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Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 10:00 AM
First Baptist Church
Steven Kelsey Reynolds, 68, of Topeka, passed away Wednesday, May 16, 2012.
He was born December 25, 1943 in rural Wilson County, the son of Walter and Ruby Kelsey Reynolds. He graduated from Fredonia High School in 1961 and from Kansas State University in 1966. His military education includes Squadron Officers' School, Air Command and Staff College and National Security Management.
He received his commission from Air Force ROTC in February, 1966. He attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, and received his wings in May,1967. He attended Instructor Pilot School at Randolph AFB, Texas and then began instructing primary pilot trainees in the T-37 at Webb AFB, Texas from August 1967 to April 1971. He then attended the Air Ground Operations School at Hurlburt Field, Florida, checked out as a Forward Air Controller and departed for Southeast Asia. He served a year as a Forward Air Controller, and then reported back to Webb AFB as a T-38 Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander. He departed the USAF in 1974 and joined the Kansas Air National Guard. He was an Instructor Pilot in the 190th Defense Systems Evaluation Group's EB-57's until the 190th converted to KC-135's in 1978. He was an Instructor Pilot in the KC-135 from 1978 to 1989. He was the Deputy Commander for Maintenance from 1985-1989 and Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Kansas Air National Guard until retirement 31 December 1991. He was a Command Pilot with over 6,000 hours of flying time in military aircraft, having Instructor Pilot duty in T-37, 0-2A, T-38, B-57, KC-135 and C-131 aircraft.
His military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters. Air Force Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Combat Readiness Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters. National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Air Force Training Ribbon, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Vietnam Campaign Medal and Kansas National Guard Service Medal.
Steve was a member of First Baptist Church in Topeka.
He married Carol York on September 4, 1965. She survives. Other survivors include son Steve (Katie) Reynolds of Paynesville, OH; grandson Charles Andrew Reynolds; sister, Loretta Price of Fredonia; brother, Stanley Reynolds of Garden City. An infant daughter preceded him in death in 1967.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Salvation Army, PO Box 599, Topeka 66601.
Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
0n March 30, 1972, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong opened a 3-pronged offensive, with the intention of defeating the Republic of Vietnam and reuniting Vietnam under a Communist regime, in a conventional attack supported with artillery and tarnks, the North Vietnamese crossed the DMZ into Quang Tri Province, occupying Quang Tri, the provincial capital, on May 1 and attacking Hue. In a second thrust, the Communists invaded the Central Highlands from Laos, isolating Kontum and cutting the highway between Pleiku and Qui Nhon. On April 5 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces crossed the border from Cambodia in the third phase of the offensive, capturing Loc Ninh on April 6 and besieging An Loc. By May 8, however, the enemy offensive had stalled; on June 10 the Communists withdrew from Kontum and on the 26th from An Loc. Two days later the Nonh Vietnamese retreated from Quang Tri, and on June 30 the South Vietnamese reopened the road to Pleiku.
U.S. air power contributed significantly to the battle. Although the USAF had reduced its forces in Southeast Asia to half of those present in mid-1968, it moved quickly to augment them. U.S. Navy. Marine. and Army aviation elements joined the USAF to provide airlift. interdiction. tactical reconnaissance, and close air support for the South Vietnamese. A week after the Communist offensive began. on April 6. the United States resumed systematic, sustained bombing of military and industrial targets in North Vietnam as far north as the 20th parallel. The next day Gen. John W. Vogt. Jr., USAF, became the Seventh Air Force Commander. On May 4 South Vietnamese and U.S. leaders suspended peace negotiations in Paris, and 4 days later, the United States imposed a naval blockade of North Vietnam, mining harbors at Haiphong, Vinh, and elsewhere along the coast. The United States also initiated LINEBACKER on May 8 - 1 of the largest air campaigns of the war. Targets included the rebuilt Paul Dourner Bridge in Hanoi, the Thanh Hoa Bridge, rail lines, a petroleum pipeline from China to Hanoi. power plants. marshaling yards, and other strategic and tactical objectives throughout North Vietnam. During Linebacker, on June 28. Gen. Frederick C. Weyand. USA, became the Commander of MACV.
Peace negotiations, suspended for two weeks, resurned in Paris on July 13, Anticipating a successful conclusion to the renewed peace talks. the United States halted the bombing of North Vietnsn above the 20th parallel as of October 23. But when negotiations stalled, the United States conducted an intensive aerial offensive, LINEBACKER ll, from December 18 to 30, against North Vietnam. B-52s and USAF and Navy tactical aircraft bombed Hanoi and Haiphong and their environs around the clock, concentrating on such targets as railyards, power plants, communication facilities, air defense radars, SAM and antiaircraft gun sites, petroleum tank farms, shipping facilities, ammunition dumps, and
MiG bases. On December 30, after peace talks resumed, the United States again ceased bombing north of the 20th parallel.
On January 23, 1973, North Vietnam and the United States agreed to a cease-fire, effective within 5 days. Part of the agreement called for the
North Vietnamese to release prisoners of war while the United States withdrew completely from South Vietnam. From February 12 to March 29, following the Vietnam Ceasefire, North Vietnam released 565 American POWs. ln OPERATION HOMECOMING, the 9th Aeromedical
Evacuation Group flew the POWs from Hanoi to Clark Air Base in the Philippines.
After the Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign, the Royal Laotian government signed a cease-fire agreement with the Pathet Lao on February 21, 1973.
USAF B-52s. nevertheless, flew missions against Communist forces in Cambodia until August 15, 1973, when the U.S. Congress mandated an
end to U.S. bombing in Southeast Asia.
The fighting had ended for American forces, but the Communists, resupplied and reequipped, soon escalated the ground war throughout
Southeast Asia. Within 2 years, on April 17. 1975. the Khmer Rougeoccupied all of Cambodia. On April 30 North Vietnam conquered South
Vietnam and unified the country. And on December 3, 1975, the Pathet Lao seized power in Laos, marking an end to an era of U.S. influence
in Southeast Asia.
