Air Force Now (1970s, 342-afn-7)

[Music] would you believe that the Air Force employs a full-time glass [Music] blower would you also believe that his name is vasili boroda the avionics laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base Ohio has a need for precision scientific glassware and Mr borof is on hand to custom make items requ ired for laboratory research [Music] sir there have been several things that have happened to you throughout your career in the Air Force is there any one particular thing that stands out in your mind as the most significant or the one that had the most meaning for you uh you remember or you probably don't remember you couldn't remember but it is a fact that back in World War II uh uh we had an all negro Fighter Group that I commanded and later a medium bombardment group uh the success that these two units met particularly The Fighter Group in combat in North Africa Sicily and Italy uh meant that uh the people who were in it would have a firm place in the United States Air Force uh I think without question this has to be so very very important that uh it's the most important thing that happened to me during my uh career Lieutenant General Benjamin O Davis Jr GR uate of West Point a pilot in 1942 commander of two distinguished all negro squadrons during World War II after 27 years of outstanding service General Davis retired as Deputy Commander strion we talked to General Davis about young ideas and how contemporary thinking will affect the air force of Tomorrow the armed services were going to have to listen to what the young people were saying realize that even though it might not in each case make very good sense and be uh possible of uh implementation realize that they've got a message in the overall and we should analyze that message and I just hope with you that what you say comes about I don't think that we and the military want to be considered as cast in a separate mode that's the way we were before World War II cast in a separate mode World War II made us a civilian Force regardless of what you want to say about it but I assure you that I identify much more with civilians today than my father did when he was in the service a good many uh decades ago the civilian and military communities both need competent dedicated men of experience to lead the way liutenant General Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr retired Air Force career officer and American [Music] Herby he's a cool car for both of us being in a service Herby is really fantastic I'm Airman First Class Marvin Reyes I'm a first class Patricia s Rees you both have the same name yes same last name shall we why oh why because from [Music] married well to be truthful with you I joined the Air Force because the draft was very close on me my brother was in it and he seemed to get a pretty good deal I uh work on uh avionic systems on the f111 the career field I'm in is really good because um it's interesting you get a lot of schooling a lot of education and background material for the work that we do we uh get the job done that we're assigned to [Music] do I'm an admin specialist working in uh the 414th fighter weapons Squadron I do a lot of typing on Air Force forms uh airman's performance reports well Publications I do that also and your Air Force filing before I came in I was a hairdresser I joined the Air Force because I wanted to Marv and I both used the commissary and the BX and I know uh if it wasn't for the commissary we couldn't make [Music] it like a typical housewife I I really get enjoyment out of uh cleaning because then after I clean I see how nice it looks we met at the 's club at keyler this friend of mine told me that there was a girl that wanted to meet me and I couldn't figure that out but it really turned out nicly [Music] our cat's name is stinky he's really a groovy cat since we bought our new stereo Marv and I are beginning to buy records which is nice because we didn't want to watch TV we can listen to the stereo I like to decorate Although our decorating isn't what some people call appropriate but we sort of like it this house is really dead without a poster on the wall it needs needs something to liveen place up Las Vegas to me means a lot of action a lot of doing things that you couldn't do in a lot of other states exitement is great in Las Vegas because there are not too many places that you can feel alive in if an individual isn't happy in what they're doing then they might as well forget everything and this is what so important to me because Marvin and I both enjoy doing things together by going and buying our psychedelic posters looking at them choosing them and picking a name like well when we named the car Herby and like when we got our cat stinky naming him it seems like most of the things we agree on I think mother and I are both grooving on life simply because we're happy in what we're doing [Music] possibly the most extensive collection of military patches and Insignia belongs to Staff Sergeant Robert link and last time I displayed my collection there was exactly 1,750 patches on display no two items alike of my favorites is a set of first metallic Wings ever made they date back to 1918 they before that they were used in cloth wings that were broaden on the left sleeve of their outer garments how did it all start sge the patch business actually started in 1917 when an outfit the 81st Infantry Division showed up in France with an likeness of a bobcat embroidering on the left sleeve at first the war department vigorously opposed the use of patches but soon after the Bobcat patch appeared approval was granted and they've been used ever since n Trang Airbase Republic of Vietnam graduation day at the Vietnamese Cadet training center with each set of wings pinned to a uniform the Vietnamese Air Force takes another step forward pilot training in the United States modern aircraft plus support from United States Air Force advisory teams is putting the Vietnamese Air Force in a position where it is becoming more capable of meeting the demands of War a [Music] [Applause] [Music] fourth floor e-ring the Pentagon 9:30 p.m. [Music] Sunday the president of the United States of America authorized by act of Congress March 3rd 1896 has awarded in the name of the Congress the Medal of [Music] Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the Call of [Music] Duty his consumate skill and selfless dedication to this significant Mission were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country [Music] these officers and non-commissioned officers have received the nation's highest honor Brigadier generals dittle Walker castle and Mitchell Colonels craw Johnson Kane and Kirby Lieutenant Colonels Hamilton Baker Howard Vance and Jackson Majors zemer Jad Chelly Wilkins bong Carswell Maguire Sho sail Davis luring fiser and death hson captains Lindberg peas Lindsay Walmsley willbanks and young first lieutenants rickenbacher getler matthys Loi Michael ET got and Knight second lieutenants Luke Bley sarnoski Morgan Hughes trer Kingsley fer and Meer non-commissioned officers Bosler Irwin Smith and math fourth floor [Music] e-ring the Pentagon it is still 9:30 p.m. Sunday [Music]