SALUTE
November 2024
Sharing decades and decades of stories KOREAN WAR VETERANS TRADE STORIES DURING THEIR WEEKLY GATHERINGS
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was originally published in the Tribune on May 14, 2018.
By Justyna Tomtas Lewiston Tribune
Sixty-seven years after the 148th Field Artillery Battalion of the Idaho Army National Guard departed Idaho for the Korean War, the group came together again recently for a cup of coffee.
The men, ranging in age from 72 to 99, have been meeting weekly at the Jack in the Box restaurant in Lewiston since at least 2003.
"Actually, it started before that even," said retired Command Sgt. Maj. Boyd Pedersen. "There were about four or five people that would meet once a week, but all those people who started are long gone now."
Since 2013, the group has dwindled by nine men.
The weekly meetings may be coming to an end because of low numbers, Pedersen said. Or they may morph into more informal meetings.
"It's getting harder and harder for people to get here," he said. "We have a few in nursing homes now or who are under nursing care."
Don Mathison, who served during the Korean War, attended a recent meeting for the first time in a long time.
"I can't even remember when the last time I was here," he said, adding it was nice to see his comrades. "Everybody, practically, from the old bunch (is here.)"
In April of 1951, units of the 148th Field Artillery Battalion were informed they'd mobilize for active federal service starting on May 1, 1951. The duration of the call would be for 21 months, in support of the Korean conflict.
The battalion loaded into troop trains in the Lewiston, Moscow and Coeur d'Alene areas and were transported to Camp Carson - now known as Fort Carson - in Colorado Springs, Colo.
According to Pedersen, the National Guard members did not go through basic training until they were mobilized.
In Colorado, they underwent grueling training for weeks.
"Basic training is one thing you just don't ever forget," he said. "It's kind of like going to high school, but you do it all in about six weeks. It was pretty intense training."
The camp was ill-prepared for their arrival. Barracks weren't ready, and there was a shortage of beds and field equipment.
The group stayed for several months, and later members of the battalion were reassigned to different groups.
Some went to Germany, others to Italy or France, while others stayed in the United States. A select bunch was chosen to go to Korea.
Orland Gage, who turns 100 in October, was one of those guard members. As a World War II veteran, Gage already had experience in conflicts, but he remembers one stark difference about the two wars.
"It was colder," he said of Korea. "A lot colder."
As an artillery specialist, Gage said he spent about 13 months in Korea. His unit
fired more than 360,000 rounds, he said.
Another member of the National Guard looked forward to getting to Korea. Once there, Ray Servatius volunteered to go on temporary duty for the U.S. Air Force. That decision would change his life.
As Servatius flew in a two-cockpit T-6 plane, he was in charge of directing fire strikes on enemy positions.
"We were doing that when fighting was
KOREAN WAR continued on page 24
BARRY KOUGH/LEWISTON TRIBUNE
Korean War era veterans Bob Albright and Howard Earl swap stories over coffee at Jack in the Box in Lewiston.
AIRMAN HONORS GRANDFATHER'S WWII LEGACY
Department of Defense News
A little boy peers through the sea of people, vibrant shades of red and yellow flooding his view as he carefully makes his way toward the heart of the powwow. The earth feels alive beneath his feet as the ground pulses rhythmically from the vibrations of the drums and grass dancers stomping their feet in the distance. He continues to press forward, excited to get a closer look at the sacred spectacle before him.
"I remember wanting to be a part of it," Air Force Staff Sgt. Wayne Lufkins, a flight instructor for the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard, said, sharing his childhood experiences with powwows. "The regalia, outfits, the colors, feathers, the drums. I remember the imagery being so beautiful and a lot to take in."
As a young Native American boy growing up just outside of the largest U.S. reservation, Navajo Nation Reservation in Gallup, New Mexico, his rich heritage shaped his identity by instilling a passion for music and a deeper purpose for honoring the resilience of his ancestors.
Lufkins spent a small part of his childhood as a grass dancer. Grass dancing is a well-known Dakota Sioux traditional warrior dance with participants wearing grass in their belts to look like scalps.
LEGACY continued on page 23
AIR FORCE AIRMAN 1ST CLASS SHANEL TOUSSAINT
Air Force Staff Sgt. Wayne Lufkins holds his native “Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate” flag on the Ceremonial Lawn at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington.
MARINE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
Department of Defense News
As Marine Corps Sgt. James Irsley Poynter's platoon was being surrounded by enemy troops in Korea, he refused to let his men become overwhelmed. Poynter managed to break his trapped comrades out of the chaos through heroics that took his life. For that valor, he posthumously received the Medal of Honor.
Poynter was born Dec. 1, 1916, in Bloomington, Illinois, to Eugene and Molly Poynter. In February 1942, when he was 25, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served in the Pacific during World War II, taking part in campaigns that included Guadalcanal, Saipan and Okinawa. He was discharged in February 1946 after the war ended.
At some point, Poynter moved to Downey, California. He was married twice and had four children.
When the Korean War broke out in the summer of 1950, Poynter felt he needed to return to service, so he reenlisted in the Marine Corps. At age 33, he was assigned to the 1st
Battalion of the 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division.
According to Marine Corps University, he was sent to Korea in time to aid in the recapture of Seoul after the Inchon landing. During a campaign in late September and early October, he earned the Bronze Star.
By November 1950, after hearing that Chinese troops had entered the conflict and attacked South Korean units, the 7th Marines were directed to march into North Korea toward the Chosin Reservoir.
On Nov. 4, 1950, Poynter was the squad leader for a rifle platoon in Company A near Sudong, Korea, when they were attacked by a much larger force. His platoon hastily tried to defend its position, Hill 532, and Poynter led the charge, directing fire toward the oncoming enemy.
The hostile force quickly gained momentum, surrounding the Marines’ position. Several members of Poynter’s platoon had fallen, and he had also been critically injured, but he refused to give up. He grabbed a bayonet and jumped into bitter hand-to-hand combat as
the fight continued.
When Poynter noticed three machine guns closing in from about 25 yards out, he grabbed hand grenades from fallen Marines and charged the emplacements. In rapid succession, he killed the crews of two of the nests and put the third out of action before he collapsed from his injuries and died.
Poynter’s sacrifice inspired the men around him to push harder to repel the enemy. Eventually, they were able to break through the encirclement and find a better tactical position to defend themselves.
For Poynter’s heroic actions, his widow, Kathern, posthumously received the Medal of Honor on his behalf during a Pentagon ceremony on Sept. 4, 1952.
Poynter is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.
His son, Byron, was born after Poynter went to Korea. Byron Poynter followed in his father’s footsteps by enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1967.
Honoring Dana Lohrey PN2 and Lester Spears, Petty Officer 2, Navy.
COURTESY MARINE CORPS / NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Men of the 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division receive gloves and other warm clothing from a supply clerk in the mountains of North Korea, Oct. 30, 1950.
COURTESY MARINE CORPS Marine Corps Sgt. James Irsley Poynter, Medal of Honor recipient.
UNCLE SI, ‘DUCK DYNASTY’ TV STAR, WAS A SOLDIER IN VIETNAM
Department of Defense News
Actor Silas "Si" Robertson, who played Uncle Si on TV Arts and Entertainment Network's series "Duck Dynasty" (2012-2017), also made a career in the Army.
Two weeks after he dropped out of Louisiana Tech in 1968, 20-year-old Robertson was drafted into the Army and after boot camp, deployed to South Vietnam.
While in Vietnam, Robertson’s mother sent him a care package containing two jars of jalapeno peppers, a can of rice and beans, a pair of boots and a Tupperware cup. Robertson still has that cup and uses it for iced tea. It’s also been featured on “Duck Dynasty.”
On Oct. 17, 1969, Robertson finished his Vietnam tour and was assigned to Fort Devens, Massachusetts. While stationed there, he met his future wife, Christine.
Robertson retired from the Army in 1993 with the rank of sergeant first class. He is recognized for his military career with an exhibit at the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum in Monroe, Louisiana.
Robertson found employment at his brother Phil’s Duck Commander business in West Monroe, Louisiana, which makes duck calls used by duck hunters.
Later, the Robertson family, including Si, became famous when they were featured in the Duck Dynasty reality television series. The series portrays the lives of the Robertson family, who became successful from their family-operated business.
On Nov. 13, 2013, Robertson was inducted into the 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade’s “Honorable Order of the Renegade Duck Hunter” at Fort Hood, Texas.
“It’s a culminating award for a leader,” said Army Lt. Col. William M. Dowling, of the 69th ADA.
“It only seemed fitting that Uncle Si, who has served in the Army and deployed to Vietnam, be inducted into the order, especially as air defenders are generally called the ‘duck hunters’ of the Army,” Dowling said.
“He’s made ‘Duck Hunter’ famous,” Dowling noted, adding that the duck call was a unique way to recognize leaders within their field, both those whose branch was air defense as well as those who aren’t.
COURTESY OF SI ROBERTSON
Si Robertson in 2013.
COURTESY OF THE CHENNAULT AVIATION AND MILITARY MUSEUM Silas “Si” Robertson in his Army uniform.
BATTLE OF THE BULGE VETERAN HONORED WITH NEW 'IKE' JACKET
U.S. Army
At 101, Army veteran Bernard “Barney” Mayrsohn considers himself a lucky man.
He has his health, his 77-year-old son, Mark, living nearby, and a comfortable home overlooking Miami’s Bay of Biscayne.
However, he was never luckier than in December 1944 when German troops overran the 106th Infantry Division at the start of the Battle of the Bulge. He would survive those first few days of terrible fighting and, five months later, walk out of a German POW camp.
While forever grateful for having survived, Mayrsohn was always bothered by losing his brown, wool “Eisenhower” or “Ike” jacket to the enemy. Poorly clothed German soldiers, without sufficient cold-weather gear themselves, stripped American POWs of their clothing, including Mayrsohn’s Ike jacket.
With a smile and watery eyes, the centenarian accepted a replacement for the jacket he lost 80 years ago from Lt.
Army veteran Bernard “Barney” Mayrsohn then and now.
Gen. Donna Martin, the Army’s 67th inspector general, on his 101st birthday. To show her appreciation, Martin flew to Miami for the birthday celebration and to honor Mayrsohn for his service after his son Mark sent an invitation to Army senior leadership. Martin jumped at the opportunity to share in this momentous occasion.
“We are so grateful to you and the soldiers of the 106th for the fierce resolve you showed in that first week of the battle,” Martin said, “and we know you always regretted losing your jacket.”
With that, Martin presented him with the new version of the Ike jacket, which is part of the current Army Green Service Uniform. Mayrsohn was deeply touched as Martin draped the jacket across him.
“You’ll see that the new version is cut and tailored like
the original,” said Martin. “It’s got the medals you earned back then, your two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star and the Combat Infantryman Badge. It’ll look very handsome on you.”
After champagne and cake, Mayrsohn and Martin sang a duet of the Army Song, with the lyrics from his era, and the veteran’s voice boomed every time they sang “… the caissons go rolling along!” A quieter rendition of God Bless America followed. Martin also brought him three congratulatory letters and coins from Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and Director of the Army Staff Lt. Gen. Laura Potter.
‘IKE’ JACKET continued on page 21
COURTESY US ARMY
REMEMBERING TWO TRAILBLAZING AVIATORS
America’s Navy
In the world of U.S. Naval Aviation, very few names will be forever imprinted with their squadrons, their communities, and their shipmates. Among them are Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay “Miley” Evans and Lt. Serena “Dug” Wileman, two highly skilled, combatdecorated aviators who tragically lost their lives during a routine training flight near Mount Rainier on Oct. 15, 2024. More than just names and ranks, they were role models, trailblazers, and women whose influence touched countless people on the flight deck and well beyond.
They had recently returned from a deployment with their squadron, Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130, “Zappers,” with whom they spent nine months at sea as a part of Carrier
Air Wing Three (CVW-3) aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE). Operating mostly from the Red Sea, they supported Operations INHERENT RESOLVE, PROSPERITY GUARDIAN, and POSEIDON ARCHER, where they were involved in the most dynamic combat action in defense of the strike group and freedom of navigation since World War II.
During their deployment, both Evans and Wileman distinguished themselves in combat operations. Their efforts directly contributed to the Navy’s mission defending U.S. and Coalition forces while keeping the seas open and free with precision and purpose. These role models cemented legacies by making history that will
AVIATORS continued on page 20
COURTESY AMERICA’S NAVY
Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay “Miley” Evans (left) and Lt. Serena “Dug” Wileman (right) will be remembered as role models, trailblazers, and women whose influence touched countless people on the flight deck and well beyond.
SERVICE DOG HELPS AIRMAN FIGHT BATTLES BACK HOME
U.S. Air Force
With a stern voice but a heart of gold, Col. Adam Roberts, the 555th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers, or RED HORSE, commander, practices resiliency each day alongside his best friend and service dog, Porsche, a loveable labradoodle with golden brown fur resembling the look and feel of a stuffed animal.
Roberts wants to use his rank in order to help those around him acknowledge and accept the importance of mental
health and wellness.
“I want to convey a message as the commander, as a colonel, as an Airman, as a human, that you matter,” Roberts said. “Life isn’t always easy. You never really know what’s going on behind someone’s eyes. We should act with grace and a little bit of forgiveness, a little bit of empathy, if indeed we believe that every person matters.”
Roberts’ roughly 23 years in service has been accompanied with a fair amount of struggle, but he’s determined to
shed a light on others who may also be experiencing low points as he has, and he believes Porsche allows him to better engage with those around him.
Roberts’ struggles of resiliency have been rooted from his time in service through deployments and from divorce, the latter of which is the period when Roberts got Porsche.
He has deployed on several occasions throughout his military career to locations such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq and has been involved in combat, facing
many decisions and moments that have haunted him to this day.
Transporting goods and personnel via convoy was typically a task that Roberts would be involved in.
“I was assigned to the Multinational Security Transition Command in Iraq,” Roberts said. “I was a turret gunner. I’ve been IED’d (improvised explosive device), had some engagements in traffic, had
COURTESY U.S. AIR FORCE STAFF SGT. TIMOTHY LEDDICK
Col. Adam Roberts’, 555th RED HORSE Squadron commander, and his service dog, Porsche, travel to a workstation during several stops within the squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Roberts trained Porsche to function as a service animal and to be able to engage with fellow Airmen by accepting vulnerability. DOG
U.S.
Col. Adam Roberts practices physical wellness by routinely exercising. Roberts expressed the importance of mental and physical wellness by making the efforts in acknowledging and tackling issues and to bring awareness to accepting mental and physical issues of oneself and others around us.
DOG
lots of indirect fire, lots of mortars, lots of rockets.”
Roberts’ job as a turret gunner involved guarding assets and service members around him with strict guidelines of defense and response, whatever the cost. Almost killing people that didn’t need to be killed are instances that Roberts still remembers vividly to this day. One instance during one of these convoys involved a couple driving in traffic.
“We were driving down the freeway and this car comes to merge into our convoy,” Roberts said. “I can see that it is clearly an old guy and his wife, and they’re just out driving and doing their thing and they didn’t realize that they were merging into a convoy.”
Roberts shot at their tire.
Nothing.
He shot at the engine block. Nothing.
Roberts’ fear set in as he anticipated
what might be the inevitable: He was only a millimeter away from killing someone that in his heart he knew was an innocent bystander who was just not paying attention.
Fortunately the couple pulled over at the last second.
“That immediate sense of release and relief, I don’t really know how to describe the emotions I felt or even what I’m feeling right now,” said Roberts.
After his time on deployment and transitioning from active duty to the Reserve, he had attended the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. There he had experienced another struggle that has affected his mental well-being.
“I was at the Army War College,” Roberts said. “I was talking to my wife on a Friday, ‘I love you. How’s everything going?’ the normal stuff. And then on Sunday, the marriage was over. I didn’t see it coming. I was really hurting.”
Roberts struggled with depression, anger and self-worth. To make matters
worse, this was also at the same time he was assigned to command the 555th “Triple Nickel” Squadron.
“The men and women of the Triple Nickel needed me to be in a good frame of mind to be able to serve them and I couldn’t deliver that in the place that I was,” Roberts said. I was really afraid for my career, my security clearance, for what people would think about me, for hurting. But regardless I’ve always been told to ‘suck it up,’ to ‘man up,’ and for most of my career I have done that. I think it’s made it harder for me to be the leader that I want to be. So, I went to get help.”
Roberts compares the importance of receiving mental assistance to receiving physical assistance, such as when he broke his wrist after crashing his mountain bike.
“It was real bad but I didn’t hide it, I didn’t pretend my wrist wasn’t broken,” Roberts said. “I went to the doctor and I got help. And at points in my life, when I struggled mentally, I went to get help.
It’s OK to not be OK, but it’s also OK to go get OK.”
Roberts called Military OneSource to receive help. He talked through issues regarding his divorce, all the accompanying emotions and his combat time. Through this process he discovered he had developed sleep paralysis. He never thought he’d be someone attributed with PTSD and that was a struggle on its own to accept.
“When I get these episodes, it messes me up for a few days,” Roberts said. “It’s hard to process it.”
Roberts trained Porsche from then on as a service animal. Her function is to wake Roberts during these episodes. But Roberts doesn’t bring Porsche to work so that she can wake him up, she serves as a bridge between him and reaching out to others around him.
“She helps me be vulnerable and connect with people,” Roberts said. “She DOG continued on page 19
COURTESY U.S. AIR FORCE STAFF SGT. TIMOTHY LEDDICK
Col. Adam Roberts and his service dog, Porsche, take a moment to bond and play tug-of-war at Nellis Air Force Base.
COURTESY
AIR FORCE STAFF SGT. TIMOTHY LEDDICK
J. Patrick O’Kelley
Asa V. “Ace” Clark Jr. Captain AAC
A.J. Michaelis
Wayne Hirschel Passed away
Seabees
Hueneme, CA; Camp Pendleton, CA; Vietnam; Japan; Hawaii; Okinawa
Morris “Buck” Bailey Petty Officer 2nd Class - Navy
Tracie Ann Coy Major -
Iwakuni, Colorado, Australia, Thailand
Nels Anderson PFC - WWII 1944-1946 Infantry Light Machine Gunner and Scout, Italy
T. Anderson
Loren (Ben) Tannahill Sergeant - Marines
Neil Anderson
LEFT: SSgt. - Army 101st Airborne Infantry/Recon
Hugh D. Tannahill
E-5 - US Army
Hugh W. Tannahill US Army
Vince Tannahill RM3 - US Navy Vietnam 1969-1972
Louis Ward Stalnaker Sgt. E-4 - US Army 1942-1945
Claude F. Hopkins
Zechari Manyon
Michael D Williams
Tom
Tristan T. Duman
Propulsion Craftsman,
Samuel S. Duman
Harrison “Mooney” Jabeth Cpl upon Dishcharge- U.S. Army-
World War 1
W/Gen John Pershing
Dennis R. Paul Gunnery Sergeant- U.S. Marine Corps
HI, Japan, Oki, RN|VN, Camb., I.O.A.O, Iran Combat Cargo, Embark Chf: Lpd-6, Lka-115, Lka-116, CV-43
Henrik D. Juve Jr. WWII 1943-1945; Aviation Cadet; Korea 1950-1952; 1st Lieutenant;
Reserve 1952-1984; Lieutenant Colonel
Ronald M. Mason
Mannheim, Wurzburg, Kitzingen, Germany
Peter M. Busch Lt. CO - USMC 24 Years ROTC Gonzaga, MAS Pensacola, Kingsville TX, El Toro, CA; Cherry Pt. NE; DaNang Vietnam, Quantico, VA; London England, Whidbey Is. WA
Jamin
James T. Buratto M.D.
Mark A. Lorenz
Minot AFB, Anderson AFB, Eielson AFB, Hickman AFB, Nellis AFB, Cairo West, Egypt
Mathew Johnson
Col. Barry Johnson
Cuba; Iraq; Afghanistan
Richard
Clint Engledow,
Clint Engledow III
Clint Engledow,
Connie Evans Captain - Army 1965-1969; 1977-1991
CV Chi Vietnam (12th Medical evacuation hosptial 66-67) United States public health
Lesley Killgore First Infantry, Rocket City Vietnam
David Bruce Aiken E4 Specialist USS Frank E. Evans; Three Tours
Jesse C. Killgore Staff Sargent - US Army Guard Idaho; 116th Armored Calvary Retired 21 years Combat Engineer Served 1968-1989
Richard Dale Aiken E6 Staff Sergeant Vietnam
A Salute to our Veterans
CODE TALKERS HELPED U.S. WIN WORLD WARS I AND II
Department of Defense News
When the topic of military code talkers comes up, many think of the Navajo code talkers of World War II who operated as Marines in the Pacific Theater. This association was bolstered following the 2002 release of the film "Windtalkers," starring Nicholas Cage.
While the Navajo Nation contributed immensely to the war effort, other Native American tribes also had their own code talkers who served in both world wars.
Code talkers were useful because their languages weren’t understood by enemy forces and the code talkers could transmit secret messages to and from the battlefield without being deciphered.
World War I code talkers included the Choctaw, Cherokee, Comanche, Osage, Lakota and Cheyenne Nations.
Army Pfc. Joseph Oklahombi, a Choctaw code talker, earned a Silver Star Medal, one of the highest awards for valor. On Oct. 8, 1918, at Saint-Etienne, France, his 36th Infantry Division unit
came under attack.
Oklahombi and others in his company captured 171 Germans and killed about 79 more. He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre by France. It’s the French equivalent of the U.S. Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor.
During World War II, code talkers from the Comanche, Lakota, Muscogee, Mohawk, Meskwaki, Tlingit, Hopi, Cree, Crow and Choctaw Nations were among those who served in the European Theater with the Army, while Navajo code talkers served in the Pacific Theater with the Marine Corps.
Native Americans had to get creative with military terms that were not native to their language. For instance, the Navajo language didn’t have a word for submarine, so they used the term iron fish in World War II.
Also in World War II, the Navajo used their word for shark to denote a destroyer
CODE TALKERS continued on page 17
COURTESY U.S. MARINE CORPS
Code talkers from the Navajo Nation pose for a photo on Saipan during World War II.
COURTESY U.S. ARMY
Code talkers in training from the Comanche Nation at Fort Gordon, Ga., pose for a photo during World War II.
CODE TALKERS
continued from page 16
and they used buzzard for bomber.
During World War I, people from the Choctaw Tribe substituted these terms: one grain of corn meant first battalion, two grains of corn meant second battalion and so on. The phrase “little gun shoot fast” was their code for machine gun; “many scouts” for patrol; “scalps” for casualties; and “bad air” for a gas attack.
The public didn’t even know that the code talker program existed until 1968, when it was declassified.
The Code Talker Recognition Act, House of Representatives Resolution 4544 of 2008, was signed into law by President George W. Bush. It recognizes about 50 Native American tribes who served as code talkers in both world wars.
About National Native American Heritage Month
In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial commemoration, President Gerald Ford proclaimed Oct. 10-16, 1976, as “Native American Awareness Week.”
In 1986, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed Nov. 23-30, American Indian Week.
On Nov. 14, 1990, President George H.W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month to honor the hundreds of Native Americans throughout the United States, including Alaska but not Hawaii.
Native Hawaiians and those in U.S. territories in the Pacific are honored in Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month each May.
Bush’s proclamation reads in part: “During the National American Indian Heritage Month, as we celebrate the fascinating history and time-honored traditions of Native Americans, we also look to the future. Our Constitution affirms a special relationship between the federal government and Indian tribes and — despite a number of conflicts, inequities, and changes over the years — our unique government-togovernment relationship has endured. In recent years, we have strengthened and renewed this relationship.”
In 2009, President Barack Obama proclaimed November as National Native American Heritage Month.
COURTESY MARINE CORPS LANCE CPL. LESLIE ALCARAZ
Navajo Nation Marines pose for a photo at the Navajo Code Talkers Memorial at Window Rock, Ariz., Aug. 14, 2022. The Marines met to discuss their participation in a ceremony for National Navajo Code Talkers Day, which has been observed every Aug. 14 since 1982.
Marine Corps KC-130F, aerial refueling aircraft, tail number 149800, nicknamed BOO, is at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, often called The Boneyard, on Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, near Tucson, Ariz., Feb. 16, 2007. It was later moved to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., to serve as a fuselage trainer
MARINES TELL TALES OF HAUNTED AIRCRAFTS
Department of Defense News
Two Marine Corps KC-130F, aerial refueling aircraft, are said to be haunted by Marines who worked and flew on them.
The KC-130F, introduced in 1962, was designed to do airto-air refueling of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
This versatile aircraft has also been used to transport troops and cargo. During the Vietnam War, two of them, tail numbers 149800 and 149808, were used to transport many thousands of killed and wounded soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines stateside.
The nose number of the 149800 was 800 and the nose number of the 149808 was 808. Because the number 8 looks similar to the letter B, the aircraft were nicknamed BOO and BOB, respectively.
Delbert H. Cogswell Jr. worked in Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron-152, better known as VMGR152, at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, in the 1980s and 1990s, where BOB and BOO resided.
“There are many stories of feeling uneasy or feeling watched while working on those two aircraft during the night shift, which for us was all night long on most nights.
Most Marines in the maintenance department would not work on these planes by themselves,” said Cogswell, a mechanic and flight crew member.
“I always felt as if I was being watched just while walking by them at night, even with all the lighting that we had in the flight line. A few claimed to even see a figure that shouldn’t have been there. Shapes and shadows that come and go. Just an uneasy feeling. Not sure how many bodies were transported but there were a lot,” he said.
Hank Gerace, a member of the VMGR-152 flight crew and mechanic, said of BOO: “I’ve seen the profile of someone in the pilot’s seat while securing the aircraft for the night. Another time I was working on that bird when I heard someone come on the plane and start walking around through the cargo compartment and on to the top of the bird. Only thing was that at the time I was sitting under the only accessible hatch.”
A lot of those old F models had patches repairing small arms damage from enemy fire in Vietnam on their bellies and tail ramps, Gerace noted.
Jason J. Casanova, maintenance controller, said
of BOO: “I heard a story about a person who was walking toward the back of the aircraft making sure all the doors were secured as he was leaving. As he was walking, he saw someone dressed in old fatigues sitting in the parachute seat looking out the window. When he looked again, the figure was gone.”
Christopher M. Hanson, flight mechanic, spoke to a squadron member who told him he saw a person sitting next to him inside BOO. When he looked away and back again, the person had vanished.
Others in the avionics community have seen glowing red lights inside the two aircraft at night, when power was not on.
BOO is currently being used as the fuselage trainer at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.
BOB is currently at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, often called The Boneyard, at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, near Tucson, Arizona, where many other retired aircraft are parked.
By 2006, all of the KC-130Fs were retired. The KC-130J, introduced in 2004, is still in use by the Marine Corps, taking on the same missions as its predecessors.
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COURTESY MARINE CORPS STAFF SGT. DAVID VERGUN
Marine Corps KC-130F, aerial refueling aircraft, tail number 149808, nicknamed BOB, takes off from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan in 1982.
COURTESYANDREW THOMAS
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continued from page 9
helps to engage in conversation about wellness and mental wellness. She’s a great barrier breaker for that. Many times, when people see Porsche and want to give her a pet, I’m always open to it. I hear lots of times something like ‘this is the best I’ve felt all day, or this is the best I’ve felt all year.’ It absolutely breaks my heart. Why should giving a cute little puppy be the best you’ve felt all year?”
Roberts allows interactions like these to transition into moments of connection and to be able to reach out by sharing his own struggles of resiliency and provide assistance and resources.
“Through a number of these conversations I’ve been able to call Military OneSource with a member and set up some treatments and set folks going on a healthy path,” Roberts said. “So, I bring [Porsche] so I can better serve other people.”
Roberts hopes to bridge the gap along with Porsche to advocate for better awareness and treatment of mental health, not necessarily to advocate for everyone to go out and get a service animal.
Roberts often refers to the note under “service before self” within A Profession of Arms: Our Core Values as a guideline of prioritizing and emphasizing wellness.
“Airmen must practice self-care first to be able to serve others,” Roberts said. “If it’s all right for a colonel to not be all right, then it’s all right for you. And it’s all right for you to get all right.”
COURTESY U.S. AIR FORCE STAFF SGT. TIMOTHY LEDDICK
Col. Adam Roberts, engages in discussion during a staff meeting at Nellis Air Force Base. Roberts regularly interacts with higher enlisted and officer personnel in order to tackle any issues that may arise.
AVIATORS
continued from page 7
inspire future generations of Naval officers and aviators.
Born to Lead: Lyndsay “Miley” Evans
Following her time at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Evans was commissioned through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and earned her “Wings of Gold” as a Naval Flight Officer out of Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola. While familiar with the spotlight, Evans always carried herself as a humble yet strong leader – the quiet professional. As an EA-18G Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) and veteran of two sea tours, she earned the respect of the entire Growler community for her tactical expertise, mentorship to those of all ranks and communities, and ability to bring out the best in everyone around her.
In 2023, Evans was part of the all-female Super Bowl flyover, a historic moment marking 50 years of women flying in the Navy. This event also symbolized the progress of women in aviation across all military branches. But for those who knew her best, this was only one highlight in a notable career defined by high performance and distinction. After completing the challenging 12-week HAVOC graduatelevel course at NAS Fallon (the TOPGUN of the Growler community), Evans earned the honor and responsibility of becoming a Growler Tactics Instructor (GTI). Living up to this responsibility daily, her approachable and knowledgeable demeanor enabled the training and development of countless junior EA-18G Pilots and EWOs. Therefore, it was no surprise to her mentors and peers when she was recognized as the FY2024 Growler Tactics Instructor of the Year, a prestigious honor earned through her tactical acumen and sustained leadership.
During her 2023-24 deployment with CVW-3 and the IKE Carrier Strike Group (IKE CSG) in the Red Sea, Evans coordinated and executed multiple combat strikes into Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen, making her one of the few women to fly combat missions over land. In her critical role as VAQ-130’s Training Officer, she helped develop and execute new warfare tactics that required knowledge, innovation, and a comprehensive understanding of aerial warfare and electronic attack in a nascent theater against a constantly evolving threat. The tactics, techniques, and procedures
for the EA-18G she pioneered defending against Houthi aggressions directly contributed to the successful defense of the entire CSG and will be used as a template for adaptability at the unrelenting pace of combat in future fights.
Evans was awarded two Single Action Air Medals for her exceptional performance during strikes on January 12 and 22, 2024. She also earned three Strike Flight Air Medals for her contributions to missions flown between December 21, 2023, and March 29, 2024.
The Heart and Soul: Serena “Dug” Wileman
A native of California and commissioned through Officer Candidate School, Wileman was at the beginning of a promising and illustrious career. As a senior first-tour Naval Aviator, she established herself as an energetic, vocal, and positive influence in VAQ-130. Known for her heart of gold, passion, and unrelenting smile, Wileman was always committed to improve and grow, not only for herself but every Sailor and officer around her.
During her 2023-24 deployment, Wileman planned and subsequently flew multiple strikes into Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen, one of the few women to fly combat missions over land. Wileman’s exceptional leadership was highlighted during VAQ-130’s “Dirt Det,” where she was designated the Officer in Charge.
Overcoming the challenges of operating from an austere location, she successfully oversaw all detachment operations enabling the support of multiple flights in the defense of U.S. and Coalition forces in support of Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and PROSPERITY GUARDIAN.
bringing all CVW-3 aircraft aboard expeditiously and safely. From the LSO platform, Wileman always showcased her extraordinary composure and consistent ability to perform under pressure.
Due to her unrelenting efforts, Wileman accrued three Strike Flight Air Medals for her role in combat operations between December 17, 2023, and April 5, 2024.
Outside the cockpit, Wileman made everyone smile. She would brighten up any room and was known for her genuine care and compassion for those around her. She always brought a sense of calm, in the good times and bad, whether it was through a joke, a game of cribbage, or a giant bear hug for a Sailor in need of one.
The Bonds That Endure
Evans’ and Wileman’s strong connection to their families were second to none. Evans was close with her parents, who were immensely proud of her many accomplishments and were overjoyed when welcoming her back to NAS Whidbey Island on July 13th.
Wileman met her husband, Brandon, during flight school. Also a Naval Aviator, Brandon shared in her passion for flight, and together they supported each other through the challenges and successes of their careers. Wileman’s goal for follow-on orders after the Zappers was to remain colocated with Brandon.
Dug and Miley truly represent the best that Naval Aviation has to offer, and they will absolutely be missed.
Always a team player, Wileman was also a respected qualified Landing Signal Officer (LSO), a vital role in the squadron to ensure her fellow Naval Aviators safely recovered aboard the ship. Despite operating in a weapons engagement zone, her calm and collected demeanor under pressure showed during combat operations. Even when recovering alerts while IKE was being targeted and the CSG was under attack by Houthi terrorists, she executed flawlessly,
Both Evans and Wileman shared lasting loyalty and commitment to their mentors, peers, and Sailors. They always lifted others up, even during the most challenging moments of deployment, knowing exactly how to take a quick break from the “stress” of the job and deployment and getting everyone’s heads back in the game.
They also bonded over their love of dogs: Evans, a proud “dog mom” to Nyx (an Australian Shepherd), and Wileman to Riley (a Dachshund/Chihuahua mix – “Chiweenie”). The two often flew together, sharing a deep understanding of the intricacies of Naval Aviation, and complemented each other well. They shared many moments together, from leading
critical missions in combat zones during deployment to helping their Sailors and each other weather the mental strain of long deployments.
These women’s bond with each other reached well beyond the cockpit. They were both known for their humor and light-hearted spirit. A memorable moment came at a beachside pool, where, during a liberty port in Souda Bay, Crete, Evans and Wileman shared a laugh as two male squadron mates struggled to move a heavy umbrella. “Centuries of oppression have finally paid off,” they joked, representing the camaraderie and light heartedness that defined both of them.
A Legacy That Lives On
The legacy that Evans and Wileman leave behind is characterized by strength, courage, and inspiration. They embodied the very best of Naval Aviation and were examples that hard work, determination, and devotion to their passions could lead to exceptional achievements. They will remain role models for both women and men, embodying the true Navy warrior spirit.
Capt. Marvin Scott, Commander of CVW-3, said Evans and Wileman will be remembered for their tenacity, their outstanding contributions to the defense of others, and the positive energy they brought to Naval Aviation.
“I have personally flown with both of these Great Americans in both training and dynamic combat operations, and they always performed professionally and precisely. As true leaders in the Growler community, VAQ-130, and across my Air Wing, their contributions cannot be overstated; I could not be more proud to have served with each of them,” said Scott. “Every member of the CVW-3 Battle Axe Team is heartbroken at the loss of these exceptional warriors; Dug and Miley truly represent the best that Naval Aviation has to offer, and they will absolutely be missed.”
As the Navy mourns the loss of these two exceptional aviators, their stories will continue to inspire generations of service members. They represent the best of the Navy and Naval Aviation: warriors who were steadfast in the face of danger, always prepared to lead, and compassionate to their fellow Sailors. Their memories will endure with the men and women of the Zappers, CVW-3, and the entire IKE CSG. Their legacies will live on, immortalized in the hearts of their families, friends, and all who had the privilege to serve alongside them.
‘IKE’
JACKET
continued from page 6
Mayrsohn’s life story was captured in a 2018 biography, “From Brooklyn to the Battle of the Bulge and on to Building an International Business: The Incredible Story of Bernard (Barney) Mayrsohn.” The book recounted the heroism of the 106th ID, known as “The Golden Lions,” at the tip of the Bulge from Dec. 16, 1944, the day the battle started, until two regiments of the division were forced to surrender on Dec. 19.
As Mayrsohn described in a 2014 video interview shot for the 70th anniversary of the battle, the 106th ID was inauspiciously positioned.
“My 106th Division was put on the very tip… of the bulge,” he said, referring to the large pocket the Germans created in the Allied lines.
He belonged to Cannon Company, 423rd Infantry Regiment, made up mostly of Soldiers with little or no combat experience. The company took up its position on Dec. 12, seven miles from the Siegfried line in a sector known to be so quiet that GIs called it the “Ghost Front.” As Cannon Company took up their position, the outgoing troops they relieved assured them it was a chance to calmly acclimate to a position close to the enemy. Because of a “bum shoulder,” as Mayrsohn put it, he was originally rejected for service, “but I sneaked in anyway.” Due to his shoulder, his job was to run communication lines to the company’s outposts, rather than take up a rifle position.
“We were told by them [the troops they relieved], ‘Quiet front, no activity, you’re gonna get comfortable being in the front lines,’ and this was about three or four days before the Germans attacked,” he said. “We hardly got comfortable where we were set up. … On the very first morning of December 16, we all heard heavy shelling, and they all said, ‘Barney, what the hell’s happening?’ and I said ‘Well, you heard, it’s our own artillery playing games.’”
“Well, when the shelling stopped at daybreak, we saw German troops coming over to our area … and we started shooting at them,” he continued. “I think I got a couple, we shot a couple, we captured a couple. This is December 16.”
Mayrsohn recalled that German panzers went around either side of his unit’s fortifications, which meant “…in the first 24 hours we were 20 miles behind the German lines.”
Back at the house where Cannon
Company headquarters was set up, Capt. James Manning, the company commander, said they were cut off and would have to fight their way out. Manning was shot and killed minutes later when he was the first to step out of the building. On a return trip to that area in 2014, Mayrsohn and Mark laid a wreath on Manning’s grave at the HenriChapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in eastern Belgium.
Terrible fighting continued day and night from Dec. 16-19, including hand-to-hand combat and desperate firefights, with little to no cover, to hold off the German troops. Cut off from the Army’s rear position, they had to create foxholes by throwing grenades onto frozen soil.
“For four days, our company, together with other surrounded and blocked-off companies, tried to get together with our regiment,” Mayrsohn said.
During those four days the remaining members of his unit, as well as the other units they joined with, ran out of food and ammunition while constantly surrounded and targeted by German tanks.
“We fought the 16th, 17th, the 18th,”
‘IKE’ JACKET continued on page 22
COURTESY US ARMY LT. COL. DANIELLE CHAMPAGNE
Bernard Mayrsohn, a former U.S. Army Private First Class assigned to the 106th Infantry Division during World War II, receives a coin from Lt. Gen. Donna W. Martin, the Army’s 67th Inspector General, June 14, 2024, in Miami, Florida. He is wearing an “Ike”-style Army Green Service Uniform jacket, complete with rank insignia and medals, presented to him by Martin.
‘IKE’ JACKET
continued from page 21
he said. “We finally got together with our division on the 19th – what was left of the division. We were all dug in, surrounded by German tanks.”
Amid increasingly heavy casualties, surrounded and with no defenses, and under deafening fire from German tanks, the order to surrender came.
“Luckily, our smart colonel, [Charles C. Cavender] was his name, surrendered what was left of us. …His orders were, ‘Destroy your weapons and put your arms up.’”
The tragedy of combat was seared into Mayrsohn at 21 years of age.
“I was in my foxhole, shells were blowing up boys all around me. Pieces of the boys were flying all around me. We had no defense.”
Mayrsohn suffered wounds to his hand and arm, earning him the Purple Heart. After the surrender, the prisoners were marched for three days in the snow and bitter temperatures. His buddy, Hal Taylor, marched barefoot after the German troops took his shoes. Taylor developed pneumonia and Mayrsohn carried him multiple times.
When Mayrsohn and Taylor reached the German railway lines, they were crowded
into cattle cars with 100 other men, although, as Mayrsohn recollected, they were intended to hold only 40, “…which was a heaven, because it was better than the snow, but it turned out not to be heaven.”
When the weather cleared, the American pilots’ mission was to destroy the German rail system. Mayrsohn recalled that U.S. aircraft strafed the trains, hitting a train ahead of his filled with American officers.
The humanity veterans show with their stories — a symbol of their strength — often comes in the form of humor, and Mayrsohn is no different. When he arrived at the Stalag IV-B prison camp near Mühlberg, he was allowed to pick out a sergeant’s coat from a huge pile of clothes.
“So, overnight I became from a private to a sergeant, and spent the rest of [the time at] the prison camp as a sergeant. That’s my story,” he said during the 2014 interview. In May 1945, Soviet troops freed the Americans.
Toward the end of the birthday celebration, Martin lingered to chat more with Mayrsohn and his son in the sunny, wood-paneled private room at the restaurant.
U.S. Army Private First Class Bernard Mayrsohn, top row, second from left, appears in this photo taken the day Russian troops liberated German prisoner-of-war camp Stalag IV-B in 1945
“It was hard to say goodbye,” she said.
After the party ended, Martin flew back to D.C., taking with her the memories of a hero of the Greatest Generation.
According to the National WWII Museum, the Army lost 19,246 Soldiers during the
Battle of the Bulge and over 23,000 American troops were taken prisoner. Mayrsohn’s narrative reflects the camaraderie and bravery of so many previous generations of Soldiers, which continues to draw men and women of character into the Army to this day.
We Salute Our Veterans
ALTERNATIVE NURSING SERVICES
COURTESY BERNARD MAYRSOHN
LEGACY
“My biggest draw to being a dancer was the music,” he said. “Whenever I would hear the drumbeat, I could feel it shaking the ground. It was like the music was alive and dancing around me.”
Just as his love of music shaped a large part of his identity as a young boy, the influences of his family history played a significant role in further expanding his character and values as a young man.
“The military has been intertwined with my heritage long before I was ever a thought,” Lufkins recalled.
The heritage he speaks of is Navajo from his mother’s side and Dakota Sioux from his father’s side. Dakota Sioux people are known for being warriors and semi-nomadic. Navajo people are referred to as hunter-gatherers and were banned from speaking their native tongue by the U.S. government from the late 1800s until the 1990s.
This connection to military service is rooted in his family history. Lufkins’ grandfather served as a code talker during World War II, a role that played a crucial part in safeguarding communications during the war. Navajo Code talkers transmitted secret coded messages over the radio and telephone and participated in every major Marine Corps operation in the Pacific theater, giving the U.S. a large advantage.
Lufkins’ grandfather, George “Willie” Boyd Sr. served as a code talker in the Marine Corps and was awarded the Congressional Silver Medal in 2021. He served during the Invasion of Okinawa and was honorably discharged July 26, 1946.
“My grandfather did not disclose to us that he was a code talker until he was 72 years old. He planned to take the secret to the grave as he was sworn to secrecy,” he said of his grandfather, who passed away Dec. 5, 2017.
This legacy of courage and resilience has played a large role in Lufkins’ understanding of his own identity.
Lufkins describes his childhood growing up adjacent to the Navajo Nation Reservation as “privileged.”
“I remember some people on the reservation didn’t have power and the resources were scarce,” he recalled.
He grew up in a house just a few miles away from Navajo Nation Reservation with his mother, a retired nurse who worked there. He remembered his
grandmother visiting often and most of his trips to the reservation were centered around visiting his grandmother who still lived there.
“She was always grumpy,” he reminisced with a smile. “She was usually in the kitchen making mutton stew or frybread.”
Those two dishes were fond staples of his childhood.
When an Army recruiter came to his high school, Lufkins immediately felt drawn to the military mission. In addition to honoring his grandfather’s legacy, the idea of job security and the opportunity for travel piqued his interest.
basic training.
Lufkins grew up in a community space where everyone looked like him and understood the cultural context of his environment. The contrast of being the only Native American in his dorm and flight was jolting. Native Americans only make up 0.9% of the Air Force and Space Force population according to the active duty fact sheet current as of Sept. 30, 2024.
I am proud to wear this uniform. I am proud of where I come from. And I am proud to be who I am.
“I felt so out of place,” he remembers. There are currently [fewer than] 3,000 Native Americans serving active duty in the Air Force and Space Force.
time coming across Lufkins. “That made me feel like I had a community. It felt like a little piece of home.”
After arriving at his first unit and realizing just how little the Native American community is represented in the military, Lufkins began to feel a larger sense of pride in his heritage. This reverence was deepened when he shared that his grandfather was a code talker, and he was offered the opportunity to tell more of his grandfather’s story.
“I realized the gravity of the role my grandfather played in WWII and his story deserved to be told,” he stated.
He now hosts annual presentations for Native American Heritage month where he talks about the Navajo Code Talkers and their influence.
“My grandfather was a major reason I joined the military,” he said.
On July 5, 2015, Lufkin shipped off to Air Force Basic Military Training.
“I was only 17, I felt like I should have waited,” he recalled, referencing the culture shock he experienced during
He recalled feeling excited when he came across Airman 1st Class Isaiah “Dovaah” Herder, an Air Force honor guardsman who has Hopi and Navajo heritage.
“I remember telling a Native joke and I heard a chuckle from the back of the room,” Herder said in reference to his first
Lufkins still has a strong affinity for music as he did in his childhood and hopes to finish his military career and then pivot to owning and operating a live music theater. Embracing the rhythm of both his past and future, he has learned to harmonize his passion for music with the pride of serving his country.
“I am proud to wear this uniform. I am proud of where I come from. And I am proud to be who I am,” he said.
AIR FORCE AIRMAN 1ST CLASS SHANEL TOUSSAINT
Air Force Staff Sgt. Wayne Lufkins, flight instructor for the Air Force Honor Guard, leads a formation march in front of Dickens Hall at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington
KOREAN WAR
continued from page 2
so heavy in '52," he said. "We were out over enemy territory all day long. Some days we were flying three missions a day."
On the 60th mission, "the Chinese got lucky." They shot his plane down, isolating Servatius and his pilot in "no man's land." Servatius suffered a broken leg as he bailed out. He saw a helicopter pick up the pilot's body, but no one came for him. As he attempted to crawl to safety, an infantry sergeant came to help. But in the end, enemy troops killed the sergeant and took Servatius as a prisoner of war, where he would spend 309 days in captivity.
The things he remembers most are the cold and the hunger. He was released after a peace treaty was signed and an exchange of prisoners took place.
Servatius attends the get-togethers whenever he is able.
"It's a lot of BS," the 87-year-old from Clarkston said with a laugh. "It's kind of fun to get together with the guys. It's just good to see them. The troops are widely diminishing."
Howard Earl, another guard member deployed to Korea, spent three years training others there "to stand by their guns."
The 89-year-old from Lewiston, said he appreciates the camaraderie at the weekly meetups.
"It's nice to have some of the people you knew and kind of grew up with," Earl said.
With the recent news of the Koreas coming together for discussion, he said, change may be on the horizon. He hopes their time in Korea helped in some way to move that along.
"If I thought we had one thing to do with the Koreans getting together, I would think I served my time well," he said. "That was a miracle. They hated each other and couldn't even talk to each other. You got to say maybe we had a little something to do with it."
Tomtas may be contacted at jtomtas@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2294.
Photo Courtesy of the Whitman County Gazette
BARRY KOUGH/LEWISTON TRIBUNE
Former prisoner of war Ray Servatius shakes hands with fellow veterans during an informal gathering in Lewiston in 2018.