Index

100731 - Taps Denise Grant
100701 - RB47 Shootdown 50th Anniv.. Hoover

 

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From: debra.grant@insightbb.com To: JThomas927@aol.com Sent: 7/31/2010 1:33:21 P.M. Central Daylight Time Subj: Passing of Denise M Grant Mr. Thomas, Hello, my name is Debra Grant, daughter of Lt. Col Donald A. and Denise M. Grant. I am e-mailing you to inform you of my Mother Denise's passing on July 21, 2010. She was 90, and lived with me here in Lexington, Kentucky. I could not find my Fathers TAPS info(about his exact yrs with the 55th at Forbes etc) from 1998 when he passed away to include with my Mothers info and was hoping you might be able to help me with that part. The 55th meant alot to my Mom and I wanted to make sure she was included in TAPS. Thank you, Debra Grant 1564 Springfield Dr Lexington, KY 40515 859-533-6510 debra.grant@insightbb.com ******************************** From: JThomas927@aol.com Date: Sunday, August 1, 2010 22:30 Subject: Re: Passing of Denise M Grant To: debra.grant@insightbb.com               Your Mother Denise will surly be placed on our TAPS roles.The deepest sympathies of the men and women of the 55th Wing Association are with you and your family. God Bless you. Jim Thomas President 55th Wing Assoc. ******************************** From: debg2@windstream.net To: JThomas927@aol.com Sent: 8/14/2010 10:37:23 P.M. Central Daylight Time Subj: 55th Association Newsletter         Thank you so much for your help. I know my Mother received the 55th Association Newsletter, but I was wondering if I could get a copy of the Newsletter that will contain her inclusion in the TAPS section. Thank you to all the men and women of the 55th Association for their condolences. It is an honor to be a part of the 55th family. Sincerely, Debra Grant

from:      robbhoover <robbhoover@aol.com> date:        Thu, Jul 1, 2010 at 12:52 PM subject:    RB-47 Shootdown in the Barents Sea...50 years Later It was 50 years ago today that Major Willard Palm and his crew (55th SRW/343rd SRS) launched from RAF Brize Norton on their RB-47 mission in the Barents Sea. The story of their shootdown by Russian fighters is well-known to all 55thers. Navigator John McKone and copilot Bruce Olmstead survived the shootdown and several hours in the frigid Arctic waters of the Barents before being rescued by a Soviet fishing trawler. They were imprisoned in the infamous Lubyanka Prison in Moscow and subsequently released in January 1961. John and Bruce were awarded the Silver Star for their gallant resistance while in prison by the Chief of Staff of the USAF and the Secretary of the Air Force in a ceremony held in 2004 before the Air Force Association. I talked to members of the Palm crew this morning: John McKone and his wife Norma Jean live on Virginia's Middle Peninsula near the coastal waters. John remains active with The Gideons International   distributing bibles after having served for several years as an officer in Rotary. Bruce and Gail Olmstead live in Annapolis, MD. Bruce said that he called John this morning and they had a good chat. Bruce and Gail now spend some of the winter months in Venice, Florida that charming community (motto: "Paradise Awaits") south of Sarasota on the Gulf Coast. Maria Goforth McAtee, the widow of electronic warfare officer Oscar Goforth, now lives in Knollwood Military Retirement Residence in the District of Columbia. With the help of her daughter Linda and son Daniel she moved from Topeka to Knollwood a few years ago. Maria just returned from a visit to her native Puerto Rico. Pat Phillips, widow of electronic warfare officer Dean Phillips, lives in Sacramento CA near her daughter Roxanne. They still travel on the occasional cruise. Pat has befriended Rear Admiral Boris Novyy, the retired Russian Navy veteran who has been very helpful to the US authorities in researching Russian archives about the circumstances of Cold War shootdowns. Robb Hoover 55th Wing Association Historian top