MCENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. -- We are in the early stages of honoring all the Desert Shield/Storm call-ups.
This month we will be honoring the 169th Services Flight, the 169th Tactical Fighter Group, and the 169th Mission Support Squadron.
The 169th Services Flight consisted of 27 members being called up and they were the first increment called up effective November 27, 1990, along with some members of the 240th to be first to set up a bare base into a functional air base. I must say when the Services Flight left Al Kharj in my personal opinion the chow hall went down. It wasn’t the same or as good.
The members of the 169th Services Flight were:
- Maj. Glenn D. Addison, a colorful figure. He did not retire from SCANG. Later in his career, he transferred to the Air Force Reserve. He was a resident of the Charleston area and passed away December 27, 2017.
- Staff Sgt. Kenneth D. Barfield retired in 2004 as a Tech. Sgt. and is still living as far as we know.
- Master Sgt. Leonard H. Belk retired in 2005 as a Chief Master Sgt. and was the third Wing Command Chief. Another colorful figure and is still living.
- Tech. Sgt. William J. Briggs retired in 1999 as a Tech. Sgt. He is still living as far as we know.
- Master Sgt. James Burgess transferred I believe to the Air Force Reserve in Charleston. His son James was in my tent and he would come check on him like a good dad.
- Staff Sgt. Ellen J. Chestnut retired in 2004 as a Senior Master Sgt. As far as we know she is still living.
- Tech. Sgt. Herbert Clark, Jr. retired in 1998 as a Master Sgt. He passed away November 10, 2014 and his name is on our Monument.
- Master Sgt. Nathaniel H. Cooper retired in 1991 with disability about as soon as he returned from the deployment. Not sure if he is still living or not. His claim to fame, while the mess hall was located at the pecan grove, was walking through getting as many people out of the chow hall so others could get in.
- Airman 1st Class Michael E. Coward was discharged in 1994.
- Staff Sgt. Ronald K. Evans retired in 2004 as a Tech. Sgt. and as far as we know he is still living.
- Staff Sgt. Sandra C. Green. I have no information on her.
- Tech. Sgt. Eddie C. Harrison retired in 1998 as a Senior Airman. I double checked and not sure what happened to him to be demoted. As far as we know he is still living.
- Staff Sgt. Walter A. Hutcherson, Jr. was discharged in 1991.
- Staff Sgt. Marion A. Ike, Jr., retired in 1994 as a Master Sgt. He passed away November 19, 2018 and his name is on our Monument. He served in many different capacities and units while a member of SCANG.
- Tech. Sgt. Terry Jagers retired in 2003 as a Senior Master Sgt. and as far as we know he is still living.
- Airman 1st Class Tommie L. Jenkins, Jr. retired in 2009 as a Master Sgt. and as far as we know he is still living.
- Master Sgt. Luther R. Jones retired in 2010 as a Chief Master Sgt. and he is still living.
- Staff Sgt. Harry D. Kennedy retired in 2007 as a Senior Master Sgt. and as far as we know he is still living.
- Master Sgt. Doris J. Luellen retired in 1998 as a Master Sgt. and is still living.
- Staff Sgt. Herbert Oree, Jr. was discharged in 1991.
- Staff Sgt. Kenneth G. Reposa, he retired in 2003 as a Master Sgt. and as far as we know he is still living.
- Tech. Sgt. Joseph B. Roche, Sr. retired in 2000 as a Master Sgt. and is still living. He married into the Villa Tronca family. Now that’s some good food.
- Tech. Sgt. Malcolm Russell retired in 2004 as a Master Sgt. and as far as we know he is still living.
- Tech. Sgt. Charles G. Sharpe he retired in 1992 as a Tech. Sgt. and is still living, involved with the American Legion, and the Patriot Riders, and a faithful Luncheon attendee.
- Airman 1st Class Jennifer L. Stubbs. I have no information on her.
- Staff Sgt. Billy J. Taylor retired in 2004 as a Chief Master Sgt. and as far as we know he is still living.
- Staff Sgt. Clifton E. Weir retired in 2012 as a Chief Master Sgt. and is still living and working with the Governor’s Office to my knowledge.
We have 20 Retirees out of this group: Five Chief Master Sgts., two Senior Master Sgts. eight Master Sgts., four Tech. Sgts., and one Senior Airman. An impressive legacy within this group. That’s a 74 percent retiree ratio for the Services Flight.
The 169th Tactical Fighter Group, Headquarters for the 169th Deployed Units. There were 17 members assigned to this Group. They are as follows:
- Lt. Col. Joe A. Camp retired in 1998 as a Lt. Col. While deployed he stated he was TDY to the “Black Hole” in Riyadh for prewar mission planning because there wasn’t any F-16A model representation and expertise. While in country he flew 28 combat missions and a total of 44 missions altogether.
- Chief Master Sgt. James T. Chumley retired in 1993 and also retired as a Chief Master Sgt. I recall he wrote some articles back to the base. He had a wonderful radio voice. He passed away July 6, 2016 and his name is on our Monument.
- Lt. Col. Robert F. Dozier retired in 1995 as a Lt. Col. He stated he got to participate in one C-130 flight with the Delaware ANG while in country. I would walk by the Ops facility and would see him there. I see him at the golf course at times.
- Maj. William F. Evans retired in 2010 as a Col. While in country he faithfully tended to his ‘flock’ and I was impressed with him as a chaplain. He would come by and check the night crew in our 240th Ops tent almost every night, I know I had a lot of night shifts, and was pleased he would stop by for quick chat. As far as I know he is still living I’m just not sure where.
- Maj. Robert E. Fancher, Jr. retired in 1997 as a Lt. Col. He was one of our C-130 pilots assigned to the Ops facility. I would see him quite a bit and I see him quite a bit at the golf course.
- Lt. Col. Robert F. Gray, he retired in 1996 as a Col. He is still living and I talk to him by email occasionally. He lives in the hills or mountains of North Carolina.
- Tech. Sgt. Samuel H. Hendrix retired in 1996 as a Tech. Sgt. and as far as we know he is still living.
- Capt. Stanley V. Hood, Jr. retired in 2008 as a Col. Later I believe he was involved with the Civil Engineers before his retirement.
Staff Sgt. Bobby L. Larson retired in 2009 as a Master Sgt. He is still around and I see emails go out to him.
- Lt. Col. Phil P. Leventis retired in 1999 as a Brig. Gen. I believe he was Assistant AG-Air. He stated he began flying missions on or about January 29, 1991 and continued flying until he returned back to MMT April 15, 1991.
- 2nd Lt. Louis M. Montgomery. I have no information on him.
- Maj. John M. Motley, Jr. retired as a Brig. Gen. I know he coordinated getting much of our equipment back to MMT. I used to see him stalking around trying to figure what was ours or what. Still around and I see him at Groucho’s on Forest Drive occasionally.
- Lt. Col. Jerry H. Risher was the deployed 169th Commander. He retired in 1998 as a Brig. Gen. and served as Wing Commander and Chief of Staff I believe. As far as I know he is still living down around the Aiken area and Savannah River Project.
- Senior Master Sgt. Archie Danny Sightler, Jr. retired in 2002 as a Chief Master Sgt. and was the second Wing Command Chief. He is still around, talk and see him at times at our Luncheons.
- Maj. John H. Smith. I can’t find him retiring and according to the pilot roster he was only around for the A-7D, and F-16A timeframe. I believe he left after Desert Storm.
- Airman 1st Class Christopher T. Usher transferred to the South Carolina Army National Guard after coming home.
- Tech. Sgt. David J. Weddington retired in 1997 as a Master Sgt. as far as we know he is still living.
Of the 14 known Retirees, we have three Brig. Gens., three Cols., three Lt. Cols., two Chief Master Sgts., two Master Sgts. and one Tech. Sgt., from the Tactical Fighter Group, an 82 percent retiree ratio for the TFG, that’s heavy duty!
The 169th Mission Support Squadron. There were only seven of them to deploy. I am not exactly sure what their duty or role was. Perhaps NBC preparedness, etc. They are as follows:
- Master Sgt. Lola M. Banks retired in 2006 as a Senior Master Sgt. She is still living and was actively involved with the kids involved in the Star Base Program.
- Tech. Sgt. William A. Elrod retired in 1997 as a Master Sgt. and is still living.
- Airman 1st Class Karen L. Green transferred to the Air Reserves Personnel Center.
- Staff Sgt. Robert Joe Inman retired in 2003 as a Master Sgt. and is still living.
- Tech. Sgt. Burton “Buddy” F. McDaniel, Jr. retired in 2003 as a Master Sgt. and is still living. I play golf with him sometimes.
- 1st Lt. Thad L. Meyers retired in 2015 as a Brig. Gen. and Assistant Adjutant General/Air. He is still living, not bad for a guy from Scranton, S.C. He has a law firm here in Columbia. My wife and he reminisce their days growing up in Scranton.
- Tech. Sgt. Stanley I. Starks retired in 2000 as a Master Sgt. and as far as we know he is still living.
Of the six known retirees, we have a Brig. Gen., one Senior Master Sgt., and four Master Sgts. from the 169th Mission Support Squadron.
To date, a running total of 71 known retirees, there are four Brig. Gens., three Cols. three Lt. Cols., nine Chief Master Sgts., six Senior Master Sgts., 31 Master Sgts., 11 Tech. Sgts., three Staff Sgts. and one Senior Airman, which is 80 percent of the call-ups thus far, however, we have a long way to go to reach the total of 727 deployed call-ups.
I have submitted Luncheon dates to the Fort Jackson NCO Club for the year 2021. Right now the Covid-19 virus appears to be getting worse and not better. All we can do is standby and be safe and patient. Please have a safe and Wonderful Christmas. And let’s start off 2021 on a better note!