VICTORY BY VALOR

A NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY THE

20TH FIGHTER WING ASSOCIATION

Members and former members of the 20th Fighter Wing, subordinate organizations and predecessors. August 2015

ANY CHALLENGE

ANYTIME

New Orleans Reunion 14-17 October 2015

I am pleased to announce that retired Major General Sam W. West-

brook III will be our guest speaker at our Saturday evening banquet.

Sam is a 1963 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is a Rhodes

Scholar, Trinity College, Oxford achieving two advanced degrees in

physics. On returning to the U.S., he entered pilot training and upon

graduation was assigned as an F-111 pilot at Nellis AFB. He later served

as an F-111 aircraft commander and as a weapons and tactics officer.

After completion of Armed Forces Staff College in 1972, the general

flew the A-1 in Thailand and served in the Phillippines. He returned to

the F-111 and served as the chief of the F-111 Operational Test and

Evaluation Section as well as performing operational test and evalua-

tion missions from 1973-1975. In mid-1975 he was assigned to the Pen-

tagon as an action officer in the Directorate of Plans. He worked on

the National Security Council staff from October 1977 until July 1978,

when he became the first chief of Staff Group, where he did policy anal-

ysis in support of the Air Force Chief of Staff. His last year in Washing-

ton was spent at the National War College. General Westbrook was

deputy commander for operations for an F-111 wing at Royal Air Force

Station Upper Heyford, England from 1980

to 1982. He then spent a year in Germany

as director of inspection for U.S. Air Forces

in Europe. In July 1983 he was assigned as

vice commander of the F-111 wing at Royal

Air Force Station Lakenheath, England and

became commander of the wing in April of

1984. In June 1986 he was named com-

mandant of cadets, Air Force Academy,

Colorado, where he spent three years.

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Sam finished his twenty-eight year Air Force career in 1991 as deputy chief of staff for operations

and readiness, Headquarters Air Training Command. He was promoted to Major General August 1989.

The general is a command pilot with more than 2300 flying hours, including 22 combat missions. His

military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit with

two oak leaf clusters and the Air Medal.

Upon retiring from the Air Force, Sam was brought in as president of a high technology company

(PAR Government Systems Corporation) doing contracting work for the U.S. government in the area of sig-

nal processing. Before joining PAR he spent six months as a consultant and acting general manager of a

scrap metal company. In late 1993 he was recruited as a vice president and general manager for Abex NWL

Aero-space (hydraulic pumps, valves and flight control and engine actuators). During his tenure, military

sales revenues increased from $90 million in 1994 to $103 million in 1995 and past-due deliveries dropped

from a high of $28 million to $5 million. This dramatic turnaround in results led to the company being ac-

quired by Parker Bertea Aerospace in 1996.

Since 1996 Sam has been a self-employed consultant. He is on the board of a small company based

in Texas that provides healthcare related surveys and training. Previously he worked with a group doing

technology transfer and commercialization workshops for inventors and was also involved in proposal prep-

aration and evaluation for several private contractors as well as grant programs sponsored by government

agencies. Additionally, Sam served for a number of years as a member of the United Services Automobile

Association (USAA) Board of Directors.

I am grateful for Sam’s acceptance of the invitation to be our guest speaker at our 2015 New Orleans

reunion and look forward to hearing what he has to say to us.

Reunion Update

New Orleans is a little more than two months away and there are a number of items I must address. As you

know, our Hospitality Room is the focal point of all of our reunions with lots of opportunities to meet new

friends and to reacquaint ourselves with those we haven’t seen or heard from in a number of years. In the

past, P.K. Kimminau has handled the duties of Hospitality Room manager and has done so remarkably well.

After our 2013 reunion in Charleston, P.K. advised the Board that he is retiring from that position. It is with

that in mind that we are seeking a volunteer or volunteers to fill the void left by P.K.’s retirement from Hos-

pitality Room manager. To entice our membership into thinking about volunteering for the manager posi-

tion, we are offering to comp his room for four nights of the reunion. If we have two volunteers to share

the duty, each would receive two nights comped. Frankly, that’s a pretty nice perk; so please think about

volunteering on behalf of our Association and if you do make that choice, please notify our Treasurer, Keith

Greene, of your decision. Keith can fill you in on your responsibilities. You can reach Keith via email or

phone: godthing2@cox.net (850) 496-7724.

It’s also important to note that the end time for registration for the reunion is 22 Sep

2015; however, and this is a big HOWEVER….you must register with

the hotel not later than 14 September in order to receive the group

rate. For those of you holding back regarding attendance at this reunion, keep in mind that trans-

portation for all venues have been previously arranged by Keith Greene, our Reunion Chairman. I

would also remind our membership that our hotel is contiguous to the newly restored Riverside Mall

and in fact, you can walk to the mall and all shops, restaurants, etc., without going outside. Another

plus with our hotel is that the New Orleans tram is across the street from the hotel’s front door and

it’s really cheap to use and get around New Orleans if that is what you’d want to do. Day passes are

available for the tram. All this information is on the 20fwa website: www.20fwa.org.

On another note, Keith and are working on arrangements for the three squadron dinners. We will

need to have a volunteer from each squadron who will be responsible for collecting the money from

the dinner attendees at some time during the reunion or at the dinner. Please notify me or Keith if

you will step up to the plate and assist with the squadron dinners. Each squadron will have a choice

of one of three meal options and this information will be forthcoming in the next week or two as we

are negotiating with the restaurants for cost and selection of meals. Stay tuned as I will publish

squadron dinner particulars as soon as they are set in stone. My email is: Eagle7@gvtc.com and

Keith’s is: Godthing2@cox.net. Thanks.

Golfers…..we will play golf on Friday. The rate is $70 per golfer and that will include the cart. You can

pay for your golf when you sign in to register for the reunion. Please have cash for this event. If you

ARE going to play golf, please notify me ASAP as I need to advise the course pro how many will be

playing. Also all golfers will need to provide their latest handicap and if you don’t have one, submit a

reasonable handicap that you might play to so that we can have an even playing field in our four-

somes. Golfers can notify me via email: Eagle7@gvtc.com. Thanks.

Mike Cook, Wing Liaison Officer

As many of you know, after the passing of our liaison, Nub Shofner, we were fortunate to have Mike

Cook step up and fill that slot. Mike has been in attendance at the presentation of our Aerial Achieve-

ment and Force Multiplier awards and has presented the trophies to the winners and the checks to

each of the winning squadrons. Mike’s bio follows:

Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma. Graduatingin the top five of his class and

receiving fighter, attack or reconnaissance qualification, received an A-10 assignment to England AFB,

Alexandria, Louisiana. Mike was quickly upgraded to mission ready, then flight lead and search/rescue

qualified. He was promoted to First Lieutenant while at England AFB. His next assignment was to Osan

Air Base, Republic of Korea in 1983 and shortly thereafter, was promoted to Captain. Mike was upgraded

to instructor pilot and attended the Fighter Weapons Instructor Course (Top Gun) in late 1983. He com-

pleted a master of science degree from the University of Southern California in Systems Management in

1985.

In early 1985, Mike was selected for the secret F-117 Stealth Fighter program at Nellis AFB, Nevada.

After qualification, he became a Follow-On Test and Evaluation pilot. In 1989, he was assigned to Moody

AFB, Georgia and while there, was promoted to Major and qualified in the F-16 aircraft. Mike flew 39

missions in Desert Storm and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for a successful rescue mission. He

also received three of his seven Air Medals.

In 1992, Mike attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California and then was assigned to

Den Haag, Netherlands as an F-16 exchange pilot with the Dutch Air Force.

On departing Den Haag in 1994, Mike was assigned to Shaw AFB, South Carolina where he flew the F-16.

He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and became the squadron commander of the 77th Fighter

Squadron. Mike was selected to attend the National War College in 1999 where he graduated with a

Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy . Shortly thereafter, Mike was promoted to Colo-

nel and assigned to the North American Air Defense (NORAD) in Colorado Springs, Colorado as the Oper-

ations Division Chief and Crisis Action Planning Director. He was Battle Staff Director in Cheyenne

Mountrain on the morning of 9/11.

Mike was transferred to Hill AFB, Ogden, Utah in 2002 and selected as Vice Wing Commander of the

338th Fighter Wing. He retired from the Air Force in 2004.

Mike currently works for Alion Science and Technology at Shaw AFB, South Carolina as a Senior Military

Analyst for AFCENT HQ. He resides in Dalzell, South Carolina.

An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought.

Simon Cameron

2014 Aerial Achievement and Force Multiplier Award winners

Captain Evan J. Farren and Senior Master Sergeant Steven D. Wisecarver

Mike Cook, 20th Fighter Wing Association Liaison Officer is shown presenting the trophies to

our 2014 award winners. This trophy is a traveling trophy as it moves from last years winning

squadron to the current years winning squadron. Winning squadrons also receive a check for

$500 to be used at their discretion. The winning individuals are shown receiving a very nice

plaque in recognition of their personal achievements for the 20th Fighter Wing and their re-

spective squadrons.

We congratulate Captain Evan Farren and Senior Master Sergeant Steven Wisecarver in win-

ning the 20th Fighter Wing Association awards and commend them for jobs well done.

News from Shaw

New 9th Air Force Commander

U.S. Air Force Major General Mark Kelly (left), 9th

Air Force Commander, shakes hands with Major

General H. D. Polumbo Jr., after the change of

command ceremony at Shaw AFB, South Carolina,

July 31, 2015. Kelly assumed command from

Polumbo who retired after a 34-year Air Force

career.

Major General Kelly is a 1986 graduate of South-

west Texas State University, and a fighter pilot. He

came to 9th Air Force from Bagram Airfield,

Afghanistan where he commanded the 455th Air

Expeditionary Wing. Earlier in his career he com-

manded a fighter squadron and two fighter wings.

Wild Weasel

The 20th Fighter Wing flagship F-16CM Fighting

Falcon is parked on taxiway E on the flight line at

Shaw AFB, South Carolina, June 4, 2015. The tail of

the fighter jet was recently painted to commemo-

rate 50 years of the iconic Wild Weasel mission.

The Wild Weasel concept was developed by the

United States Air Force in 1965 after the introduc-

tion of Soviet surface-to-air missiles and the down-

ing of U.S. strike aircraft over the skies of North

Viet Nam. During the Viet Nam war the Soviet SA-2

(SAM) threatened to hold air operations over North

Viet Nam. To suppress and destroy this threat the

U.S. Air Force countered with the courage and skill

of the Wild Weasels. Pilots flew some of the most

dangerous missions in Southeast Asia. Fighter

pilots are still using the aggressive Wild Weasel tac-

tics in todays air war, carrying out the legacy of the

Wild Weasel in campaigns around the world.

As we perused our aircraft Dash One’s , we would occasionally come across a page that was blank and

in the middle of that page would be printed this disclaimer: THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK. I

am sure this was to make it understood that an error in printing had not occurred and something (in

our minds critical information ) was not omitted.

I suppose I could use that option when producing our newsletters, but rather than you staring at a

blank page, I generally try to find something of interest to all that will fill the page and provide some

informational or educational material. A couple of newsletters ago, I added information concerning

the displaying of our great American flag. I will continue to produce newsletters in this fashion; and

now you know why I find it necessary(?) to add material that is not association specific.

We have heard a number of patriotic songs and most of us don’t know all the verses. “America The

Beautiful” is such a song. Written in 1913 by Katharine Lee Bates. She originally wrote the words as a

poem, “Pikes Peak”, first published in the Fourth of July edition of the church periodical The Congrega-

tionalist in 1895. The title of the poem was changed to “America” for the publication. The music was

written by church organist and choirmaster, Samuel A. Ward. Lyrics and music were combined and

first published in 1910 and titled “America the Beautiful”. And as Paul Harvey used to say, “...now you

know - the rest of the story”.

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet, Whose stern impassion’d stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness!

America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife, Who more than self their country loved,

And mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness, And ev’ry gain divine!

O Beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam,

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood