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(Continued from the Navy section)
His enlistment date was 25 June 1956. He spent two weeks in the Basic Training Sqdn and then was transferred to the Training Band Sqdn. Duty consisted of playing parade in the morning and then had light duty the rest of the day. Tech school was at Scott AFB in IL where he received his second stripe. He was shipped to RAF Sculthorpe, England which was a NATO airfield for medium range B-66 bombers with nuke capacity. Twenty four hours a day two planes, loaded with nuke devices, were ready to leave in one minute. He was assigned to the 420th Aerial Refueling Sqdn. which first flew KB29's then later KB50 aircraft. The squadron lost two KB 29's the week before he arrived losing 17 men and then they lost two KB50s over St. Lo, France the summer of 1958 with the loss of all crew members with a total loss of no less than 18 men. All four planes were on combat related missions during the Cold War. Don finished his tour of duty working in the 47th Bomb Wing Hdqtrs which was the base command unit. He returned to the U.S. 24 June 1959 and because he was under the eight year service program he received his final discharge 20 April 1960.
"May the men and boys from the 420th Squadron that gave their lives have clear skies and a smooth flight."
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