Navigator, 420th Air Refueling Squadron, 1957-1959

This is a true story; however, the real names. Air Force serial numbers, and Tactical Fighter Wing designations have been replaced by factitious information. Follow-on stories may involve the same personnel. If this is the case, the factitious names applied herein will be carried over to the new story.

From the 420th Air Refueling Squadron crewmember's perspective, there's an interesting difference between refueling fighters over the European continent and refueling similar type fighters over the ocean and enroute to USAFE bases.

The fighters assigned to wings stationed within England or the European continent usually arrived at the planned refueling location on time (or very neariy on time) whereas fighter wing deployments from bases in the USA to bases in the USAFE area were usually late - late by as much as three or more hours.

The net result was that in the winter, our KB-50J crews might have to wake up several hours before the cock crows, drive in complete darkness along very narrow winding British country roads to RAF Sculthorpe (our home plate), get briefed, do their preflight planning, preflight the aircraft, crank up the engines, taxi out to take off, and then be told our take-off time has been delayed by several hours because the enroute fighters were delayed for some unknown reason.

Worse yet, there were cases where we took off, flew to the rendezvous position (4 or 5 hours away) and were then told that the fighters would be late. This often led to situations where fatigue overtakes your enthusiasm, patience wears thin, and tempers begin to flare up. From the USA-based fighter pilot's perspective, he is also very tired, been compelled to fly thus far (crammed into his F-100 cockpit) as many as 8 hours, and has probably completed two previous air refueling!

Before arriving at our KB-5OJ over the Azores Islands. These two fatigue conditions can create some interesting and sometimes amusing events that at least one Tactical Fighter Wing Commander probably wished he could replay differently. Such was the scenario for one of my more memorable refueling tales. I was flying with a mixed crew or a composite crew made up of qualified personnel from other crews.

This was not an uncomfortable situation for me because I bad flown with the aircraft commander, the co-pilot, and the flight engineer before on other missions. We worked together as efficiently as if we were a regular crew. After I talked the lead fighter through about 20 minutes of rendezvous instructions, the first F-100 flight made visual contact with us and three of them came into position to refuel. Captain Roger Swidick, our KB-5QJ aircraft commander, stated calmly: "You may commence refueling and take on 5000 pounds". Roger was an easy going type a big fellow with a marvelous humor. He was frequently the brunt of friendly jokes and he even laughed at the mischievous pranks pulled on him by other officers in the 420th AREFS. I don't remember Roger ever "blowing his cool" with any other person an admirable quality.Immediately after authorizing the first F-100 to commence refueling, the F-100 pilot said sternly and gruffly, "I'll take 6000 pounds." We could tell by the sound of his voice and tone that this guy was really tired.

Roger replied: "Sorry sir, we've been briefed to give each fighter 5000 pounds so each fighter gets enough." Then the discussion got nasty:

F-100 pilot; "Well" (Then a long pause. We could feel the anger factor in this guy beginning to build)

"I'm Colonel O'Malley, Wing Commander of the 323th Fighter Wing, and I want 6000 pounds!"

At this moment, I felt sure that at least one of our equally fatigued KB-50J crewmembers in one of the three KB-50Js engaged in this refueling mission would say something smart aleck like: "Now how about THAT!" However, silence reigned heavily all around us.

Roger, very patiently, calmly, and with determination then said; "Sir, you can only have 5000 pounds."

By this time, O'Malley's probe had engaged the drogue and he was receiving instructions from our refueling operator.

Col. O'Malley: "Aircraft Commander, what's your name, rank, and serial number? I'm going to report this!"

Roger, still very calm, patient, but with a determined voice replied: "Captain Roger Swidick, A030675609, sir."

Again, I expected someone else in our refueling orbit to say something like "So THERE too!" but, again to my surprise, there was silence. The only words spoken were that of our refueling operator, who informed Col. O'Malley he had now received 5000 pounds, was shutting off the flow of JP-4, and to disengage from the drogue. O'Malley disengaged without a word being said, flew off, and several more F-l00s soon came into position for refueling. You can be sure every F-100 pilot in that fighter wing deployment beard the words of their Wing Commander. Even our KB-50J ground spare aircraft crew at Lajes Air Base beard this conversation. From here on, there was far less UHF communications than normal and an unusual absence of drogue engagement problems (nomally encountered by less experienced, USA-based, F-100 pilots). I can only reconcile the behavior of these equally fatigued F-100 pilots as being totally embarrassed by the conduct of their Wing Commander and wanting to compensate by executing their air refueling operations with great style and unanticipated expertise. You can imagine the talk around the O' Club bar at their destination that same evening. The remainder of the refueling mission went extremely well for all three of our KB-50Js. We flew back to Sculthorpe tired but very proud of our conduct. O'Malley's report (if ever written and filed) was never received at RAF Sculthorpe. I know all of our 420th AREFS crewmembers participating in that mission would be willing to defend Roger in front of our 47" Bomb Wing Commander had this report ever been received. Every 420^th crewmember on that mission as well as those back at Sculthorpe were extremely proud of Roger, the easy going but competent aircraft commander, who never blew his cool. Wonder where Roger and O'Malley are today? Roger probably continued to fly as a very dependable and safe "line pilot" for the rest of his Air Force career, avoiding "desk" jobs in every way possible, and eventually retired as a Major. One wonders if O'Malley was ever promoted to Brigadier General? Sometimes this kind of officer continually gets ahead in a military career without getting caught along the way.