Chief Leaford Bearskin
1939-1960 United Sates Military Service and Training Army Air corps: 1941 Sergeant First Class-Alaska-Crew Chief; Cadet Training Advanced Flying School Graduate-1943; Pilot; Heavy Bombardment Training; 1943-1944 New Guinea 90th bombardment Group, 5th Air Force (The Famous “Jolly Rogers”); Aircraft Commander/B-24 Liberator Bomber (46 Combat missions); Train Heavy Bomber Crews; Japan-Ground Force Officer; 1948 Squadron Commander-Berlin Airlift (29 missions flown); Squadron commander, Director Material and Deputy Base Command at a Fighter Base in Georgia (First Jet Fighter Aircraft Flight Across Pacific-Air Base Group Commander); Staff Logistics Course; Squadron Commander-Korea; Squadrom Commander and Asst. Headquarters Commandant at Strategic Air Command Headquarters-Omaha and Winnebago Tribes’ Education and Welfare Programs. (Federal Civilian Service-1960-1979) Supervision/Utilization and Maintenenace of Automotive Equipment and Ground Handling Equipment of Missile Weapons systems at Vandenberg Air Force Base (First Strategic Aerospace Division); March Air Force Base, Chief, Traffic Management Branch, Directorate of Transportation, Headquarters, 15th Air Force; Deputy Director, Directorate of Logistic Plans (March AFB); Executive Officer, Director of Operations, Headquarters, 15th Air Force. Military Honors: Distinguished Flying Cross; Air Medal; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award; Good Conduct Medal; Presidential Unit Citation; Medal for Human Action; Asiatic Pacific Campaign (w/4 major battle stars); American Campaign Medal; American Defense Service Medal (one bronze star); Occupation Medal (Germany-Berlin Airlift Device); Occupation Medal (1apan); World War II Victory Medal; National Defense Medal; Korean Service Medal; United Nations Service Medal; Air Force Longevity Service Award (w/3 bronze oak leaf clusters); Air Force Reserve Medal; Member, Retired Officers Association; Member, Navajo Code Talkers Association.
Second Chief James Bland
July 1969-August 1974
United States Army National Guard
Basic Training, Fort Ord, California; Advanced Infantry Training, Fort Ord, California; Remainder of time was served at Miami, Oklahoma National Guard Unit.
Fred James Long
1944-1946
United States Navy
Jim went into the service in March 1944. He was sent to Green Bay, Wisconsin for boot camp and attended radio school. He was then sent to Rhode island to meet with his outgoing unit and they were sent to a post in California. He then went to the Navy C.B.’s. He was shipped out to Admiral islands, from there went to New Guinea, and from there to Port Mosbie. They built landing strips for the planes. His crew of C.B.’s were CBMU6O6. They went to the Philippine Islands, landing on White Beach. Then they went to Clark Field and made runways and hangers for the planes. He was injured at White Beach. Jim left the service in
January, 1946 with a rating of 3M.E.C.
Edgar A. Long
1944-1945
United States Navy
Edgar was drafted in March 1944. He was aboard the U.S. Denver; serving 17 months overseas. Their ship was first in the Hawaiian Islands and then to service at BMZC. He was hit in the right leg in September, 1945. He spent one month at Pearl Harbor, one month at Oakland, California, and then to Norman, Oklahoma for one month and was discharged December, 1945.
Jerry Marks
1948-1977
United States Navy and United States Air Force
Jerry enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1948 and served for nine years. He changed to the US. Air Force In 1957, serving 20 years. He retired with a total of 29 years military service. He served during the Korean War while In the Navy and In Vietnam while In the United States Air Force Most of his service was with the Air Rescue helicopters. He participated in the rescue of several downed pilots here in the states and overseas. Jerry served aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Valley Forge. He was part of the helicopter crew that rescued the first jet pilot to go in the drink after the start of the Korean War. While in Vietnam he was stationed at Ubon Thailand with Air Rescue. Air Strikes were launched from there. Many helicopter rescue missions for pilots down in enemy territory came from Thailand.
Theodore J. (Ted) Nesvold
1955-1962 United States Air Force
Ted served with the 53rd Squadron of the 36th Wing in Germany during the cold war. Crew Chief and Assistant Flight Chief F-86F Saber, Bitburg, Germany F-1OO-C Super Saber, Landstuhl, Germany.
Larry Hamilton
1977-1994 United States Air Force
Larry enlisted in the U.S. Air Force October 1977 He completed basic training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. He completed technical training for munitions in Colorado. First permanent assignment was at Medina AFB, Texas STAMPS/STRAP unit. He transferred to Guam in 1980 for two years a returned to the states to Barks Dale AFB, Louisiana for five years. It was the first base to go online with ALCOM (Air Launch Cruise Missile). He transferred to Minot AFB, North Dakota in 1987 to assist in ALCOM online project. Desert Storm started while assigned to Minot. We were then transferred to Diego Garcia, B.I.O.T. for the duration of Desert Storm an to reconfigure to peace time operations; transferred to Moo AFB, Georgia in 1992 until retiring in 1994 for a total of 17 years service, taking early retirement during the downsizing of the Air Force.
Christy North
1984-1990 United States Navy
Christy received her training at the Naval Training Center, Orlando, Florida. HT’A’ School, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She was in the inactive reserves from 1988-1990.