Kansas Veterans

Kansas Units Mobilized in the Korean War

127th Fighter Squadron, Kansas Army National Guard

History of the Unit page 4 of 7
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     The first quarter of 1951 brought several changes in personnel: Sergeant Glenn H. Berntsen and Kenneth Brown went to J-35 engine school in Indiana; Captain Thomas attended an amphibious training course in Virginia; Lieutenant Robert Pool was transferred to the 137th Fighter Bomber Group; Lieutenant Paul R. Houser and Lieutenant Daniel M. Wyekoff, were transferred to Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron; Sergeants Dennis E. Huff was transferred to the 137th Maintenance Squadron and William K. Arnall was transferred to the Medical Group; Lieutenant William G. Wood was assigned to the 137th to replace Lieutenant Billy J. Carter, the supply officer who was transferred to Hq & Hq Squadron; Master Sergeant John D. Yenser, and excellent First Sergeant was discharged on 6 February 1951; Corporal Parker was assigned to the unit as a painter; Second Lieutenant James R. Dennison, was transferred to Hq & Hq Squadron, for duty as Air Police Officer; Lieutenant Glenn H. Shelton took over as the Armament Officer; Pvt Felton B. St. John, was assigned to the organization in the personnel branch; Sergeant James b. Ewbank was assigned as an aircraft armorer; Lieutenant George H. Daves Jr., was sent to Gunnery School; Lieutenant Toby Elster went TDY to Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Captain Stephen H. Howbert was transferred to Hq & Hq Squadron; Captain Hugh F. Brown was assigned to the organization as the Communications Officer; Private Richard D. Sipes was the radio mechanic; Captain Loren J. N. Allison and First Lieutenant Cecil C. Carrier, were reassigned to Detachment 26-14L, 26th Weather Squadron, with duty at Alexandria, Cecil C. Carrier is a meteorologist in Wichita, Kansas, currently reporting the weather on KFH Radio. Sergeants Arthur B. Cooksey, John M. Shoemaker, and Roger R. Ramm were assigned to the Armament Section; Sergeant Ralph E. Holt went to the intelligence section and Sergeant Donald E. Yeagley were assigned to the Armament Section. With all these changes, the assigned strength on 31 March 1951 was 26 Officers, 114 Airmen.

     Effective 1 April 1951, the unit experienced many more personnel changes in an effort to equalize all flights within the 137th Fighter Bomber Group.

     Captain Gerald W. Stephenson, lieutenants William L. Markham, Whitcomb O. Jones, Roy D. Collier, Richard D. Bartlett, and Horace R. Carman, were assigned from the 125th Fighter Bomber Squadron, Captain William H. Manke, Idon M. Hodge, Jr., First Lieutenants Harold E. Little, James C. Martin, Will-Best C. Plowden and Benjamin B. Williams were assigned from the 128th Fighter Bomber Squadron. Captain Robert E. Thomas, First Lieutenants Robert M. Norris, Max L. Garrison, Orville L. Mathews, Maurice E. Clark, William P. Howard Jr., and Toby Elster, were reassigned to the 125th Fighter Bomber Squadron and First Lieutenants Roy T. Fortner, Robert E. Graham, Robert G. Ball, Crist Chifes, Andrew J. Osborne, and George N. Daves, Jr. were assigned to the 126th Fighter Bomber Squadron.

     Sergeant James R. Conklin was assigned to the Engineering Section and Master Sergeant George F. Strothman, became the Maintenance Inspector and transferred to Hqs & Hqs Squadron. Sergeant Wayne S. Bidwell became the Aircraft Electrician and assigned to the 137th Maintenance Squadron. Private Robert B. Litchfield, who had just completed basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, was assigned as an aircraft mechanic.

     On 22 April 1951, the organization experienced its first non-battle casualty. Corporal Lavon D. Ochs, drowned at Valentine Lake, Alexandria, Louisiana. Corporal Ochs was helping push a rowboat from the shore when his feet became tangled with weeds. In an attempt to straighten up, he continued to hold onto the boat as it went further out from the shore into deeper water. He lost his grip on the boat and drowned. His body was recovered after three hours of search.

     Staff Sergeant William J. Smith, returned from A & E Mechanic School on 25 April 1951, and Master Sergeant Tallie A. Miller assumed the responsibilities of First Sergeant. Also on this date, Staff Sergeant Robert B. Montgomery was transferred to the 137th Fighter Bomber Group, and Corporal Gene A. Ratcliff, was transferred to Barksdale AFB Hospital, because of a knee injury.

Maintenance on the F-84G

     During the latter part of March, several intercept missions took place over the Alexandria area when our assigned F-84's intercepted B-36, B-29 and B-50 aircraft which were making predetermined bomb runs over targets.

     Total flying time was restricted the first part of the quarter for several reasons. The refueling of aircraft was very poor because of too-few fuel trucks; then, after they became available, their condition was unserviceable. Several times during this period the planes were grounded as no replaceable parts were available.

     Weather was another unfavorable factor. Much snow and ice, as well as persistent rain and low ceilings, had kept the pilots on the ground. Prior to the squadron's going to gunnery, the entire squadron's planes were grounded for approximately one week for maintenance in preparation for the movement.

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