Subject: 421st Air Refueling Sqdn
Date: Sun, 1 Sep 2002 23:53:10 EDT
From: Gunfun196@aol.com
To: rb29@coldwar.org

Hi, my father served with the 421st based at Yokota during the period 1950 — 1953. I believe he was in Detachment 4, with the 98th Bomb Wing, later designated the 421st Sqdn, involved in air to air refueling. I was wonering if you are in touch with anyone that might have known him. His name is George Neumeier and he was a staff sargent and worked as a scanner and also worked maintnance on the B–29s. I guess there was not a whole lot of people in this squadron because all I have is a squadron patch and a zippo lighter with the insignia on it.

Thanks for your help

Tim Neumeier

Subject: 91st Armament & Electronics Squadron
Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2001 19:37:43 -0500
From: "Wayne McCann" <macwayne@clearworks.net>
To: <rb29@coldwar.org>

Dear Vets and Friends of the 91st:

My name is Wayne L. McCann, I served in the USAF from May 1950 to May 1954. My highest rank was S/Sgt, my AFSC was 32150F (permanent), 32171F (Temporary). I was a Bombing & Navigation Systems Repairman on RB-45C's in SAC from April '51 to July '53. In July '53 I was transferred to ATC and worked on T-29s at Ellington AFB, TX. My last duty title was: Night Pre-Flight Crewchief for Radar and Radio at Ellington. After finishing electronics school at Keesler AFB, MS, I started at Barksdale AFB, LA, in April '51 with 4211th Armament & Electronics Squadron , went TDY to Sculthorpe, England in August '51, for four months and then came back to 91st Strat Recon wing and 91st A & E at Lockburne AFB, OH on Thanksgiving day 1951.

I am looking for anyone who might have been in those units at the time. Since I am already 72 years old, I know that there may not be many people left.
I reside currently in Tomball, Texas.

Thanks,

Wayne L. McCann
macwayne@clearworks.net

From: Peter Vonk
To: majpaul@earthlink.net
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2001 6:03 PM
Subject: RB-29

Peter Vonk
Oude Rijksstraatweg 31
3941BP Doorn
The Netherlands

Hello how are you, first of all please let me try to introduce myself. My name is Peter Vonk, I am a Dutchman and a big USAF Reconnaissance fan since the late 1960’s. The reason for sending you this letter is because I would like to ask you a few questions about your Recce assignment. Though before I continue I think that it would be appropriate to try and tell you when and where this hobby of mine began.

I have lived my entire life near Soesterberg AB, which lies just a few miles down the road. My oldest brother always took me with watching the, at that time, new F-4E Phantoms from the 32nd TFS. It was a great time and apart from the 32nd there were always a lot of visitors, one particular day there were some strange visitors, a pair of RF-4C’s. They were from the 10th TRW and one of the things we used to do was to head for the main gate to see the visiting pilots.

It turned out to be one of our lucky days, my brother had a small chat with one of the pilots, and I received my very first Tac Recce patch, the 10th TRW shield. At that time I was a fanatic USAF patch collector and already had a nice collection of Fighter related patches, this was not too difficult those days, but that changed due to this "close encounter" with these Recce jocks.

From that day the Tac Recce is a big part of my life, and during the 1970’s and 1980’s I was always an the road visiting the USAF(E) Air Bases shooting photo’s and looking for items for my Tac Recce collection. I had a wonderful time and had been able to, apart of the Fighter stuff, obtain myself a unique collection of Tac Recce related items, some 400+ patches, ball caps, name tags, scarves, party suits, a few helmets and a ton of photo’s.

But unfortunately the unthinkable happened, on Xmas eve 1995 my entire collection was stolen, I don’t know whether you can imagine what this collection mend to me sir, but to me it was more than 25 years of passion and wonderful memories. And they were gone in maybe just a couple of minutes, even today just talking about it still hurts.

After this dreadful experience I decided that it couldn’t hold me back to start again, I have been all over Europe and quiet a few times to the US looking for items. But unfortunately all in vein, the Wing and Squadron patches are difficult but the biggest problem for me are the patches related to the exercises, deployments, TDY’s, Missions and detachments and I discovered that it would be an impossible task without the help of people like you, the actual vets.

And so I began to search Internet and to work my way through a pile of old magazines, writing tons of letters to old friends looking for names of the veterans.
This is how I did find your name plus the RB-29 Recce assignment, sometimes I feel like Sherlock Holmes.

I hope that you believe me when I tell you that this letter is not mend to be impolite nor inappropriate, the sole reason for it is that I was wondering if it would be possible for you to lend me a helping hand. Maybe you’ve got something left, like a patch from your RB-29 or perhaps another Recce assignment/Exercise/Deployment, which would be fantastic for me.

Now please don’t get me wrong because I know what it is to own these items and about the emotional value attached to them, the only thing that I can say is that " I am a genuine fan and these items mean all the world to me".

Besides this sir, would it be possible for you to tell me a bit more about your USAF career? Were you ever assignedto the USAF(E) or were here on a TDY. Can you tell me how many Recce hours you’ve got logged? I always like to hear all about TDY’s, Competitions, Exercises, and Deployments.

Well sir, I guess that I have bent your ear enough for one day, I am sorry for all the questions (and my poor English) though it would be both a great pleasure and honor for me if you could find some time to write me.

Until then, all the best wishes to you and your loved ones, and take care.

A big Recce fan,

Peter