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Henry Gordon Hamby, Jr. Jan 10, 1916 – Jul 2009 Colonel, USAF (Retired) Service 1941 to 1969 Presented by son Miles ‘Chip’ Hamby

(from top row, L to R, in descending order of protocol worn over left pocket) Command Pilot Wings ~ for 15 years active service as a pilot in the USAAF and USAF Legion of Merit ~ for a career of meritorious service. Distinguished Flying Cross ~ for the Nijmegen paradrop, Op. Market Garden, 1944 Air Medal ~ for the Normandy paradrop, D-Day June 1944 Army Commendation Medal ~ for commendable service in the US Army (USAAF) Air Force Commendation Medal (four oak leaf clusters) ~ for commendable service in the USAF American Defense Service Medal ~for service during the “limited emergency” of WWII American Campaign Medal ~ for service in the continental U.S between 1941 to 1945 European, African, Middle East Campaign Medal ~ for service in those theaters in WWII (Europe and N. Africa, specifically) World War II Victory Medal ~ for service contributing to the Allied victory in World War II National Defense Service Medal ~ Created in 1953 and expanded in 1966, 1991, and 2003, awarded to service members who have served honorably during a designated “national emergency”, generally defined as the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War and Global War on Terrorism. Distinguished Unit Citation (far left) ~ ribbon only, worn over right pocket, later designated Presidential Unit Citation) for service in the 315th TCG during the D-Day operation, June 1944.

b. Dawson Springs, KT (10Jan1916); Graduated Murry State College, Murry, KT; Flying cadets, Class of 41E (1940-41); Pilot, 6 Air Transport Sq., Olmsted Field, Harrisburg, (1941– 42; Married Dorothy Louise Fox (6Mar1942); Deployed to Bowman Field, KY (17 Jun 1942); Florence, SC (3Aug42); ldermaston, England (1Dec42); Detached w 34TCS to Blida, Algeria (1943); Rejoned in Spanhoe, England (1943); Promoted LTC, assigned command of 310^th TCS (1944); Returend to U. S. (Mar45); Promoted temporary Colonel (1951); assigned Albrook AFB,P:anama Canal Zone (1947); Assigned Pentagon, WDC (1949); Air Univerersity/Air war College, Maxwell AFB, AL 1951); Base Commander Kirtland AFB, Commander 4900^th Air Base Group, Albequeque, NM (1952); 16^th AF Inspector General, Torrejon AB, Madrid, Spain (1957); Deputy Commander, Rome Air Materiel Area (ROAMA), Griffiss AFB, Rome, NY (1960); Commander Mobile Air Materiel Area (MOAMA), Mobile, AL (1966); Commander 467 Combat Support Group, Mactan AB, Cebu, Phillinpines (1968); Tactical Air Command HQ, Langley AFB, VA; TAC HQ Va; Director of College Develpment & Planning, Sippery Rock State College, PA; Retired to Williamsburg, VA 1980 – d. 19Jul 2009

(Left) Washington Irving Hamby and Stacey Menser Hamby, Dad’s grandparents

(Right) WI Hamby’s family ~ bottom row, WI Hamby holding Henry G. Hamby (Sr.) and wife Stacey Menser Hamby

b. Jan 10. 1916 ~ Dad’s parent Ida MacGregor and Henry Gordon Hamby hlding Dad, Henry Gordon Hamby, Jr. (right)Top down – brother William Iriving Hamby (Uncle Bill), Sister Camille, cousin Dorothy Scott, brother Orton Hamby

(Above) Dorothy Scott and Camille, ca 1940)

Flying Cadets, Class of 41E

(Above left) Page from “The Fledgling”, Flying Cadets yearbook, Class 41E, of which Dad was an editor (Above right) Dad “H. G. Hamby, Jr, Dawson Springs, Ky”, piture top row right. (Below) original photo used in the above page, 3^rd row left under the circle picture.

(Above) Dad’s pilot training “Tiger shot” as we now call it! Probably taken ata the same as the one above for the yearbook

Dorothy Louis Fox May 2, 1922 to July 14, 2008

(Left)) Dad & Mom, wedding, March 1942, Middletown, PA

The photo of Mom above was by Dad’s brother Orton Hamby who also served as Chief of Naval Phtography Section, Guam, 1945, whose office processed the famous photo of raising the flag on Iwojima. Mom was introduced to Dad in 1941 by the wife (photo on right) of Maj. Hamish McLelland (left in photo), commander of the 6^th Air Transport Squadron (later re-designated the 315^th Troop Carrier Gorup with Col. McLelland its first commander) at Middletown, PA, where Mom’s family lived and after her father Miles Melvin Fox I was named (Miles Melvin Hamby). Mom was her friend and she had been trtying to introcude Mom to a flyer. One day she was waitng outside Maj. McLelland’s office in her car wating to pick up her friend when she saw Dad walking into the building. When McLelland’s wife came out, Mom told her “That’s the one I want!”

(Above) Dad in front of Flight Ops at RAF Blida, Algeria, as a pilot with the 34^th Troop cArrier Squadron detached from Aldesmaton, Englabnd, 1943.

(Above) Brand new Lt. Col, In May 1944,

Dad said one time while in RAF Blida, he was sititng in ops and heard a commotion, ran outside just when an RAF Mosquito exploded sending part of the engine wizzzing by his head barely missing him. While in North Afirca, the 34^th TCS flew a great deal of supply mission into Sicily after the invasion (Operation Husky). On one mission, while on a brief stopover in Sicily, Dad came back to the airplane ready to go and asked the crewchief where the copilot was. Dad said he couldn’t wait any longer so he took off without a copilot and reported his absence when returned to Blida. Some months later he found out the copilot had “jumped ship” and returned to England to his girlfriend and was arrested by the MPs. In May 1942, in anticipation of the Invasion of Europe, the USAAF added two new squeadrons to the 315^th TCG ~ the 309^th and the 310^th. The senior officers at the time to whom the squadrons were offered were Dad and Maj. Stark. Dad says they flipped a coin for the 309^th, and Stark won so Dad took the 310^th.

Dad’s uniform shirt and collar. Note collar size “14 ½ and alundry mark “HAM”

Dad and his brother Orton were photography enthusiasts at Murry State College, Kentucky, where they went to school together. His brother Orton took this photo of Dad, ca 19 37.

Dad in in white uniforem

Dad as a Major, 34^th TCS, ca 1944

Vmails to Mom during the war.

During the war, GIs wrote Vmals home which were free. The one in color was the first iteration and was about the size of a regular sheet of typing paper.Note the relative sizeof the one on the right to a common charge card and quarter coin. After1942, to accommodate the immense volum of mail, Vmail was phtogrpahed and reduced to save space. Monm kept all of Dad’s Vmails. After her passing, they fell to me. In March 1943, after over two years service overseas to inlcude the Normandy invasion and Operation Market Garden (paradrops on Holland), Dad came back to the US, reunited with Mon to finally see his first son, Henry G. Hamby, III, and was then stationed at Albrrok AFB, Panama Canal Zone, where I was born.

Mom’s photo of our quarters at Albrook AFB: “Tack’s room” (my older brother), “Gen. Harmon’s” (house – Lt. Gen Huber Harmon, appointed delegate to the Inter-American Defense Board in 1948, later acknowledge as the father of the USAF Acemy,) “Our bedroom” (Right) Mom pregant with me (I was born April 178, 1948.)

(Above) Dad swimmingin Pat and CharlieMorgan’s pool overlooking the Pedro Miguel locks ( the only private estate in the Canal Zonel)

Aun t Rught (Mom’s older sister of four) With Tack. Aunt Ruth was an Army nurse two tranport ships during the war ~ SS Mariposa ca 1945 and ??.She was in attendance at my birth.

After Panama, Dad was assigned to the Pentagon in Washington DC, wher my brother Bix was born at Wlater Reed. (Above) Dad, Mom, breother Tack, I (Bix not shown)

\ (Above) Our house on Albermarle St. in DC., (L to R) Brother Tack (Henry G. Hamby III, newwly born brother Bix (William Orton Hamby, b. May 15, 1950, named after Dad’s two brothers) Mom, and I. (Left) Tack, Dad, I (Chip), Mom

Montgomery, AL 1951

(Above) Assuming command of the Air Base Group, Krtland AFB, NM(Dad on far right, 1952)

(Left) Dad’s diploma from the Air War College of the Air University, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, AL

(Above) Dad, Mom holding Bix, I atMom’s feet (Tack not shown)

Dad’s nickname was “Spike”which is why they nicknamed first son Henry G. Hamby III “Tack”, and Tack nicknamed his first son Henry G. Hamby IV “Brad”

Dad, offical Air Froce portrait, ca 1952

(Above) I (Chip), Dad, Mom holding Bix, Tack

(Above) Bix, Mom (standing outside looking through both windows), Tack, Chip. Car is our Renault (I think)

(Above) Dad, Mom, Tack, Bix, I (Chip) (in front)

Distinguished Guest of Mexico This Diploma attests that Henry Hamby visited our Homeland with a spirit of freineship and deserved the title that this document confers. City of Mexico, 29 April 1965 The Director General of Tourisn (signature unreadble)

From 1957 to 1960, Dad was assigned as 16^th Air fForce (Stratetgic Ari Command) Inspector General stationed at Torrejon Air Base, Madrid, Spain. Tack accomp[anied but returned to the US to live with Mom’s sister Aunt Lorena (and Uncle Gene) MeLeary in Cornwall PA, to finsh high school.

(Above) In back, left, Mom, Dad at head of table. (others not yet identified)

(Above) Our maidin Spain Carmen

When we left Spain, Dad was presented this “bottle coffin” (for storing a bottle of wine or booze). The inscription reads “Presented to Col “Spike Hamby Jr. by “Gone But Not Forgotten” 3977^th Support Group Prsonnel at Madrid, Spain, 30 January 1960

(Left) Local Rome, NY, newspaper announcing Dad’s appointment as Deputy Commander of Rome Air Materiel Area (ROAMA), Grifiss AFB. Returnning from Spain and 16^th AF IG in 1960, Dad was reaassigned from Strategic kAir command to Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC). In 1961, he was appointed Director of Supply and Tranp[osrtation of ROAMA and Subsequently Deputy Commander of ROAMA. (Bottom left) Mom and Dad at brohter Tack’s wedding in 1965.

(Left) In 1964, as Deputy Commander of Rome Air Material Area (ROAMA, Grifiss AFB, Rome, NY), Dad was responsible for the provisioning of the BMEWS sites (Balitsic Missile Early Warinig System) and received this certificate on an inspection tour of the site at Thule, Greenland. Narrative in bottom right quarter reads: Witnmessteh: HE HAS TOURED THE SITE, AND BRAVED THE PLIGHT OF MONTH-LONG NIGHT HE HAS SEEN THE LAIR OF THE HARE, AND THE AFFARIS OF BEARS HE HAS HEARD THE TALES OF WHALES, AND OF NO FEMALES HE HAS LISTENDED TO THE WOES OF ESKIMOS, FROZE HIS NOSE, ANTENNNA, AND TOES HE HAS SET HIS SIGHTS ON THE NORTEHERN LIGHTS, STAKED HIS CLAIM TO FAME TO BECOME A SITE-A-LITE! GIVEN UNDR MY HAND THIS 20 DAY OF AUGUST 1954 THE DUKE OF PERMAFROST THE COUNT OF DUNDAS THE EARL OF WHALE (bottom center) Geetings from the lafgest radar installation I the work

(Above left) Brother (HGH, Jr) and finace Pat Richardson (later wife) graduataion ball, USAF Acdemy 1965. Dad was still on active duty. (Above right) Dad, Tack, Mom at Tack & Pat’s wedding at Grifiss AFB, 1965.

(Above) Mom’s Gray Lady uniform

(Above left) Dorothy F. Hamby (Mom, back row, 1^st on left) with Gray Ladies, ca.1952) (Above right) Mom’s award for Red Cross Gray Lady service. Military family life in the ‘60s was much different from today. Senior officer’s wives were expected to volunteer for various organizations, which Mom gladly did. I remember she dedicated a lot of time as a Red Cross volunteer at the base hospitcal. Founded in 1918 as the Red Cross Hospital and Recreation Corps and renamed the Gray Lady Service in 1947, they were called “Gray Ladies” after the gray uniforms they wore (note in picture above of the Gray Ladies the early uniform was gray with long sleeves). which evolved to the blue-gray you see here. Note Mom’s nametag “Mrs.Hamby”, her red cross pin, the service chevron on the right sleeve and her special award pin over the left pocket. The chevron represents 4 years service and each single bar represents 1 year of service, thus 7 years of service.

(Right) Caricature of family travails in Mobile From 1965 to 67, Dad was reassigned to Brookley AFB, Mobile, AL, Mobile Air Material Aria (MOAMA, AFLC) as Asst to Dir of Supply & Transprotations and later Deput Commander. My brother Tack had graduated from USAFA and was in pilot training and my younger brother Bix and I were in University Military School (a provate high school). One winter, Dad, I and my brothers set out in the dark morning in a boat to go duck hynting in the blind Dad had built. We were overloaded and I Bix (sitting in the bow) say “Dad, there is water coming in over the bow”. The boat capsized not far from shore, but we all made it ashore with Bix floating with a bag of duck decoys under each arm! We only lost a shot gun. One of Dad’s civilian staff members, R. Gaillard) drew this clever caricature of the events. Note we are all in military unifrom (except Mom).

After the storm, Dad’s duck blind, originally anchored on the western shore of Mobile Bay just offshore of Brookley AFB, was discovered on the eastern shore and appeared in the newspaper with the capture “Col/ Hamby’s duckblind?” Also during that time, Mobile was hit by a large storm that, while driving Bix and me hone from school, our car stalled in deep water (inset bottom right). Mom had gone back to finsih her Bachelor degree (note the report card in Mom’s hand).

(Above) I and Bix in our University Military School (UMS) uniforms. I graduated from highschool (UMS) in 1966 and entered the University of South Alabama as a Freshman. During that year, I applied to the USAF Academy. Mom, that year, had gone back to finish her Bachelor at University of South Alabama and was a straight “A” sstudent. Bix graduatedfrom UMS in 1968 and subsequently graduated with a Bachelor from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. (Left) Local newspaper article about Mom and I “going to college together”.

In 1967, Dad was assigned an unacopmanied tour as 467^th Combat Support Group Commander, Mactan Air Base, Cebu City, Republic of the Phillippines. (Right) When Dad left at the end his tour, he was presented a bound volume of the 12 monthly issues of the base magazine “Yankee Doodle”. As stated in each magazine “The Yankee Doodle is an official Class 2 U.S. Ari Force publicaitns, published for the USAF personne at Mactan AB, Republic of the Philippines.” For many issues, Dad wrote an introducrtory piece. Yannkee Doodle was originally published bi-monthly and eventually semi-monthly. (Below) Serveral pages from theYUnkee Doodle featuring Dad.

Upon his dpearture, he was presented this Moro sword. The inscription read s” To Cl. Henry G. Hamby, Jr., from the officers and airmen fo the 560^th Composite Tactical Wing, PAF, Mactan Air Base, R. P., 4 July 1968

(Right) Appreciation award from the Optommetric Association of the Philippines, Cebu Optmotric Society host. Narrative below Dad’s name rads: “who, as a Guest speaker, contriubted to the success of this Congress”. Dated 5 May 1968

(Left) Letter of Appreicaiton from Commanding General of Philippine Air Force, Juan B. Geuvara. Letter reads: SUBJECT: Letter of Apprreciation To: Colonel Henry G. Hamby Jr 3891 USAF Comdr, 467^th Conbat Suport Group, USAF (PACAF) 1. On behalf of the officers and men of the Philippine Air Force, I wish to extend our profound gratititude for the valuable assistance you have rendered to the PAF from 13 Jun 67 to 4 Jul 68. 2. In many instances you extended asistance in numberous and vital projects of the PAF in Mactan Air Base, leading to their early completion. Your assistnace have contributed immensely to the preparedness and mission accomplshment of our air arm. 3. For these services, we in the PAF will always remember you with sincere gratitude. We wish you cointued success in your future endertakings. JUAN B GUEVARA Brigadier General, AFP Commanding

(Far left) Dad’s Air Force uniform (Near left) Dad’s flight suit – pre Nomex era, Col Insignia and leather nametage (Command p\ilot wngs, Henry G. Hamby, Jr., Colonel USAF, pocket knife on lanyard inside left thigh. Dad retired in 1969 as a full Colonel. For decades, he wore this uniform (it is much bluer in natural light). Not the cloth service ribbons and silver embroidered eagles rank, wings, and US insignia. Highest decoration at that time was the Distinguished Flying Cross awarded to him for leading the 310^th TCS over Nijmegen during Operation Market Garden in 1944. Upon his retirement, he was awarded a higher medal, the Legion of Merit ,for his 28 years service through World War II, the Korean War, and theVietnam War. Following his military retirement, Dad became Director of College Development and Planning for Slippery Rock College, Slippery Rock, PA.

(Left) Dad’s retirement order. Summary: (Above) Dad’s service record. Form 11 – Officer Mlitary Record. Summary: Pilot Training (Flying cadets, Class of 41E), 22Nov40-11ul41 Director Plans &Operations (EAD), 27Sep47-1Jun52 Wing Commander & Base Commander, 2Jun 52-30Sep55 Base Commander 4900^th Air Base Group, Kirtland AFB, NM (ARDC) (Air Research and Development Command), from 1Oct55 Inpsector General, 16^th Air Force, Madrid, Spain (SAC) (Strategic Air Command), from 7Jul57 Inspector Gerneal ROAMA (Rome Air Materiel Area), Grifiss AFB, Rome , NY (AFLC) (AF Logistics Command), from 1Aug60 Dir. of Supply & Trnasportation, ROAMA, from 10Jul61 Dir. Of Materiel, ROAMA, from 19Dec64 Deputy Commander, ROAMA, from 26Jan65 Special Assistant to Director of Supply & Transportation (Gen. Root) MOAMA (Mobile AMA), Brolkely AFB, Mobile, AL, from 11Aug65 Director Supply & Transportation, MOAMA, from 1Nov65 Deputy Commander MOAMA, from 6Mar67 Commander 467^th Combat Suport Group, Mactan Island Airfield, Philippoines (PACAF) (Pacific Air Forces), from 14Jun 67 Special Assistant to DCS/Mat, HA TAC (Tactical Air Command), Langley AFB, VA, from 31Jul68 Retirement 31May69, Colonel, 28 years 4 months 9 days active service Click here for PDF copy of Dad’s service record

Details of service not recorded on the Form 11 – Officer Military Record Pilot, 6 Air Transport Sq., Middletown, PA, 1941 - 42 Promoted LTC, assigned command of 310th TCS, 1944 Reassinged to US Mar 1945 Promoted temporary Colonel (’51), assigned Albrook AFB,P:anama Canal Zone, 1947 Assigned Pentagon, WDC, 1949 Maxwell AFB, AL, Air University, Air War College 1951

(Leeft) Miles Melvin Hamby (I) graduation ceremony from USAF Academ, 1971(Dad and Mom). Dad had rtired two years earlier. Dad, as a aretired militaray officer, administered the oath of office To me and my brother Tack at his graduation in 1965. “I, having been appointed an officer in the United States Air Force, solemly swear to sujpport and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, against all enemeies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office to upon which I am about to enter. ” (My contemporary political editorial comment ~ notice it says nothing about allegiance to the Preiden , intentionally so.)

(Above) Visit to our family by Dad’s parents, Ida MacGregor Hamby and Henry G. Hamby, Sr. ca 1950

(Above) The two Miles’ and the two Henry’s ~ Mom’s Dad Miles Melvin Fox holding me, Miles Melvin HambyAndDad’s Dad Henry G. Hamby, Sr., and Henry G. Hanmby III (Tack)

(Left, in front) the 1959 Mercedes 190SL in front of the McCleary resident in Cornwall, PA.. Dad bought the car in Spain and we picked it up at the Mercedes factory in Stuttgart, German on a whirlwind tour of Europe in Summer of 1959. The car had 3 seats – driver, passenger, and sideways jump seat that my brother Bix and I shared for the trip. During that trip, we visited Spanhoe, for DAD, it was the first time since the war (1945). I remember distinctly driving down the runway in the car seeing the grass growing up in the cracks, and then walking through an abandoned Quonset hut that Dad said was his HQ (310^th TCS). In 1965, I had just gotten my driver license and my first traffic ticket for failure to stop at a stop sign. (The care was just too much for me to handle at the time). That summer Dad gave the car to my brother Tack as a graduation present. Two weeks later, Tack totaled it in Denver.

(Left) Dad’s commission in the Kentucky Colonels.

(Right) I on Hamby Avenue, Dawson Springs, KT, Dad’s birthplace, ca 1984. I had resigned from the Air Force after 7 years active duty and 4 years Air National Guard. I can’t believe I ever had that much hair. I was visiting Dorothy Scott, Dad’s cousin and got a parking ticket for parking on Hamby Avenue, which is a through street with no parking permitted. I never paid the ticket (no extradtion for parking tickets)..I wish I still had that ticket!

(Above) Memorial sent to Dad after Mom’s passing. Mom passed away on July 14, 2006. The above remembrance was sent from Chappie Kowlachuk, head flight nurse of the 818^th Military Aeromedical Evacuation Transportation Service (MAETS) at Spanhoe and her son Peter. Both she and Peter had attended several 315^th reunions. Chappie passed away in (or about) 2010.

Dedicated to my Dad, Henry G. “Spike” Hamby, jr. from his middle son, Miles Melvin “Chip” Hamby. I really miss you!