HELPING HANDS-The ever busy and generous hands
of Air Force personnel of the 54th Strategic Reconnaissance
Squadron package food and toys for their "Korean Orphans Friendship
train." (Standing left to right) S/Sgt. Louis Wade, Sgt. Allen
H. Diefenderfer, Cpl. Raymond H. Studley, Sgt. Lyle J. Gebhart;
(kneeling left to right) Sgt. Frank G. Bik, and Sgt. Vernon C. House
round up and bundle Air Force contributions.
HQ., FEAF, TOKYO-A surprise flight of a United
States Air Force C-54 Skymaster recently delighted the hearts of
some 75 Korean war orphans by bringing them more than 2000 pounds
of food and clothing as a gift from Air Force personnel and dependents
on the island of Guam. Eager children of the orphanage at Onyang,
southwest of Pyongtaek, crowded around three Far East Air Forces
chaplains as they assisted in the distribution of the presents.
THE CHAPLAINS WERE Lt. Col. Herman E. Knies,
19th Bomb Wing, Catasauqua; Pa.; Capt. Arthur E. K. Brenner,
Guam, Bennington, Vt.; and Maj. Justin A. Eeles, Fifth Air Force,
Franciscan Fathers of St. Elizabeth, Denver, Colo.
Collection of food, clothing and money for the
orphanage was inaugurated after Knies received a letter from 19th
Bomb Group B-29 Superfort crewmen stationed on Okinawa.
THESE CREWMEN HAD already unofficially "adopted"
a group of the Korean orphans, who were being cared for by two Korean
Christian ministers. Officers and airmen of Andersen Air Force
Base on Guam were quick to lend their support to the appeal. Personnel
of the 54th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, traveled
through the dependent housing area in a motorized contraption labeled
"Korean Orphans' Friendship Train" offering the children rides in
exchange for clothes, shoes and canned goods. The Boy Scouts and
other organizations assisted.
THE 19TH AIR Installations Squadron
donated $409 in cash. A 54th Strat. Recon. C-54 was
then loaded with the collection and took off for Korea, piloted
by Lt. Col. , San Angelo, Tex. The orphans were both surprised
and delighted. In return they staged an impromptu entertainment
for the visiting crewmen and chaplains.
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