This is the first series of publications from the old Hahn Hawks Base Newspapers. They should reflect some happenings, remarkable events that took place at Hahn.
2,000 hours and flying
One man, right now, has more flying hours in the F-16 than any other man in the Air Force. And this man is stationed at Hahn. LtCol. Serge DelHoyo, operations officer for the 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron, flew his 2,000th hour in the Falcon at 9 35 a.m. Monday. "It�s nice," he said, smiling slightly. Then a broad grin broke over his face. "I have more hours in the F-16 than anyone in the world! I know that doesn�t mean a lot in the whole world to anyone but me, but I think it�s neat!" Colonel DelHoyo started flying in 1968. He flew T-38s and F-4s before the F-16. "I was in the Air Force�s first F-16 squadron at Hill AFB, UT, " he said. He explained that being an instructor pilot there , plus participating in two Gunsmoke competitions, helped him accumluate so many hours so fast. Colonel DelHoyo has been flying the Falcon for a little more than six years. "I think the world of this airplane," he said. "It�s been really good to me . Flying is a passion for me, and what makes it so nice is that I really enjoy the F-16. "Having so many flying hours in the plane is not so much a credit to me as it is to the airplane itself, " he said. "It has an extremely high-mission-ready rate. The maintenance and ground abort rates are so low that my goal was an attainable one." He explained that he had a goal of becoming the first pilot to log the 2,000 makr for some time. " One of my heroes, my squadron commander at Hill, was teh first pilot to pass 1,000 hours." He said that being the first to go over 2,000 was a personal goal. "I love to fly and will fly whenever I can, but it�s the airplane that makes it happen." he said. "In the old days when the weather was bad at Hahn, we didn�t fly. Now- this airplane flies" All of this makes it easier to get time in the F-16. "Every time I fly, I learn something, and that�s good, " he said. "When you stop learning and get complacent, it�s time to stop flying. You get dangerous. "My next challenge is to fly the F-16C with the new avionics. I�ll be a neophyte again," he said. Based on Colonel DelHoyo�s record, he�ll amply to meet the challenge. As a major, he was the wing�s top gun for all of 1982 and was selected as the wing�s flight leader for the 1983 Gunsmoke competition at Nellis AFB, NV. In 1984, 17th Air Force recognized him as the 17th Air Force F-16 Pilot of the Year. This year he was the team commander for Hahn�s Gunsmoke team. The team placed second in the competition. "I think the F-16 is the most survivable fighter pilots� airplane in the world, " he said. "I wouldn�t want to fly anything else."
Colonel Nelson takes command of 50th TFW Date: Aug 1, 1986
Col. Ben Nelson Jr. took command of the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing yesterday afternoon. Maj.Gen William J. Breckner Jr, commander of the 17th Air Force, presided over the ceremony transferring the command from Col. Clifton C. Clark Jr. to Col Nelson. Colonel Clark has been assigned as the assistant deputy chief of staff for plans and programs at Headquarters USAFE. Col. Nelson has been serving as the vice commander and wing inspector since last July. "I�m looking forward to the challenge of commanding such a dynamic wing," said Col. Nelson. "There�s a lot going on right now ,and the pace shows no sign of letting up." A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, with a degree, in business administration, Col. Nelson also completed a master�s degree in public administration from the Golden Gate University in 1976. The Fort Lewis, WA, native received his pilot wings at Williams AFB, AZ, and remained there as an instructor pilot with the T-38. After transitioning to the F-4 in 1969 he was assigned to Da Nang AB, Rep. of Vietnam, where he flew 206 combat missions. Returning to the States in 1971 as an instructor of an all-Vietnamese flying training squadron, he was assigned to Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley AFB, VA, to establish a foreign training section. Col. Nelson was transferred to Nellis AFB, NV, in 1977. He was selected as the operations officer of the 428th TFS and in 1979 he took over the command of the 428th. The following year he led his squadron through its conversion from the F-4 to F-16 Fighting Falcon. After completing the Naval War College, Col. Nelson was assigned to the Tactical Forces Division, DCS Plans and Operations at Headquarters USAF, Washington D.C., and in 1982 he was appointed chief of that division. Returning overseas in 1984, Col. Nelson was assigned to Europe as Vice Commander of the 32nd TFW, Camp New Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He was assigned as the vice commander and wing inspector here July 19, 1985. "I am very proud to have been selected to command the 50th TFW, " said Col. Nelson. "I know it is not an easy task, but one that will be made easier with all of your help and cooperation." Col. Nelson is a command pilot with more than 4,600 flying hours. His decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Oustanding Unit Award and the Combat Readiness Medal. He has also been awarded the Vietnam Air Force Aviation Badge. Col. Nelson is married to former Suzanne Wiseman of San Antonio, Texas. They have one son, Bryant.
Brothers follow father�s steps: Both became officers, pilots
by Sgt. Paul Richard, Hahn Hawk staff writer, Date: March 6, 1987
Ground support
Army gives Hahn pilots tour of border,by A1C Debbie Walke, Date: Oct 28, 1988 Members of the US Army Ground Liasion team recently oriented pilots from the three Hahn fighter squadrons on ground support with a tour of the 11th Army Cavalry Regiment. The purpose of the visit was to let Air Force pilots see, first hand, what�s happening on the ground, and to keep the Air Force abreast of what the Army actually does, as far as ground defense, said Sgt. 1st Class Bill Nagy, ground liasion NCO for the 496th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The group of pilots, about 10 from each squadron, was given a briefing on border threat and its history following their arrival to headquarters 11th ACR via Chinhook CH-47 helicopters. They were then flown in Blackhawk copters out of Sickels Airfield to the 1st Squadron, 11th ACR "Ironside" on the border. Infantrymen assigned to "Ironside" are responsible for guarding the Fulda Gap. The Fulda Gap is a major avenue approach for land forces, according to Sergeant Nagy. "Terrain dictates the number of troops that can be sent, and the Fulda Gap is notorious for being easy to march troops and equipment through during wartime, although there�s never been a battle fought there, " he said.
After "chow" the pilots received a border tour and went back up in the Blackhawks for a bird�s eye view across the East German border. "We were right there where the East Germans were looking at us and we were looking at them,"Sergeant Nagy said. "They were taking pictures of us and we were taking pictures of them." The pilots were also given an orientation and a demonstration of the M-1 Abrams main battle tank and the Bradley fighting vehicle. The Bradley is a troop carrier used to assist the M-1 in destroying tanks. Before departing, Hahn�s pilots were greeted by Col. John Abrams, commander of the 11th ACR and son of General Abrams, after whom the "Abrams" tank was named. Colonel Abrams presented the group certificates of appreciation for their interest in the 11th ACR.
Life support NCO wins at USAFE
"The man is a top performer", Date: Jan 20, 1989 Hahn�s Life Support Noncomissioned Officer of the Year for 1988 went to win at 17th Air Force level and again at USAFE level. TSgt. Larry D. Mingus, 313th Tactical Fighter Squadron first sergeant, said he was thrilled to be selected USAFE Life Support NCO of the Year. "I worked a lot of long hours, not only to try to improve 313th operations, but the overall life support operations at Hahn, " he said."I look ahead of organizational goals and try to achieve wing goals." Sergeant Mingus� on-the-job performance was one of the few "pu to the test" at Hahn. In June 29 mid-air collision between Capt. Bob McCormack and his wingman, Captain McCormack was forced to eject over Bodenheim. "After my wingman ran into me from behing, both of our jets were destroyed," recalled Captain McCormack. "I ejected at low altitude and everything worked fine--just as advertised."
Aircraft incidents can happen anywhere, anytime, and it�s expected that life support come through with perfection everywhere, everytime. Sergeant Mingus held up to Captain McCormack�s expectations. "He personally inspected my survival gear just prior to the mission," Captain McCormack said. "The life raft came out, the survival kit deployed as it was supposed to and the emergency locator transmitter was functional. "The man is a top performer," the captain continued. "He runs the tightest shop I�ve ever seen. If there are any problems with our flight gear, he takes care of it and no one is delayed from flying. The man does everything." "The man," from Lincoln, NE, has been in the Air Force 13 years and at Hahn for three years.
Pilots share memories of deployment May 24th, 1991 Editor�s note: Maj. Paul "Trixie" LaRoux, 50th Tactical Fighter Wing, is writing a chapter for a US Air Forces in Europe�s book on the USAFE contributions to Operation Desert Shield/ Storm,. The following is an excerpt from interviews with four of the 10th TFS pilots about Feb. 27th, the day Capt. Bill Andrews was shot down and captured as a prisoner of war. See related story below: General Oaks awards catain medals - Capt. Mike "Squirt" Donnelly: This was probably one of the worst days of the war for me. There was a lot of bad news and very little good. it started out as a four ship mission with three turns. The weather brief was for good weather in the target area. The weather turned out to be much worse than predicted. We tanked and proceeded to do a weather penetration into our target area which was a main road. We could see large numbers of armored vehicles below us but we could not confirm their identity so we did not drop. Right after we landed, we saw an A-10 coming in for a landing. He was all shot up with both hydraulic systems out and was trying to land. I saw the airplane go down to the runway, bounce and then go off the side of the runway and crash, upside down. The pilot did not eject. I said a quick prayer and wondered if I knew him.Capt. Evan "Ivan" Thomas: The day started out like most of the rest of the days had started. The war had been on for a month and a half and the long awaited ground war had begun two days prior. We made radio contact with three or four different stations to get our clearance. That may not sound like much, but when you�re in the sky with plenty of other fighters, all trying to talk to one station who has a weak radio, things get pretty hectic. By this point of the war, the fear of the unknown had been replaced by confidence gained by experience. I was anxious to get up there and help out the Army and see the line of battle on the ground. I was flying today with my regular flight: Bill "Pyscho" Andrews as the four ship leader, Joey
"BooBoo" Booher as his wingman, myself as number three and Pete "Abner" McCaffrey on my wing. Lt. Joey "BooBoo" Booher: We made approximately two circuits around our reference and pointed out several sights of no real military significance. Soon thereafter, I spotted a military vehicle moving on the highway and pointed this out to "Psycho" who wanted to come take a look. The sky was filled with puffs of white smoke from anti-aircraft artillery and the ground was lit by bright red flashes and red streamers for the AAA fire. Because of the lateness in the day and the smoke, I could see every shot fired like it was fireworks finale on the fourth of July. I made a long radio call about receiving heavy AAA. I made a call to flight lead "Psycho" asking for his positions because I did not see him above the clouds. Tehere was no reply. I made a second call. Again no reply.
Fighter squadrons close shop one by one by Col. Dana Duthie, 50th TFW Deputy Commander of Operations, Date: July 19. 1991
As the sun slowly sets over the Stipshausen hill, the shadows grow long over Hahn. The 50th TFW in its twilight has been a gray, sombering experience. In a few short months, Hahn has gone from a full up operation with three triple- tasked F-16 squadrons to a small support basea and no flying operations at all. The demise of the 50th TFW and its three fighter squadrons has not been fun. How quickly we forget the glorious past when a wing goes down. Watching this from the inside has been an eye-opening experience. The history of the 50th TFW and the 10th, 313th and 496th Tactical Fighter Squadrons has been as colorful as any in the Air Force. The three squadrons are rich with tradition- the walls abound with historical parafanalia that only ghosts of the past can truly explain. Fighter pilots from long ago still sit around and talk of "the good old days." As we clean out desk drawers and closets, we find photo albums, plaques, trophies portraying these heroes as valiant warriors, true to their suqadron and the 50th TFW. But, alas our time has come. With one fell stroke of the pen and presumably well thought out decisions, the 50th TFW and its three fighter squadrons are history. Inactivation! This is supposedly a temporary term, ( as opposed to DEactivation) giving the Air Force the capability to bring them out of the closet at a future date. So one at a time, the squadrons have folded. The 496th TFS went out quietly in March because we still could not go public with this grand obituary. LtCol. Bill Harrell, 496th TFS Commander, held a quiet, informal ceremony in his empty building on an appropriate day - the Ides of March. The "Big Dogs" had long since gone to join the 10th at Desert Storm or helped fill out the 313th. A proud and unusual group of men and women who once were the "Big Dog Nation," were reduced to memories. Next came the "Lucky Puppies" of the 313th TFS. A relatively young squadron to the wing with respect to Hahn and the 50th TFW, the 313th reactivated in 1976. The "Pups" established a reputation for excellence amd "Firsts" early on. For most of 1991, LtCol. Hymie Oram�s squadron has been the only show in town supporting all of the local flying. That in itself was an awesome task - it�s not easy having to support three colonels and an occasional major general�s flying habits. Protocol becomes an every day affair. No one ever did it better. Colonel Hymie and Cindi Oram are a "touch of class", and where the 313th suffered in continuity, they more than made up for in style. Once again, however, the final "Puppy Chow" had to be incognito- for on April 26, we still could not come out of the closet with our demise.
Now it is the Sabres� turn. The 10th TFS finally returned from Desert Storm to a rousing welcome May 9 and 10- only to find an assignment for each and every one of them. The pilots all knew of their next job even before they returned and although their recent past was colored with combat and glory, their future was on most of their minds. Before the squadron could even get back to business in the skies of Germany, they had to first plan a change of command- albeit for a tenure of just a few months. LtCol. Ed Houle, 10th TFS Commander, has departed as a true warrior and great leader of men and many of us believe we�ll all be working for him again in teh future. LtCol. Steve Wood has stepped up to a tough and sad mission, and he is demonstrating an organization and leadership capacity that will serve him well. To close out the wing�s flying mission, while requalifying the 10th pilots in events they had not flown in months, was not easy. The weather man helped out and the Sabres go out as current and ready as
they had ever been. Very soon, the only sound of jet noise over Hahn will be Spangdahlem, Ramstein and other fighters taking a short cut home. When you look up and see them go by, remember that�s the second team. The first team has been temporarily sidelined. As I finish this article that was started in April, I look back on an event-packed year. I arrived here as the deputy for operations one year ago- ready to help convert the wing to Block 40 F-16 LANTIRN system. In that year we stopped the conversion, took a Nuclear Surety Inspection, a CFE Treaty inspection and have almost completely inactivated the operation. Oh, by the way, we went to war, too.
my reflections of the year are not the prettiest, but certainly, the busiest of my career. But, my reflections of Hahn will always be special. I have spent almost 5 1/2 years here over a 23 year career- nearly one quarter of my Air Force life. I will always remember the lousy weather and the beautiful countryside, the harrowing roads and our wonderful German hosts, the awesome mission and the fantastic people. The people! The guts of Hahn! My fondest memories will always be my time with all of you. Thanks.
General Oaks awards captain medals Hahn bids farwell to last F-16s
by SrA. James P. Roth, Assistant Editor, Date: Aug 23, 1991
The crowd of onlookers fell silent and the sun made a brief appearance on an otherwise cold, gray day as the final three F-16s belonging to the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing left Hahn Monday. Although Hurricane Bob�s rampage along the east coast of the United States had threatened to postpone Moday�s take-off�, all conditions were clear for a safe flight when the aircraft left at 2 p.m. The three planes arrived safely at Shaw AFB, SC about 10 hours later, en route to McConnell AFB, KS, where they will be handed over to the Air National Guard. Flying lead for Hahn�s last F-16�s departure was Col. George W. Norwood, 50thTFW Commander. Two members of Ramstein�s 526thTFS, 1stLt. Bob Fraine and Capt. Keith Vraa, flew as his wingmen. "I am extremely proud of Hahn�s performance throughout the inactivation of the 50thTFW," said Col. George W. Norwood. "Everyone on base, especially the members of the aircraft transfer team, the supply people refueling our planes and the folks launching the departing F-16s, has exhibited oustanding professionalism. You can all be proud of your rapid accomplishment of such a critical operation." More than 70 planes belonging to the 496th, 313th and 10th TFS�s were ushered through the transition dock in approximately 90 days and sent on to ANG units at McConnell and two in Indiana at Terre Haute and Fort Wayne. "The work that our 50th TFW maintenance personnel have accomplished in the past three months is amazing, " said Col. James H. McIntyre, deputy commander for maintenance. "Not only did they complete their mission successfully, but they managed to transfer the wing�s F-16s 45 days ahead of schedule. "It wasn�t just a good plan of attack that made this transfer come together so well...it was an exceptional group of maintenance people who knew exactly what had to be done and didn�t waste any time in pursuing their mission," said Colonel McIntyre.
50th TFW Commander reflects back on wing�s challenging mission Date: Nov 15, 1991
Editor�s note: Col. George W. Norwood, the last 50th TFW Commander, and his wife Connie leave Hahn Saturday after their 21 month assignment. They head for the Pentagon in Washington D.C. where Colonel Norwood will work in the office of the Inspector General, Secretary of the Air Force. What will you miss most about Hahn ? Connie and I are going to miss the people. The entire Hahn community has stepped up to some of the most difficult challenges you could ask any group to assume. And they�ve done so with a tremendous sense of professionalism, mission accomplishment and community spirit. The sense of community here is like I�ve never experienced anywhere else. What was your proudest moment here? That�s a difficult question to answer, because the men and women of the 50th TFW and the Hahn community have made me proud so many times. If I had to choose a specific event, I think my proudest moment would have to be what was probably also the saddest- the wing�s inactivation ceremony. As I watched our 12 squadrons pass in review with their guidons sheated, I was touched by sadness, but at the same time I was very proud. As tax payers and warriors, we can rejoice knowing that our mission in Central Europe is complete- the services of the 50th TFW are no longer required. The wing did a super job of accomplishing what had to be the most difficult mission we�d ever been given- drawing down one of the European central region�s premiere fighter wings under the most accelerated drawdown schedule in the history of U.S. Air Forces in Europe. What do you want to be remembered for here? For being fortunate enough to have been the wing commander of an organization which, under the most adverse weather conditions and challenging circumstances, accomplished every mission ever asked of it. We kept our people as informed and cared for as possible while accomplishing our mission. The past 21 months have been the most challenging I�ve seen a wing go through. All the evaluations, changes, deployments, employments, redeployments and the inactivation contributed to an extremely demanding period. We completed the required mission in a safe, smart manner while successfully taking care of our people. It was my honor to have been the commander of this incredible organization. The alone is more than sufficient recognition and fulfillment for me.
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Hahn pilot becomes first in Air Force to top mark, Date: Dec 13, 1985
Col. Tip Clark receives the traditional "HOSE-DOWN" after his last flight as 50th TFW Commander.
He may not be famous in the eyes of the rest of the world and his Air Force career was not spectacular, but retired LtCol. Lem Jones did give his four boys a way of life. "My father was an officer�s officer; he was loyal up down the line and he always did his job with a smile. During his career as a pilot he had some jobs that he didn�t like but he always did them with a smile and had a smile for us when he came home, " said 1stLt. Jim Jones, a member of the 496th Tactical Fighter Squadron. " I am not superstitious, but there are a lot of parallels between my father�s career and mine. His plane was the first in his squadron to have nose art and so is my plane. He flew an F-4 with the tail number 275, my F-16 has the same number. He named his plane "Sweetie Pie," and I named mine "Sweetie Pie II" but that isn�t coincidence."
Having an F-16 with the same tail number at Hahn was coincidence, but nose art itself was carefully planned. The slender , sleek nose of the F-16 did not allow as much "canvas" space as the broad intake of an F-4, so the arrangement had to be changed slightly placing the figure next to the logo instead of above it. The lieutenant also explained that since we are not at war, "cheesecake" isn�t exactly justified. Times and attitudes have changed, and Lt. Jones�interpretation of the artwork reflects that. However, he kept the values and traditions his father taught.
"Dad�s career wasn�t spectacular but the Air Force was good to him. I guess we all picked up on that and gave the military a try, " said Lt. Jones. The oldest son, Lem Jr., was a Captain in the Army, Ron was a technical sergeant in the Air Force and Tom is a captain in the Air Force at Torrejon AB, Spain.
" My dad flew 159 missions during Vietnam and wasn�t shot down. Now I carry his flight cap and name tag from those days whenever I fly. They didn�t do him any harm back then, now they help me. It�s like having Dad in the plane for reassurance. "He was always talking about flying when I grew up and I always wanted to fly. When I finally made it to pilot training I would call him to get advice. Even now I still find that it helps me to give him a call and just talk problems out, " said Lt. Jones.
A pilot in the Air Force can�t just fly. When Lt. Jones isn�t in teh air he is assigned to the squadron�s weapons shop. He plans training flights and reviews new plans to identify possible training requirements.
Although the family is now spread across the globethey are still a close knit one." Dad was a strong believer in the family as a working unit. Now all of us still keep in close contact and work out our problems with each other. Since Tom and I are overseas, we are somewhat cut off from home, so we talk to each other more."
The 496TFS goes on weapons training deployments twice a year. Frequently they are at Zaragoza AB, Spain. "Tom and I try to see each other whenever I get to Spain, but I am there for training and he still has to meet his schedule at Torrejon. Sometimes our schedules mesh but usually we only see each other when one of us is on leave, " said Lt. Jones.
When Lem Jones was serving in Vietnam, Lt. Jones was too young to understand what the war was about. "Mom really did all she could for usw and we would sned cassette tapes back and forth to Dad. Even after I started to hear about and understand the protests, I still wanted to be a fighter pilot just like Dad.
"My hope is that my Air Force career is as good as Dad�s and that my outlook on life will always be as cheery as his," said Lt. Jones.
The Air Force Cross, the Prisoner of War Medal and a Purple Heart were awarded to Capt. Bill Andrews, 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Monday. Gen. Robert C. Oaks, U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander in chief presented the awards to Captain Andrews. The Air Force Cross is presented to people for extraordinary heroism while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States or engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force. President George Bush authorized the Air Force Cross for Capt. Andrews for his heroism in connection with military operations against the armed forces of the Republic of Iraq on Feb. 27. The captain was shot down in his F-16 during the Persian Gulf War, Feb.27. During his parachute descent and once on the ground, the captain used his radio, even while being fired on, to warn other pilots of the enemy missile threat. The pilots involved indicated they would have suffered direct hit from enemy missiles had Captain Andrews not had radio contact
with them. " I would certainly like to recognize the potential heros of his squadron, and other squadrons, who were there, " said General Oaks. "To some extent, Bill represents all of those who went to war, fought the war and fought it very successfully." Also, since the captain was a prisoner of war, he received the Prisoner of War Medal which is awarded to any service member who served with the U.S. Armed Forces and was taken prisoner and held captive. " I was uncertain of how long it ( being a prisoner) was going to be, " said Captain Andrews. "The one thing I was certain of was the love of the people back home, the support you had for us and that my family was taken care of. For those things, I was certain. I was also certain of the American people and our leaders would get the POW�s back. I thank them." The Purple Heart Medal is awarded to U.S. military and civilian people for wounds received, or death after being wounded, under certain conditions. The captain received the Purple Heart because of his
broken leg sustained during his ejection or parachute landing. As a prisoner, Captain Andrews was moved from location to location, interrogated, beaten, given minimum medical attention and detained by the Iraqi government until March 6, when he was released to the International Red Cross. He sacrificed his freedom and almost his life in service to his country. "There aren�t too many people who are decorated as Captain Andrews was today," said Col. George W. Norwood, 50th Tactical Fighter Wing commander. "The awards he received are the way the Air Force recognizes his dedication and professionalism .Captain Andrews really proved both of these qualities while performing his mission."
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