Publish Date: 9/2/2010

A Lasting Tribute

Members restore F-4 Phantom

Charlotte Burrous
The Daily Record

FLORENCE - After 10 years, it looks brand new.

Just in time for the annual reunion, the F-4 Phantom is standing tall in the Col. Leo Sidney Boston War Memorial Park at the Fremont County Airport.

On Sunday, members of the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing stood in silence while the National Anthem sounded in the distance. The only other sounds were the cars racing by on the nearby highway while the wind whipped the flags above their heads.

"This is the 10th year of assembling like this," said member Ron Doughty. "Today, we have gathered not only for this reunion, but also to honor those who gave their lives and to rededicate this monument to the names listed on the far panel assigned to the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing."

During the informal gathering, Mike West read the names of the members on the wall, followed by "Amazing Grace" on the flute by Sharon Schuermann and "Taps" by Tim Grabin.

Activated in April 1962 at MacDill Air Force Base, the division was first equipped with the F-84 aircraft and stood some important alert commitments during the Cuban Missile Confrontation with the Soviet Union. The 12th was chosen to be the first Air Force combat wing to be assigned the F-4 Phantoms, Doughty said.

"After that, the Wing was involved in a lot of fire power for exercises and at the Paris Air Show," he said. "(In the 1965) era, the Vietnam conflict was developing and the Wing supported operations by rotating squadrons to Japan."

Originally, the division began its first permanent deployment at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, Vietnam in November 1965. From that location, the Wing conducted close air support, interdiction and combat air control, in addition to augmenting forces in Korea after the capture of the USS Pueblo.

In March 1970, as part of the Vietnamization process and the phase out of F-4C, many of the aircraft was sent back to the United States and personnel was dispersed around various different bases in Vietnam, primarily Phu Cat Air Base.

"The Wing continued to fly support combat missions until November 1971," Doughty said.

Unfortunately, the wing suffered significant losses, including five aircraft in Florida prior to deployment to Vietnam and more than 100 personnel in subsequent operations in Vietnam.

Several years ago when the group began looking for a way to honor their comrades, member Gene Rust, of Denver, was driving on U.S. 50 when he noticed the F-4 Phantom on display at the airport. Coincidentally, it had been assigned to the 12th Tactical at one time.

During the reunion two years ago, E.J. Sherwood said he noticed the F-4 needed to be painted and restored so he began to explore what it would take to repaint it. He discovered it would cost about $7,000, but the group did not have the money to do it without doing a fundraiser.

So he began to talk to personnel at the Colorado Air National Guard. Volunteers from the guard and from Buckley Air Force Base decided to do all the restoration on the Phantom.

Those who helped to sand, paint and place decals on the aircraft were MSgt Andy Fisher, Tech Sgt Joseph Collins, Tech Sgt Jason Stuker, Staff Sgt Jarrod McClure, all of the Fort Collins Air Burst Range; SMSgt Gary Greenwood, Tech Sgt Phil Kistler and Tech Sgt Matt Morris, all of Buckley AFB. Donors included Diamond Vogel, who provided 16 gallons of paint at a discount, and rental valued of $1,700 for the power lift & power washer, paid for by the Fremont County Airport.

The 12th Tactical worked with the Canon City War Memorial Park Commission, Fremont County Veterans service officer and Fremont County Commissioners, who provided the last panel to engrave bricks with 104 causalities in its operation.

On Sept. 16, 2001, the group hosted its first dedication service with numerous dignitaries, city and county officials and residents attending the event. Since then, the group of dedicated members began coming to Canon City for an annual reunion.

Charlotte Burrous may be reached at cburrous@ccdailyrecord.com

                    MSgt Andy Fisher, Jim Cockerham, TSgt Joe Collins, Ev Sherwood, Rick Anderson, Cal Schuler,
                    Max Schuermann, Mike West, Sonny Billingsley, John Komara, Ron Doughty, Sherif Lepi