Member
Joe Gyulavics

I've been married to the same lovely lady for over 58 years. Dotty has discharged all the duties of 55th Strat Wing Wife in a superior manner and patiently and tolerantly raised 5 children while I was off somewhere in the world doing my thing.

(PS.. We have made every reunion since 1977 except San Antonio in 1984 when I had a heart attack) (PPS... I'm not good at paperwork! )

We decided to leave and settled in Winter Haven, Florida where the climate is similar to Guam.

Retired after 35 years service, 19 1/2 of them being in the 55th. Despite the hardships, we liked it on Guam, at least it was always WARM. So Dotty and I decided to move back there and really retired! We stayed till the Japanese tourists "took over" the island again.in the '80's and crowded us out of our island style living.

was assigned to 15th AF Hdq

15th AF then sent me to Glasgow AFB as Commander to close that base and then I got my first "overseas" assignment as Base Commander at Anderson AFB, Guam just in time for the evacuation of the Vietnamese after the fall of Saigon in 1975. Somehow managed to survive the refugees, typhoons and earthquakes for two years on Guam.

Colonel Riggs, the Wing Commander assigned me as 343rd Squadron Commander. We went through many mission and crew changes during the next three years, Although I never had a chance to even go to Squadron Officer's School and had no other professional education, I somehow got promoted to Colonel (no, it wasn't Affirmative Action!) and was sent up to replace R.L. Smith as DO of the 6th Strat Wg at Eielson AFB. Then made Vice Wing Commander till I got grounded for a retained kidney stone just after Linebacker ll. So after over 10,000 hours flying time, I was destined for a ground job.

Went to Castle AFB and checked out as both tanker and receiver pilot in the '135 and returned to Offutt AFB. While waiting for the arrival of the new aircraft, served as Detachment Commander at Clark AB during the hunt for the fusing signal on the SAM's in Vietnam. Also flew Looking Glass for a few months till our planes were ready.

Bob Dibbell talked me into going to the Air Force Safety School at USC and I took over the Wing Safety Office after he left. I went through the Instructor School at McConnell and was assigned to Wing Standboard. Thanks to some very fine crew members, we made Select Crew and I got spot promotions to Major and Lt. Col.

Continued to deploy to the various operating locations (finally made it to Yokota and Brize Norton for a change) till the Wing's conversion to the RC-135.

I got my own crew. First deployment for our new crew was back to Thule in December, then to Turkey and Alaska. I guess somebody at wing scheduling didn't like me...

Returned to Forbes and the 55th to transition to RB-47 H's. Was assigned to the 38th SRS and crewed up with Dick Campbell and Paul Caselton. I deployed with them to Ben Guerir, Morocco and then flew in Operation Home Run out of Thule, Greenland. We served in Standboard when Bob Bruss was Chief till Dick checked me out in the RB-47H.

In May, Major Keppler and I went to AOB Training at Ellington Field and James Connally AFB.

Completed the combat tour and was assigned to the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Forbes AFB and flew as Elmer Keppler's copilot in RB-50's.

Applied for Pilot training and was approved for the last Aviation Cadet class to accept married and enlisted students. Unfortunately I had to revert to Cadet status again, but did graduate with a Regular Commission. Went straight to Korea and flew with the 19th Bomb Group out of Kadena, Okinawa as a B-29 copilot.

Continued to fly as an enlisted navigator/bombardier/radar operator with the 28th Bomb Group in B-29's at Rapid City, SD. Served TDY in Germany (Giebelstadt) and England (Scampton) during the Berlin Air Lift.

Was demobilized and reenlisted as a M/Sgt.

Applied for Cadets and completed Navigator training as the war ended.

Born in Buffalo, New York in 1925, attended one year of college at Syracuse University before joining the Army Air Corps in 1943.