From: bergman@AFPAN.PA.AF.MIL (CMSgt Mike Bergman)
Newsgroups: soc.veterans
Subject: Air Combat Command News - 09/14/92
Date: 15 Sep 92 14:20:04 GMT
Organization: Hq Air Force News Agency/SCC

ACC 92-051  HOMESTEAD MISSION CHANGES, MOVES FORWARD
ACC 92-052  MAIL FOR HOMESTEAD AFB RESUMES
ACC 92-053  TANKER PILOT EARNS KOLLIGIAN TROPHY
ACC 92-054  POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY REAFFIRMS OUR COMMITMENT

HOMESTEAD MISSION CHANGES, MOVES FORWARD
    HOMESTEAD AFB, Fla. (ACCNS) -- With the safe evacuation of
Homestead AFB's population and the ongoing support of the
Hurricane Andrew relief effort, the mission of the 31st Fighter
Wing and those deployed here has changed.
    "Now we're entering the cleanup, salvage and rebuilding
phase," said Col. David Morrow, 31st FW vice commander.  He added
that for the next several months, temporary duty support will be
needed to clean up the base and conduct salvage operations as part
of the recovery from Hurricane Andrew.
    Less than three weeks ago, Homestead's mission was to generate
three squadrons of F-16 Fighting Falcons for a worldwide
commitment.  But Hurricane Andrew changed that, Morrow said.
    The wing's mission then turned to survival -- evacuation of
the base population and aircraft to a safe area.  Then came the
reconstitution of the airfield to support the Hurricane Andrew
relief effort.
    As the majority of the military evacuees with their families
leave the Homestead area military members on temporary duty are
coming in.
    Some buildings will be temporarily repaired or destroyed,
Morrow said.  "The exact numbers are still being evaluated by
engineers."
    The colonel explained that the former Inter-American Air Force
Academy, recently used as a processing center for evacuees, is
being renovated as the Homestead AFB Community Activities Center
to support the adjoining bare base operation capable of housing
and feeding up to 1,400 people.
    "We will also identify Air Force assets that can be salvaged
for use by other Air Force installations," Morrow said.
    Throughout this phase, "we will continue to support the U.S.
Army until their hurricane relief mission is complete," he said.
    "I appreciate those people on temporary duty here so that the
members of the 31st FW could take care of their families and get
their lives back in order," the colonel said.
			       -30-
ACC 92-052
MAIL FOR HOMESTEAD AFB RESUMES
    LANGLEY AFB, Va. (ACCNS) -- Mail for people formerly assigned
to Homestead AFB, Fla., will resume when they inform the U.S.
Postal Service and Air Combat Command of their new locations.
    Change of address cards should be sent to:  U.S. Post Office,
739 Washington Ave., Homestead, FL 33030-9998; and HQ ACC/IMA
(Attn: Homestead), 230 E. Flight Line Rd., Suite 100, Langley AFB,
VA 23665-2781.
    Both of these offices are currently holding mail and need
change-of-address cards from Homestead people.  ACC information
management and personnel offices here have teamed up to form a
provisional mail terminal to begin forwarding mail.
    Additionally, mail for people supporting the clean up and
recovery at Homestead should be addressed with the name and rank
of the person, the unit to which the person is assigned, Homestead
Contingency Operation, Miami, FL 33218-0001.
    Any other questions regarding Homestead mail should be
directed to the provisional mail terminal at (804) 764-2733 or DSN prestigious award," Johnson
said.  "I know a lot of fellow aviators have had close calls, and
some, I'm sure, were just as critical as the one my crew and I
experienced.  Each one of them deserves to share this award."
    Part of Castle's mission is training KC-135 aircrews.  While
performing instructor pilot duties from the right copilot's seat,
Johnson noticed the aircraft was rolling left, although the
upgrade pilot in the left seat had full right aileron (a movable
surface near the trailing edge of the wing that controls the roll
of the aircraft) on.
    Johnson took control of the aircraft and added full right
rudder, but the aircraft continued to roll left.  He turned off
the rudder power switch which stopped the tanker from rolling
left, although it was still stuck in a left bank.
    He then pushed the left outboard engine to full throttle and
pulled the right outboard engine to idle.  This caused the
aircraft to roll level.
    As Johnson controlled the aircraft, he directed the upgrade
pilot to switch seats with the evaluator pilot, Maj. Joseph
Wisniewski.  The two pilots took turns controlling the rudder and
resting their right legs.
    "He (Wisniewski) deserves as much credit as I do for the safe
recovery of the aircraft and crew that day," Johnson said.  "Major
Wisniewski and I worked as one; we had to trust each other
completely, or the result of the day may have been different."
    The crew was also credited by Johnson for helping to save the
aircraft.  There were eight people aboard the aircraft, including
an instructor navigator, instructor boom operator, student copilot
and two pilots from another crew who were completing the air
refueling portion of their check ride.
    "The navigator, Capt. Bill Lennon, was a great help to us by
handling the communication with the ground and searching
feverishly through our aircraft tech manual for the cause of our
problem," Johnson said.
    "And it was the boom operator, SSgt. Larry Robbins, who came
up with the idea to use the sextant to look at the rudder.  He was
also a great help during our four controllability checks calling
out airspeeds and power settings."
    Johnson and Wisniewski were able to get the aircraft back up
to 4,000 and then 4,500 feet altitude where they did
controllability checks to see if they could land.  Everytime they
reduced the throttle to idle simulating touchdown, the tanker
would roll left.  Adding difficulty to the situation, a cloud
ceiling at 5,000 feet that day prevented them from climbing higher
for their controllability checks or diverting to Edwards AFB,
Calif., where an emergency landing would have been easier.
    Throughout the hour and 43 minutes they were in the air after
the left roll, the crew kept in contact with experts on the
ground, including people from Boeing, who manufactured the KC-135.
    With suggestions from Boeing people, the crew was finally able
to land the aircraft safely, but not without difficulty.  The No.
1 engine had to be kept at 95 percent throttle until the plane
landed.
    "I said many prayers during the one and one-half hours after
the bolt broke in the rudder.  And I have thanked God everyday
since for the knowledge, the training and the skill that my crew
and I had to successfully recover that aircraft," Johnson said.
    The Kolligian Trophy is named after deceased 1st Lt. Koren
Kolligian Jr., who was declared missing off the California coast
Sept. 14, 1955.  His family created the trophy in his name and
memory to be given each year to an aircrew member for outstanding
feats of airmanship.
			       -30-
ACC 92-054
POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY REAFFIRMS OUR COMMITMENT
By Gen. John Michael Loh
Commander, Air Combat Command
    As members of the Air Force, we always need to keep the
subject of prisoners of war and those missing in action on our
minds.  POW/MIA Recognition Day, slated Sept. 18, gives us the
opportunity to again focus on this important issue.
    We need to remember the great contributions made to our nation
by POWs and MIAs, whether they are living or dead.  It is
important that we in uniform continue to reflect on the meaning of
sacrifice manifested so magnificently by our POWs and MIAs.
    We should continue to seek the fullest possible accounting of
our POWs/MIAs from other countries.  We are still actively seeking
information on those missing in Vietnam as well as Korea.  We will
not stop until we are satisfied that nothing more can be done --
or we have the fullest possible accounting of those who are still
missing.
    So take time Sept. 18 to remember the sacrifice made by prior
and fellow servicemembers, and to show our commitment to those who
have not yet come back home.
			     -30-
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