Log Book Winter 2022

EL TORO:

There Used to Be a Marine Corps Air Station...

By George A Haloulakos, MBA, CFA

The title of this article – derived from the song “There Used to Be a Ballpark” (written by Joe Raposo and performed by Frank Sinatra) –expresses a wistful remembrance of a legendary West Coast center for Marine Corps aviation MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) El Toro located near Irvine, CA was created in 1942 during World War II to meet the demand for training pilots to serve in the Pacific Theater. The fabled history of MCAS El Toro began inauspiciously as the first pilot to use the air station was a Major Carmichael who made an emergency landing while the base was still under construction. Construction of the base uprooted the largest lima bean field in North America. It was from these humble beginnings that gave flight to storied aircraft such as Helldivers, Wildcats, Phantoms and Hornets – all with stellar service records in Marine Corps Aviation history 1

During the post-World War II era until its closure in 1999, MCAS El Toro grew into a major center of Marine Corps aviation While the military aviation history of El Toro is a matter of record firmly ingrained in the public

consciousness, what is less known is its connection with the entertainment industry. Both motion picture and television stars whose life stories are interlocked with the legendary air base, along with plot lines of various films and TV programs directly and indirectly associated with the facility itself. With the passage of time, more and more cinematic connections have arisen It is for this reason that in writing this article readers are invited to add to this historic record by sharing their own personal remembrances of various entertainment celebrities whose life path intersected with El Toro and posting them to the Flying Leatherneck’s website (www flyingleathernecks org) While the history of cinema is voluminous, it is also fragmented Therefore, deeper context and clarity can be accomplished through public participation as we reflect on the cinematic legacy of MCAS El Toro With the relocation of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum to Great Park in Irvine, this article is the latest in a series by The Log Book offering yet another window into the history of where there once was a Marine Corps Air Station

Newsletter of the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation WINTER 2022

Chairman’s Message

Welcome to the Fall/Winter 2022 edition of the Log Book! On behalf of the Board and Staff of the Foundation, I want to wish you all a safe and happy holiday season!

As I start off my new role as the Chairman, I want to personally thank the Honorable Judge Victor Bianchini for his magnificent leadership and steadfast support to the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation over these past years His sustained efforts in leading our board is the primary reason for our many recent successes You will be happy to hear that Judge Bianchini will stay on as a member of the board, so we can still take advantage of his leadership, judgment and thoughtful perspectives moving forward

We have a lot of work ahead of us Our MOU with the City of Irvine and the Marine Corps tasks us with many milestones and gates we must achieve for a successful move to the Great Park in Irvine We have achieved the most significant milestone from the Marine Corps by raising $2 5 million by November of this year in funds for the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum. We achieved that milestone over three weeks early and our President and CEO Mike Aguilar has already notified the Marine Corps. We could not have reached this milestone without the generous support of Pat Quilter, founder and chairman of Quilter Sound Company and his brother Charlie Quilter and his wife Ann.

That said, we still have much to do. The city of Irvine installed a new City Manager and he has changed much of the development priorities for the Great Park. Some of these changes are not in keeping with the written stipulations in the MOU between the Foundation, the City and the Marine Corps. Rest assured, we are in constant good faith dialogue with the city staff and the city council and hope to have a satisfactory resolution codified in a written agreement by this coming January. Your board and CEO are hard at work in coming to a satisfactory solution.

The Foundation’s 2022 Annual Appeal is still underway. We have benefited greatly from all of your support in both time and treasure and we still seek to capitalize on those efforts by beginning a second appeal which will debut shortly I will echo Judge Bianchini’s prior plea and ask you to once again consider maintaining your spirit of giving as we move forward, as it is so necessary and helpful to the development and maintenance of the new Museum We know that there are over 58,000 organizations that support the military and its members and each compete for your precious charity dollars For those that have already given, thank you! For those that haven’t, please consider answering our fundraising plea Our goal is to build and maintain a world class museum that will draw millions of visitors to the Great Park in Irvine, CA We promise to spend your dollars wisely as we progress in making the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum a reality

I am very pleased to announce that we have added several new board members to our roles Besides myself we have voted in Jerome “Birdie” Bertrand, Pete Bowen, Charlie Crookall, Kim Day, Don Esmond, Victor Franco, Patrick “Paddy” Gough, Jim Harker, Alice B. Marshall, Charlie Quilter, Jack Rippy, Jim Ritchie, Glenn Roquemore, Bob Scott, Dave Shuter, Hamza Suira, Tom O’Malley, Kim Day, Alexis Federico, and Greg Raths.

Finally, I can’t say enough good things about the job that our outstanding President/CEO, Brigadier General Mike Aguilar has been doing in furthering our saving of the museum. Folks, it wouldn’t be happening without him!

Semper Fidelis, Lt Gen Terry G Robling

EL TORO...

Continued from page 1

In order to elicit interest, I will offer a “sniff of the cork” by highlighting several intriguing, if not memorable, figures from the annals of film and television history along with some noteworthy movies – all sharing a connection with MCAS El Toro. The categories for looking at various film and television actors are Academy Award winners, action stars and TV performers. This will be followed by highlighting several motion pictures with connections to MCAS El Toro. Now, here is the lineup

In order to elicit interest, I will offer a “sniff of the cork” by highlighting several intriguing, if not memorable, figures from the annals of film and television history along with some noteworthy movies – all sharing a connection with MCAS El Toro The categories for looking at various film and television actors are Academy Award winners, action stars and TV performers This will be followed by highlighting several motion pictures with connections to MCAS El Toro. Now, here is the lineup.

Academy Awards: And the Winners are

2 Lee Marvin (1924-1987) – Best Actor for the comedy Western film “Cat Ballou” (1965) While in the Corps (1942-1944) during World War II, Marvin served in the Marshall Islands (Eniwetok and Kwajelein) and was part of the Saipan invasion force Marvin's decorations include the Purple Heart Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Commendation Medal with V Device, Combat Action Ribbon, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

2 Gene Hackman – Best Actor for the American crime action thriller “The French Connection” (1971). While in the Corps Hackman served as a field radio service operator helping to keep Japanese war materiel out of Communist hands in 1948-1949.

2 George Roy Hill (1921-2002) –Best Director for the American caper film “The Sting” (1973). During World War II, Hill joined the Corps in 1943, earned aviator's wings and flew transports in the South Pacific He was recalled to duty in 1951 and flew F-4F Panther jet fighters during the Korean War

T h e r e a r e o t h e r s t o b e s u r e , b u t t h e s e t h r e e a r e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f H o l l y w o o d l u m i n a r i e s w h o s e r e c o r d o f m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e a n d e x c e l l e n c e o n t h e b i g s c r e e n s p a n m u l t i p l e g e n e r a t i o n s , t h e r e b y m a k i n g t h e m t r a n s c e n d e n t f i g u r e s 2

Action Stars: Tarzan, Gunslingers and Swashbucklers

2 Jock Mahoney (1919-1989) – American actor who starred in two “Tarzan” films (1962 – 1963) plus two action television series “The Range Rider” and “Yancy Derringer” enlisted in the Marines in 1943. After earning his Wings of Gold, Mahoney flew F-4U Corsairs as a flight instructor during World War II

2 Hugh O'Brian (1925-2016) – American actor born Hugh Charles Krampe, son of a Marine captain, enlisted in the Corps in 1943. O'Brian, who later starred as television's “Wyatt Earp” (1955-1961), became a Drill Instructor at age 18.

Lt. Colonel Jay N. Bibler, USMC (Retired)

Honor Flight San Diego – November 2022

By David Zekert

Last month, the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation’s former Vice Chairman, Lt. Colonel Jay N. Bibler, USMC (Retired), was selected to take part in an Honor Flight to our nation’s capital. Honor flights to Washington, DC are a tremendous opportunity for the nation to express its gratitude for the service and sacrifice of our military veterans

Honor Flight organizes all-expenses paid trips for veterans to visit several memorials in the nation’s capital, including the national memorials of the veteran’s specific conflicts The Honor Flight Network was founded in 2005 by Jeff Miller and Earl Morse with the goal of honoring World War II veterans But the mission soon expanded to include Korean War veterans Today, Vietnam Veterans can also be nominated for these flights To date, over 245,000 veterans travelled to Washington, D C through the effort and sponsorship of the Honor Flight organization

Lt Colonel Bibler was introduced to the Honor Flight Network by his son, Steve Bibler Steve was told about Honor Flight by a family friend who encouraged him to nominate his father Honor flights are open to most veterans, with priority being given to the most elderly veterans and/or veterans with terminal illnesses. Other qualifications included being a recipient of a Purple Heart medal or being decorated with a medal of valor.1

On Friday, November 4th, Lt Colonel Bibler, Steve Bibler and 94 other Vietnam veterans packed their bags and headed to San Diego International Airport. Upon arrival, Jay and Steve were greeted by an Honor Flight representative. They had a local fireman take their luggage to check-in and were ushered into a meeting

area in Terminal 2 where all Honor Flight veterans, their guardians, local media, and Honor Flight staff had breakfast. Guardians are individuals trained to assist and escort veterans on these three-day tours. Lt. Colonel Bibler was lucky enough to have Steve be his guardian on the trip. Most other veterans had only been introduced to their guardians the week prior After the trip, Jay commented, “There’s no question this was very special to have my own son there ” Jay’s good fortune continued when his team leader, Saundra Cima, called Steve and asked if Jay would be interested in flying first class Ms Cima works for Honor Flight San Diego, the local chapter of the Honor Flight Network In addition to having a guardian assigned to each veteran, veterans and their guardians were grouped into teams to help the event run smoothly. Clearly, there is a lot of planning and hard work that goes into preparing these flights. Both Lt. Colonel Bibler and Steve stated that they were impressed by the efficiency of the operation, but also the attention paid to all the details. For example, on board the flight to Washington, D.C., Honor Flight held “mail call ” Every veteran received letters of thanks from family members, friends, and patriotic citizens who all wanted to share their gratitude Jay’s impact on others was evident as Saundra shared that Jay had received more letters than any other veteran on this flight Lt Colonel Bibler’s tireless service in the Marine Corps as well as his many years of work supporting the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum has left a lasting impression on so many people!

Upon arrival at Baltimore International Airport, the plane was greeted by a water gun salute from the BWI Marshall Airport Fire and Rescue Department The

Lt. Colonel Jay Bibler & his son Steve

from page 3

2 Tyrone Power (1914-1958) – This classic movie megastar (“Zorro,” “Captain From Castille,” et al) joined the Corps in 1942 and has previously been profiled in The Log Book As an aviator during World War II, Power served as a command transport pilot flying R-4D Dakotas and C-47 Skytrains in the Pacific, notably, Iwo Jima and Okinawa

As noted in the prior section of this article, there are other noteworthy action stars, but these three have an inextricable connection with the iconic roles they portrayed in film while also having the honor of serving our nation in the US Marines 3

TV Performers – Would You Believe ?

2 Don Adams (1923-2005) – American actor (born Donald James Yarmy) best remembered for his role as Maxwell Smart (Agent 86) in the situation spy comedy “Get Smart” (1965-1970, 1995) joined the Corps in 1941 As Maxwell Smart, his signature comedic catchphrase “Would you believe ” understates, if not belies, his military service He participated in the Battle for Guadalcanal in 1942 and was awarded the Purple Heart Adams also served as a Marine Drill Instructor with the rank of corporal and was an expert marksman

2 Mike Farrell – Known for his role as Captain B J Hunnicutt (1975-1983) on “M*A*S*H,” Farrell served in the Corps from 1957-1959 Initially serving in the infantry as a rifleman, Farrell said his proudest moment in the Corps was graduating as the Honor Man of his platoon

2 Ed McMahon (1923-2009) – The iconic sidekick and announcer for “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” (1962-1992) served in the Corps from 1941-1966 He was a Marine Corps Flight Instructor in F-4U Corsair fighters for two years during World War II As an officer in the Marine Corps Reserve, McMahon was recalled to active duty during the Korean War where he flew an OE-1 Spotter plane, serving as an artillery spotter for Marine artillery batteries and a forward air controller for Navy and Marine fighter bombers. McMahon earned six Air Medals for his service in flying 85 combat missions. After the Korean War, McMahon remained in the Marine Corps Reserve, retiring in 1966 as a Colonel.4

On the big screen, there are some notable films that have a direct and indirect connection with MCAS El Toro. Leading off and included in this

EL TORO... Continued

from page 5

sample lineup is a film whose title is the nickname for Corps aviators

Motion Pictures – Fighting All Adversaries, Including Extra Terrestrials!

2 Flying Leathernecks

– This 1951 film featuring John Wayne and Robert Ryan, depicted the exploits and personal battles of Corps aviators during World War II Principal photography began at El Toro as well as Camp Pendleton, before moving to RKO Studios for sound stage sequences.

2 Independence Day –El Toro's role in the popular 1996 science fiction film (also promoted as ID4) was as the airbase where an F/A-18 was launched as a counterattack against the aliens.

2 War of the Worlds – In this classic 1953 science fiction thriller, MCAS El Toro served as the departure point for the flying-wing bomber aircraft that delivered nuclear bombs against the invading Martians.

Honorable Mention – A Motion Picture Length Television Episode

2 Highway to Heaven – “Hello and Farewell” Parts 1 and 2 (December 1988) – During its network run (19841989) this remarkable TV series marked both its centennial episode and last two-part episode by airing this PTSD themed story filmed at MCAS El Toro. That's a Wrap! / Closing Thoughts

Military aviation and cinema have extensive histories with

deep, strong ties to Southern California MCAS El Toro is a nexus for Marine Corps aviation and Hollywood film stars as well as major motion pictures and television shows This article has provided a small sample of each while describing the connections with El Toro. It is hoped this will elicit further such memories from The Log Book readership and that such reminiscences will be submitted for sharing with the public. The noble history of El Toro intersects with the lives of popular media figures whose cinematic success can be traced to their service in the Corps. As we fondly remember that there used to be a Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro, we close by saying “Oorah” and “Hooray for Hollywood ”

1 [ Sources: (1) FRIDAYS ARE FOR FRANK: “There Used to Be a Ballpark” https://hmag com/fridays-frank-used-ballpark/ (2) “Flights & Fancy: The El Toro Follies,” by Michael Church. AIR & SPACE MAGAZINE https://www smithsonianmag com/air-space-magazine/flights-ampfancy-the-el-toro-follies-45915029/ ]

2 [Sources: (1) Stars in the Corps: Movie Actors in the United States Marines By James E Wise, Jr , and Anne Collier Rehill Naval Institute Press. Annapolis. 1999. (2) The Official Military Personnel File for Lee Marvin NATIONAL ARCHIVES CATALOG Series: Official Military Personnel Files, 1905 - 1998 The U S National Archives and Records Administration https://catalog archives gov/id/74875848 (3) PFC Lee Marvin Together We Served https://marines togetherweserved com/ usmc/servlet/tws webapp WebApp?cmd=SBVTimeLine&type=Person &ID=55680]

3 [Sources: (1) www imdb com – Internet Movie Database (2) Stars in the Corps: Movie Actors in the United States Marines By James E Wise, Jr , and Anne Collier Rehill Naval Institute Press Annapolis 1999 ]

4 [Sources: (1) www.imdb.com – Internet Movie Database. (2) Stars in the Corps: Movie Actors in the United States Marines By James E Wise, Jr , and Anne Collier Rehill Naval Institute Press Annapolis 1999 (3) “Marine and M*A*S*H Star Mike Farrell Reflects on His Career and How the Corps Influenced His Life ” By Joel Searls May 21, 2019 https://www wearethemighty com/articles/marine-and-mash-starmike-farrell/]

TERRY

G.

ROBLING

Lieutenant General, USMC (Retired) Chairman of the Board

The Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation is very pleased to introduce our new Chairman of the Board of Directors Please join us in welcoming Lt General Terry G. Robling to our team.

Terry retired on 01 October 2014, following a distinguished 38-year career with the U.S. Marine Corps and retiring as a Lieutenant General. Terry served in the Marine Corps’ largest operational command billet as the Commander, U S Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, as well as the Deputy Commandant for Aviation, responsible for all Marine Corps aviation procurement, budgeting and policy decisions. Additional tours included serving as the Commander, Marine Corps Forces and Marine Corps Bases, Japan, and as the Commanding General of III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan Terry flew as a Naval Flight Officer in F-4 Phantom and F/A-18D Hornet aircraft and accumulated over 5,200 tactical jet hours in peace and combat throughout his career

Terry earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Central Washington University and a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College, National Defense University, Washington DC.

General Robling has earned numerous military awards and decorations including three foreign government awards: The

Order of the Rising Sun (Gold and Silver levels) from the Emperor of Japan, The Order of National Security Merit (Gukseon Medal) from the President of Korea, and the Legion of Honour (Rank of Knight) from the President of France

Terry currently serves as President, RIO Defense Development Group, an aerospace consulting firm He also actively serves on the Board of Directors for Diligent Aircraft Corporation and the Marine Corps Aviation Association. Terry is a strategic advisor to Power Ten Inc, Karem Aircraft, I-Coin and QuSecure. Previously he was the CEO and Board Director for PKL Services, Inc and was a member of the Strategic Advisory Council for INSITU, a Boeing Company Terry sits on the advisory board of two non-profit associations.

COLONEL DEAN CASWELL

US Marine Corps, Retired Last World War II Marine Corps “Ace”

January 22, 1922 - September 21, 2022

The Flying Leathernecks

mourn the passing of Colonel Dean Caswell, a great American Patriot and a distinguished Marine. With his passing, there are no more Marine Corps “Aces” from World War II

Dean Caswell was born in Banning, California, but the family moved to Texas shortly after his birth He was raised in Edinburg Texas Growing up during the Great Depression, Caswell had to work a series of jobs on ranches and farms. However, he found time to pursue his education and participate in various extracurricular activities such as sports and the Boy Scouts.

Caswell attended Edinburg Junior College for two years before moving to Los Angeles to study aviation maintenance at the Curtis-Wright Technical Institute. He enlisted in the Naval Aviation Program in September 1942 and earned his “Wings of Gold” in December 1943

Trained as a fighter pilot flying the Chance Vaught F4U Corsair, Caswell was assigned to Marine Fighter

Squadron VMF-221 (Fighting Falcons), then embarked aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) As part of Task Force 58, the Bunker Hill was providing close air support to ground forces ashore at Iwo Jima Caswell’s first four aerial victories occurred during March and April 1945.

During the Battle of Okinawa, Caswell’s missions included close air support and combat air patrols. It was during combat operations at Okinawa that Caswell faced a new and serious threat for the first time; the Kamikaze.1 While on a combat air patrol on April 28, 1945, Caswell’s flight of six aircraft was vectored to intercept a Kamikaze force of thirty Japanese aircraft intending to attack the US Navy fleet off Okinawa. Caswell, and six Marine aircraft engaged the superior force and shot down nine enemy aircraft, damaged several others and scattered the rest First Lieutenant Caswell was credited with three more victories during this action, thus making him an “Ace.” He was awarded a Silver Star for heroic action during the engagement

On May 11, 1945, the USS Bunker Hill was hit by two

Captain Dean Caswell - 1945

kamikaze aircraft. The attack was horrific and inflicted heavy damage on the ship and killed 382 US personnel. At the time of the attack, Caswell was serving as Squadron Duty Officer, three decks below. Although he escaped serious injury, Caswell had to crawl through heavy smoke and damage to reach the deck where he joined all hands to fight the fires and tend to the wounded The USS Bunker Hill survived the battle and was subsequently repaired VMF-221 was reassigned and aviator Dean Caswell rotated to the United States 2

A Captain at the conclusion of World War II, Dean Caswell continued his Marine Corps service. He flew the F3D Skynight, a jet night fighter in Korea, escorting US Air Force B-29 Super Fortress bombers on missions over North Korea.

In 1953, following his tour in Korea, Caswell flew with the Blue Angels Unfortunately, his assignment with the Blue Angels was short-lived. He was seriously injured in an auto accident, which kept him grounded for over a year.

During his 26-year Marine Corps career, Colonel Dean Caswell flew 57 different types of aircraft, flew 110 combat missions and accumulated over 8,000 flying hours He retired in 1968 and lived in Austin, Texas until his passing Colonel Caswell’s personal decorations include the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross (with one gold star) and the Air Medal (with four gold stars)

Veteran advocate and Foundation volunteer CJ Machado had a special bond with Colonel Caswell She offered the following reflections on this great American “What always impressed me about Colonel Dean Caswell was his resilience and innovative spirit. One of my most cherished

reflections when interviewing Colonel Caswell many years ago was the challenges shared with landing the Corsair on an aircraft carrier.” Machado continued, “Initially, during World War II, the Navy didn’t have much use for the Corsair because you couldn’t see past the engine to make a safe carrier landing. Instead, they assigned the Corsairs to the Marines.” “When landing, Caswell cleverly taught himself to stick his head out the window to cautiously align himself with the deck of the carrier ” “That takes guts! Grit and adaptability, holding true to the Marine Corps values; Adapt, Improvise and Overcome ” Machado also added, “May we carry on his legacy by living our lives fearlessly and with those same Marine Corps values ”

1 Imperial Japan first deployed the use of the kamikaze (“Devine Wind”) against American ships on October 25, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the Philippines

2 During World War II, VMF-221, “The Fighting Falcons” was credited with 185 aerial victories, the second highest total of all Marine Corps squadrons, producing ten “Aces” in the process

Colonel Dean Caswell - Austin, Texas

Lt. Colonel Jay N. Bibler...

water gun salute was followed by scores of people clapping and cheering at the airport before these veterans headed off in four chartered busses to the BWI Hilton At the Hilton, check-in had also been carefully planned and all veterans and their guardians were issued room keys by Honor Flight staff to expedite the process Dinner followed with presentations from Honor Flight staff and of course drinks after that. However, it wasn’t a late night for the veterans because Saturday would be a busy day.

Starting with breakfast and then boarding busses at 6:30am (3:30am Pacific Time), Jay and Steve traveled first to Arlington National Cemetery to witness the Changing of the Guard, where soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Next, veterans and guardians went to visit the Air Force Memorial which was opened to the public in 2006 and is located less than a mile from the Pentagon. Three steel spires rise between 201 to 270 feet into to the sky and represent contrails of the Air Force Thunderbirds performing a bomb burst maneuver From there, veterans traveled 2 miles to the Marine Corps War Memorial/Iwo Jima Memorial which was dedicated in 1954 and centers around a sculpture of the six Marines who raised the US flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima The tour continued with a short ride across the Potomac River to the National Mall and the World War II Memorial which was dedicated in 2004. The Freedom Wall at the west end of the memorial has 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 American servicemen who gave their lives in that conflict. After visiting the World War II memorial, veterans went to the Lincoln Memorial and the nearby Korean War Veterans Memorial and Vietnam Veterans War Memorial.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial, dedicated in 1995, commemorates the sacrifices of the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Services from 1950 to 1953 and contains 19 stainless steel

Continued from page 4

statues representing 14 Army, 3 Marine, one Navy and one Air Force members

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial has two large granite walls with the names of the service members who died or remain missing as a result of their combat service in Southeast Asia One of the more than 58,000 names contained on those walls is that of Richard Kerr, a close friend of Lt Colonel Bibler who was killed in action in Vietnam He also carried a list of 12 other good friends lost in Vietnam, who surely occupied his thoughts during his visit The busy day concluded with a visit to the United States Navy Memorial which was commemorated in 1987 and lies adjacent to the National Archives.

After touring those memorials, veterans and their guardians took the one-hour trip back to BWI Hilton During that ride, Honor Flight team leaders acknowledged all the veterans by sharing a summary of what each veteran had done while in Vietnam.

Lt Colonel Bibler and his fellow Honor Flight veterans returned to San Diego on Sunday, November 6th They were greeted with a hero’s welcome. Of course, Jay had a large contingent of family members present for his arrival. His family, along with hundreds of others, cheered for him and all the veterans as they came down the escalator. Several media outlets were on hand as well. Lt. Colonel Bibler spent some time being interviewed by KUSI News and sharing his

Lt Colonel Jay Bibler & Family

FIRST LIEUTENANT JEREMIAH JOSEPH O’KEEFE

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE WORLD WAR II

CITATION:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the NAVY CROSS to First Lieutenant Jeremiah Joseph O'Keefe, United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Section Leader and a Pilot in Marine Fighting Squadron THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE (VMF-323), Marine Air Group THIRTY-THREE (MAG-33), FOURTH Marine Aircraft Wing, in aerial combat against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on Okinawa Shima, Ryukyu Islands, on 22 April 1945. Flying his plane aggressively in two engagements against a total of more than fifty Japanese suicide dive bombers, First Lieutenant O'Keefe pressed home a series of bold attacks in the face of hostile fire to destroy five of the enemy aircraft By his resolute courage, skillful airmanship and devotion to duty, he aided materially in preventing the numerically superior force from reaching its objective, and his gallant conduct throughout reflects the highest credit upon First Lieutenant O'Keefe and the United States Naval Service

experiences over the weekend, as well as his service in Vietnam.

In a follow-up conversation about his Honor Flight trip, Lt Colonel Bibler described his experience as “humbling.” He continued, “the entire experience was very humbling to me. ” Lt.

However, it is the type of hero he is that is truly inspiring He’s a humble hero who received some welldeserved recognition thanks to Honor Flight And, as one of many heroes, I am sure he would agree that Honor Flight is an important organization worthy of the support of all patriotic Americans. If you are looking for a way to support, honor and thank veterans like Lt. Colonel Jay Bibler, Honor Flight is worth looking in to. Visit https://www.honorflight.org for more details.

1 Lt Colonel Bibler’s personal decorations include the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star with Combat “V” device, 42 Air Medals and the Meritorious Service Medal

for service as set forth in the following

Colonel Bibler’s comments clearly conveyed a sense of deep gratitude. Without a doubt, Jay Bibler is a hero.

Thank You Jay!

FIRST MARINE AVIATION FORCE

Official Insignia - 1918

The image above shows the first officially approved unit insignia in Marine Corps aviation history. The artwork (oil painting) was designed by QmSgt John J. Engelhardt. The First Marine Aviation Force used this insignia on its aircraft during the Great War, while operating in France and Belgium.

Little is known about the artist, QmSgt John J. Engelhardt. From the scant information available, it seems that QmSgt Engelhardt enlisted in the Marine Corps in early 1918. He was assigned to the First Marine Aviation Force based in Miami, Florida While stationed in Miami, Engelhardt’s artistic talent became apparent to his superiors Accordingly, he was designated as the First Marine Aviation Force “resident artist ” In this role, Engelhardt was responsible for designing and implementing various camouflage schemes used by the Force in preparation for combat service in Europe

In summer 1918, the First Marine Aviation Force deployed to France to support Allied aerial combat on the Western Front The Commanding officer of the Force was Maj Alfred A Cunningham. Shortly after arriving on the Western Front, Major Cunningham issued an order requesting that a unique emblem for the Force be designed. QmSgt Engelhardt created the image that was ultimately selected as the Force’s emblem. Engelhardt’s artwork featured the red, white, and blue roundel (the aircraft insignia used on all American aircraft during that time) in lieu of the Marine globe in an art deco inspired version of the traditional Marine Corps emblem.

Nothing much else is known about QmSgt Engelhardt’s activities while is France. However, he returned to the United States in late 1918, and was discharged from the Marine Corps. He settled in New York and pursued a career as a commercial artist. He was apparently still employed as an artist at least into the early 1940s. However, there is no information as to his status after that point.

This painting and important artifact of Marine Corps Aviation history is located at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA

THE FEW, THE PROUD...THE GENEROUS

July 1, 2022 – October 31, 2022

GENERAL FUND DONATIONS

Richard D. Althouse, Col David R. Berke, Col Jerome T. “Birdie” Bertrand, Hon Victor Bianchini, Col Jay N Bibler, Robert L “Bo” Bohach, MajGen Charles F Bolden, Jr , Peter S Bowen, Timothy Brown, Peter F Burdon, Thomas C Byron, BGen Bruce Byrum, LtCol Michael Carr, MSgt Raymond Chadwick, James Conger, Bart J. Connolly, IV, Sgt Bill Cook, Col D. Charles Corbett, Col Terry M Curtis, Col Donald E Davis, SSgt Louis Davis, LtCol Peter Davis, Maj Joseph Dentz, LtCol Richard E Donaghy, Capt Stephen M Dreher, Steven Dumovich, Jon & Mary Epsten, Estate of GySgt Ralph W. Peterson, MSgt Patrick D. Farmer, Robert Fearon, Alan Godfrey, Brandy Grant, Maj Austin “Tink” Green, MGySgt Chuck Griffin, MSgt William Griffith, Tom Griffiths, G. Allen Hale, Col David A. Hallin, Col James E. Henshaw, Robert Hillery, LtGen Jefferson “Beak” Howell, LtCol Matthew Jaeger, Maj & Mrs. Kenneth Johnson, Masj James C Keffer, CAPT Leslie A Kindling, Christopher Lindsey, Jimmie Little, James H. Loper, Marine Corps Aviation Association, Mr. & Mrs. John E. McLaughlin, LtCol William McMillan, Bill McVey, Louise Merrithew, Stephen H Miller, GySgt Mike Moyer, Michael O’Donnell, Col Thomas O’Malley, GySgt John O’Neill, Jane Pattinson, Marshal Perlman, Col Albert Ransom, GySgt William D. Ravgiala, LtGen Terry G. Robling, Gregory D Rooney, LtCol George T Sander, William Scarberry, Patrick R Shane, BGen David V Shuter, Col Colben K Sime, Bill Sandlin, Roman S Skripkus, Stephanie Soltis, Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Stack/SRG Partners Wayne Stafford, Harvey Surrena, Maj Khoi Ta, John B. Turpit, LtCol Charles Walters, Allan E Warrington, David Whisenhunt, Maj F Mike Wifler, Wendy Wifler, Col Eleanor M Wilson, LtCol Donavan Wohlers, Matthew Yamaguchi

FOUNDATION MARKETING & SPECIAL EVENT SUPPORT

Patricia K Laubach, Dale B Mann

IN MEMORY OF MAJOR GLENN FERGUSON

Edward F DeRoche, PhD, Patricia Laubach

IN MEMORY OF DEANNE M. SMITH

Gary A. Shearn

IN MEMORY OF MAJOR ROGER HERMAN

Sharon L Chapin

IN MEMORY OF COLONEL OWEN “HAP” OWENS

CAPT Leslie A Kindling

IN MEMORY OF GENERAL JOHN K. DAVIS

LtCol & Mrs. Larry D. Rannals

IN MEMORY OF LT. COLONEL JOE HAHN

Steven Dumovich

IN MEMORY OF BETTY JO “B-JO” LEWIS

Col Elmer M. Lewis, Jr.

IN MEMORY OF KATIE PENROD

Maj F. Mike Wifler

IN MEMORY OF MAJOR RICHARD VAN HILDEBRANDT

Maj F. Mike Wifler

IN MEMORY OF FIRST SERGEANT KENNETH ZOMBRO

Maj F Mike Wifler

IN MEMORY OF LT GENERAL KEITH SMITH

Col Donald Davis

N MEMORY OF MAJOR GENERAL CHARLES J. QUILTER

Patrick H. Quilter

IN MEMORY OF MAJOR HERBERT R. “JELLYBEAN” JELLANDER

Patricia A. Jellander

IN HONOR OF VMA-311, 1977-1979

Col Albert Ransom

IN HONOR OF MAJOR MIKE WIFLER, USMC (RETIRED)

Wendy Wifler

IN HONOR OF ALL WRENCH TURNERS

LtCol Michael Linehan