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Herbert Zumhingst-Family
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Zumhingst, Herbert (The Whistler), Lt Col USAF(Ret).
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In December 1941, Herbert was one of the first members to join the Civil Air Patrol at Freeman Field AF Base and worked in the Supply Room on the Base after School in Seymour,Indiana At the of age 16. Upon graduation from High School he entered the United States Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program out of Mississippi State, graduating as a second lieutenant Class of 44I. He was later to fly B-25's, B-24's and B-29's in World War II. After World War II, In Oct 1946 Herbert was assigned to an Active Reserve Units 71ST TCS and the 72nd TCS At Stout Field, Indianapolis,Indiana Flying AT-6s and AT-11s & C-46s & C-47s; Until the 434th T.C.W. was organized in 1949 At Atterbury Air Force Base,Columbus,Indiana where he was one of the first ART and flew C-46s , C-47 & AT-6s for a very short period. Shortly after, The 434th received their C-46s which he flew as Pilot in Troop Carrier Operations For the next seven years, until the 434th T.C.W (M) was recalled to active duty in 1951 with the United States Air Force. He spent one year in the Far East Theater, participating in the Korean War flying C-46's, where he flew Air Evacuations of both wounded and deceased personnel , dropping 187th Airborne Regiment, supplies, couriers and conducting Treacherous island mail drops; and prisoners of war. Herbert was able to fly Margaret Bourke White, a Life Magazine correspondent, General Dwight D.Eisenhower's son, John, plus other VIPs. He also volunteered to fly with the Kyushu Gypsies Squadron out of K-16, Seoul,Korea Test hops,Courier Flights, and drop control Zone Officers He accumulated 600 combat hours in the Korean War. In 1953, upon receiving Honorable Separation from the service in Jan.1953 He was again assigned to the 434th T.C.W. Bakalar Air Force Base Columbus,Indiana his duties were to teach Transition,Instrument Flying,Troop Carrier Tactics in the C-46. From May 1954 to December 1956. He was a member of the 434th T.C.W. C-46 Standardization Board. And served as Acting Operations Officer for the 71st T.C.S from June 1955 to August 1955,and Assistant Operations Officer from December 1954 to November 1955. He was very active in participation with the 434th T.C.W. having earned 70 to 80 points between the year of 1953 and 1955. In 1956 he earned approximately 150 points, and 1957,164 points. He was assigned as Gen.John Bradshaw's Co-Pilot, October 1956, to fly in the first Air Force Troop Carrier Rodeo, there by,assisting in placing the 434th Troop Carrier wing, second in competition with thirteen Reserve Troop Carrier Wings. In january 1957, he was called to Active duty for two weeks of Transitioning in the 434th T.C.W newly acquired C-119s. this gave him the distinction of being the first reserve Pilot in our Wing to check out. March 1957, Herbert was recalled to active duty and spent six weeks at Pope Air Force Base South Carolina, receiving the Basic Course of the C-119 simulator. After completing the M.T.D. Course, May 30,1957 He was asked to stay on at Pope Air Force Base as Flight Instructor and performed Instructor duties in the C-119 Aircraft-consisting of teaching Instrument and Transition Flying until August 1957 with 3,313 hrs.as an Instructor .This gave him the opportunity to train future Instructor Pilots for the Air Reserve Flying Centers within the Tenth Air force also ,to instruct Reserve Pilots from various Reserve Wings who were station at Bakalar Air Force Base for their summer encampment. The sixteen months in which he has been instructing Instruments,Transition and Troop Carrier Tactics in the C-119 Aircraft At Bakalar, has give him the opportunity to ride with and known a number of pilots assigned to the 434th T.C.W. Lt Col. Zumhingst was an Element Leader in A-Flight of the 71st T.C.S late to become the 71st SOS. He was on orders as a C-119 Instrument and Transition Instructor and flight examiner and a member of the 930th TC GP. later to become 930th SOW with in the 434th T.C.W. (M) . He trained the 71st Special Operations Tactical Wing (Shadow) and the 72nd T.C.S. in C-119 Troop Carrier Operations and many other Units & SQs, as a flight examiner and instructor. He established the Instrument School for the 434th T.C.W.; he also was toassist in the reorganization of the base operation section of the Bakalar Air Force Base to the reserve operation. While in this capacity, Herbert was recalled to active duty for the Cuban crisis and Operation Swift lift. He served as a Major, flying C-119's. Upon his release from active duty,he became Chief of Flight Standardization Evaluation and Test Pilot for the 434th T.C.W. Lt. Colonel Zumhingst returned to Seymour in 1964 and developed Sherwood Terrace, a 180 lot subdivision, northwest of Seymour High School. He was also a partner in other Seymour businesses. While installing Lasher Drive,Herbert volunteered to fly missions into the Dominican Republic during that country's crisis and was awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. In 1968, Lt. Colonel Zumhingst was recalled to active duty and spent 1968-1969 in the Republic of Vietnam. He was the first squadron to ferry their AC-119 gunship's from Ohio across the Pacific to Nha Trang, Vietnam. Upon his return to the United States, Lt.Col Zumhingst retired as Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Air Force. He served 40 years of reserve and active duty time, earning the following awards and decorations: Air Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War Two Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal (Army), Army of Occupation (Japan) and National Defense Service Medal (With Bronze Stars), United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (with Three Battle Stars), Korean Presidential Unit Citation Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Gold Hour Glass) Combat Readiness Medal and the Air Reserve Meritorious Service Ribbon.I'm Still in the works. More to add
Other Comments:
I have my new wings now.
I have walked into heaven's gates
Oh yes, my old buddies are here . No tears just smiles and cheers.
See we are all new, now flying high with the best wings we have ever had.
So smile don't be sad we are with you .
We are all Gods Co-Pilots now. By: Diane Zumhingst-Scott
The Whistler
I am the Whistler, and I know many things, for I walk by night. I know many strange tales, hidden in the hearts of men and women who have stepped into the shadows. Yes ... I know the nameless terrors of which they dare not speak. Opening to The Whistler
Description The new UN strategy sought to increase military pressure on North Korea and thus force the Communist negotiators to
temper their demands. In May 1952 the Fifth Air Force shifted from interdiction missions against transportation networks to attacks on North Korean supply depots and industrial targets. On May 8 UN fighter-bombers blasted a supply depot and a week later destroyed a vehicle repair factory at Tang-dong, a few miles north of Pyongyang. The Fifth Air Force, under a new Commander, Maj. Gen. Glen O. Barcus, also destroyed munitions factories and a steelfabricating plant during May and June. Meanwhile, Gen. Mark W. Clark took over the United Nations Command.
Beginning on June 23, U.S. Navy and Fifth Air Force units made coordinated attacks on the electric power complex at
Sui-ho Dam, on the Yalu River near Sinuiju, followed by strikes against the Chosin, Fusen, and Kyosen power plants,
all located midway between the Sea of Japan and the Manchurian border in northeastern Korea. The aerial reconnaissance function, always important in target selection, became indispensable to the strategy of increased aerial bombardment, since target planners sought the most lucrative targets. One inviting target was the capital city of Pyongyang. It remained unscathed until July 11, when aircraft of the Seventh Fleet, the 1st Marine Air Wing, the Fifth Air Force. the British Navy, and the Republic of Korea Air Force struck military targets there. That night, following day-long attacks, the Far East Air Forces Bomber Command sent a flight of B-29s to bomb 8 targets. Post-strike assessments of Pyongyang showed considerable damage inflicted to command posts, supply dumps, factories, barracks, antiaircraft gun sites, and railroad facilities. The North Koreans subsequently upgraded their antiaircraft defenses, forcing UN fighter-bombers and light bombers (B-26s) to sacrifice accuracy and bomb from higher altitudes.
Allied air forces returned to Pyongyang again on August 29 and 30, destroying most of their assigned targets. In September the Fifth Air Force sent its aircraft against troop concentrations and barracks in northwest Korea while Bomber Command bombed similar targets near Hamhung in northeast Korea. Along the front lines, throughout the summer and fall of 1952, the FEAF joined the U.S. Navy and Marines to provide between 2,005 and 4,000 close air support sorties each month. For example, FEAF Bomber Command not only flew nighttime interdiction missions but also gave radar-directed close air support
(10,000 or more meters from friendly positions) at night to front-line troops under Communist attack.
During the daytime the Mustang (F-51) pilots flew preplanned and immediate close air support missions. The 315th Air Division also supported the ground forces, flying supplies and personnel into Korea and returning wounded, reassigned, and furloughed personnel to Japan. C-124s, more efficient on the long haul, carded personnel and cargo. C-47s provided tactical airlift to airfields near the front lines, and C-l 19s handled bulky cargo and airborne and airdrop operations.
During the summer of 1952, the 4th and 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wings replaced many of their F-86Es with moditied F-86Fs. The new Sabre aircraft had more powerful engines and improved leading wing edges which allowed them to match the aerial combat performance of the MiG-15 jet fighters of the North Korean and Chinese air forces. Even though the Communists had built up their air order of battle, they still tended to restrict their flights to MiG Alley and often avoided aerial combat with the F-86 pilots. By August and September, however, MiG pilots showed more initiative, and aerial engagements occurred almost daily. Even though the Communist pilots improved their tactics and proficiency, U.S. pilots destroyed many more MiGs,
achieving at the end of October a ratio of 8 enemy losses to every U.S. loss.
The Communists, in spite of the pressure of the air campaign, remained stubborn in the truce talks. On October 8, 1952, the UN negotiators at Panmunjom recessed the talks because the Chinese would not agree to nonforced* repatriation of prisoners of war. As winter set in, UN forces in Korea remained mired in the stalemated conflict.
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