Click here for the November newsletter from www.MilitaryConnection.com
Thanks to Rocky Bruhn for forwarding this link
ARLINGTON: As it hustles towards a February 1st deadline, the National Commission on the Future of the Army remains pretty tight-lipped on what it’ll say in its report to Congress. Even our usually savvy sources are mostly shrugging their shoulders. However, the commissioners have dropped enough hints for us to make two educated guesses.
First, the final report will probably recommend the Army make more use of so-called “multi-component” organizations which combine both regular active-duty soldiers and reserve or Guard personnel. “If they’re not heading in that direction, they’ve certainly teased people” with enough mentions of it, said one long-time observer of Guard issues.
Related: http://www.ncfa.ncr.gov/
This post originally appeared as an article in the March 3, 2011 issue of Retiree News e-newsletter.
Remember the HIANG C-7 Caribou? The Hawai‘i Air National Guard has had a support cargo aircraft over the years. In between the C-54 Skymaster and the first C-130 Hercules, the HIANG flew a C-7 Caribou #60-672. In the early 1980s, the HIANG received a second C-7.
Sam Wong, the retired Chief Master Sergeant, was involved with the support aircraft program from way back when and provided these comments.
“My information shows that we said goodbye to the C-54 “Spirit of Aloha”, in 1975. We were supposed to get a T-29 “Convair” but got the C-7A instead. We flew the C7 until 1984. I believe the last flight was in June or July of 1984. If I’m not mistaken, our C-7 was turned back over to the Army for use in Kwajalein. We received our C-130A in August 1984.”
Many HIANG members (and some HIARNG members) flew the C-7 interisland. When the weather was bad, some members say that the C-7 could yaw, pitch and roll at the same time. But overall, it was a reliable aircraft and served the Hawai‘i National Guard well during its time.
Originally built for the Army, the C-7 Caribou was a twin-engine, short takeoff and landing (STOL) transport that saw extensive service in Vietnam. Ownership transferred from the Army to the Air Force in 1967.
The February 2011 issue of Air Force Magazine’s back page featured the spec sheet of the C-7 Caribou. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/jtgg5gx
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Chang C. Lee, 85, of Wahiawā, a mason contractor and a National Guard veteran, passed away on November 14, 2015. He was born in Port Allen, Kaua‘i.
He is survived by former wife Betty Ann; sons Peter, David, Dennis and Paul; daughters Linda Fukuhara and Laureen Marino; brother Charles Lee; 16 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Visitation: 9 a.m. Thursday at Borthwick Mortuary, 1330 Maunakea St., Honolulu. Services: 10 a.m. Casual attire. No flowers. Condolences: http://www.borthwickoahu.com.
Each year on the fourth Thursday in November, Americans gather for a day of feasting, football and family. While today’s Thanksgiving celebrations would likely be unrecognizable to attendees of the original 1621 harvest meal, it continues to be a day for Americans to come together around the table—albeit with some updates to pilgrim’s menu.
The History Channel offers more on the history and traditions on Thanksgiving. Check out the videos here
Mark Kahikina Akaka, 80, of Wai‘anae, a Unocal truck driver and an Army National Guard veteran, passed away in Nānākuli on November 11, 2015. He was born in Honolulu.
He is survived by son Raymond; daughters Kehaunani Akaka-Odom, Momilani Akaka-Wright and Kanani Akaka-Folau; hanai daughter Ramona Oliveira; brother Daniel K.; 16 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Visitation: 5 p.m. Monday at Kawaiaha‘o Church. Services: 6 p.m. Additional visitation: 10 a.m. Tuesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Services: 11 a.m. Burial: 12:30 p.m. at Hook Chu Cemetery, Pauoa. Aloha attire. Flowers welcome. Condolences: http://www.borthwickoahu.com.
199th Fighter Squadron Patch: Many readers clicked on the photograph of the 199th Fighter Squadron patch yesterday. An earlier Retiree News post shared a little history of the squadron’s first unit patch. Link to: http://wp.me/p3639O-1P1
National Guard Birthday Celebration: The deadline for the event RSVP is rapidly approaching. Link to http://wp.me/p3639O-3NQ for more information and to make your payment.
Medicare 2016 Handbook featured in a recent post is now on the dropdown menu under “Medical” on the maroon bar under the masthead photograph. Be sure to check out the other menu items.
Stephen Lum, photo
A recent Retiree News post covered how the War Memorial Municipal Auditorium evolved to the Honolulu International Center, and finally to the Blaisdell Center.
There was rededication ceremony of the Blaisdell Center War Memorial Plaque on November 10, 2015. The plaque is now on the lawn of the Blaisdell Concert Hall.
Contributing editor Stephen Lum provided a photograph of the plaque
Nov 21, 2015 | by Matthew Cox
The head of the Army National Guard is looking to see if training one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer is enough to ensure Guard troops are ready for future fights.
Army Maj. Gen. Timothy Kadavy, who took over as director for the Army National Guard in March, is assessing the readiness needs of the Guard at the request of Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.
Moriichi “Steve” Ono, 86, of Pearl City, a retired mechanic for the Army National Guard, passed away on September 23, 2015. He was born in Ewa.
He is survived by wife Mary S., son Wayne, daughter Jeanne Ono-Goeas, brother Koichi and four grandchildren.
Visitation: 9 a.m. Saturday at Mililani Mortuary-Waopio, Mauka chapel. Services: 10 a.m. Inurnment: 1 p.m. at Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.
A recent Retiree News post covered the history of the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands. The post reported that for a short time, it was named Bonham Air Force Base and it had a Hawai‘i Air National Guard link. This is the rest of the story.
Barking Sands facility was named after Hawaii Air Guard’s Bonham
click on photographs to enlarge
The Pacific Missile Range Facility on Barking Sands, Kauai was once named, Bonham Air Force Base (June 1, 1953), after Maj. Carlos Willard Bonham, 199th Fighter Squadron commander in the 1950s. World’s largest instrumented and multidimensional testing and training range was first used a private landing strip (1921) by the Kekaha Sugar Company. The U.S. military then took turns “owning” the particle. The Army took over in 1940 and the field went through the names of Mana Airport, Mana Airfield Military Reservation, Barking Sands Military Reservation and Kekaha Military Reservation. The Air Force took over in 1942 and it names were Barking Sands Military Reservation/Air Force Base, Bonham Air Field/Air Base/Air Force Base and lastly, Auxiliary Landing Field (ALF) Bonham. Pacific Missile Range Facility was officially commissioned in 1962 and transferred to the Navy in 1964.
Bonham, from Watertown, New York was born in 1919 and joined the Missouri National Guard in 1937. He entered the active U.S. Army during World War II in 1942, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1942. After graduation from Army Air Force Pilot Training in 1944, he served in the European and Pacific Theaters of Operation during World War II. Bonham was awarded the Air Medal in 1945.
He was discharged from active service in May 1948 and a moth later joined the 199th Fighter Squadron, Hawai‘i Air National Guard. His positions included flight leader, and operations officer finally commander in 1951. Bonham was killed June 15, 1952, in a midair collision while leading a flight of F-47 Thunderbolt “Jugs” fighters (HIANG’s first fighters) in acrobatics in-trail. The other pilot parachuted to safety in the sea between Barking Sands and Niihau Island.
Contributing editor Stephen Lum provided the article and the photographs for this Retiree News post.
Although you can’t cure dementia, there are steps you can take to help prevent it. Research shows that following a Mediterranean diet can help preserve and improve memory.
