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February Retiree's Corner

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

The new year was started off with a good starting Luncheon. We had about 65-70 folks attending, a large contingent from the retired Civil Engineers, who showed up to listen to Lt. Colonel Wade Rivers talk about communications. In addition to our ‘featured speaker’ we had the SCNG Deputy Adjutant General, BG Jeffrey Jones, a very personable person, who states his key interest is the Retirees. So in this regard he has a high interest in us retirees. He brought two “TAG” coins with him and presented them to our oldest Retiree at the Luncheon, George “Jaws” Inabinet, and to our youngest Retiree, Steve Turner, who retired in November 2019 from 169CES. We also had some folks we haven’t seen in a while, Warren Conner, Burl Kennedy, and others.

In addition to all this, we had our memorial service for the folks who passed away during the year 2019. There are now 373 names on our SCANG Monument, both the base and the SCANG Chief’s Council have been really supporting the SCANG Monument with new granite blocks, Swamp Fox Blocks for decorative purposes and refurbishment. Engraving was accomplished to update 43 names of retired members who were originally overlooked and also the many retirees who recently passed away.

McEntire History:  We are still honoring the Berlin Crisis Call-Up folks, and this will be the last month honoring the folks who were assigned to the 169th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. As mentioned before, this squadron had the most individuals assigned to it. We will wrap it up with the last 60 folks assigned to 169CAMS. Many were low-ranking members during this deployment, and many did not stay after their one tour of duty. We had a few. Since there are so few who became retirees out of this group, I will name those that became retirees first and name all the others that I have no, or little information on them at all. Hopefully I won’t miss too many of them that were not recognizable to me as Retirees. If I did miss any, please let me know so I can research them.

They are as follows:

  • A2/C Henry C. Wessinger, Jr., he retired in 1989 as an E-8. He passed away November 6, 2018. His name is on the SCANG Monument.
  • A2/C R. Wayne Whisnant, he retired in 1996 as an E-7. He passed away October 25, 2014. His name is on the SCANG Monument.
  • A3/C Charles E. Couch, he retired in 1996 as an E-7. He is still living and I see him around occasionally.

All the others below, I have no information on other than Donald E. Vining, who was an A2/C, later he became a pilot for Southern Airways. He also helped me years ago with some Power Point presentations.

  • A2/C Robert H. Pagett
  • A2/C Bennie A. Platt
  • A2/C John G. Pollard
  • A2/C Richard A. Postell, Jr.
  • A2/C Thomas A. Rabon
  • A2/C Jimmy D. Rauch
  • A2/C Donald R. Roberts
  • A2/C Herman B. Ross, Jr.
  • A2/C Johnny M. Rowell
  • A2/C Robert J. Sharpe
  • A2/C James B. Shealy
  • A2/C John W. Slyce
  • A2/C Keitt H. Smith, Jr.
  • A2/C Earl G. Stanley
  • A2/C Robert E. Steverson
  • A2/C Jerry H. Stone
  • A2/C Douglas W. Stoudemire
  • A2/C William F. Thompson, III
  • A2/C Henry W. Walker, Jr.
  • A2/C Donald L. Watkins
  • A2/C David D. Weathers
  • A2/C William B. Weathersbee
  • A2/C Walter R. Webb
  • A2/C David K. Wilson
  • A2/C Jefferson C. Wingard, Jr.
  • A3/C James C. Beatty, Jr.
  • A3/C William C. Brewer
  • A3/C Luther C. Chandler
  • A3/C Walter H. Duke
  • A3/C Phillip Z. Estridge
  • A3/C William T. Fort, Jr.
  • A3/C Robert O. Harrison, Jr.
  • A3/C William B. Hegler 
  • A3/C William H. Ledbetter
  • A3/C Bobby M. Long
  • A3/C William L. Mabry, Jr.
  • A3/C Botsford E. Manger
  • A3/C Marvin L. Neese
  • A3/C Samuel F. Reese
  • A3/C Stephen D. Spence
  • A3/C Leonidus M. Stokes, III
  • A3/C Marcus R. Sutton
  • A3/C Richard T. Tidwell
  • A3/C Charles E. Tronco 
  • A3/C Paul E. Wilson
  • A3/C William R. Wimberly, Jr. (he comes to our luncheons)
  • A3/C Robert A. Wingard
  • AB William H. Abrams, Jr.
  • AB Ronald B. Davis
  • AB Allan N. Davis
  • AB Jack A. Mabe
  • AB David M. McCall
  • AB Harry C. Morris, Jr.
  • AB Joseph O. Pack
  • AB Dan C. Phillips, Jr.
  • AB Robert H. Tidwell

As mentioned above there were only three that I can identify as full retirees, based on these 60 folks.  This means we have reviewed and honored 352 deployed members, thus far. Of which, there are 125 known retirees. This equates to 35.5% of the deployed became retirees. 

  • 3 brigadier generals
  • 1 colonel
  • 9 lieutenant colonels
  • 2 majors
  • 1 chief warrant officer 03
  • 39 chief master sergeants
  • 25 senior master sergeants
  • 37 master sergeants
  • 8 technical sergeants

Next month these stats will change a good bit. We will be dealing with the 157th Fighter Squadron.

I hope to see many of you February 4th at our usual eating place, the Fort Jackson NCO Club, beginning at 1200. Come one, come all!