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Goals and Objectives

To honor personnel of all ranks, rated and non-rated, who have helped make this nation great by their achievements in special operations.

To perpetuate the memory of such persons and record their achievements and contributions by suitable memorials.

To establish and maintain an Air Commando Museum. Preserving for posterity the history of the air commando/special operations mission and to identify those organizations and individuals deserving recognition, including those individual elected to the Air Commando Hall of Fame.

To foster, promote, and encourage a better sense of appreciation of the origins and growth of the air commando/special operations units the part they have played in economic, political, humanitarian, and military operation on a worldwide basis.

Also,

• To keep alive the air commando spirit.
• To rekindle wartime relationships.
• To share experience and lessons learned with members of today’s Air Force.
• To promote nation building through humanitarian efforts.

The Distinguished Flying Cross Society (DFCS) exists to honor those men and women who have demonstrated their heroism or extraordinary achievements in difficult situations in aerial flight that resulted in the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.  As an organization, the DFCS membership represents not only the continuum of time, from 1926 to the present, but a diversity of services, ethnicity, rank and gender.  Our membership primarily hails from the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Air Force and the United States Coast Guard along with a few civilian aviation pioneers who are also included.

The Society was founded on fraternity and fellowship among military fliers.  We seek to preserve the rich heritage and historical narratives of those who are recipients of the DFC and to educate the general public, especially the youth of America, on the values of courage, patriotism and character; those characteristics upon which America was founded.  In doing, so we want to elevate the awareness of the award itself and to demonstrate to the public that, based on those principles, a cross section of ordinary Americans can and have accomplished extraordinary things in extremely difficult conditions.

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More Links Below...

This is the true story of  Master Sergeant David M. Burns, an aerial gunner assigned to the deadliest squadron in air force history. Aboard the AC-130 Spectre gunship, he flew a total of 287 combat missions over Laos, South Vietnam, and Cambodia, in pursuit of the truck traffic coming down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. His squadron destroyed more than fifteen thousand trucks loaded with war munitions destined for South Vietnam and Cambodia. Despite heavy and constant anti-aircraft and missile fire, the loss of six aircraft and the lives of fifty-two men, the crew never wavered in its dedication to the mission.

Master Sergeant Burns has a distinguished military career that began in 1951 at the age of fifteen. He served one tour of duty in Phan Rang, South Vietnam, in 1967, and four tours of duty in the 16th Special Operations Squadron in Southeast Asia as an aerial gunner, lead gunner, and instructor gunner. He served in both the United States Navy and Air Force, earning three Distinguished Flying Crosses for heroism, twenty-seven Air Medals, as well as a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Vietnam Service Medal with nine battle stars, and other decorations from the Korean War. He was wounded twice and is credited with saving the lives of fourteen crewmembers.  This is his story.

Callsign: Spectre

By Jeff Noecker

Callsign: Spectre is the true story of a young man from a small town in Pennsylvania who grows up and enlists in the United States Air Force at nineteen. Nearly forty years after the fact, Jeff Noecker recounts his combat flight experiences from the Vietnam War flying in an AC-130 Spectre gunship. The story follows him from his initial air force training to being accepted into an unusual Special Operations unit. 

GRENADA GRINDER

Retired Spectre Pilot Mike Couvillon has a new book he wrote on sale centered on Spectre and the Liberation of Grenada!  The book is available through a link on his website:

 http://www.grenadagrinder.com/

"The Fence" by Bill Morales
www.rayvaquero.com/
An AC-130 Gunship novel.

"The Fence is a hard hitting and accurate account of the heroism of the brave airmen that flew the AC-130 Spectre Gunship during the Vietnam War. A must read selection for Special Operations enthusiasts."

- Hugh Hunter, Colonel, USAF [Ret] Commander 1st Special Operations

The Four Little Children: A Likely Story by Larry Michalove, Lt Col (ret) USAF (Spectre Nav 70/71)

While in the Squadron, I wrote nightly letters to my wife, Sybil,  and periodically included in them bedtime stories that she could read to our four little children.   Fortunately, Sybil saved all of my letters and in 1986 I decided to compile these stories so that each child could have their own copy.  In 2004 one of my grandchildren asked her mother to read the stories to her kindergarden class and I was invited in to read the final two chapters.  Their teacher liked them so much that she suggested that I have them published.  I did just that and they were finally first published in 2005.  They were subsequently republished in 2007.  The storybook (some 180 pages), The Four Little Children - A Likely Story, was selected by the Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) as their 2005 Distinguished Book Award for Children's Literature.

"GUNSHIPS: The Story of Spooky, Shadow, Stinger and Spectre," published by Specialty Press, 2009. Wayne Mutza

PJ Cook Web Designs & Photography
 

YOUR Web Designer!

and...USAF Ret Spectre
Lead Gunner

Those who join AFTWS which is exclusive to active serving, veteran and retired USAF, USAAF and ANG personnel, have the opportunity to find other Wingmen with whom they served, share memories and enjoy the camaraderie of other Airmen.  

me Lasers in Destin, FL is the trophy shop that supplied us with the awesome wine glasses at the reunion and maker of the really cool Laser-Etched Beer Mugs. 

They can put the Spectre Logo and your name on almost ANYTING!  Give them a call!

The Armed Forces Military Museum located in Largo, FL is a 501(c) (3), not-for-profit charitable foundation dedicated to preserving our military history and educating our current and future generations as to the sacrifices made by so many to preserve our freedom. Visit the unique displays illustrating World War I, World War II, D-Day Landings, the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Korea, Vietnam, and other conflicts. The Armed Forces Military Museum houses one of the largest collections of military memorabilia, equipment and vehicles in the state of Florida.

MetzgerMemorials.com
Memorial site, which is dedicated by Lauren Metzger to her father, Capt. Langford  C. Metzger, and to all the men who served with him during his  Sixteen year military career.  A huge thanks to Lauren for building this wonderful tribute to her father.

Brenda Grubbs is the wife of Bill Grubbs (Retired Spectre Pilot) and former IHRA World Champion and still active on both the NHRA and IHRA circuits with Bill as her Crew Chief!  Awesome!

Federation of American Scientists
www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/ac-130.htm
AC-130H Spectre Gunship information, specifications, photos and resources.

Herky Nose Art  www.herkynoseart.com/noseart4.html
A gallery of Gunship nose art.

Don Schiele's Photo Gallery
http://www.back-n-front.com/bnfsetup.cfm?state=AF16&ebay=A
91 photos of Don's tour in Southeast Asia, including the trip over there and the survival training.

Gunship Photo Gallery
www.gunships.org/coppermine/index.php
An online gallery of Gunship-related photos.

American Civil War 1861-1865 and slavery history.

There are also a lot of letters and diaries about how it was in the war, this site is growing all the time.
 

Unofficial USAF HH43B/F "Pedro" Crash Rescue - Air Rescue
http://hh43b-husky.net/

AerialGunner.com

Wes Field's USAF Site dedicated to Spectre and Law Enforcement

MAJOR CURTIS DANIEL MILLER
TRIBUTE PAGE

Many veterans will have the need to file for Social Security Disability benefits. The Social Security and Disability Resource Center website (www.ssdrc.com) provides answers to questions concerning how to apply for disability, how to appeal a claim in the event of a denial, how to navigate the federal system, and how to avoid certain mistakes that are commonly made by applicants filing for either SSD (social security disability) or SSI (supplemental security income) benefits.

I'm proud to serve my country with nearly 23 years in the air force.  17 years as an enlisted medic on c-130's-doing med evac, and got my commission in 2006. i am working as an er nurse at nellis afb.  so, you say, why am i contacting you? i've been skating roller derby for just under two years and have been skating this last 8 months under the name "AERIAL SPECTRE" in honor of SPIRIT 03...Im a desert storm vet-deployed to saudi- as well as enduring and iraqi freedom with 5 deployments so far.  anyhoo, my husband--a retired c-5 elan guy and first sgt--suggested that i write to you and check out your online store.  i skate for the fabulous sin city rollergirls here in las vegas under the name Aerial Spectre and my number is ac130.  (cant use caps on the ac per rules).  i love to tell people why i chose the name and skate with pride.  i was recently drafted to the flying aces home team and am stoked for our season opener jan 28th
http://www.sincityrollergirls.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=108&Itemid=27

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