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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
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase V Campaign (1968)
From Month/Year
July / 1968
To Month/Year
November / 1968
Description This period was from November 1, 1968-February 22, 1969.
Following the cessation of bombing on October 3,. 1968, the United States for the next 4 years restricted flights over North Vietnam primarily to reconnaissance missions. The Air Force diverted airpower resources committed to the campaign over North Vietnam to the air campaign in Laos in an attempt to slow the flow of suppliesfrom North Vietnam down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. This interdiction effort covered an area in the Laotian panhandle from about the 16th to the 18th parallel and focused on the Laotian/North Vietnamese border near the Keo Nua, Mu Ola, and Ban Karai Passes. Much information about targets on the l-lo Chi Minh Trail came from air-dropped electronic sensors. When American bombing choked the major transportation arteries. the North Vietnamese directed truck convoys along secondary roads where they became more vulnerable to tactical air strikes. Throughout November and December 1968 U.S. tactical aircraft and B-52s attacked targets in the Laotian panhandle. AC-130 gunships, flying at night and relying on infrared, radar, and other sensors. proved especially effective in destroying trucks. To counter the intense air attacks, the North Vietnamese quadrupled the number of anti-aircraft guns along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, while adding logistical personnel in Laos for repair work and transport duties.
The USAF also provided close air support to hard-pressed Royal and irregular Laotian forces in northem Laos, where on December 25, North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao troops launched a strong offensive. By late February 1969 the enemy had driven the Laotian forces back across the Plain of Jars to Na Khang.
In South Vietnam, meanwhile. the Viet Cong suffered temporary setbacks under Allied air and ground attacks. On November 1, 1968, the Republic of Vietnam began a military and civic pacification program intended to bring most of the onuttry quickly under government control. Two operations underscored Allied military approaches to pacification.
In the first, the Allies learrted of a large enemy force moving into the Savy Rieng Province, Cambodia. the so-called “Parrot's Beak" that jutted deep into South Vietnam northwest of Saigon. To thwart this penetration, between October 18 and November 11, 1968, the U.S. Air Force airlifted 11,500 men of the U.S. lst Cavalry Division and 3,400 tons of cargo in C-130s over 500 miles from Quang Tri Province in the north to Tay Ninh. Binh Long. and Phuoc Long Provinces. northwest of Saigon. Until the tum of the year, these U.S. Army forces. working with the South Vietnamese, conducted operations in the Cambodian/South Vietnamese border area along the Parrot‘s Beak between the Vam Co Tay and Vam Co Dong Rivers. The USAF supported these operations with tactical aircraft and B-52s flying air support and interdiction missions against troop concentrations, base areas, logistics complexes and transportation lines. In the second major winter operation. starting the first week of December. the Seventh Air Force launched another air campaign in the A Shau Valley, located near the Cambodian border some 30 miles southwest of Hue. Afterward, in January 1969. U.S. Marines entered the valley and found large amounts of materiel that the Communists had abandoned unable to move it during the sustained air attacks. After months of negotiations on January 18, 1969, representatives of the government of South Vietnam and of the National Liberation Front. the Communist political branch in South Vietnam joined the United States and North Vietnam in the Paris peace talks. While negotiations continued in France, the Communist forces in Vietnam launched their first offensive of the new year.