Pennsylvania Guardians - Summer 2010

Governor
Edward G. Rendell
Governor
Edward G. Rendell
The Adjutant General
Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright
Executive Editor/State Public Affairs Officer
Lt. Col. Christopher Cleaver
Managing Editor
Sgt. Matthew E. Jones
State Public Affairs Staff
Maj. Cory Angell
Capt. Jay Ostrich
Staff Sgt. Ted Nichols
Sgt. Damian Smith
Joan Nissley
The Adjutant General
Maj. Gen.
Jessica L. Wright
State Public Affairs Office
Pennsylvania National Guard
Fort Indiantown Gap
Building 8-41
Annville, PA 17003
www.dmva.state.pa.us
Bob Ulin, Publisher
Marie Lundstrom, Editor
Gloria Schein, Graphic Artist
Chris Kersbergen & Darrell George, Advertising Sales
Toll Free: (866) 562-9300
Fax: (907) 562-9311
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This unofficial magazine is an authorized
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National Guard. Contents of the magazine are
not necessarily the official view of, or
endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the
Department of Defense, Department of the
Army and/or the Air Force or the Pennsylvania
National Guard. The appearance of advertising
in this publication does not constitute
Features:
Divisions unite for National Guard Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1/110th Infantry rolls on with mission after close call in Paktya . . . . . . . . . 6
Fort Indiantown Gap hosts first All-Guard Sniper Tryouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
193rd completes Operation Unified Response mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
109th Field Artillery is right on target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Pennsylvania Airman chosen for Tops In Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
When the commonwealth calls: extending a helping hand . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Officer Candidate School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Recruit Sustainment Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
VFW Eagle Award given to Stryker Soldier for service in Iraq . . . . . . . . . . 25
‘Facilitating’ a historic era of construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Brushes with greatness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Departments:
From The Adjutant General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Keystone Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Curator’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
www.dmva.state.pa.us
endorsement by the State of Pennsylvania,
Pennsylvania National Guard, DoD, AQP
Publishing Inc., the Department of the Army
and/or the Air Force or the publisher of this
magazine of the firms, products or services
advertised.
Pennsylvania Guardians magazine is
published by the Pennsylvania National Guard
to keep its members, the Guard command and
ON THE COVER: Hurricane Agnes
pummeled Pennsylvania and caused
massive flooding in the summer of 1972.
On top, Guardsmen patrol the west shore
of Harrisburg after the Susquehanna River
buried the surrounding shoreline. In the
middle, Guardsmen help pile sandbags
along the Susquehanna. On bottom, an
aerial view of Wilkes-Barre after the river
rose 18 feet above flood level.
Photo illustration: Sgt. Matt Jones
public officials, better informed on the issues
and events affecting the Pennsylvania
National Guard.
Editorial content is edited, prepared and
provided by the Office of Public Affairs, JFHQ-
PA. All photographs and graphic devices are
copyrighted to the Pennsylvania National
Guard, unless otherwise indicated.
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 1

FROM THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
The nature of communications is ever changing. The Pennsylvania National Guard and
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs have been taking steps to modernize the way we
communicate within our organizations and with the public.
People are increasingly looking to the Internet as their primary source of news and
information. Social media allows us to enhance our communication efforts 24 hours a day,
seven days a week through conversations and connections with Pennsylvania’s service
Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright
members, veterans, families and citizens.
On April 1, I posted my first “tweet” as the commander of the Pennsylvania National Guard. The DMVA and the
Pennsylvania Guard are also using Twitter to communicate.
Additionally, it is now possible for friends, family, fans and followers of the Pennsylvania National Guard to view PNG
photos on Flickr and videos on YouTube. Our Facebook page helps tie those programs together and acts as a host for
discussions about current Guard events.
Join Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright, the
Pennsylvania National Guard, and the Department
of Military and Veterans Affairs online.
PA National Guard:
Twitter – www.twitter.com/panationalguard
Facebook – www.facebook.com/panationalguard
Flickr – www.flickr.com/panationalguard
YouTube – www.youtube.com/panationalguard
DMVA:
Twitter – www.twitter.com/padmva
Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright:
Twitter – www.twitter.com/tagpng
Join us for the next Virtual Town Hall, scheduled for Tuesday,
June 22, 2010, from 3 to 4 p.m. at www.dmva.state.pa.us.
By Maj. Cory Angell and Sgt. Doug Roles
Leaders of the U.S. Army’s eight National Guard divisions
gathered at Fort Indiantown Gap Jan. 30 to discuss the way ahead
for the Citizen-Soldier force as it balances the dual missions of
state emergency preparedness and committing troops to global
contingency operations.
Commanders also reviewed the scheduling of recurring
Guard training exercises in foreign countries during the 2010
Division Commanders Conference, hosted by Pennsylvania’s
28th Infantry Division. The annual get-together allows
commanding generals to build cooperation by sharing insight
into Guard capabilities.
“The purpose is to continue the positive relationship between
the eight divisions so we have unity of effort,” said Maj. Gen.
Randall Marchi, 28th ID commander. “Each state and each
division has been very busy over the last year.”
National Guard Bureau officials talked at length with Guard
commanders about the new Domestic All-Hazards Response
DMVA employees, PNG troops, family, friends and
members of the general public also had an opportunity to
interact with senior staff and me at our first online Virtual
Town Hall March 30.
This is an exciting new time for the Department of
Military and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Pennsylvania
National Guard. Technology is helping us to reach a
broader audience, connect more easily with the public,
and be more responsive to their questions. Please join us.
Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright, PAARNG
The Adjutant General
Divisions unite for National Guard conference
Team mission. The DART mission designates two Guard divisions,
every two years, as planners and command-and-control in the
event of an emergency in the United States.
DART planning helps Guard leaders know what military
resources are available in one state to assist with emergency
relief in another. Marchi said a state’s adjutant general decides
what state resources are available.
“The adjutants general of the affected states request the
assistance,” Marchi said, adding that the AG of the state
receiving the request for aid would authorize the movement
of resources.
As one of the first divisions to take on the DART mission, the
28th will have the task of building standard operating procedures
that succeeding DART mission holders will use.
New York’s 42nd Infantry Division is slated to take over the
DART mission in October. The east mission encompasses 26
states and two U.S. territories.
(Continued on page 4)
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 3

Divisions unite for National Guard conference (Continued from page 3)
Guard Bureau has already established
the east and west, 22-man DART planning
teams, composed of Army Guard and Air
Guard personnel.
“If an event happens east of the
Mississippi, the primary division is the 28th,”
said Col. Hank Amato, Army National
Guard chief of operations division. “Our
intent is to have a primary division east
and west of the Mississippi.”
“When it’s needed, we have access
sooner because we know who is available
sooner,” said Brig. Gen. Daniel Nelan,
special assistant to the Department of
Defense, Army National Guard.
Officials said DART would impact
the planning of state level emergency
management agency officials in a
positive way.
Nelan told the gathering of general
officers that it’s important to remember
“what DART is and what it is not.”
“It isn’t something that’s going to come
into your state uninvited,” Nelan said.
Maj. Gen. Wayne Pierson, commander
of the Kansas National Guard, concurred,
saying a state’s AG is the one “to pull the
trigger” on DART.
“The DART does not come in to your
state and take over,” he said. “The DART
comes in to say, ‘OK, adjutant general,
you asked for help, we’re available.’”
“If you have a robust state with robust
assets, that’s fine; this is just another asset,”
Marchi said.
DART was a major focus of the
conference, but the meeting also provided
a chance to synchronize the availability of
divisional assets across the Army National
Guard. Officials discussed the need to
fill warrant officer slots in military
intelligence units and aviation units but
said much progress has been made in
updating equipment.
“Although modernization of specific
equipment, such as truck and helicopter
4 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2010
Leaders of the eight divisions in the National Guard met at Fort Indiantown Gap Jan. 30 to talk about
issues common to the division commands and the way ahead for the future.
fleets, remains a long-term challenge, for
the past two fiscal years the Army National
Guard has received $10 billion of new
equipment,” said Col. Michael Fortune,
Guard Bureau’s chief of the material
programs division.
Col. Mark Strong, chief of force
management division at the National
Guard Bureau, presented an overview of
the new division headquarters structure
that was approved by the Headquarters
Department of the Army Jan. 11, 2010.
“The Army did a complete relook of
every single organization type to gain
efficiencies and pay down some personnel
bills in the process,” said Strong.
The new Division 9.1 design headquarters
will convert from a three-unit
organization with three separate unit
identifier codes, including the division
tactical action center and special troops
battalion, to one with only one UIC, the
division headquarters. Although there
will be 50 percent fewer tactical wheeled
vehicles, the new division headquarters
Leaders of the U.S. Army’s
eight National Guard divisions gathered
at Fort Indiantown Gap Jan. 30
to discuss the way ahead for the Citizen-Soldier force
as it balances the dual missions of
state emergency preparedness and
committing troops to the global contingency operations.
will maintain its full mobility and will
modernize much of its communications
equipment, Strong said. The new division
HQ will also lose about 100 personnel
spaces but will gain 31 new military
occupational specialties.
“So there may be a need for about
128 of the 730 total division Soldiers to
reclassify or retrain for new MOSs,”
Strong said.
Additional division capabilities will
include knowledge management, red team,
electronic warfare, information operations,
civil affairs, personnel recovery and
others. The 35th ID has already been
converted, while conversion of the 34th
and 40th Divisions will take effect in
FY 10. Conversion of the 28th, 38th and
42nd Divisions takes effect in FY 11, and
the 29th and 36th Division’s conversions
will occur in FY 12, said Strong.
Deployments of division headquarters
were also discussed at the council
meeting. Nelan presented the current
deployment plan or “patch chart” to the
commanders, describing the requirements
for division headquarters to deploy to
support Operation Iraqi Freedom,
Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring
Freedom and Kosovo Force support.
Unit deployment selections are determined
based on a variety of factors
including their “dwell time” or time they
have been at home station between
deployments, their personnel availability
based on current unit status reporting,
and training and equipment levels.
Division headquarters will not normally
be deployable, said Nelan, if their dwell

time is less than 24 months, if they have a
brigade combat team or if more than 50
percent of the state’s forces are deployed.
Nelan was quick to point out that there
are exceptions to these rules that are
made on a case-by-case basis.
Additionally, units currently assigned
the DART mission will not be deployable
to enable them to respond if needed. The
patch chart showed the deployment needs
over the next five fiscal years and that all
of the division headquarters are either
already slated or are available for some
type of deployment in their futures.
Fort Indiantown Gap installation
commander Lt. Col. Samuel Hayes briefed
the visiting generals and command
sergeants major on the training assets of
the central Pennsylvania post.
Hayes reported that 2,100 Soldiers,
technicians, state employers and contractors
work at the post on a daily
basis. Fort Indiantown Gap’s National
Guard Training Center is one of the
busiest in the country and boasts over
137,000 all-service users in fiscal year 08.
Hayes described the installation’s many
ranges, training sites and very busy airfield
– the heliport is the second largest
in the nation, behind Fort Rucker’s
flight school – and made an obvious
pitch to entice the divisions to use the
Gap training center.
“It’s convenient for you to come to
FIG for training,” said Hayes. “You’ll find
we are a very unit-friendly training center.
If you need it, you can get it here.”
The Gap’s new 1,500-meter machine
gun and .50-caliber sniper ranges, the very
challenging Infantry Squad Battle Course
and the soon-to-open live-fire breach
facility offering dynamic entry using
explosives, shotguns and other breaching
tools are among many of the facility’s
state-of-the-art training sites on post.
The post also provides numerous simulations
including a connex village that will
be converted for sub-munitions live fire
and a large battle command training
center that supported the 56th Stryker
Brigade Combat Team’s Warfighter
exercise just prior to their deployment to
Iraq last year.
“Fort Indiantown Gap was the fourth
busiest National Guard Training center in
training year 2009,” Hayes said, adding
that the Gap’s Muir Airfield is the sixth
busiest airfield in the state.
New facilities at Fort Indiantown Gap
include a combined arms collective
training facility, an urban assault course,
a live-fire shoot house and two new
machine gun ranges.
Brig. Gen. Daniel Nelan, special assistant to the Department of Defense, Army National Guard, talks to
division leaders about the issues they face in their commands.
“We were very proud to host this
conference,” Marchi said. “This conference
has enabled us all to exchange ideas,
identify challenges, and discuss resolutions
we face as division commanders in the
National Guard through the perspective
and experience of leaders from eight
great divisions and states as we move
forward and better serve our states and
our nation.”
The next Commanders’ Council
meeting will be in late May in New York
City and will be hosted by the 42nd
Infantry Division. ❖
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 5

By Sgt. Tom Bourke
Piloting the 35,000-pound Mine Resistant Ambush Protected
vehicle up a creek bed embankment, Pfc. Matthew Randall’s
pulse raced as the five-truck convoy headed back toward Forward
Operating Base Gardez April 8. Minutes earlier, his unit had
received mortar fire while on a mission in Afghanistan’s
Zormat district.
Earlier in the day, while inspecting a school being built in
the district, a pillar of smoke and debris engulfed his MRAP as
an improvised explosive device detonated beneath the 10,000
pound mine roller attached to the front of his vehicle. The mine
roller, which resembles a cement roller, was torn apart as pieces
flew a hundred feet in the air.
“As soon as the blast hit, I felt like I was floating,” said Randall,
of Jamestown, Pa. “I kept the throttle down and pushed forward
until I saw sunlight streaking through the cloud of smoke.”
As a member of Provincial Reconstruction Team Paktya,
Randall and the rest of First Platoon, Charlie Company, 1/110th
Infantry, deployed from their headquarters in Connellsville, Pa.,
6 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2010
Provincial Provincial
Reconstruction
Reconstruction
Team Team Paktya’s Paktya’s mine mine
roller roller functioned functioned as
designed on a
recent mission in
Zormat province,
Afghanistan, by
absorbing the blast
of an improvised
explosive device. device.
Members Members of the the
team team went went to the the
district district in early early April April
to inspect inspect a school school
being being built there. there.
Photo: Photo: 1st 1st Lt. Michael Michael
Bromley Bromley
to Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush Mountains in early March.
The unit has been conducting mounted combat patrols in
Paktya Province nearly every day since.
The PRT mission is to secure the populace and connect
the government to its people through assisting the Afghans with
governance, development, security and agriculture. The PRT
has approximately 30 ongoing development projects at any one
time designed to help the Afghans rebuild their infrastructure.
Roads, schools, clinics, district centers and other structures
are all requested, prioritized and built by Afghans for Afghans,
under the guidance and funding of the PRT and its government
partners.
“The mission to see this particular school was vital,” said
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chuck Douglass, commander of the
PRT. “The area where this school is being built has little to no
infrastructure or governance by the Afghan government.
Getting this school established is a step toward connecting these
people to their elected government that is here to help them.”

▲
A member of Provincial Reconstruction Team
Paktya holds shrapnel from a mortar round that
had just impacted near the team during an April
mission in Afghanistan’s Zormat province.
As the security element for the Air
Force and civilian civil engineers, the unit
embarked on a mission the morning of
April 8 to inspect construction progress at
a primary school. Shortly after arriving at
the walled compound, Sgt. Sam Wills, of
Somerset, Pa., observed frantic activity
among the local populace.
“I saw people running around while
men herded the women and children away
from us,” said Wills, who was up in the
gun turret of the fourth MRAP manning
the M-2 .50-caliber machine gun. “The
first mortar impacted less than 100 meters
from my vehicle. They must have been a
skilled mortar team to get their first shot
so close.”
Then Wills saw a plume of smoke as
the enemy launched a second mortar
round from a dry stream bed. Luckily for
the PRT, the second mortar round failed
to detonate on impact. Responding
quickly, the Soldiers in the MRAP gun
turrets returned fire with their automatic
weapons as the vehicles and dismounted
troops got on line and moved to assault
the enemy position.
As the Soldiers advanced, the enemy
retreated without causing any casualties.
“At that point, we thought the action was
over,” said Sgt. George Blouse, of York,
Pa. “We got the vehicles back on the road
and started heading home.”
Blouse manned the M-240B machine
gun in the lead MRAP driven by Randall.
Standing in the turret, he was in the most
vulnerable position as the IED destroyed
the mine roller on the first vehicle.
“In an instant, everything went black,
and I felt the concussion of the blast,” he
said. “Then, everyone started yelling
over the radio to keep moving and push
through the kill zone. That’s when we
started to receive small arms fire.”
Once again, Blouse and the other
gunners returned fire as the other MRAPs
“circled the wagons” around the damaged
vehicle, which had moved several hundred
yards out of the kill zone. In the distance,
the Soldiers spotted an individual videotaping
the incident and several local men
dancing in celebration of the attack.
“They may have been dancing, but the
victory was ours because no one was hurt
in either attack,” Blouse said. “The mine
roller equipment did its job and probably
saved my life. Also, the guys’ training
kicked in and they reacted quickly to
danger.” ❖
Members of Provincial Reconstruction Team Paktya went to Afghanistan’s Zormat district in early April
to inspect a school being built there. While doing a quality check of the school’s construction, the PRT
was attacked by nearby insurgents. The attack was unsuccessful, as no one was injured, and the
team returned safely to Forward Operating Base Gardez. Photo: 1st Lt. Michael Bromley
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 7

Fog envelops the obstacle course at Fort Indiantown Gap before the start of the first All-Guard Sniper
Tryouts. In addition to the obstacle course, the snipers participated in pistol, road-march, camouflage
and rifle competitions. Photo: Pfc. Chris Kuehner
By Pfc. Ashley E. Heckard
Before the first rays of sunlight peeked
over the edge of Second Mountain, the
spring birds were just waking up and the
participants of the first All-Guard Sniper
Tryouts were suited up and ready to move.
Ten marksmen from across the United
States competed at Fort Indiantown Gap
in March for an eight-man sniper team.
The participants were Sgt. 1st Class
Shawn W. Cheney, Swanton, Vt.; Staff Sgt.
Jason Grammer, Little Rock, Ark.; Staff
Sgt. Jeffrey R. Haskin, Cabot, Ark.; Staff
Sgt. Matthew H. Lynch, Shippensburg, Pa.;
Staff Sgt. Levi D. Hamby and Sgt. Joe P.
Thomas, both of Pendleton, Ore.; Sgt.
Joseph C. McGowan Jr., Carlisle, Pa.;
Sgt. Jonathan H. Geib, Mesa, Ariz.; Spc.
Evan A. Reis-Green, Wales, Wis.; and
Spc. Luke A. Roseen, Bozeman, Mont.
“We sent invitations throughout the
country, inviting snipers to compete in a
8 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2010
competition that has become a training
event, to fill eight slots,” said the noncommissioned
officer in charge of the
event, Staff Sgt. Brandon House,
Russellville, Ark. “The two extra participants
will be designated as alternates
when we travel to multiple competitions
internationally and locally.”
House, along with fellow instructors
Sgt. 1st Class Jon D. Plummer and Staff
Sgt. Shannon M. O’Keefe, guided the
competitors through the exercises during
the week. House was in charge of training,
supervising and ultimately choosing the
snipers for the two four-man units.
The first day was spent in-processing
and receiving briefings about the week
ahead. Day two began early on a rigorous
obstacle course. The contestants were
split into teams of two. Any obstacle that
was not properly completed was a oneminute
penalty. Cheney and McGowan
Competitors in the first All-Guard Sniper Tryouts dress in ghillie suits as
part of the competition at Fort Indiantown Gap. Photo: Pfc. Ashley Heckard
Sgt. Joseph C. McGowan Jr., 2/112th Infantry,
and other competitors perform the roadmarch
portion of the tryouts at Fort
Indiantown Gap. McGowan finished the mountainous
7.8 mile march in just over two hours.
Photo: Pfc. Ashley Heckard

Staff Sgt. Matthew H. Lynch of the
2/112th Infantry fires a 9 mm Beretta at
Fort Indiantown Gap. Lynch was one of two
Pennsylvania National Guard members competing
in the tryouts. Photo: Pfc. Chris Kuehner
led the way with a time of six minutes, 34
seconds, a score of 100 points, and more
than one minute faster than the secondplace
team.
With the obstacle course behind them,
a 15-minute drive up the mountain to
Range 37 lay before the participants.
A 9 mm Beretta shooting range would be
the next trial for the snipers to pass.
Thirty markers were set up on the range.
Ten red, 10 blue and 10 yellow markers
each represented a different shooting
position – standing, kneeling and prone.
Certain markers were marked with a
white paper to indicate a hostage.
Shooters lost five points for a hostage hit.
Geib took first place with 19 hits, one
hostage and a time of 2:06, a score of 52.
Day three began with a grueling
7.8 mile road march up the same mountain
back to Range 37 with a two-hour
time limit. Anyone over the time allotted
received zero points. With a time of
1:49:23, Cheney led with a perfect score
of 100.
With barely a chance to recover,
the participants’ next assignment was the
UKD, or unknown distance. First-round
shots were worth 10 points, second round,
five. With a score of 95 out of 100,
Grammer took the lead in the event.
With the scores tallied up, the contestants
traveled down to Range 36 to fire the
.50-caliber sniper weapon system at
their leisure.
Day four, the last day of the training,
started with the stalk exercise. This was
another pass-or-fail exercise where the
snipers’ ability to camouflage themselves
was tested. From the starting point, they
moved tactically to the destination determined
by a given set of grid coordinates,
fired a blank round into the vehicle at
the end, and proceeded back to the starting
point. Roseen, Thomas, Grammer,
and Haskin achieved the goal under the
three-hour time limit.
Cold-Bore Shooting was the final
event. Reis-Green described it as a
unique challenge. “Basically your first
shot out of the barrel doesn’t go where
your normal groups do,” he said “It is
kind of hard to hit the target sometimes.
If you have well-established data for your
particular rifle, then you can kind of
forecast where it’s going to go.”
The first round was worth 50 points
and the second round 25. Lynch and
Reis-Green ended the event with a tie, a
perfect score of 75.
The scores were then tallied up.
First place was Thomas with 410 points,
second was Haskin with 390, third was
Grammer with 377, fourth was Reis-Green
with 373, fifth was Cheney with 354, sixth
was Geib with 301, seventh was Roseen
with 283, and eighth was Lynch with 273.
The alternates were McGowan with 256
points and Hamby with 182 points.
“We were expecting 30 participants
but only got 10,” said Plummer, a sniper
school instructor at the Marksmanship
Training Center in Little Rock, Ark.
“It was the first time we put this event
together. For such short notice, I think it
went really well,” he said.
The instructors and participants hope
to continue this new event for years to
come. There will be more events, and it
will be much more organized for next
year, according to Plummer.
National Guard snipers looking for
real competition can be sure to find it at
the All-Guard Sniper Tryouts. With only
eight slots to fill on the official teams, it
is a meticulous event to determine the
best of the best. ❖
Competitors look downrange on the morning of
March 23 at Fort Indiantown Gap.
Photo: Pfc. Ashley Heckard
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 9

Transmission Accomplished:
193rd completesOperation
Unified Responsemission
By Airman 1st Class Claire Behney
Editor’s note: The individuals interviewed for the story asked
to be identified only by first names due to the sensitive nature of
the 193rd Special Operation Wing’s mission.
When the Haitians’ world shook, the 193rd Special Operations
Wing responded.
After the magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastated southern
Haiti, three aircraft and more than 50 Airmen of the 193rd
deployed on a humanitarian mission in support of Operation
Unified Response.
Two C-130J Slicks and one EC-130J Commando Solo
deployed in support of this mission. Staged outside the devastation
area, the aircraft flew for a combined total of 508.7 flying
hours while deployed from Jan. 14 to March 15.
“Our first flight in there (Haiti) was just a few days after it
happened, so we were pretty much there at the forefront when
everything first started,” said Matthew, a C-130J pilot.
The C-130Js delivered relief supplies to the people of Haiti.
The aircraft loaded supplies at their staged location and flew
into the local airport of Haiti. Once the aircraft landed, supplies
were unloaded, and aircraft and crew then departed to reload
and continue with the cycle. This cycle led to the delivery of
118.5 tons of cargo.
“We took supplies ranging from water to Humvees to
extension cords, as well as some personnel,” said Matthew, who
was deployed for three weeks in support of Operation Unified
Response. “Over the whole trip we probably hauled about 250
Americans back to the States.”
Matthew said the Americans he helped transport had a great
appreciation for what the Wing was doing.
“They said that it was pretty backed up getting out of Haiti
and that they waited in line for hours,” said Matthew. “Some
people were even turned away and told to come back at a later
date, so they were thankful for the ride.”
While the mission of the C-130Js was to transport supplies
and personnel, the mission of the Commando Solo was all about
information transmission.
The Commando Solo’s mission was to fly over the devastation
area broadcasting information regarding relief efforts to the
people of Haiti through FM and AM radio frequencies.
“We did what’s called a real-time relay,” said Aaron, an
airborne communications system operator. “Voice of America
broadcasts out of the United States from multiple locations,
primarily the east coast and southeast coast of the U.S.
We receive it on the airplane and then rebroadcast it on the
different frequencies.”
Commando Solo broadcast the VOA messages on five
different frequencies in French Creole, the native language of
Haiti, Aaron said.
The Haitian government had oversight of the messages that
were broadcast to their people. The messages primarily regarded
health concerns, information on where to find water and noninterference
messages, which advised Haitians not to interfere
with the help coming to them, said Aaron.
Airmen of the Commando Solo’s electronic communication systems team
operate key pieces of equipment to provide informative messages to the
people of Haiti. The Commando Solo and its crew flew missions ranging
from five to 14 hours. Photo: Tech. Sgt. Victoria Meyer
This mission marks the first time the Commando Solo
provided direct support of humanitarian aid.
“It’s a great opportunity to get in and do what we can to
help since it is a very versatile platform as far as what we are
capable of doing,” said Aaron. “It’s also a great testament to
the unit that we are able to go down there and help the people
out when they need it.”
The Solo’s milestone of involvement had a significant impact
in the Operation Unified Response mission.
“Radio had a huge impact; it was the only way they were
getting information,” Aaron said. “I think it’s very important
that we were up there doing what we were doing just to get some
information to the people so they would know what to do, what
to expect and where to go to get what they need to survive.”
Whether supplies were being delivered or information
was being broadcast, the Wing worked diligently to answer the
call and provide help to the people of Haiti by bringing its
unique capabilities to the relief efforts of Operation Unified
Response. ❖
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 11

109th Field Artillery is right on target
By Lt. Col. Chris Cleaver
A Pennsylvania field artillery battalion is collecting awards
for the state’s National Guard the way Michael Phelps won gold
medals for the U.S. Olympic team.
The 1st Battalion, 109th Field Artillery, headquartered in
Wilkes-Barre, Pa., has won five prestigious awards in the last
year – a remarkable achievement. The Hamilton Award for best
field artillery battery in the National Guard, the General Douglas
MacArthur Leadership Award for top company grade officer
(two recipients), the Brig. Gen. William Bilo Leadership Award
for top field artillery officer in the National Guard, and
Pennsylvania Army National Guard Soldier of the Year – all
were awards bestowed on the 109th and its Soldiers.
Battalion commander Lt. Col. Kevin Miller points to several
reasons the 109th has been so successful. “We are a close-knit
organization with tremendous leadership and a community that
backs us 100 percent in everything we do.”
Miller further boils it down to the trinity of community,
geography and Soldiers. “We have been part of the Wyoming
Valley for nearly 235 years, and generation after generation has
served in our ranks with pride.”
Spc. Jonathan Hontz is the Pennsylvania National Guard’s
2009 Soldier of the Year. The 23-year-old combat medic’s greatgrandfather
served in the 109th.
When asked about his accomplishment, Hontz simply stated,
“I like what I do, and I do my best.” His efforts have pushed
him to the top of one the largest enlisted forces in the nation.
Capt. Joseph Ruotolo is a two-tour combat veteran and the
commander of the Nanticoke-based Battery B. His father
commanded the battalion from 1994 to 1996. Ruotolo recently
received the 2009 MacArthur Award – an award that goes to
the top 26 company grade officers in the entire Army, both active
and reserve component. This makes back-to-back MacArthur
Awards for the battalion. Capt. Cliff Morales, current
Headquarters Battery commander and full-time training officer
for the battalion, received the 2008 award last year.
Members of B Battery calibrate the M777A2 in Iraq in March
2009, ensuring the weapon’s accuracy and “dusting off the
cobwebs” by familiarizing themselves with the Howitzer.
Photo: Capt. Ed Shank
“When you look at the accomplishments of the other
recipients, it is very humbling to be associated with those officers,
said Ruotolo.
The battalion commander bridges the gap of success from
community to Soldiers with the emphasis on geography.
The bridge is as much literal as it is figurative. Crossing the
Susquehanna River and connecting several northeastern
Pennsylvania communities near its units is the 109th Field
Artillery Bridge. “No unit is more than 10 minutes travel from
the others,” said Miller. “This helps us in everything we do,
from calling troops out for state active duty, to resourcing our
forces to go to war to perhaps most importantly, building the
camaraderie and esprit de corps of our Soldiers, families and
units.” The battalion is composed of four units: Headquarters
Battery in Wilkes-Barre; Battery A in Plymouth; Battery B in
Nanticoke; and Company G, 228th Support Battalion, also in
Wilkes-Barre.
Rounding out Miller’s trinity of success is the unit’s enlisted
force. “Our staff sergeants manage operations that officers
20 years ago would control, and when you are talking about
hurling a 100-pound projectile 18 miles and hitting a target
within 50 meters of where you’re aiming, that says volumes
about the abilities and character of these leaders,” said Miller.
Ruotolo attributes his MacArthur Award directly to his
enlisted members. “Awards are largely the recognition of the
unit collectively, and this award is the direct reflection on the
tremendous NCO corps within this battery. The field artillery
staff sergeant is the one who makes the call on whether or not we
are lethal on the battlefield – without them there is no success.”
Capt. Neil Ravitz, the recent recipient of the Bilo Award,
sums it up best. “The Soldiers of this battalion are simply
fantastic people – salt of the earth – dedicated to the principles
of hard work, family and service. And although it was a great
honor to be recognized, as a leader you can only take so much
credit for the great work your Soldiers do.” ❖
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 13

By Staff Sgt. Ivyann Castillo and Capt. Dicie Hritz
When asked during the panel interview
for Tops in Blue how she would handle
a diva, Airman 1st Class Lisa Weiss
answered, “Flatter the diva.”
“Doesn’t that get old?” they asked.
“For me, yes. But for the diva, no,”
she replied.
“They actually laughed at my response,”
said Weiss, a Pennsylvania Air Guardsman,
who was ultimately chosen for one of 35
slots on the 2010 Tops in Blue tour, which
began in May.
A food services technician with the
171st Mission Support Flight, Weiss was
one of 74 contestants in the Air Force
Worldwide Talent Search held at Lackland
Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas,
Jan 17-23.
They were broken up into six groups,
and Weiss was assigned to a group of 11
people for the entire week.
They were given a schedule of activities
filled with auditions, performances and
stage support, but Weiss and her group
were challenged with constant lastminute
changes.
“They told us they will keep us on
crazy sleep schedules to get us used to life
on the road,” she said. “It’s not the show
that’s tiring – that actually gives you energy
– it’s the travel, set up and tear-down of
the sets that wears you out.”
Weiss began her experience watching
a Tops in Blue performance and realizing
“just how big of a deal this is.” Her excitement
grew even more.
“My vocal audition went well. They
had me sing just about every song. Then
they checked my range with a keyboard
and did ear training exercises like
harmonizing and intervals,” said Weiss.
“Finally, I had to take the microphone
and lip sync to Lady Gaga’s ‘Just Dance.’”
But Weiss had more to offer than just
her outstanding vocal skills. She can also
play the saxophone.
“We did basic keyboard skills, such as
scales and music theory knowledge; then
they had me play the saxophone. I sight
read – thank you Mr. Faldo, my high
school band teacher, for preparing me –
played something from memory and
Airman 1st Class Weiss is having a good time with her Alpha Team group members posing in a silly
photo during the Air Force World Wide Talent Show Jan. 17-23 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
Photo: 1st Lt. John Early
Airman 1st Class Lisa Weiss sings “Heart of the
Matter” with a live band in front of an audience
during one of her vocal competitions during the
Air Force World Wide Talent Show Jan. 17-23 at
the Bob Hope Theater at Lackland Air Force
Base, Texas. Photo: Maj. Chris Burch
displayed some dynamics and range
abilities,” said Weiss, describing her
instrument audition.
After these individual events, Weiss
still had to rehearse performances with
her group. They did skits, a capella
singing, dance routines, singing with a
band and gave a final performance at the
end of the week with costumes, hair and
makeup.
Weiss and her group also participated
in a Tops in Blue Give Back performance
singing an a capella number at the Child
Development Center at Lackland for
four pre-school classes.
The week ended with an awards
banquet where Tops in Blue performed,
and Weiss was selected to sing in the choir.
Weiss said the experience exceeded
her expectations. “I was impressed with the
level of talent in the Air Force and how
much time and emphasis they put into
production value,” she said. “It is a worldclass
production taken very seriously.”
“Going into this competition, I
thought it was just a singing contest, but
I was amazed at how much more was
involved.”
Weiss said she learned that Tops in
Blue is all about entertaining others.
“You are here as an ambassador for the
Air Force,” said Weiss. “Music touches
people’s lives ... it brings them hope.” ❖
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 15

When the commonwealth calls:
extending a helping hand
By Cathryn Mahoney
The Pennsylvania National Guard has
devoted so much time and energy into
serving America overseas it might be easy
to overlook that its citizen-Soldiers and
Airmen have long been responsible for
coming to the aid of the commonwealth.
Since 1875, the very first time that
Keystone Guardsmen were activated for
a State Active Duty mission, the
Pennsylvania National Guard has participated
in more than 120 missions to help
protect and serve the people of this
state. Some missions, particularly more
recent ones, may seem more familiar to
Pennsylvania citizens than others.
During the snow storms of February
2010, for instance, Guardsmen blazed
through the harsh wind and snow to bring
food and water to those stranded in their
cars and homes. They joined with medical
crews to help those who could not make
it to the hospital on their own. By transporting
snowbound citizens to ambulances
and delivering vital medical supplies,
several lives may have been saved.
1905
Miners head down the slope in Hazleton, Pa., in 1905. Pennsylvania National Guardsmen
were on hand for several mine strikes in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Photo: National Archives
While this mission is still fairly fresh in the hearts and minds of commonwealth
citizens, especially for those people helped by the troops, there are
some missions that few might know about and which would surprise many.
State Active Duty missions can vary greatly, from searching for
kidnappers to searching for plane crash survivors; from providing security
to providing food and water. While the type of mission may change, the
goal of protecting and serving the public never does.
The following missions reveal a great deal about the flexibility of
National Guard members. Even while fighting a war or performing
peacekeeping missions in distant countries, the Pennsylvania National
Guard is always prepared to rally its citizen-Soldiers when the
commonwealth calls.
Striking ignites coal-mining industry,
Guardsmen help extinguish
The first recorded State Active Duty mission of the
Pennsylvania National Guard took place in 1875, during a time of
heavy civil unrest. This event was so incredible that it even reached
the silver screen in 1970. However, this story began long before
Guardsmen became involved.
In the 1860s and 70s, unrest was commonplace in the mining
industry. Coal mines and railroads were owned by large financial
syndicates that were very reluctant to give workers any rights.

The Workingmen’s Benevolent Association, the
primary union for miners, spent years fighting for
better wages for mine workers, and until 1875,
had, to a certain extent, succeeded.
In late 1874, the president of the Philadelphia
and Reading Railroads, Franklin Gowen, managed
to gain complete control over anthracite mines
in central and eastern Pennsylvania, thus destroying
all wage agreements the union had secured.
During this time, the coal workers were becoming
increasingly disgruntled, leading to the formation
of the Molly Maguires, an Irish band of miners
located in the coal region of Lackawanna,
Luzerne, Columbia, Schuylkill, Carbon and
Northumberland counties.
The Molly Maguires primarily focused on the
use of intimidation and violence to achieve their
goals, which caused Gowen to view them as a gang
of unruly workers who needed to be eliminated.
As tensions grew, Gowen made the mistake of
instituting a 20 percent pay cut for all coal operators
Pennsylvania National Guard
MISSIONS throughout history
Flood Duty
1936 Floods (March 17-30)
1940 Floods (March 31- April 11)
1950 Floods (Nov. 26-20)
1955 Hurricane Diane (Aug. 19-29)
1971 Floods (Sept. 14-16, Sept. 18-19, Sept. 20-26)
1972 Hurricane Agnes (June 22-Aug. 6)
1975 Hurricane Eloise (Sept. 26-Oct. 3)
1977 Johnstown Flood (Aug. 18)
1979 Susquehanna River Basin Flood (March 6-7)
1981 Oil City Flood (June 9-11)
1983 Operation High Water (Dec. 14-15)
1984 Operation Clearwater (March 29-May 15)
1984 Operation Rampage (Aug. 11-14)
1985 Hurricane Gloria (Sept. 27-30)
1985 Operation Overflow (Nov. 5-Dec. 13)
1986 Operation Pine Creek (May 30-June 14)
1996 Operation Blizzard/Meltdown 96 (Jan. 7-Feb. 13)
1996 Operation Flash Flood (June 19)
1996 Operation Thunder Head (July 19-31)
1996 Operation Tropical Deluge (Sept. 6-Oct. 24)
1999 McKean County Flood (Sept. 8)
1999 Tropical Storm Floyd (Sept. 16-20)
2002 Operation Angry Bear (May 28-29)
2004 Hurricane Isabel (Sept. 18-20)
2004 Operation Aqua Night (Sept. 17-30)
2006 Hurricane Katrina/Rita (Aug. 5-Sept. 5)
2006 Operation Wash Out (June 27-July 7)
2007 Operation Spring Fury (April 13-17)
Winter Storms
1956 Heavy Snows (Nov. 23-26)
1974 Snow Emergency (Dec. 1-10)
1978 Snow Emergency (Feb. 3-8)
1993 Operation Winter Storm 93 (March 13-20)
1994 Operation Winter Storm 94 (Jan. 1-31)
1994 Salt Hauling (Jan. 1-31)
1994 Ice Emergency (Feb. 1-28)
1994 Winter Storm (March 1-31)
1995 Operation White Christmas (Dec. 19-21)
1997 Operation Arctic Hammer (March 31-April 2)
1997 Polar Vortex (Dec. 5-6)
1999 Operation Ice Pack (Jan. 14-15)
1999 Severe Snow Storm (March 14)
2000 Operation White Hammer (Jan. 25-26)
2000 Operation Snow Bowl (Jan. 30-31)
2000 Operation Fizzle (Dec. 29-30)
2001 Operation March Lion (March 4-6)
2002 Operation Ice Melt (Dec. 11)
2007 Operation Winter Freeze I/II (Feb. 13-17)
Other
1973 Food Distribution (July 12-13)
1977 Energy Crisis (Jan. 26-Feb. 19)
1978 Indian Encampment (June 27-aug. 29)
1979 Three Mile Island Nuclear Crisis (March 30-April 5)
1986 Operation Haylift (Aug. 9-Sept. 2)
1994 Operation Rolling Fuel (Jan. 1-31)
1997 Operation Tioga Hazmit (Feb. 7)
1997 Operation Limerick (Oct. 10)
1999 Allentown Explosion (Feb. 19-20)
2000 Operation Mon Swello (Feb. 19-20)
2000 Operation Arbor (June 5-30)
2000 Water Transport (Nov. 22-23)
2002 Operation Shartlesville Shuttle (March 8-17)
2002 Water Trailer Support (Aug. 15-23)
2003 Operation Liberty Shield (March 20-24)
2003 TMI Exercise (April 22)
Strike Duty
1875 Mine Labor Strikes (June 3-14)
1877 Railroad Strikes (July 22-Aug. 10)
1891 Mine Labor Strikes (April 2-18)
1892 Mine Labor Strikes (July 10-28)
1894 Mine Labor Strikes (June 21-July 3)
1897 Mine Labor Strikes (July 11-Sept. 28)
1900 Anthracite Strikes (Sept. 22-oct. 29)
1902 Anthracite Strikes (July 30-Nov. 2)
1967 Trucker Strikes (Oct. 3-4, Oct. 7-8)
1970 Trucker Strikes (May 2-3, May 16-17)
1974 Trucker Strike (Feb. 1-10)
Security Operations
1970 Armory Security (Sept. 3-9)
1971 Armory Security (Aug. 24-25)
1972 Armory Security (May 10-14)
1972 Security Patrols (Dec. 17-18)
1977 United Nations (June 10-13)
1991 Gov. Casey 2nd Inaugural (Jan. 15)
1998 FTIG Security (Dec. 1-31)
1999 Governor’s Ball (Jan. 19-20)
2001 America Under Attack (Sept. 11-Nov. 3)
2003 Operation Clenched Fist (Nov. 3-June 4)
2004 Operation Clenched Fist II
(Dec. 22, 2003-Feb. 6, 2004)
2004 Operation Clenched Fist III (July 2-6)
1968
Two Pennsylvania National Guardsmen stand guard outside a shop in Pittsburgh in 1968
after Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered. Photo: PA National Guard Military Museum
Conference Support
1978 Adjutant Generals Association Conference
(May 5-11)
1978 National Association of State Directors of Veterans
Affairs Conference (Aug. 28-29)
1980 Governors’ Conference (Nov. 15-18)
2000 National Governor’s Association Conference
(July 5-12)
2000 Republican National Convention (July 5-Aug. 31)
2009 G-20 Conference (Sept. 17-26)
Civil Unrest/Riot Control
1922 Civil Unrest (July 20-27)
1968 Civil Unrest (April 6-13)
1969 Civil Unrest (July 22-28)
1972 Harrisburg Unrest (March 26-April 1)
1972 Civil Unrest (May 10-11)
1989 Camp Hill Prison Riot (Oct. 26-Nov. 3)
Drought Emergency
1991 Drought (July 24-May 1)
1995 Drought (Sept. 1-Dec. 8)
1998 Drought (Nov. 25-Jan. 1)
2000 Operation Provide Water (Sept. 28-Oct. 13)
2002 Mercer County Water Emergency (Nov. 4-8)
Airplane Crash
1925 Lost Aircraft (Oct. 6-9)
1966 Airplane Crash (May 9-10)
1994 United Flight 427 Crash (Sept. 8-17)
Fire Emergency
1966 Mine Fires (Nov. 24-Jan. 18)
1987 Operation Toxic Cloud (March 24)
1999 Tobyhanna Fire Support (Aug. 5-15)
Tornado
1985 Operation Touchdown (June 1-10)
1998 Operation Vortex Viper (June 4-15)
2003 Operation Lights Out (July 22)
Mine Disaster
1963 Mine Disaster (Aug. 23-27)
1982 Scranton Area Mine Collapse (May 24-25)
Kidnapping
1966 Manhunt for Kidnapper (May 18)
2000 Operation Abduction Quest (Oct. 28)
Oil Spill
1988 Operation Oil River (Jan. 4-13)
1990 Operation Buckeye (April 1-11)
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 17

Pennsylvania National Guardsmen help pile sandbags following Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
Photo: Hurricane Agnes After-Action Review
in the area. At the end of 1874, he put the pay cut into effect,
which was the last straw for miners.
On Jan. 1, 1875, the first strikes began, led by the Molly
Maguires. Gowen had little tolerance for unrest among workers,
so he led a campaign to snuff out every last striker. Along with
the police forces owned by the corporation, Gowen hired an
armed gang known as the Modocs, who were known for their
frequent skirmishes with the Molly Maguires. The Modocs, like
the Molly Maguires, preferred to use violence to get the job done,
which meant that many striking miners were beaten and shot.
As the fighting grew in intensity, Gowen resorted to hiring
an agent from the Pinkerton Detective Agency, James
McParlan, who infiltrated the Molly Maguires and later testified
against them in a massive trial that ended with many of the
Molly Maguires being convicted and executed. The close of the
trial meant the end of the striking as the majority of the Molly
Maguires had been either killed or forced to flee the area.
In the first recorded state active duty mission, the National
Guard was called in to assist with riot control and security following
a plea from the mayor of Scranton for help. They were needed
to protect the community and remaining mine workers from any
acts of retribution the Molly Maguires might have tried to commit.
Several weeks and a handful of skirmishes later, things had quieted
down enough that the National Guard was able to return home.
Guard goes on manhunt following central
Pennsylania kidnapping
In May 1966, Peggy Ann Bradnick was kidnapped by William
Diller Hollenbaugh, a criminally insane hermit from Shade Gap,
in Huntingdon County. Hollenbaugh had committed a series of
other crimes, including firing his rifle at a mother and infant,
shooting a man’s leg off, and shooting a woman in the hand and
then attempting to rape her, before he turned to kidnapping.
On the day of her kidnapping, Peggy Ann was returning
home from school with her five brothers and sisters, when
Hollenbaugh stepped out from behind brush cover toting a rifle,
and grabbed her. Her brother ran home to tell his parents what
happened. Peggy Ann’s father, Eugene Bradnick, immediately
went out to find her, but after several hours of fruitless
18 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2010
1972 1972
A Pennsylvania National Guardsman holds a
child in an area ravaged by Hurricane Agnes in
1972. Photo: Hurricane Agnes After-Action Review
searching, he went into town to notify police of her kidnapping.
A massive search commenced, with more than 1,000 federal,
state and local officials involved.
The National Guard was called in to assist with the manhunt.
They brought armored personnel carriers with them; however,
due to the rough conditions of the woods, they were ineffective,
so troops assisted with the search on foot.
After five days of searching, neither had been found and
hopes were dwindling. As one day drew to a close and daylight
began to fade, an FBI agent saw one of Hollenbaugh’s dogs and
followed it into the woods. The agent was caught off guard
when he ran into Hollenbaugh, who shot and killed him.
However, it was the break that the officials needed to find
Hollenbaugh’s hiding spot. Hollenbaugh took off with Peggy
Ann, but the search party knew his general location. Deciding
to wait until the light of morning to apprehend him, search
crews camped out for the night. Early the following morning,
Sheriff Francis Sharpe, who had spent the night sleeping in a
hunting lodge, was shot in the stomach by Hollenbaugh, who
was trying to steal the officer’s car.
Hollenbaugh then forced Sharpe, along with Peggy Ann,
into the sheriff’s vehicle. He ordered Sharpe to drive toward the
highway, but their way was blocked by a cattle gate. After
opening the gate, Sharpe yelled to some nearby officers that
Hollenbaugh was in the vehicle with him.
A short shootout commenced, with Hollenbaugh barely
escaping. The officers notified State Troopers of the situation
and they quickly closed in on the suspicious vehicle. In a last
ditch effort, Hollenbaugh fired on the officers. They returned
fire and Hollenbaugh was shot in the neck and killed. Peggy
Ann quickly exited the car after Hollenbaugh was shot and ran
into the arms of a bystander. She was hospitalized for
exhaustion, but soon recovered.
Floods of Guardsmen come to the rescue
after Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes hit the East Coast early in the summer of
1972. The largest contingent of Army and Air National Guard

troops in the history of the Pennsylvania
Guard were activated to help with relief
operations.
Troops were deployed for more than
two months to assist disaster relief crews
with evacuations, search and rescue,
clearing of debris, security, traffic control,
food and water distribution, and medical
care in 117 communities.
Rivers flooded, causing entire towns
to evacuate. Troops used Chinook and
Huey helicopters to transport people to
higher ground and bring medical supplies
to hospitals in the affected areas. Due to
the speed with which the storm hit, sandbagging
was attempted, but was not very
useful. Once the storm subsided, troops
and emergency officials worked to clear
up roads and damaged buildings. Several
cemeteries had been destroyed as well, so
efforts were put together to recover lost
bodies and caskets.
The storm resulted in $2.1 billion of
damage and 48 deaths. Parts of
Pennsylvania received up to 19 inches of
rain, destroying 68,000 homes and 3,000
businesses. It was the most damaging
storm Pennsylvania has ever experienced.
1989 Camp Hill Prison Riot
In October 1989, prisoners at Camp
Hill State Prison rioted against the staff
because of frustration over food quality,
inoperative showers, inadequate educational/vocational
opportunities, limited
law library privileges and overcrowding.
It began Oct. 25 with one inmate
attacking a guard as prisoners returned
1974
Pennsylvania Guardsmen escort a truck through an independent truckers’ blockade during a 1974
strike. Photo: PA National Guard Military Museum
from the exercise stockade. As other
inmates took notice of the situation, they
began to join in. Some 1,200 inmates
terrorized the guards, took hostages and
gained control over several buildings in
the compound. Police and correctional
1979
Personnel from the 28th Infantry Division
DIVARTY Task Force review the status of the
unit’s missions, equipment and personnel at
the task force headquarters at the Hershey
Armory. Photo: Three Mile Island Nuclear Incident
After-Action Review
emergency response team members put
together a large enough force that they
were able to regain control over the
prison. By that evening, inmates were
back in their cells. However, guards did
not listen when inmates threatened that
it would happen again.
Following a press conference Oct. 26,
in which the superintendent informed the
public that everything was under control,
prisoners unleashed an even larger
attack on the prison. Inmates set several
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 19

1979
President Jimmy Carter leaves Three Mile Island for
Middletown, Pa., April 1, 1979. Photo: National Archives
2001
2007
A Pennsylvania National Guardsman stands guard at Philadelphia
International Airport. PA Guard members were tasked with providing
security at airports and other locations following Sept. 11. Photo: PA
National Guard Military Museum
buildings on fire and as retired Maj. Jim Hazen of the State
Police recalled, “As I was going up Slate Hill Road, I looked
over to the left and the whole place was on fire.”
Inmates were successful with starting the first attack
because they caught officials off guard. The second attack was
successful because damages that had been sustained in the first
attack had not been fixed yet. This included doors not being
properly locked and cells not being properly secured. By the
next morning, the majority of the prison had been overrun.
State Police gathered two large assault teams that went
in and after almost an hour, managed to regain control.
Gov. Robert Casey activated the National Guard to assist with
increased security measures, to ensure that inmates would not
be able to attempt another attack. Guardsmen were placed
around the outer edges of the compound as an additional show
of force. Over 1,200 of the inmates were moved to other
facilities to relieve the overcrowding issue.
By the end of the rioting, 123 guards and inmates were injured,
and the prison suffered $17 million in damages. Many inmates
claimed that another attack was imminent, so extra security
remained on the premises for several months following the riots.
Overcrowding of the prison was the main reason for rioting.
At the time, there were over 2,600 inmates, while only 300
officers staffed the prison.
20 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2010
2009
Airmen from the 201st
RED HORSE Squadron
clean up a highway after
winter storms pummeled
the commonwealth on
the Valentine’s Day
weekend in 2007.
Photo: Robert Smith
Maj. Gen. Randall Marchi, Pennsylvania’s Joint Task Force Group of 20
commander, visits some of the 2,500 Pennsylvania National Guardsmen
tasked to support law enforcement agencies for the city of Pittsburgh,
host of the G-20 Summit Sept. 24-25, 2009. Photo: Master Sgt. Ann Young
9/11 Response, Operation Clenched Fist:
Following the devastating attacks of Sept. 11, Pennsylvania’s
National Guard was activated to assist with missions to New
York City, Washington, D.C., and Somerset, Pa.
Troops going to New York used Chinooks, Black Hawks and
Huey helicopters to transport tents, shelf-stable meals and
concrete barriers. Several units were also sent to Washington to
provide communications, security, and canine search-and-rescue
support. Twelve National Guard chaplains were sent to both
New York City and Washington to provide spiritual support for
citizens and emergency workers. In Somerset County, Pa.,
troops went to the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93 to
provide medical supplies and support to rescue officials.
For almost two months Guardsmen worked at each site.
When they returned home, Gov. Tom Ridge authorized
Operation Clenched Fist, a mission that would send troops to
16 airports and several power plants around the state to assist
security officials and state police.
Military police also took over security at several military
installations in Pennsylvania, including Fort Indiantown Gap.
Operation Clenched Fist remained in effect until 2004. ❖

By Pfc. Zane Craig
“One Soldier left, no Soldier left behind,” said officer candidate
Juston Jones, as he and another classmate turned around to walk the
last leg of the road march with the last Soldier.
Five officer candidates had two and a half hours to complete a
seven-mile road march on Service Road at Fort Indiantown Gap.
The officer candidates were enrolled in the Pennsylvania Army
National Guard's Officer Candidate School Traditional Program, a
three-phase program that runs throughout the year.
The first phase is a two-week training course that focuses on
land navigation.
According to officer candidate Barry Wood, this is the “shockand-awe
phase,” which focuses on details and forming a proper
mindset. This is the phase where people drop out. The second phase
takes place over a year's worth of drill weekends. The third phase is
also a two-week course. In one class, the five who were left from the
original eight were in the second phase and were slated to graduate
Sept. 26.
“I came to OCS here at Fort Indiantown Gap. It fit my lifestyle,
fit what I needed, and they were able to work with me as an individual
and as a team member,” said officer candidate Eric Jackson.
Wood said the best part of the training here is the attention he
gets from the TAC officers, or teaching assessment counselors.
Officer candidate John Cale of West Virginia said he wanted to
become an officer to be the same kind of quality mentor to younger
Soldiers that he had as he rose through the enlisted ranks to
22 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2010
Officer Candidates
Juston Jones, John
Cale and Barry Wood
walk the last leg of a
seven-mile road
march during phase
two of Officer
Candidate School at
Fort Indiantown Gap
March 7. The candidates
were required
to complete the
course in less than
two and a half hours
in order to pass.
Photo: Sgt. Shawn Miller
Two officer candidates walk along Service Road during a seven-mile
road march as the sun rises over Fort Indiantown Gap March 7.
Photo: Sgt. Shawn Miller

sergeant. Cale said a major part of the
program here is learning about trust.
“The Soldiers here accepted me as
part of the group and made me feel
welcome,” said Cale, the only out-of-state
candidate in his class.
In addition to the traditional option,
potential officer candidates have the
option of choosing the accelerated plan
where the three phases are compressed
into a continuous nine weeks. Jones said
he chose the traditional option because
it fit better with his life and his many
responsibilities.
Before entering OCS, potential officer
candidates need to have a high score on
the Graduate Management Admission
Test and have top scores on the annual
physical fitness test. The candidate must
also be willing to go the distance to exceed
standards in general.
“This is for the strong, not for the
weak,” said Jackson, adding that strength
of mind and body are necessary to
complete this training and become a
good officer.
The Officer Candidate School of the
Pennsylvania Army National Guard here
has what it takes to develop, as Cale said,
“all assets of becoming a leader.” ❖
Transforming
recruits into
Soldiers and
officers
When a Pennsylvania Army National
Guard recruit signs the dotted line
of an enlistment contract, it might
seem like taking a huge leap. But
it’s probably not the biggest step
the future Soldier will take in their
military career.
Before they complete their Initial
Entry Training, National Guard
members in the Recruit Sustainment
Program work hard to become great
Soldiers. Some Soldiers will go on
to answer the call to leadership by
training at Officer Candidate School.
These are just two of the programs
the Pennsylvania National Guard
offers to ensure that Soldiers never
stop taking steps toward self
improvement. ❖
Recruit Sustainment Program
By Spc. Coltin Heller
Before leaving for basic training many Soldiers who join the Pennsylvania Army
National Guard drill with the Recruit Sustainment Program, which gives the new
recruits a head start on the training they will receive when they leave.
“It’s not what I expected,” said Pvt. Cliff Parsons, who was surprised at the
quality of the training. “The training between the classroom and the field was
balanced out well.”
At the age of 30, Parsons was the oldest person in his Recruit Sustainment
Detachment. He joined the National Guard for an adventure and to see where it
might lead him. “I wanted to do something different and worthwhile. This was really
the best choice for me,” said Parsons.
For Parsons and his fellow Soldiers, one weekend brought a variety of lessons.
First, there was a lesson on how to properly secure and search a detainee or enemy
prisoner of war. After lunch the Soldiers were given instruction on driving Humvees,
and then applied the instructions as they drove them. Physical training was conducted
on both mornings, readying them for the road marches and other physical activities
that are common at basic training.
Many classes are given by the RSD to enhance the Soldiers’ readiness for basic
training. Basic military skills such as drill and ceremony, customs and courtesies, the
phonetic alphabet, first aid, and weapon assembly and cleaning are some of the
many skills taught.
The training is also open for future Soldiers, as visitors are welcome to attend
the training, experiencing how Army training actually is conducted. Sixteen-year-old
Ryan Topper is one such person.
“I always wanted to be in the Army,” said Topper. He is looking forward to April
when he turns 17 and is planning to enlist in the Army. “I like the classes, and the
physical training is a big help,” he said.
“I just wanted to join and do my part, you know? I want to do my duty.” ❖
Soldiers from the Pennsylvania National Guard’s Recruit Sustainment Detachment 4, are led in
physical training by their drill sergeant, Sgt.1st Class Edward Zink at Fort Indiantown Gap March 7.
Photo: Pfc. David Strayer
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 23

Story and photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania
Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars
During the Pennsylvania Department
of Veterans of Foreign Wars Midwinter
Conference, more than 700 VFW leaders
and members rose to their feet to salute
the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s
Sgt. 1st Class Roger F. Daub, who was
given a PA VFW Eagle Award and certificate
in honor of his outstanding service
with the Guard’s 56th Stryker Brigade
Combat Team in Iraq.
The Department presents this award
to recognize significant contributions of
Pennsylvania Guard troops in global
contingency operations.
“We were proud to honor Sgt. 1st Class
Daub as one of this state’s finest Soldiers.
His efforts, and that of his comrades in the
56th SBCT and other Guard elements who
have deployed, have further strengthened
Pennsylvania’s outstanding military history
of always being on the forefront of
defending freedom,” said PA VFW state
commander Frank Mills, who noted that
Pennsylvania has the only National Guard
Stryker unit. “Sgt. 1st Class Daub’s excellent
record of planning and implementing
protection of command leadership and
VIPs is a shining example of why many
have commented that PA Guard units rank
among the best elements in America’s
entire military. We’re proud to call Sgt. 1st
Class Daub and all PA Guardians our
comrades as combat veterans in the VFW.”
Daub, who looks forward to becoming
active with the Palmyra VFW Post, served
as a platoon sergeant of the Protective
Services Platoon for the 56th SBCT
command group. Daub was selected over
15 of his peers to serve as the patrol
sergeant for the Brigade Personal Security
Detachment. He led more than 200 combat
patrols, driving more than 8,000 miles
through the brigade and Multi-National
Division-Baghdad operational environment
in eight months. He planned, coordinated
and executed every mission for the brigade
commander and accompanied him on
every mounted and dismounted patrol.
Daub’s leadership and expertise were
vital in transforming a 42-Soldier section
into a cohesive security section. During
the initial phases of integrating, he trained
all drivers and vehicle commanders on
navigation routes and ensured that they
were aware of all significant activities and
trends throughout the brigade’s operational
environment. On down days, Daub
incorporated training for the Soldiers
Pennsylvania National Guard commander Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright, Sgt. 1st Class Roger Daub, and
Pennsylvania VFW state commander Frank Mills pose after Daub was presented with the PA VFW
Eagle Award in honor of his service in Iraq.
on weapons qualification and operational
environment familiarization. He was an
irreplaceable asset to the platoon, establishing
platoon tactical procedures and
continuity books.
“I am deeply honored to stand in this
room with you and on behalf of members
of the 56th Stryker Brigade and the
Pennsylvania National Guard,” Daub said
at the conference in Gettysburg. “Our lives
would be incomplete without people like
you, and we stand on your shoulders in
everything we do. When our unit flew back
from service in Iraq, we were welcomed by
Pennsylvania’s adjutant general, other
command staff and members of the VFW,
just 40 feet off of the plane. What a
fantastic testimony to the men and women
who serve in the VFW as a tribute to those
who serve in the military. I am humbled
to stand before you as a brother. I will
never forget this.”
Daub, who began his military service
in the Marines, joined the Pennsylvania
National Guard in part because he
missed the camaraderie he enjoyed with
his fellow troops. He looks forward to
becoming part of the VFW family.
“There is a special bond that VFW
members and their families share with
each other and with today’s troops and
their families,” said Mills.
“Our members and their entire
families know what it is like to endure
deployments, so we welcome veterans
from modern war service and their loved
ones into our ranks because we have much
to offer in camaraderie and support,” said
Mills. “That’s why the VFW is often
present when military troops depart for
training and deployment, and we are
there to welcome them home.”
Consisting of 112,000 members in 520
local posts, Pennsylvania is the largest state
department of the VFW. Many VFW posts
have adopted Pennsylvania National
Guard’s Army and Air components to provide
troops and their families with support
before, during and after deployments.
Thousands of Guard troops and
younger veterans from other branches
have joined the VFW after serving in the
Global War on Terror. In fact, veterans
under the age of 45 represent the fastest
growing segment of the VFW’s national
membership. A growing number of female
veterans are also joining the VFW and
some now serve in leadership positions at
the post and state levels.
The VFW has many special programs
designed to help military families endure
the hardships of deployments including
Operation Uplink, which allows troops
overseas to call home for free every
month. The VFW Unmet Needs initiative
provides emergency grants for military
families facing financial difficulties, while
the Adopt-a-Unit program encourages
VFW posts to take local military units
under their wing to help troops transition
into and out of deployments.
For more information on the VFW’s
troop support and other programs,
contact VFW state adjutant John Brenner
at (717) 234-7927 or e-mail him at
adjutant@vfwpahq.org. ❖
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 25

‘Facilitating’ a historic era of construction
Commander of the Pennsylvania National Guard, Maj. Gen. Jessica Wright, and others cut the ribbon at the Chambersburg Readiness Center March 11.
Although many of the centers were complete before then, Chambersburg was the first to celebrate its opening after the return of the 56th Stryker Brigade
from its deployment to Iraq. Photo: Sgt. Matt Jones
By Lt. Col. Chris Cleaver
If the Pennsylvania National Guard
sold shares in the stock market, it would
definitely be a great buy for wise investors.
The state is witnessing a construction
boom unparalleled in its history.
Easily outpacing all other state Guards,
there are 45 completed or ongoing military
construction projects across the commonwealth
– a $362 million investment.
The program leading the construction
bonanza is the 56th Stryker Brigade. From
near the Ohio border to the shores of the
Delaware River, new readiness centers and
refurbished armories dot the landscape.
“There is no state in the nation that
comes close to Pennsylvania’s construction
program,” said Doug Patterson, facilities
management engineer, National Guard
Bureau. He added, “It is the Stryker
Brigade that makes the big difference.”
Stryker fielding also made an indelible
mark on Fort Indiantown Gap. Home to
the Joint Forces Headquarters, “the Gap”
is the primary training site for Stryker and
other Keystone State units. Today, new
ranges, facilities and programs abound on
the ground and in the air‘, some directly
the result of Stryker, and others the
product of providing high-quality training.
Overhead this central Pennsylvania
facility, Shadow unmanned aerial vehicles
26 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2010
The first phase of this impressive 50-acre facility at Fort Indiantown Gap was finished in March 2008. The
Combined Arms Collective Training Facility consists of 11 concrete buildings that simulate an Iraqi village.
Complete with a church, police station, gas station and dormitory, military personnel train to engage the
enemy under numerous scenarios and all under the watchful eye of 80 cameras. Phase two is a $14
million addition that will enhance the training environment to include facilities and structures that units
would likely encounter in Afghanistan. Construction for phase two is set to begin in 2012. Photo: Robert Smith

share the sky with the Army’s latest
helicopter, the Lakota, along with Black
Hawks, Chinooks and Apache helicopters.
The Gap is home to the Eastern Army
National Guard Aviation Training Site,
which was awarded the entire Lakota
training program. This will eventually
lead to some 18 light utility helicopters
stationed here.
On the ground, Soldiers train on stateof-the-art
ranges, including sniper field
fire range, multi-purpose machine gun
and grenade ranges, live-fire shoot house,
and battalion training complex, among
UPGRADING FROM ARMORIES
TO READINESS CENTERS
2010 Ribbon Cuttings Cuttings
and Groundbreakings
Groundbreakings
• Bradford Readiness Center
• Butler Readiness Center
• Carlisle Readiness Center
and Field Maintenance Shop
• Chambersburg Readiness Center
• Coatesville Readiness Center
• Danville Readiness Center
• Easton Readiness Center
and Field Maintenance Shop
• Elizabethtown Readiness Center
and Field Maintenance Shop
• Graterford Field Maintenance Shop
• Hanover Readiness Center
• Hazelton Readiness Center
• Hollidaysburg Readiness Center
• Huntingdon Readiness Center
• Kutztown Readiness Center
• Lebanon Readiness Center
• Lewistown Readiness Center
• Punxsutawney Readiness Center
• Reading Readiness Center
• Scranton Readiness Center
• Southampton Readiness Center
and Field Maintenance Shop
• South Mountain Readiness Center
• Waynesburg Readiness Center
• Willow Grove Readiness Center
others. During the last several years more
than $150 million was allocated to new
programs – easily the largest investment
in the Gap since World War II.
“It took a tremendous team effort to
make all these facilities and ranges a
reality,” said Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright,
Pennsylvania National Guard commander.
“These projects make Fort Indiantown
Gap and our facilities across the commonwealth
viable now and vital for future
roles and missions.”
While it is easy to bask in the glow of
the numerous ribbon-cutting ceremonies
planned for the next several months,
behind the scenes engineers, facility
specialists, construction managers,
planners, contractors, lawyers and legislative
liaison made it all happen.
“These projects have greatly enhanced
our capabilities on a number of fronts,”
said Lt. Col. John Buffington, Pennsylvania
National Guard’s construction and
facilities management officer. “Future
generations will look back on this
period and see that it was by far the most
significant construction period in our
entire history.” ❖
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 27

KEYSTONE SPOTLIGHT
PA Guard adjutant general swears
in son, continues family tradition
of Army aviation
The commander of the Pennsylvania National Guard,
Maj. Gen. Jessica Wright, recently swore her son Mike Wright
into her ranks.
Mike Wright, a Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet at
King’s College, was sworn into the Pennsylvania Army National
Guard at a ceremony held in March at the Kingston Armory in
Wilkes-Barre. Cadet Wright joined the 2/104th General Support
Aviation Battalion at Fort Indiantown Gap, continuing a family
tradition in Army Aviation.
Cadet Mike Wright poses with his father and mother after officially joining
the Pennsylvania National Guard at the Kingston Armory in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
28 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2010
Commander of the Pennsylvania National Guard, Maj. Gen. Jessica L.
Wright, swears her son Mike into her ranks at the Kingston Armory in
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Photos: Courtesy of The Citizens Voice
As a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard, Maj. Gen.
Wright became the first female Army National Guard aviator.
She also became the Army’s first female maneuver brigade
commander while commanding the 28th Infantry Division’s
Combat Aviation brigade.
Cadet Wright’s father, Chuck Wright, is a retired lieutenant
colonel and a former Army aviator. ❖
Brig. Gen. Joseph DePaul, deputy
division commander, 28th Infantry
Division, speaks April 18, 2010, at
the annual wreath laying at the
grave of President James
Buchanan. The 328th Brigade
Support Battalion presided over this
year’s event. Buchanan’s burial site
is located at the Woodward Hill
Cemetery, Chesapeake Street, in
Lancaster. The annual White Housedirected
ceremony recognizes the
birth and achievements of President
Buchanan, the only president from
Pennsylvania, who served as a
citizen Soldier in the Pennsylvania
Militia during the War of 1812.
Buchanan assisted in resisting the
British advance on Baltimore by
volunteering for secret raids to
supply the militia with horses.
Photo: Staff Sgt. Ted Nichols

The Pennsylvania National Guard celebrated Earth Day April 17 at Fort Indiantown Gap. Numerous family activities, tours and displays featuring recycling,
forestry, wildlife, energy conservation and archeology lessons and activities were made available throughout the day. The Civil Air Patrol and local Boy Scout
and Girl Scout Troops participated as well. Photo: Joe Hovis
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 29

Philadelphia Eagles starting tight end Brent Celek
takes questions from Pennsylvania National Guard
members and Valley Forge cadets during an
appearance at the Valley Forge Military Academy
March 4. After the question and answer session,
Celek signed autographs and met with service
members.
Rock ‘n’ roll musician Ted Nugent signs
autographs and speaks with residents at
the Hollidaysburg Veterans Home. After
speaking to a group of residents, he
played a few songs on his acoustic guitar
and took time to speak and shake hands
with each individual.
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins
poses with (from left to right) Lt. Col. Scott
“Spartacus” Hreso, Col. Howard “Chip” Eissler
and Capt. John “Monkey” Howley at Brighthouse
Field in Clearwater, Fla., March 4. The officers
are members of the 111th Fighter Wing, which
performed flyovers for the opening of spring
training for the New York Yankees March 3 and
the Phillies March 4.
Summer 2010 / GUARDIANS / 31

CURATOR’S CORNER By Charles Oellig
… Light plane units were also active
during the famous Battle of the Bulge,
dropping emergency supplies including
maps, pigeons, food, first aid and ammunition.
According to one report, when the
besieged garrison at Bastogne radioed
that it had more than 500 casualties, many
of whom faced imminent death unless
they received immediate aid, Lt. Kenneth
B. Schley of Far Hills, N.J., a 28th Infantry
Division artillery observation pilot, on
Christmas Eve voluntarily risked his life
to fly a supply of life-saving penicillin into
a beleaguered city.
“To do so,” the report stated, “he
defied darkness, intense enemy fire, an
unknown and possibly nonexistent landing
strip, and an official order not to leave
the ground, but he insisted on carrying
the precious Christmas gift to the
entrapped men.
“In response to Bastogne’s urgent
message that many of its wounded were
on the verge of death because of lack
of medical supplies, a large stock of
penicillin was rushed from the south to
the airstrip from which the pilots of the
28th Division’s Air OP were making their
regular flights as artillery observers. The
situation was hastily explained, the night
was dark, there was heavy enemy flak,
there were no lights, and while landing
strips were known to exist in the vicinity,
When the besieged garrison at
Bastogne radioed that it had
more than 500 casualties,
many of whom faced imminent
death unless they received
immediate aid,
Lt. Kenneth B. Schley of
Far Hills, N.J., a 28th Infantry
Division artillery observation
pilot, on Christmas Eve
voluntarily risked his life to fly
a supply of life-saving penicillin
into a beleaguered city.
32 / GUARDIANS / Summer 2010
Standing at the left in the photograph is 1st Lt. Kenneth B. Schley Jr. of Far Hills, N.J., senior air
officer, 28th Division, and Maj. Vincent B. McFadden, Schley’s commanding officer. The small
aircraft is a Piper L4 “Grasshopper.” The L4s were used extensively during World War II for
reconnaissance and artillery spotting.
there was every possibility that German
artillery had made them useless; but the
mission was vital.
“When volunteers were called for,
every pilot stepped forward. But Lt. Schley
insisted loudest and longest on being
allowed to go.
“Before taking off, he cut off his radio
contact with his command post because
he was afraid someone might try to call
him back.
“At the same time, his commanding
officer, Maj. Vincent McFadden of
Lexington, Ky., sent word, to be relayed
through higher headquarters, to prepare
some sort of landing strip.
“Twelve minutes after Schley had
taken off, a hasty message was rushed
to the field from headquarters: ‘Do not
let pilot take off. Impossible to get
through tonight.’
“But Schley was on his way. Flying
his Cub plane by compass, over unknown
terrain, he ran into ‘everything Jerry
could throw at me,’ but he kept on. After
a hot half hour of dodging bullets and
shells, he was over Bastogne, but there
was not a light to be seen, and no sign of
a landing strip. ‘I buzzed the town several
times,’ he said, ‘dipping down over the
housetops so they’d hear my motor. But
not a light showed up. I was just getting
ready to crash land when a double row of
hand flashlights snapped on marking out
a landing strip – as welcome a sight as
I’ve seen in a long time.’
“His Christmas gift of penicillin safely
delivered, Schley hid in cellars that night
as the Germans pounded the town with
artillery. Next morning, despite the advice
of higher authorities, he insisted on flying
back to his home strip.”
– Source of the above article is unknown
This is the 27th in a series of historical
photographs of Pennsylvania National
Guardsmen of the past, submitted by Charles
Oellig, curator of the Pennsylvania National
Guard Military Museum at Fort Indiantown
Gap. The museum is open Mondays and
Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or other
days by appointment. Call (717) 861-2402 or
visit www.pngmilitarymuseum.org for more
information or to schedule an appointment.
The museum is closed on major holidays.