"FIRST CLASS OR NOT AT ALL"--Idaho Air National Guard 1946-1975
*** LOCAL IDAHO AUTHOR PUBLISHES HISTORY OF FIRST-RATE FIGHTER SQUADRON ***
WHAT?
An exciting new book written by retired Idaho Air National Guard pilot Colonel William C. Miller is now available.
 This full-color 204-page 8 X 10 paperback will delight aviation and military history readers. The Idaho Air National Guard was formed right after World War II and quickly became renowned for its excellence, and achieved top-rated status with national defense officials. Written by a 38-year part-time Air Guardsman, this entertaining and factual book describes unit activities, major personnel, and exciting stories from the 29-year early period. Interviews, over 300 pictures, and personal reflections make this a superb read. See slideshow below for more memories.
WHY?
You must read this account of Air Guardsmen--citizen soldiers and your neighbors--who served the 190th Fighter Squadron, later the 124th Fighter Group. Learn how these dedicated individuals balanced the demands of the Guard, their employers, and their families to help the unit fulfill its motto's promise:
First Class or Not at All.
WHEN?
Available for purchase IMMEDIATELY; details below.
WHERE?
Direct from
HOW?
Do I get my Autographed copy? Contact the AUTHOR or MILITARY MUSEUM above for updates on book availability, pricing, and ordering. Book prices are listed above slideshow, down the page. For questions, comments, or suggestions, contact author at firstclassbook@Gmail.com and you will be taken care of in a first class manner!
READ "FIRST CLASS OR NOT AT ALL" TO LEARN:
  Brief Description of Book--After World War II, Air National Guard squadrons were established in the states, and the 190th Fighter Squadron cranked up in October 1946 at Gowen Field. The 190th quickly became combat-ready, growing substantially in just a few years. After being activated for the Korean War, the 190th soon expanded to Group dimensions, becoming the 124th Fighter Group. During its early years the unit flew the P-51D, F-86A, F-94B, F-89B, F-86L, and F-102A, performing air defense under USAF's Air Defense Command until 1975. Idaho's Air Guardsmen adapted and continued to make good the unit motto: First Class or Not at all.
First Class or Not at All tells the story of the part-timer, or 'traditional guardsman', who maintained two careers, balancing the demands of employer, family, the Guard, and conscience. In First Class you will meet the people and re-live the events of a 37-year period of excellence in air defense service. Through first-person interviews, hundreds of photos, extensive file research, and an entertaining style, this history brings the Idaho Air Guard's early-period history back to life. First Class is a must-have for past and present Guardsmen, Idaho citizens, and all military history buffs.
This Week's Selected Feature from First Class or Not at All:
Arriaga was at a gunnery range off the coast of Florida doing gunnery with a flight of four. "We weren't very good in those days, and many of us had little air-to-air experience. We were out there over the ocean and had all fired, and as lead, I went in and slowed down, flying past the 'sleeve' to identify our hits, and just then somebody says 'He just bailed out'! One of the flight members had become so engrossed in also trying to check the rag [a no-no], that he ran into a third flight member, rendering his aircraft uncontrollable." Orlando Dalke was in the flight, and remembers that Jack Bowman had the collision, with Ed West the one who bailed out. Arriaga sent the controllable aircraft back to base, and stayed to verify that the parachuting West made it safely into the water and into his raft--which he did--and to alert and dispatch rescuers. "That was a real 'downer' day around the Squadron."
 And that was far from the last accident by members of the new Fighter Wing. Coburn, many years later, laughs and enjoys telling the results of some accidents--and the unpleasant duty to report them to General LeMay: "So, anyway, we had this 146th Wing Commander Dunham [Col Earl H. Dunham] …he had been to more schools and had more things on his wall, you could almost paper the wall with the diplomas. Anyway, when you had an accident like this in SAC, you report to [General Curtis] LeMay…at Omaha [SAC Headquarters]. Well, we were towing a target clear out over the Atlantic, and shooting air-to-air-gunnery. And Salmeier and West collided, and one bailed out and the other one came back and landed. So, that was two accidents in a short period of time, so Dunham went to Omaha!" . Martin Johnson learned the details of Dunham's visit to SAC Commander General LeMay, and had told everyone about it. Coburn retells Johnson's story of Dunham "…sitting in front of the desk in Omaha, and--big cigar--sitting there, and LeMay says "The next accident you have, Colonel Dunham", he says "your ass is going to be on a plaque right behind my desk!" But not very much later Martin Johnson became the acting Wing commander during one of Dunham's absences, and following yet another P-51 accident, got his day on the carpet with LeMay.
Dale Hendry tells of Johnson's visit to see LeMay, "Periodically Martin Johnson would take over as the acting Wing Commander. And we had an aircraft crash, and anytime you had an aircraft crash, the Wing Commander had to go to personally report in to General LeMay, and explain what went on--everybody hated that! Well this happened on Martin Johnson's watch, so he's in there briefing LeMay and really getting his butt chewed for losing an airplane in the Wing, when Johnson's exec came in and handed him a little note, and the little note said 'the 146th just lost another aircraft'. And Martin Johnson said there wasn't a civil word spoken for about the next hour in that room, and all he did was stand at attention and get ripped from one end to another by LeMay, because 'Here I got this dumb fighter bunch that I don't want in the first place, a bunch of Guard jocks, and now you're out there wrecking airplanes'"!
|