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O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E V E T E R A N S M E M O R I A L A I R PA R K
BRONCO DRIVER HONORED
Steve’s
Story
Darrel
Whitcomb is a
decorated
SEA veteran
and Bronco
Association
member. This
is his first-hand account and
the BEST book on the BAT 21
SAR. This hugely complicated
SAR took place amid the
massive North Vietnamese
invasion of the South, when
BAT 21, an
unarmed
EB-66, was
shot down by
an SA-2,
commencing
a SAR that
includes the
Capt. Steve
“Covey 87”
Bennett and
Capt. Mike
“Wolfman
45” Brown
incident.
Dues Are Due!
It’s that time again, when our
VMAP/FACM/OBA memberships are
due. If yours is up for renewal you
will receive a notice from Treasurer,
Tom Kemp. The first invoice will be
sent via email. This year we have a
special incentive that will last until
31 December. We are also in need
On November 15th, the Louisiana Military Hall of Fame and Museum held their Inaugural Induction Ceremony at Abbeville, Louisiana. One of those honored was Capt. Steven L. Bennett, a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. (The only OV-­‐10 driver so honored.) On June 29, 1972, Bennett, a member of the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron at Da Nang, was piloting a twin-­‐engine OV-­‐10 aircraft. Marine Corps Capt. Michael Brown was seated behind him. They were marking targets for friendly forces. They received an emergency call for help. A South Vietnamese platoon was being overrun by North Vietnamese troops. They were at 2,000 feet when an SA-­‐7 hit from of help to produce CWR 2010. Any
help, (above your dues), will be
matched by an anonymous donor.
So please consider taking advantage
of year-end tax deductible donations
to a our 501(C)3 charitable
organization. Paying now will help
save the costs of sending reminders
later. Also, if you change your mailing
behind, hitting the left engine and exploding. Shrapnel tore holes in the canopy, much of the left engine was gone, and they were on fire. Bennett headed for the Tonkin Gulf. Another OV-­‐10 was escorting them when its pilot told them to eject. Bennett and Brown prepared to do that when Brown saw that his parachute had been blown away by the rocket. Bennett could not eject alone without killing Brown, and they couldn’t make it to Da Nang. That left one choice: to ditch in the sea. When they crashed into the water, the OV-­‐10 flipped and sank. Brown escaped but he was unable to reach Bennett. The next day, Bennett’s body was recovered. August 8, 1974, Vice President Gerald Ford presented the Medal of Honor to Steve’s wife Linda and daughter Angela. Mike Brown, Angela, and her son Jake are Life Members of the OV-­‐10 Bronco Association and live here in the DFW Metroplex.
address, email address, etc., please
notify Tom at [email protected], or
include it with your payment or
donation. Thanks for your continued
support of your VMAP/FACM/OBA.
Veterans Memorial Air Park
PO Box 161966
Fort Worth, TX 76161
Cleared Hot! - Fall 2009
A FRIEND HEADS WEST
On November 20th at approximately 1900 CST, Jerry “NAIL 57” Stephan headed west on his final
flight. Jerry lovingly restored the two O-2 Skymaster “Ducks” in our collection. After more than a year of work
on the gray duck, he cobbled together a second Duck from spare parts to recreate the “Kudy Jay” night Duck.
Although many people assisted Jerry, his most notable assistants include James Eaton, Glenn Hill, Don Nisser and
Johnnie Eller.
Before retiring from the Air Force as a Colonel, NAIL-57 spent time
in the F-4, but his claims to fame came as a Forward Air Controller (FAC) in
the O-2. Jerry earned a Silver Star, multiple other decorations, including the
Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medals. Around the museum he was
noted for his dedicated work preserving the legacy of FACs in our museum,
his colorful party suit and swagger. Clear skies “NAIL-57;” we will miss you.
At the time of printing, service arrangements had yet to be finalized,
but Jerry will be laid to rest with his wife Kay in the Dallas-Fort Worth
National Cemetery in Dallas. His name will also be placed on our memorial
prop honoring deceased members.
We will also establish an O-2 restoration fund, in Jerry’s name, for
continuing O-2 preservation and restoration expenses. More to come on this as it develops.
LIBRARY NEEDS OUR HELP
We often get requests for books or magazines from individuals and groups,
but recently we had an unusual request. We received an email from a library
manager. It seems their library is a rendezvous for aviation hobbyists, but they
are having trouble getting aviation books and magazines for their visitors. The
unusual part of the request is that it has come to us from the Ibnsena Library in
Mosul, Iraq, formerly Nineveh. So, if you have any aviation
books or magazines you no longer need or want, we have a
place for you to send them. Here is the address, or you can
contact the library manager directly via email: Shahim M.
Hussain, Ibnsena Library, P.O.BOX: 10142 Mosul 58001 Iraq. Or email to:
[email protected].
Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes cost only $12.95, hold up to
four pounds, and will arrive in Iraq in six days. Let’s give them a hand.
Page 2
Cleared Hot! - Fall 2009
The Once and Future OV-10
The Boeing Company and the US Air Force
continue to show interest in an updated OV-10,
dubbed the OV-10X. The design would be very
similar to the D & G models most recently flown by
the Department of State for drug interdiction
missions in Colombia. Since ending that mission,
those Broncos have been housed in Hagerstown,
Pa, awaiting disposition, (pictured above.) We have
been contacted by a variety of companies and
COMING 2010
EVENTS
MAY 21-23
Cowtown Warbird
Roundup
MAY 22-23
All VMO Reunion
Fort Worth
MAY 20-23
Marine Corps
Aviation Assoc.
Symposium and
Reunion
Fort Worth
organizations over the last few months seeking
information about the OV-10 regarding this new
Light Armed Attack Reconnoissance (LAAR)
aircraft. The new aircraft would retain much of
the original design, with updated avionics, sensors
and engines. Boeing is confident it can convert the
existing paper drawings to digital solid models and
restart production in time to meet the Air Force's
plan to begin procurement in fiscal 2010.
The 2010
Cowtown
Warbird
Roundup
will be
presented in conjunction
with the Marine Corps
Aviation Association's
(MCAA) National
Symposium and Reunion
in Fort Worth. Several
other groups are
planning to attend the
week long schedule of
events and activities,
including the A-4
Skyhawk Association,
VMFA-333 Association
and a first-ever all VMO
reunion. More to come.
OCTOBER 21-24
FAC Assoc.
Reunion
Fort Worth
Page 3
Cleared Hot! - Fall 2009
X
Veterans Memorial Air Park Details
The Veterans Memorial Air Park and Forward Air Controller’s
Museum are owned and operated by the OV-10 Bronco Association, Inc., a
501(c)3 non-profit corporation. We are located at 3300 Ross Avenue in Fort
Worth at the south end of Meacham Field off Long Street. Until
renovations are complete, we are open by appointment only.
Call (800) 575-0535 for details or email us at [email protected].
Annual memberships are available starting at $40.00 per year with
multi-year memberships available at a discount.
Our mailing address is PO Box 161966, Fort Worth, TX 76161.
Thanks to the sponsors of Cowtown Warbird Roundup 2009:
Visit our web sites for more
details:
www.ov-10bronco.net
www.facmuseum.org
www.cwr10.com
Texas Aviation Services, American Airlines, Dana Bowman, Bell
Helicopter, TPG Capital, America’s Huey 091 Foundation,
KRLD News Radio 1080, Rosa’s Cafe, EZGO, Phazar
Aerocorp, Inc., Texas Jet, Sandpiper Aviation, AeroVents.com,
Panda Embroidery, Thornhill Nissan, Mac Churchill Acura, City
of Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of
Fort Worth Department of Aviation
Veterans Memorial Air Park
PO Box 161966
Fort Worth, TX 76161
Home of the:
Cowtown Warbird Roundup
May 21-23, 2010