt. Philip P. Claytor, a familiar name in the McEntire ranks. I have no information on him.
  • Capt. John M. Ross, I have no information on him.
  • Capt. Robert L. Wannamaker, another familiar McEntire name. I have no information on him.
  • 1Lt.  Vivian L. Squires, one of our two nurses called up during the Berlin Crisis.
  • 1Lt. Mary E. Willard, one of the two nurses called up, saw a picture in the SCANG Anniversary book honoring them along with Maj. Fort.
  • MSgt. Charles Buford Madden, one of the Dispensary/Clinic’s head enlisted guys for years. He retired in 1975 as an E-8 and died in 1976. His name is on the SCANG Monument.
  • TSgt. James B. Holland, I have no information on him.
  • TSgt. Elton M. Wilson, I have no information on him.
  • SSgt. Charles D. Blackwell, I have no information on him.
  • SSgt. Henry Cook, Jr., I have no information on him.
  • SSgt. Lex E. Elkins, I have no information on him.
  • SSgt. Phillip R. Johnson, I have no information on him.
  • SSgt. Enoch J. Sexton, I have no information on him.
  • A1C Alfred G. Abdalla, I have no information on him.
  • A1C Rodney J. Russell, I have no information on him
  • A1C Charles W. Smith, I have no information on him.
  • A2C Joseph P. Abdalla, I have no information on him.
  • A2C Barry J. Brantley, I have no information on him.
  • A2C James W. Bull, I have no information on him.
  • A2C Donald R. Dunbar, I have no information on him.
  • A2C Alex R. Kelley, I have no information on him.
  • A2C Stanley P. Papajohn, I have no information on him.
  • A2C Louis D. Polatty, I have information on him.
  • A2C Kay W. Smith, I have no information on him.
  • A2C Albert N. Wells, I have no information on him.
  • A2C Richard E. Wessinger, I have no information on him.
  • A3C Jacob S. Ulmer, Jr., I believe he is one of our retirees, although according to my source not sure what year. But it had to be after 1986. Later he was commissioned staying with the Clinic, and retiring as an O-5 after 1986. His name is on the SCANG Monument as J.S. Ulmer, passing away in the year 2002.
  • A3C Fritz E. Vannerson, I have no information on him.

The 169th Material Squadron was the forerunner of the 169th Supply Squadron/169th Resource Management Squadron. This particular squadron when called up, went all over the place, Spain, France, Germany, and to different bases in the USA. Many of the higher-ranking folks became our leaders and later our retirees.

  • Lt. Col. Eddie R. Elkin, he retired in 1969 and passed away in 2004. His name is on the SCANG Monument. Also, he had the distinction of being the only SCANG pilot that flew in combat in both WWII and Korea.
  • Capt. Calvin H. Chandler, I have no information on him.
  • Capt. Glenn H. Gainey, I have no information on him.
  • Capt. Willie C. Rish, he retired in 1965 and passed away April 23, 2000. His name finally made our SCANG Monument.
  • Capt. James H. Tuten, he retired in 1991 as a O-7, head of the USP&FO for the Guard, and other leadership jobs within the Air Guard. Lastly, he was promoted to Assistant Adjutant General-Air before his retirement. He was also on the Richland County Council, and later became chairman. A fine individual who is still living, although he now resides at Wildwood Downs. He has to be around 90+ years of age.
  • 1Lt.  Robert L. Brown, I have no information on him.
  • 2Lt.  Franklin D. Beattie, Jr., I have no information on him.
  • 2Lt. Lewis M. Caswell, he retired during the ‘Missing Link’ years in 1987 as an O-6 and is still living.
  • CWO2 Charles H. Sellers, he retired as a CWO3 in 1968 and passed away in 1980. His name is on the SCANG Monument.
  • CMSgt. William H. Gwinn, Jr., he retired in 1978 and passed away March 15, 1999. His name is on the SCANG Monument.
  • SMSgt. Thomas A. Joyner, he retired in 1984 as an E-9 and passed away in 2006. His name is on the SCANG Monument.
  • MSgt. Chris D. Beukema, I have no information about him.
  • MSgt. Thomas B. Campbell, I have no information about him.
  • MSgt. Eugene A. Cobia, he retired in 1977 and passed away in 1995. His name is on the SCANG Monument. His wife called me up some time ago and gave me some wonderful SCANG pictures.
  • MSgt. Amos A. Frick, he retired in 1979 and passed away in 2005. His name is on the SCANG Monument.
  • MSgt. Algie F. Hare, he retired in 1986 as an E-8 and passed away April 9, 2018. His name is on the SCANG Monument.
  • MSgt. James C. Hatchell, Sr., he retired in 1989 as an E-9. He was a Senior Enlisted Advisor and mentor to many SCANG members. He passed away June 19, 2009 and his name is on the SCANG Monument.
  • MSgt. Alfred C. Kawohl, he retired in 1976 and passed away in1998. His name is on the SCANG Monument.
  • MSgt John M. Motley, Sr., he retired in 1988 as an E-9 and passed away in 2000. His name is on the SCANG Monument. One of the “old Guard”.

To tally the statistics on the Berlin Call-Up after this log in, we have honored 585 members of the supposed 747 members called up. This equals 78% of the deployed members. I am estimating that we now have 172 members currently becoming retirees, which is 29% of the named and honored call-ups to date. Of the 172 known retirees, we now have:

  • 1 major general
  • 5 brigadier generals
  • 4 colonels
  • 17 lieutenant colonels
  • 7 majors
  • 2 chief warrant officer 03
  • 46 chief master sergeants
  • 31 senior master sergeants
  • 49 master sergeants
  • 9 technical sergeants
  • 1 staff sergeant

Again, these folks became the backbone of SCANG, and set the pattern for good leadership into the next eras. The next article we will continue with the 169th Material Squadron. As stated before, we are not sure when our next Luncheon will be. So, all I can tell you is to watch your social distancing. Don’t get crazy until we can figure out this out or finally get vaccinated to control this virus that has disrupted our lifestyle.