03/11/24

2024 6994th/94IS Heritage Day

The 94IS is planning to revive its Heritage Day program this year in a 2 day event from 20-21 May 2024.  On the 20th, briefings in the 94IS OPS building are planned, followed by a picnic/BBQ at the Burba Lake Cottage on Ft. Meade.  In the event there are too may attendees for the facility to handle, all activities will be at the Burba Lake Cottage.  On the 21st, a wreath laying ceremony at the Baron52 gravesite at Arlington Cemetery is being planned.  Van or bus transportation to the ceremony is being planned.

The following 6994th vets have expressed an interest in attending the events:

Jerry Baker, Mike Caflin, Dale Carruth, Lee Chilcoat, Don Collum, Owen Costello, John Fitzpatrick, Harry Frye, Joe Giammichele, Harvey Goldstein, Robert Greene, Roland Kearley, Jack Kimmich, Joe Martin, Dave Masson, Rich Miklaucic, Doug Milton, Curtis Parker, Budde Reede, Dallas Ward, Bob Washburn, Rick Yeh , Archie McLaughlin, Earle Greene, Paul Amato, Rich Renkas, Charlie Phippin, Ray Ivey, Dave Brittingham.

If you have any interest in attending, please send an e-mail to Rick Yeh at [email protected] to receive updates on the schedule and/or information needed to clear security at Ft. Meade if the meetings at the 94IS OPS building occur.

01/19/24

Service for Danny Russell

From Danny’s son Steve: (on FB)
 
This message goes out to friends and family of my Dad, Danny Russell. Dad will be honored with a burial service in the Arlington National Cemetery on March 14, 2024, at 1:00pm eastern time.
 
09/11/23

Thank You from Ray Leftwich Jr.

Thank you from Ray Leftwich Jr:

To: The Members of the 6994th Security Squadron

From: Raymond Jerome Leftwich,

son of TSGT Raymond Francis Leftwich

Gentlemen and Ladies,

I wish to thank WOW, how do you thank the men and women who did so much for the Leftwich family and continue to this day!  Y’all continue to make my heart soar and my eyes fill with tears every time y’all go do yet another act in my dad’s name.

Since the day the Goodfellow Base Commander and the Base Chaplain showed up at our door and gave us ‘THE NEWS,” the 6994th has taken and made the Leftwich family part of your own.

I have been told there were buildings in that country, I still have problems saying today, parks and buildings with his name where I was born in Japan, in Kelly AFB and Goodfellow AFB with his name on them.  Y’all were instrumental in making a shadow box for his medals, you made sure we got to all ceremonies (and this was a mother with children ranging from 10 to 2, a handful indeed).  You all made sure we were taken care of.

Today, at Offut AFB, the youngest Leftwich daughter Peggy Leftwich Ryan is in the process of putting the Leftwich display into their museum for permanent display.

Also because of the 6994th, there is a scholarship program at ANGELO STATE UNIVERSITY in San Angelo.

I wish I could be here today but unfortunately today would have been my wife Kitty and my 45 anniversary but I need to say my final goodbye’s.  Kitty and I started the scholarship program together and without the help of a few very close 6994th friends, (God bless you and your families), this scholarship program would have stopped.

God continues to Bless me with Angels today and they are the men and women and families of the 6994th!  This is one family I definitely want to see in Heaven!  WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A HUGE PARTY AND THE FIRST ROUND IS ON DAD!!!  Thank you.

02/27/23

Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony – GAFB

The second annual Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday morning, March 29th at 1100 AM at the Weyandt-Eddy Memorial Plaza. The full event flyer is featured on the vietnam50thcpp.com Homepage. 

Full details about registering for easy access to Goodfellow AFB (if needed), available downtown lodging with hospitality suite, free Tuesday evening reception, Wednesday morning ceremony and plaza visitation, and Wednesday evening reception and dinner are included on the RSVP/Reservations page. Please check it out and submit your online or mail-in reservation no later than 17 March 2023. 

This will be a special ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Operation Homecoming and the return of Vietnam War Prisoners of War. We will also note the exodus of American forces from Vietnam, including the final EC-47 (362nd TEWS & Det 2, 6994th Scty Sq) mission(s) flown from Vietnam (DaNang) on/about 17 February 1973. Please notify Richard Graham at [email protected] or Joe Martin at [email protected] if you flew this mission or have documents and/or pictures supporting this ARDF milestone. Whatever is available will be put on display in the Clarion Hotel Hospitality Suite.

04/21/21

Danny Russell Shootdown 51st Anniversary

April 22, 2021 marks the 51st Anniversary of Danny Russell being shot down twice in one day, first in his EC-47 and then again in the rescue helicopter.

 

Take a moment to send him a note to wish him well, he is at [email protected].  He is currently in a VA hospital in IL.  I’m sure he’ll appreciate your thinking of him.

 

03/2/20

Fallen Eagle – Dale R. Julien

Dale’s wife Barbara notified us that Dale R. Julien passed away of AO complications on 25 JAN 2020.  No other details were provided.  RIP

02/18/20

Fallen Eagle – James D. Elsberger

Janice Elsberger sadly informed us that her brother, James D. Elsberger passed away of cancer on 17 FEB 2020.  He will be interred in the Cemetery of the Alleghenies.  No further details available.  RIP.

02/9/20

Fallen Eagle – Duane W. Larkin

Regretfully, Bob Hull and Ed Bendinelli report that Duane W. Larkin passed away on 8 February 2020 of AO related Parkinson’s Disease.  He will be interred at Ft. Sam Houston Cemetery.  No further details are available at this time.

01/24/20

Paver Ceremony Registration

For those of you planning to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony and other festivities during the Vietnam Veterans Day weekend ceremonies at Goodfellow.  To register for the events, please follow the link below and complete the forms.

http://www.vietnam50thcpp.com/rsvp-vietnam-veterans-day-ceremony

The revised RSVP form has been checked out and is operating as
designed.  The base visitor control office  pledged
maximum support to ensure all visitors are quickly processed
through the base entry control.

This link is already posted on www.ec47.com.  Joe Martin and Tom Nurre
will maintain the master listing.