BOISE, Idaho - The Idaho National Guard hosted two Retiree Appreciation Days at Gowen Field this summer.
The Idaho Air National Guard's took place Sunday; the Army National Guard held theirs on July 17.
Each event provided an opportunity for former Idaho National Guard retirees to tour Guard facilities, re-connect with former colleagues and learn more about the benefits they've earned from their service.
It was also a great opportunity for current Guard members to meet their predecessors, since time was built into each agenda for retirees to get out into the work areas and check into how things are done these days.
The retired members had an opportunity to share their experiences from years ago while observing operators, maintainers and support personnel carrying out their critical missions.
Several of the retired Air Guard members were part of what's been called "The Greatest Generation," and it's clear these men earned such an honor.
Retired Col. Bill Coburn flew B-17s over Germany during World War II, dropping some 240,000 pounds of bombs and completing his assigned 30 missions a week before D-Day.
"We thought we would complete 25 missions before rotating out, but General Doolittle changed it to 30 missions," Coburn said.
During the last week of his missions in May 1944, he said he flew 67 hours of combat over the course of 6 days, often with temperatures of nearly -60 degrees Fahrenheit inside his Flying Fortress.
Coburn saw the D-Day invasion force ships massing in the English Channel as he returned to England from his final mission.
Once he mustered out of the U.S. Army Air Corps, he joined the Idaho National Guard in 1946. He was assigned to the P/F-51 Mustang fighter plane then went on to fly both F-94s and F-86s before becoming the 190th Fighter Squadron commander.
"During gunnery practice, we always outshot our active-duty counterparts because of the experience," he recalled. Guard members gained and were able to maintain their skills because they stayed in the same unit with the same plane for a long time, just as they do to this day.
Coburn retired from the Idaho Air Guard in 1967. "I had a good career in the Guard, and it's good to be back at Gowen Field. It brings back some old memories."
Another retired Air Guard member who returned to Gowen Field for the day was Harold "Waxy" Wheeler, who also joined the Idaho Air Guard in 1946. He actually joined the Idaho Army Guard in 1936 and rode horses in the 116th Cavalry Brigade when the old armory was essentially a horse barn.
But Wheeler became a pilot after World War II broke out. He flew P-38s with the Army Air Corps during the war and claims nine enemy kills. Late in the war, he was shot down over Austria and was able to safely bail out. "With the help of friendly forces in the underground, we walked three days" until they reached friendly lines.
As part of the Idaho Air Guard, he also served in Korea, where he flew the F-51 and claimed 32 kills. "The 51 could shoot down MiGs easily because [those Russian-built planes] only flew straight and level," he said. "I served my time, and some of most enjoyable times I've had were in the Guard," he added.
While serving with the Idaho Air Guard, these men and others who served with them were classic examples of the 'traditional' Guard member. Wheeler became chief pilot with the Boise Cascade Corp. and flew many different aircraft with that company before his retirement in 1970, while "Waxy" Wheeler was a sales representative for the Johnson Wax Corp.
Knowing this, it's not difficult to discern the origins of his call sign.