WASSUP?? January 2018

EDITOR’S NOTE

“It has been over a year since the last issue of the WASSUP. I take full responsibility for the delay but explaining why it has taken this long would take more space than is available. The good news is that we now have another editor to help us get it out in time and our Board of Directors will consider revising the publication schedule to hopefully insure we don’t fall so far behind the power curve.”

VOLUNTEER AWARD WINNERS

Volunteer of the Quarter: No one was nominated, so no award was made. Team Chiefs are reminded that nominations for the Volunteer of the Quarter awards should be submitted to Lou Nigro no later than the 15th day of March, June, September, and December. If no one is nominated, a Volunteer of the Quarter award will not be made.

NEW VOLUNTEERS

We continue to be blessed with new people volunteering their time to help us here at the Museum. Since the last issue of the WASSUP, we’ve added the following:

Edward “Ed” Cuneo – Air Park/Restoration John Miner - Honorary Chris Doherty – Restoration Gary Orban - Restoration Robert “Bob” Garvin – Host Deborah Triplett - Grounds Patrick Kopyteck – Library/Research Luke Butkis - Host Joseph Mazzara – Library/Research Barbara Darga - Host Raymond “Ray” Milio – Restoration Peter Matti - Host

Sam Nasser – Host

LONG-TERM MUSEUM VISITORS PASSES

For those who do not use a Government ID card to access the Base, I sent a revised list of volunteers (and, if applicable, their spouse or, for those that don’t drive yet, the person bringing them to/from the Museum) to the Base Access Control Officer for the new Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDs) card that will allow you access to the Base. The AF-mandated background check on the individuals listed will be done at the Visitor’s Center when the DBIDS card is issued. When you come thru the Gate, just show them that card, they’ll scan the bar code on the back, and you’ll be on your way. REMEMBER that: (1) Only the persons on the validated list will be issued a DBIDS card and allowed access to the Base. (2) If your spouse may need unescorted access to the Base to drop you off or pick you up, he/she will need to get their own DBIDS card. The DBIDS cards were requested for the current period, BUT if you picked up a new DBIDS card before the expiration of the old one, the new one will expire one year after the issuance of the new one. So keep an eye on the expiration date of your DBIDS card as they are all not in synch.

DBIDS cards are issued at the Vehicle Registration desk in the Visitor’s Center north of the Main Gate adjacent to our Main Gate at the intersection of M-59 and Jefferson Avenue. Their hours are from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm on Monday and from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm on Tuesday thru Saturday. They are closed on Sundays and Federal holidays and they close for one hour on Saturday for lunch. I would recommend that you call before you try to get your pass, regardless of the day you plan to arrive, as they frequently close for an assortment of reasons and their lunch hour on Saturday varies depending on the workload. Their phone number is 586-239-6849. DBIDS cards have been requested solely for participation in Museum activities, the performance of Museum business at other on-Base locations, and transportation to/from on-Base eating establishments. Use of the pass for other reasons is not authorized.

UPDATE – 12/21/17

Air Force Selects Alabama, Wisconsin Air National Guard for F-35s

The U.S. Air Force chose air bases in Wisconsin and Alabama, instead of Selfridge Air National Guard base in Macomb County, as the new homes for F35A aircraft.

Selfridge, in Harrison Township, was among five National Guard bases across the U.S. competing to be one of two homes to as many as 18 of the new fighter aircraft. The Selfridge base, which employs nearly 3,000 civilian and military workers, will continue to host the A10 fighter jets and the KC135 Stratotanker, aerial refueling aircraft.

The Air Force announced Thursday that the new F35As would go to Truax Field Air National Guard Base in Wisconsin and Dannelly Field in Alabama, beginning in 2023.

F35As will eventually replace many of the fourth-generation Air Force aircraft, the Air Force said. However, the Air Force will continue to fly a mix of fifth- and fourth-generation fighters into the 2040s.

“Putting F35s at these two Air National Guard bases continues our transition into the next generation of air superiority,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein in a statement.

Michigan's delegation in Congress had pushed hard to get the new aircraft at Selfridge. In July, Air Force officials toured the base as part of the decision-making process. The Air Force also evaluated Gowen Field Air National Guard Base in Idaho and Jacksonville Air Guard Station in Florida.

"Those bases were reasonable alternatives, but not preferred," the Air Force said in a news release.

U.S. Rep. Paul Mitchell, R-Dryden, said the decision doesn't mean it's the end of the road for Selfridge. "Selfridge is among the top five bases in the country, and it has world-class support from the surrounding community," Mitchell said. "It is my belief that the road to military readiness runs through Michigan."

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, said Selfridge's A10 fleet is secure for now. “Today’s decision marks the Air Force’s continued commitment to the A10 and Selfridge, which will continue hosting this extremely important platform," said Peters, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "Selfridge is a strong contender for future conversion to the F35, and I will continue working to ensure the base maintains a fighter mission for years to come.”

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, said she'll continue to fight for Selfridge's future. "There is no question that Selfridge Air National Guard Base is well-positioned for a future F35 mission," she said.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said he was disappointed that Selfridge wasn't chosen by the Air Force. “We are confident our hometown air base will be part of future fighter missions,” he said. “It is a source of pride that Selfridge was one of only five bases in the country to be considered for such a deployment.”

The Wisconsin and Alabama bases will remain the Air Force's preferred alternatives until a final decision is made after environmental analyses are completed.

About the F-35 Lightning II Fighter Aircraft

The F-35A is the U.S. Air Force's latest fifth-generation fighter. It will replace the U.S. Air Force's aging fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt II's, which have been the primary fighter aircraft for more than 20 years. Additionally, it will bring an enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat

environment in which it was designed to operate. With its aerodynamic performance and advanced integrated avionics, the F- 35A will provide next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and

reduced vulnerability for the United States and allied nations.

General Characteristics Primary Function: Multirole fighter Prime Contractor: Lockheed Martin

Power Plant: One Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 turbofan engine Thrust: 43,000 pounds

Wingspan: 35 feet (10.7 meters) Length: 51 feet (15.7 meters) Height: 14 feet (4.38 meters)

Maximum Takeoff Weight: 70,000 pound class Fuel Capacity: Internal: 18,498 pounds Payload: 18,000 pounds (8,160 kilograms) Speed: Mach 1.6 (~1,200 mph)

Range: More than 1,350 miles with internal fuel (1,200+ nautical miles), unlimited with aerial refueling Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet (15 kilometers)

Armament: Internal and external capability. Munitions carried vary based on mission requirements. Crew: One

71st ARS Marks 75 Years

by Tech. Sgt. Dan Heaton/127th Wing 2/9/2017 - SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. -- Depending on what date one chooses to use, Michigan's 171st Air Refueling Squadron turned 75 years old either this month or last. Born into

combat in a world-encompassing war, the milestone anniversary passed relatively unnoticed, with a significant portion of the squadron's current members deployed to the Middle East, engaged in combat operations against ISIS. Today's 171st - known informally as the Michigan Six-Pack - was first constituted as the 374th Fighter Squadron on Jan. 28, 1942, and activated on Feb. 10, 1943, for service in World War II. Initially assigned the P-47 Thunderbolt, the 374th spent the war providing fighter escorts to American bombers in the European Theater. The unit was de-activated after the war, on Oct. 24, 1945, and re-designated as the 171st and allotted to the Michigan Air National Guard on May 24, 1946. Today's 171st flies the KC-135 Stratotanker primarily serves as an air-to-air refueling aircraft. While that World War II service is but a distant memory now, two distinctives from the old 374th days ae still part of the 171st of today. During World War II, yellow paint around the engine cowling and tails helped identify the 374th squadron. Today, the 171st uses a yellow and black checkerboard design on its aircraft. The 171st's squadron patch and logo, a Native American chief in headdress, was designed by 374th Airmen on a bus ride from Maryland to New Jersey before the unit was shipped to England for combat operations in late 1943. The 374th was part of the 361st Fighter Group during the war, as was the 375th and 376th squadrons. Following the war, the 375th became the 172nd Fighter Squadron and was assigned to the Michigan Air National Guard for assignment in Battle Creek on the same day the 171st was assigned to the Detroit area.

The 374th was among the final fighter squadrons created by the U.S. during World War II and didn't fly its first combat mission until Jan. 21, 1944, when it was part of a combined total of 531 fighter aircraft escorting a combined total of 198 B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator bombers from England on a bombing raid against V-1 Missile sites and other targets in and around Pas De Calais in northern France. The 374th would fly a total of 441 combat missions in the next 454 days, flying its last mission about two weeks before the final German surrender. Pilots from the 374th were engaged in all of the major European battles of 1944 and early 1945, to include D-Day, "Big Week" and the Battle of the Bulge. During that time, 21 pilots from the 374th were killed in the line of duty and scores more suffered injuries. The squadron also recorded a total of 53.5 aerial combat victories against enemy aircraft. For much of the squadron's combat period Lt. Col. Roy A. Webb, Jr., from Indiana served as the squadron's commander. Webb was also the squadron's leader in terms of enemy aircraft kills. He finished the war with four aerial victories and a record of destroying five more that were on the ground, a feat which earned him the distinction of being a "strafing" ace. On June 29, 1944, just a couple of weeks after the allied D-Day invasion, Webb led an attack on the German airfield at Oschersleben following an attack by American bombers on several factories in that city. Webb, by then flying a P-51 Mustang to which his squadron had earlier converted, destroyed five German fighter aircraft on the ground and damaged another. Webb was awarded the Silver Star for that mission. After the war, Webb returned home to Indiana and died in 2010. Another 374th pilot of note was Lt. Robert J. Stolzy, a Grand Rapids area native who was a charter member of the squadron. Stolzy kept a detailed journal during the war, a key primary source of information about the early days of the 374th. Stolzy and fellow pilot Lt. James R. Golden were awarded commendations for their efforts to aid a damaged B-17 that ditched in the English Channel following a raid on Belgium on April 13, 1944. Due to the actions of Stolzy and Golden, the 10 crewmembers of the B-17 were rescued from the water. On June 19, 1944, Stolzy and four other 374th pilots were killed in crashes over France during a bomber raid that was aborted due to bad weather. A final entry in Stolzy's diary, made by a fellow pilot, details the hope that he was able to successfully bail out of his damaged aircraft. Instead, Stolzy died in a crash. His remains were eventually returned to Michigan for burial in Kent County. Today, the 171st's flag carries the campaign streamers from those long-ago actions. The 171st and the related 191st Maintenance Squadron have been assigned to the 127th Air Refueling Group as part of the 127th Wing since 1996. The unit operates from a home station at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in suburban Detroit.

Selfridge Moves into Its Second Century By Tech. Sgt. Dan Heaton/127th Wing

The next 100 years starts now. After celebrating the first century of military service at Selfridge Air National Guard Base with a hugely successful Open House and Air Show, the Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and other state and federal personnel at the base have set their sights on launching a new era at the base. First on the list of priorities for what comes next at Selfridge is the return of more than 300 Citizen-Airmen to the base that have been deployed to the Middle East for much of 2017. Those returns are scheduled for the fall season.

The base marked its centennial this summer, hosting an Open House and Air Show, 19-20 August. The open house also included a special family day on 18 August, during which many Selfridge-based units held reunions; and it’s estimated that the three day event drew well over 200,000 visitors to the base. Coupled with boaters watching the air show from Lake St. Clair, numerous backyard viewing parties around the base and thousands more who watch the air show on a live streaming Internet feed and it is believed that some half a million people or more helped mark the 100th anniversary of the base. “This was truly a celebration of service at Selfridge,” said Brig. Gen. John D. “Odie” Slocum, the base commander. “It was great to see so many of our veterans and community partners here as a part of the event – and we conducted an enlistment ceremony to welcome in our next generation of Airmen. That, coupled with a fantastic flying display, really made this a true celebration of not just where we have been, but where we are going.” In addition to preparing for the homecoming of its deployed members, the 127th Wing is waiting on word from the Pentagon on decisions on future basing assignments for the F-35 Lightning II, the newest fighter aircraft in the Air Force inventory. Selfridge is on the short-list for a possible assignment of the F-35. A decision on the basing for the aircraft is expected late this year. “I am awestruck at the magnitude of patriotism, pride, and unity displayed at the Selfridge Centennial Air Show,” said Col. David Brooks, 127th Wing Vice Commander. “As an American Airmen, I take great pride in having serving my State and Nation here at Selfridge Field for the past 17 years. We here at Selfridge truly follow in the footsteps of America’s greatest; and daily, the 127th Wing’s exemplary service demonstrates our deservedness to contribute to this great legacy. I especially remember several 127th Airmen who are deployed and were unable to participate directly in our celebration; truly, these are America’s heroes. These Men and Women are carrying on in the Selfridge heritage that stands for all the best our nation can offer.” At the air show, a flying demonstration by an F-35 was among the star attractions. The F-35 came near the end of the flying portion of the open house, as the crowd witnessed a chronological display of military aircraft. The day opened with three flying World War I aircraft and then traveled through the different era of flight. Among the highlights was a red-tailed P-51 Mustang, flown in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen who trained at Selfridge during World War II. On the ground, visitors were able to visit displays of a wide range of military vehicles, as well as a special display form the Michigan State Police, which is also celebrating its centennial year. “None of this would have been possible without our volunteers,” said Lt. Col. Brian Davis, an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot at the base who served as the air show director. “From the Base Community Council, who was in the lead from day one, to all of our partner organizations, our local veterans – it was a true team effort.” Selfridge Air National Guard Base opened on 1 July 1917, created as a training facility for pilots and aerial gunners in World War I. The base became a permanent facility in 1922 and has been used as a military air field continuously since opening. The base has always had at least one squadron of fighter aircraft assigned, as well as a variety of other aircraft at various times. The base was turned over to the Michigan Air National Guard in 1971 and today is home to units of all five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as several entities from the Dept. of Homeland Security and other federal organizations. When initially opened, the base was operated by the U.S. Army’s Air Service – 30 years before the Air Force was created as a separate service. The Army has been present at Selfridge essentially ever since. The Army currently flies CH-47 Chinook helicopters at Selfridge and has a large presence of personnel from the Army’s TACOM facility, working in research and development and logistics operations. U.S. Navy operations at Selfridge initially began with a single aircraft assigned in the mid-1920s. The Navy was at Selfridge for about a year in the 1920s and the left the base, not to return until 1969, when several Navy Reserve units were stoop up. Today, the base is home to Naval Operational Support Center-Detroit and the Navy-led Joint Reserve Intelligence Center-Detroit.

The Marine Corps also arrived at Selfridge in the late 1960s, with several flying units. Today’s Marine presence at the base is centered in two units, the 1st/24th Marines, an infantry unit; and the 471st, an air wing support company. The Coast Guard has operated Air Station Detroit at the base since 1967. Its rescue helicopters have long been a welcome site to mariners in distress on the Great Lakes. Other major units include the U.S. Border Patrol’s Detroit Sector headquarters and Custom and Border Protection’s Great Lakes Air & Marine Wing.

GOLF SHIRTS One of the ways we say “thank you” to our volunteers who do more than just say they want to volunteer and then either don’t show up or come in one time and then leave is to provide them with a golf shirt in a size of their choice with the Museum logo and their name embroidered on it. The initial golf shirt is free. If additional or replacement shirts are needed, we’ll order and mail them to you with an invoice for just our cost for the shirt(s) requested. It’s hard to keep track of who wanted a shirt (some don’t) and who received one already so until I hear to the contrary, I’m going to assume that all of our current volunteers have already received their shirt. If my assumption is incorrect, and it probably is, please call me and we’ll get it on order.

EDITORIAL

I need a place to vent. Please don’t take these ramblings personally…

I’ll say it again and keep saying it until everyone gets the word! ONLY THE CURATOR (DICK SOULES) OR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (THAT’S ME) CAN ACCEPT A DONATION TO THE MUSEUM! Do not bring anything from your home or from others that is to be donated to the Museum unless you first come thru me or Dick! We keep getting stuff that I have to back door thru the review, acceptance and inventory process and it’s getting a little old trying to figure out what happened and when after the fact.

For those of you who have our Museum Master Card number memorized or on a piece of paper, it has changed! See me or call me and I’ll share it with you.

Although membership in our parent organization, the Michigan Air Guard Historical Association (MAGHA), is certainly not a requirement to be an Air Museum volunteer, the membership donations we receive are a significant part of our yearly income and provide us with the financial wherewithal to reimburse you for purchases you make on our behalf and to fund needed improvements to our operation. We presently have over 110 volunteers on our rolls and over 50% have chosen not to become members of MAGHA. Please consider joining our Historical Association…a membership application is on the last page of this newsletter.

For those of you that purchase from Grainger, we now have our own account instead of sharing the Base Supply account. Our account number is 884941782.

If I sometimes seem a little frazzled or annoyed, please forgive me as I sometimes feel like I’m getting ready to fall into my full plate. I can’t begin to count the number of times that a conversation begins with “Wouldn’t it be great if we…” and “we” usually translates to me!

2018 GOALS

It never ends…

Purge our storage areas of assets that are excess to our current and future needs, a long-term and ongoing effort.

Training more of our “full-time” volunteers on aircraft corrosion control.

Training our weekend hosts

Cataloguing, digitizing, and filing historic photos.

Restore the FG-1D “Corsair” using industry-standard components. The “plan” is to restore portions of it in Bldg 1007 for final assembly in Bldg 1045. Expect the Corsair to be moved out of the Air Park when the AT-6 gets placed in the Air Park and to be moved back to the Air Park in the summer/fall of 2015.

Help the Selfridge Military Air Museum!

The Selfridge Military Air Museum is enrolled in Kroger’s Community Rewards Program &

Amazon Smile

Kroger Community Rewards Program: This program will link purchases made with your Kroger’s Plus Card to the Selfridge Military Air Museum so that a portion of the sale is donated back to the Selfridge Military Air Museum.

Please note — Once you have enrolled in the program and identified the nonprofit

organization of your choice, you do not need to re-register annually.

Step by step instructions if you have never registered online

1. Go to www.krogercommunityrewards.com

2. Create an account by entering your email, a password and your zip code.

3. Select your preferred store location.

4. Click on the “Create Account” button.

5. Enter your Kroger’s card number and your last name.

6. Click the “Save” button.

7. At the bottom of the next screen, click on the “Enroll button”

8. Enter in your contact information.

9. Click on the “Save” button.

10. In the “Find Your Organization” box enter the number 92995 and click “Search”.

11. Click on circle/dot next to “Selfridge Military Air Museum”.

12. Click on the “Enroll” button. You are now registered to support the Selfridge Military Air

Museum.

Amazon Smile:

For information about the Amazon Smile Program that the museum is enrolled in, check out the

website: http://selfridgeairmuseum.org/support_AmazonSmile.htmClick on the link here in

order to sign into

If you already have an Amazon account, then log in to your account with your email/user name

and password from the link on the museum’s website. If successful, you should receive a notice

saying “Thank you” and that your purchases will be in support of the Selfridge Military Air

Museum. If you need to create an Amazon account, click on the link to “create an account”.

You will need to have an email account to participate and have the following information to fill

in: Type your name, email, retype your email, create a password, and retype your password. If

it all matches, click “Create Amazon Account”.

Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible Amazon Smile purchases to the

charitable organization of your choice.

The Selfridge Military Air Museum says, “Thank You for Your Support”!!

MUSEUM HAPPENINGS

The big effort at the Museum is the continued restoration of our USMC FG-1D “Corsair”, a project that we estimate will take a total of three to four years to complete; we’re hoping for a 2019 completion date. We’re fully engaged with USMC Museum personnel in Quantico to insure that we do it right! Museum volunteers will be doing the restoration and it has been disassembled and put inside buildings so our Restoration Team doesn’t have to cope with the weather. And a special thank you

goes out to Advanced Blasting in Sterling Heights for their help in removing over 30 years of paint, primer, and patches. If you are interested in contributing to this project, please consider a tax-deductible donation to the museum. The Selfridge Military Air Museum is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

2017 was a busy year for the crew of volunteers at the Selfridge Military Air Museum. With the assistance of personnel from the 127th Wing’s Public Affairs Office, they and a group of volunteers from the Selfridge Military Air Museum put together an historical display at the Anton Art Center during their annual XLIV Michigan Annual. Come 27 January through 23 February 2018, the museum will once again have a historical display at the XLV Michigan Annual at Anton Art Center, Mount Clemens.

The Selfridge Military Air Museum was well represented at historic 100th Anniversary Air Show. Our SPAD XIII was a prime display in the hangar at the Friday evening gala. Over the spring and early summer months, the volunteers at the museum accomplished some restoration work and a new paint job on the UH-1H “Huey” Iroquois. At left the “Huey sits outside of Building 1045 awaiting re-installation of its rotor. Below is the refurbished “Huey” in its “new coat of paint awaiting

transport to the air field for the 100th Anniversary Air Show. This aircraft, UH-1H Iroquois “Huey”, the T-6 “Texan”, SPAD XIII, the restored Korean War era jeep owned by museum volunteer, Pete Saldana along with the 1947 Willy’s jeep and the 1963 AM General Mutt represented the museum’s display at the 100th Anniversary Air Show in August. The museum’s restoration group volunteers also had one of the restored wings from the Corsair along with the other original wing and a picture display board showing the work-in-progress of the USMC FG-1D Corsair restoration. With the logistical experience of the Marines from the MWSS-471 unit at the base, we got the T-6 “Texan” lifted over the museum fence, towed down to the flight line gate where they lifted it once again in order for it to make its way to the air show display area.

MUSEM HAPPENINGS (continued):

Over the summer, the museum staff of volunteers also participated in and had vehicle displays at the Mount Clemens Car Show & Cruise (both events at the beginning and end of the summer) with the 1953 Korean War era jeep, 1947 Willy’s, 1963 AM-General Mutt, and the Deuce-and-a-half. Following the end-of-summer cruise, the 1953 Korean War era jeep made an appearance at the grand opening of Cabela’s in Clinton Township (just down the road from the base).

In July, the Macomb County Historical Society and the Crocker House Museum honored the museum @ their annual membership picnic by placing a brick in their garden walk behind the Crocker House Museum. The museum was honored for the effort made to preserve the military history of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base over its 100 years and for the effort that our Museum Director, Lieutenant Colonel Louis J. Nigro (USAF, Ret.) contributes both for the museum and for the Family Readiness Group.

MUSEM HAPPENINGS (continued):

September - October 2017 found museum volunteers and staff from 127th Wing Public Affairs planning and putting together a beautiful display in celebration of Selfridge’s 100 Years at the Detroit Historical Museum. This display was up from mid-October through 7 January 2018. Thanks go out to DHS staff, Tracy Irwin and Gary North and the other staff members from DHS that lent a hand in putting this display together. Here are some highlights of the display @ the Detroit Historical Museum.

MUSEM HAPPENINGS (continued):

MUSEUM HAPPENINGS (Continued):

The Museum is always looking ‘for a few good men & women’ to serve as volunteers on the Tuesday & Friday gigs or as weekend docents. No previous experience or knowledge is necessary. Standard procedure is six to eight days per season, but if you can only give the museum two to four, don’t let that stop you from applying. Maybe even get your spouse interested in volunteering with you as a “team”. Check out the website for the volunteer application or call the Museum Director and he’ll send you the application (586-239-6768; or email: info@selfridgeairmuseum.org). So, if you have a day here and there that is available to donate some time as a docent during the Museum’s Open

Season, April through October, please consider volunteering. If you have family members or friends who may wish to become a docent on weekends during our open season, please let them know of these possibilities.

Kudos are given to All of the Museum Volunteers who participated in and helped with the ‘Museum Happenings’ in 2017 and to the 127th Wing Public Affairs and Transporation for their logistical support.

MACOMB COUNTY’S BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 1 JANUARY thru 31 DECEMBER 2018

Selfridge Military Air Museum is participating in this program during our ‘Open Season’, 1 April thru 28 October 2018. Passports will be available to give to those interested in participating. If someone comes in with a ‘passport’ that needs to be stamped, there is a stamp pad & biplane stamp by the cash register to stamp the passports with. Those participating in the “Feed your Hunger for History” program, if interested in touring the museum & air park should pay the appropriate admission fee. Like history, than grab your passport and ‘feed your hunger’! Collect 7 stamps from any of the above participating destinations, turn in your completed passport to a local Culver’s, and earn a free meal!

This Day in History: Michigan National Guard

January 16 1955 Phenix City, AL - As a six month period of martial law ends in Russell County and the last of about 300 Guardsmen leave for home, they can be proud that they helped clean up what one politician called "the most wicked city in the United States." Phenix City had a national reputation for gambling, bootleg liquor, prostitution and other vices. Most of its revenue came from the soldiers stationed at Ft. Benning, GA, just across the state line. The Guard became involved when Governor Gordon Persons determined that the county and city were out of control of legitimate law enforcement. In July 1954 a key witness due to testify for a grand jury about local corruption was murdered. The governor appointed Major General Walter Hanna, commander of the 31st Infantry Division, to take charge of the situation and ‘clean up' the county. Hanna selected 150 Guardsmen and moved on July 24th appointing his own "sheriff" to replace the corrupt one. Judges from other areas of the state were appointed by the governor replaced those thought corrupt in the county. Over the next few months Hanna's men (rotating to a total of 300) destroyed slot machines, roulette tables and other gambling equipment. The illegal bars were shut and the brothels closed down. By early 1955 the clean up program was about complete, all with no loss of life. Phenix City would never rise again to resume its 'wicked' status. January 17 1781 Cowpens, SC - An American army composed of Continental soldiers and militia men from GA, SC, NC and VA under the command of General Daniel Morgan, who started the war as a captain in the Virginia militia, wins a decisive victory over a British force numbering about 950 men. Of that number 110 were killed and 730 (including 200 wounded) were captured. American losses were only 12 killed and 62 wounded. This defeat compelled the British commander, Lord Cornwallis, to move his army away from the Carolina ‘back country' and toward the Atlantic coast where Royal Navy ships could render aid if needed. He would eventually move into Virginia and occupy a small village named Yorktown. 1921St. Paul, MN - The 109th Observation Squadron, numbering 21 officers and 90 enlisted men, receives Federal recognition. Assigned to the 34th Division (IA, MN, ND, SD) this was the first Guard flying unit organized after World War I and is perpetuated by the 109th Airlift Squadron (MN), the oldest continuously serving Air Guard unit in the force today. 1991Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq - Operation Desert Storm opens with a blistering air assault on key Iraqi command and control, communications and other vital military targets as the war to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi occupation begins. Among the first combat units flying sorties were the Air Guard's 169th Tactical Fighter Group (SC) and the 174th Tactical Fighter Wing (NY), both armed with F-16 aircraft. Other Guard units participated in support roles, from in-air refueling to cargo transportation. January 18 1911 San Francisco Bay, CA - Flight pioneer Eugene Ely successfully lands his airplane on a specially laid deck on the stern of the battleship USS Brooklyn. His plane is turned around and he then successfully takes off marking the first time anyone has accomplished a landing and take off from a ship. In July Ely is commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the California Guard. He brings his personal plane to drill and teaches several members of his unit to fly. Unfortunately he was killed in a crash before the year's end.

1968 "Camp Atterbury East", Vietnam - Indiana's Company D, 151st Infantry (Long Range Patrol--later redesignated as "Ranger") becomes operational in support of Headquarters, II Field Force. The "Indiana Rangers" as they quickly became known, was the only Army reserve forces ground maneuver unit to serve in Vietnam. Its main mission was to gather intelligence about enemy movements and planned attacks. Operating in six to eight man patrols, and often staying in the jungle for several days at a time, the Rangers proved quite adept at concealed observation, though at times they did get involved in hostile engagements, being credited with more than 100 enemy soldiers killed and captured. During its one year tour the members of this Guard unit earned one of the highest percentages of awards given to any unit in Vietnam, including 19 Silver Stars, 123 Bronze Stars (29 of which included a "V" device for Valor), one Soldier's Medal (for an act of heroism in a non-combat situation), 111 Air Medals, 183 Army Commendation Medals and 101 Purple Hearts. The unit is perpetuated today by the 151st Infantry. January 19 1945 Border area of Luxemburg, Belgium and Germany - As the last pockets of Nazi forces are wiped out or captured by advancing American forces, the "Battle of the Bulge" comes to a close. The Germans had launched their surprise offensive five weeks earlier, on December 16, in an effort to break the American and British armies apart while also capturing the vital port of Antwerp. In the opening hours of the offensive units ofPennsylvania's 28th Infantry Division bought valuable time in fighting to delay the enemy advance. During the course of the battle other Guard organizations, including the 26th (MA) and 30th (NC, SC, TN) Infantry Divisions plus numerous non-divisional units played important roles in stopping and then turning back the German assault. And in the air, five former Air Guard observation squadrons flew sorties in support of ground operations. These were the 107th (MI), 109th (MN) and 111th (TX) Tactical Reconnaissance squadrons along with Oklahoma's 125thand Mississippi's 153rd Liaison squadrons. January 20 1944 Rapido River, Italy - The 141st and 143rd Infantry regiments, 36th Infantry Division (TX), fail in their attempt to force a crossing of this river. While at first they gain a small foothold on the enemy shore, having inadequate boats and meeting a well-entrenched enemy, the units suffer more than one thousand causalities before the attack is called back five days later. 1961 Washington, DC - The inaugural parade for President John Kennedy marks a high point in the number of Guard ceremonial units participating in the "pass in review" for the new president. A total of 16 distinctively uniformed Guard units marched down Pennsylvania Avenue. Most were 'old' commands like the National Lancers (MA), First City Troop of Philadelphia (PA) and the Richmond Light Infantry Blues (VA). Each of these units wore uniform patterns adopted in the early 1800's. With many changes both in the Guard and in society itself in the intervening years, almost no units today except the City Troop still maintain and wear distinctive dress uniforms.

January 21 1903 Washington, DC - The Militia Act sponsored by Ohio Congressman Charles Dick is enacted. It was benchmark legislation that repealed the outdated Militia Act of 1792. With its passage the modern National Guard, as part of the federal reserve, was born. The Guard now had to meet stricter federal requirement for training and equipment, though now the government paid most of the bills. The Guard's officer corps would be required to be "federally recognized"-certified as to physical, professional and moral standards. Its enlisted personnel would also have to obtain higher standards than under the old militia period. All ranks would get pay and allowances for their attendance at a five day summer encampment. Eventually, federal monies for all training periods, annual and drill would be added as well as monies for armory construction and maintenance. Many aspects of "Guard service" as it is understood today date from the passage of the Dick Act of 1903. 1957Birmingham, AL - First Lieutenant Sylvia Marie St. Charles Law becomes the first woman to join the Army Guard when she is sworn in as a nurse in the 109th Evacuation Hospital. Only after Congress enacts Public Law 845 in July 1956 were women permitted to join the Guard, and then only as nurse-officers. Not until 1968 would enlisted women be authorized to serve in the Guard. January 22 1944 Anzio, Italy - When Allied forces became blocked by stiff German resistance in the mountains of central Italy, it was decided to open a second front by making a beach landing behind enemy lines to cut the Germans off and clear the road to Rome. What was planned as quick and decisive operation quickly bogged down just off the beaches. The units committed were entrapped until early May 2nd before they, in conjunction with the other Allied forces coming up from the south, finally were able to break out. Three Guard divisions took part in this operation, the 34th (ND, SD, MN, IA), the 36th (TX) and the 45th (AZ, CO, NM, OK). January 28 1942 The 374th Fighter Squadron is constituted for World War II service. After the war, the unit would be redesignated as the 171st Fighter Squadron and assigned to the Michigan Air National Guard. During WWII, the unit operated P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft assigned to the 8th Air Force operating from England.

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Photos from Selfridge’s 2017 Air Show 1917 - 2017