Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-21
DC. Air Guard
Bui|dsCoreof
Young Flyers
Special Cadet Plan
Truins Pilots for
Jet Fighting
By Harry Lever
StoF Staff Correspondent

Mass, June Zl.-A new genera
ton Of highly trained and Youth
full pilots is coming up fast in the
District Air National Guard.
Typical of the new jet jockeys
are I'd Its, Woodson G. Hayes,
"a. of 1910 Twenty-f1rs street
NV; Robert M. Bonwit, %, of
1928 Fourth street NV. and
Wayne Icenhower. %, of 1927 G
street Sc. all of Washington.
They all got their training
under the special cadet program
Of the Air Guard, which is hold
ing gunnery maneuvers here.
Because of this, today they are
handling the North American
F-86 Sabrejets of the Guard in
efficient fashion.
These three young men repre-
sent the core of future Air
GuardSmen who will be intrusted
with. the task of defending the
Washington area in case of
attack by air. Some of the cur
rent pilots, who learned their
flying in World War II, while
still young men by current stand
ards, will begin to feel the rigors
OF a jet fighter pilots life in the
not too distant future. Ultimate
ly they will give way to the
younger men who are coming in.
Trained in Nevada.
1t. WoodSon joined the Guard
In 1852. From Memphis, Tenn,
he has lived in Washington five
years, attended George Washing
ton University and received his
wings last March Is after COM
pletion of training at Nellis Air
Force Base, Las Vegas, New. He
said he Joined the Guard to get
this cadet training, and that he
likes the life in the organization.
AS to 1t. Bonwit, he has been
with the Air Guardsmen a year
and a half. A University of
Florida graduate, he received his
wings on February 25, after
training at NelliS and also at
Bryan Air Force Base, Tex.
1t. Icenhower, a native Wash
ingtonian, was graduated from
Anacostia High School in the
District. He joined the guard on
January 8, 1947, at the age of Is.
He went to the organizations
airplane mechanics school and
worked on the Guerd' S planes
until October 3. 1852. at which
time he was a staff sergeant.
Then, under the cadet program,
he was trained in aerial gunnery
at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz..
and received his wings at Will
liams Air Force Base, in the
same State.
81 intend to stay with the Dis
trict Air Guard until I'm too old
to enlist anymore" he said. II
like it very much"
Points to Importance.
One of the "old time" fighter
pilots. Maj. Harry Hippler, 81,
a senior pilot of Annandale, Va,
pointed up the increasing i'm
portance of the cadet pilot train
ing program.
A veteran of seven years with
the Guard, and with about 1000
pilot hours, Maj. Hippler said:
I'VE need these young people
very much. We have to have new
blood and they are the answer"
The maneuvers, which are fea-
turing aerial gunnery, today en-
tered their final week with an
intensified program of flying
scheduled over the Atlantic
Ocean, off Martha's Vineyard.
A highlight of the week end
was a jet air show in which
some of the pilots exhibited their
talents in tight precision forma-
ton flying. Four SabrejetS went
up in this demonstration, and
were led by Capt. Grunn B. Hol-
land of 4719 Fallstone avenue,
Chevy Chase, Md, commander of
the Washington areas own 121st
white House" Fighter Bomber
Squadron" The other pilots were
1t. Harvey H. HaineS of 6O12
Johnston avenue, Bethesda, Md;
1t. Bonwit and 1t. Robert E.
Railey, 8035 New Ridge road,
West Hyattsville. Md, 1t. ISen-
hover followed the formation in
a F-33 jet trainer to take pic
lures of the precision action.
During the maneuverS Col.
Willard w. Millikan, commander
of the 18th Fig liter Bomber
Wing, has under his command
1,400 officers and airmen from the
121st Squadron, the 104th Fighter
Bomber Squadron of Baltimore.
and the 1920 Fighter Bomber
Squadron from New Castle
County Airport, Del.