Slusser, John, SMSgt

TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT INFLUENCED HIS/HER DECISION TO JOIN THE AIR FORCE?
In the mid 50's it became apparent that small farming would not support a family as it had in the past. It was either sell out, attempt to lease, or buy land in order to farm more and more acreage and buy expensive farm equipment. After I graduated from high school in 57, Dad and I operated a gas station in the small town of Casey, IL. Even that, along with the farm, didn't really make us enough to thrive. I told Dad that I was thinking about joining the Air Force, and he said that might be a good idea, so I did. When I was about 34 years old, a Master Sergeant home on leave, he told me that back in 58, he had been approached by my uncle, his brother-in-law and that he wanted us to take over and manage his large farm operation. Dad told him that I was going to the service, so it just wouldn't work out. He said he figured I'd have much more opportunity if I got out of that small farming community, so he just didn't tell me about the offer at the time. I guess he was right. My father may have been just a hard-working dirt farmer, but he showed exceptional wisdom many times over. He was a fine man.

TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH HE/SHE TOOK IN HIS/HER MILITARY SERVICE. WHERE DID THEY GO FOR BASIC TRAINING AND WHAT UNITS, BASES OR SQUADRONS WERE THEY ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS HIS/HER REASON FOR LEAVING?
When I took the Air Force Qualification Test at the recruiter's office, they said I was going into electronics. Later at Lackland AFB, in the Green Monster, they gave me three choices. I think one was Instruments Autopilot, one was Bomb Nav and the other was Fire Control. I read them all and selected the one with the longest description which was the latter. Of my 22 years, I was an instructor at the Lowry Tech Training Center and in three different field training detachments for ten of those years. I worked the flight line, calibration docks, field shop, and many other jobs. It's a good thing that the Air Force started the "Weighted Airman's Promotion System" or I'd never have made E-6. When they started letting test results affect your promotion possibilities, I moved up quickly. Instructor duty and subsequent training laid a foundation that supported me throughout my service as well as my career after leaving the Air Force. I started on F-102 Delta Dagger Fire Control Systems in ADC and then worked those greasy F-4 Phantom Weapons Control Systems for about 14 years in TAC, PACAF, and USAFE. I finished up as Avionics Branch Superintendent at Myrtle Beach AFB, SC, where they had A-10 Warthogs.

IF HE/SHE PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE YOU FEEL WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO HIM/HER AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY.
Operations, yes, combat, no. I was stationed at Naha AB, Okinawa when the Gulf of Tonkin event occurred in August 1964. Within 36 hours, we were at Ton Son Nuit. I was an A1C, E-4, and since our Air Police had been pulled off of the deployment back at Naha, I was given seven rounds and a worn-out carbine to stand guard on our aircraft. I have stories about that. We were there for a couple of months. Just over a year later, having retrained to the F-4 systems with the 366th TFW at Holloman AFB, NM, I was deployed to RVN with the 391st TFS, ending up in the 12th TFW at Cam Rahn. Other than being shot at when driving convoy to and from Nha Trang when we were lumbering through the "Rubber Plantation", I had a pretty uneventful tour. My counterparts at Da Nang weren't as fortunate.

FROM THEIR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY PERSONAL MEMORIES, YOU MAY BE AWARE OF, WHICH IMPACTED HIM/HER THE MOST.
I was an instructor in Fundamentals of Electronics at Lowry AFB for over four years. I had my ups and downs, but one time Chief Del Gado, the Branch Chief, mentioned to all during an instructor meeting that I was one of the most knowledgeable instructors in the training branch. Who, me? That one compliment from the Chief gave me a boost of confidence that stayed with me the rest of my life. I made up my mind that I could do anything I put my mind to, and I can!

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES HE/SHE RECEIVED, WHICH WERE THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO HIM/HER AND WHY?
Over 10 years of my career was spent as a technical instructor and I think I was most proud of the "Flying Ice Cream Cone" issued to me in March 1960. I was a very young troop and I felt that I had accomplished something. Of course, I also held the "Master Instructor" badge, however, the first one was the most important to me. My first Commendation Medal was important too.

IF KNOWN, PLEASE LIST ANY INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM HIS/HER TIME IN THE MILITARY WHO STOOD OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEM AND WHY?
I had so many good supervisors during my career and only a couple of bad ones. One or two saved my ass when I did stupid things. My redeeming quality was always my ability to troubleshoot and repair and my bosses appreciated it. One that really made a difference was TSgt Crockett. He is responsible for adjusting my attitude and putting me on the path to promotion after having five years in grade as an E-4. Extended time in grade wasn't too unusual in the 60s in our specialty code. After all, we WERE drawing proficiency pay. He was a fine judge of character and a great supervisor. Sometimes he would have me sit by his desk and he would say, "John, I was lying in bed this morning and I saw the big picture on the ceiling, and you were in it. Here's what I want you to do." He retired as a TSgt, not making MSgt or higher, in my opinion, due to prejudice and possibly his affinity for poker. After retirement, he worked civil service in base housing maintenance, sorted mail at the US Post Office, and worked as a warehouseman at Norton AFB. How did he end up? He became a Civilian Chief of the SR-71 Logistics Program and retired as a GS-15. Finally, someone saw his true potential and he thrived. TSgt Harold E Crocket, RIP.

IF KNOWN, PLEASE RECOUNT THE NAMES OF FRIENDS HE/SHE SERVED WITH, AT WHICH LOCATION, AND WHAT WAS REMEMBERED MOST ABOUT THEM. INDICATE THOSE HE/SHE REMAINED IN TOUCH WITH.
Oh, there are so many: Some I've made contact with and others still unknown. The ranks of these individuals are whatever they were at the time.

RVN 66 Cam Rahn AB 1966 - 391st Tac Fighter Sq WCS Hootch.

SSgt Cary Stanley - Aurora, CO - deceased
SSgt Gerald N (Bud) Meyers - Hawaii
SSgt Robert D Suiter - Phoenix, AZ deceased
A1C William Ferguson - Lake San Markos, CA A1C Steve Arch - deceased
A1C James C Kilgore
A1C Ted Quella - Aurora, CO deceased
A1C John Slusser - Tucson, AZ

Lowry AFB, CO 1959 - 1963

SSgt Rodney A Coulon - Tempe, AZ
A2C Jerry Matz - Tucson, AZ
A1C David Larson - Colorado
A1C John Yanushka - Colorado
A2C Leonard Kauffman - Deceased
A2C Larry Schwartz - Ft Collins, CO
A2C Vic Bunn - Oroville, WA
A2C Robert Dwyer - unknown
SSgt John McBride - unknown
TSgt Bresnahan - unknown
SSgt Sam B Thompson - Colorado
A1C Yarborough - unknown
SSgt Gerald Booth - unknown
A1C Willis R. H. Preston - Texas

NAHA, Holloman & RVN 1963 - 1966

TSgt Lamar B Cruse - deceased
SSgt Jack Vermillion - unknown
SSgt Bobby R Griffin - deceased
SSgt John W Reika - Escondido, CA
A1C John A Bermudez Jr- Ft Worth, TX
A1C Sweeney, John E Jr - Denver
A1C Mike Parry - Arkansas
SSgt Dale A Lindeau - deceased
A1C Reggie Bostwick - Tucson, AZ
A1C Joe L Pierson - North Carolina
SMSgt James V Kenney - Missouri
SSgt Craig K Porter - Phoenix, AZ
SSgt Curtis Oberg - Florida
SSgt James Donaldson - unknown
SSgt Ed Lowrimore - unknown
MSgt Donald Boylls - deceased
A1C Richard Dehart - unknown
SSgt Merle Brumgard - deceased
A1C Bob Nalley - Maryland
SSgt Calvin Combs - OK
SSgt James Alcorn - unknown
A1C Robert Dickfoss - unknown
SSgt Ed Henderson - unknown
SSgt Lewis B Alexander - deceased
SSgt Preston Blake - deceased
A1C Glen Phelps - deceased
A1C Jack Early - deceased
SSgt Jimmy Phillips - unknown
SSgt Shelby J Jeanice - Louisiana
SSgt Basil Thomas - Texas
A2C Melvin Neubauer - unknown

George AFB, CA 1967 - 1971

TSgt Harold L Crockett - deceased
SMSgt Garner Morris - CA
SSgt Charles Troutman - Phoenix
SSgt Thomas Eide - CA
MSgt Eugene M Olson - CA
SMSgt Ferguson - unknown
A1C John Catiller - unknown
TSgt Ragsdale - CA
TSgt Gene Baader - deceased
SSgt Gene Evenson - unknown
MSgt Ed King - unknown
SSgt Bob Partridge - Georgia

FTD - RAF Bentwaters & RAF Lakenheath 1971 - 1974

Major John J Korpi - Massachusetts
MSgt James Hart - Phoenix, AZ
MSgt Walt Killops - California
MSgt Art Myers - unknown
TSgt Johnny Johnson - deceased
MSgt Joe G McCormack - deceased
MSgt Dale Karriker - North Carolina
MSgt Grady Massey - deceased
MSgt Philip (Baby Hewey) Hewett - deceased
TSgt Paul (Willie) Wilson - possibly deceased
TSgt John Armstrong - unknown
MSgt Sherman H Bailey - deceased
TSgt Gary Grover - deceased
MSgt Douglas Cummings - Deceased
SSgt Dave Cummings - New Hampshire
MSgt Dave Fitzgerald - deceased
SSgt Clark McClain - deceased
TSgt Paul Kenneson - unknown
MSgt Bobby Turner - unknown
SMSgt Don Stewart - unknown
MSgt Bill Walker - unknown
TSgt Phillip Lucas - (Georgia?) unknown

TSgt Bernie Lucas - unknown
TSgt William (Billy Budd) Burke - unknown

ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM HIS/HER SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MADE THEM LAUGH LATER ON?
I had an old 250cc Yamaha wing-dinger motorcycle when I was stationed in Okinawa. I got a ticket for riding a passenger without a helmet and one for a loud muffler. So, the Commander took my driver's license away. A month or so later, during a barracks inspection, he told me to come to the orderly room Monday, and he'd give me my license back. It was Friday afternoon before payday, and I was sitting in the Airmen's Club with A1C Jack P Early, and we were lamenting the lack of money, and Namanoui (the bar district) was beckoning. Jack says, "Why don't you hock your motorcycle, say for 50 bucks, and we can split the money, and I'll pay ALL the interest?" It sounded like a plan, so I went to the barracks and got on the bike and headed for the main gate, where just outside a bit, and down the hill, was a hock shop. As I approached the gate, I saw that the Okinawan guards were not alone.

There was a blue Air Police truck sitting there, so I aborted the mission and turned left, heading down toward the Navy area to return to the barracks. He must have jumped in his truck and followed me all the way down to the flight line road, where he stopped me. He wanted to see my license and - well - you know. He wrote me up for driving without a license (true), attempting to leave the base without a valid pass (stamped on the back for driving after dark - technically not true), driving after dark (but it wasn't dark), plus speeding and resisting apprehension (wasn't doing either of those as well). Then he dragged me off to the brig! What an alpha hotel! When the first sergeant bailed me out, he took my pass and said, "I've got you by the balls now!" To add insult to injury, he made me walk the mile and a half back to the barracks. I envisioned my stripes flying off all weekend. Monday morning, my supervisor TSgt Dunaway, went with me to see the commander. Major Hart asked me what happened, and I told him exactly - Jack Early, hocking the bike and all, leaving out nothing. He asked TSgt Dunaway if I was a good troop, and he said I was the best troubleshooter he had.

Then the commander said, "Do you remember when 1st Sgt Cooper chewed you out the first day you were here because you used his desk cigarette lighter without asking permission?" I answered, "Yes, sir!" He then opened his desk drawer and pulled out my license and tore it in half, and said, "You won't be driving the rest of your tour." Then he said, "Dismissed!" I stood there with my mouth agape, and he said, "Dismissed!" again. I saluted, about-faced, and left the room. About the time the 1st Shirt saw me, the Commander called me back and said, "You might be needing this." As I passed Sgt Cooper the second time, he asked, "Well, what happened?" and as I stuffed my pass back in my wallet, I said, "He gave me back my pass!" You could see the steam building up, but about that time, Major Hart says, "Sgt Cooper, come into my office, please." Don"t know what happened in there, but I can tell you that I stayed out of the 1st Shirt's way the rest of my tour! Sold the motorcycle. MSgt Cooper, RIP

IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, WHAT PROFESSION(S) DID HE/SHE FOLLOW AFTER DISCHARGE?
I missed Chief by several points in 1980 and, being a bit aggravated, went to see a head-hunter who pointed me to a job fair in Virginia Beach that weekend that I attended. The following Monday, I received a call from Hughes Aircraft, who offered me a job as a field rep, so I put in my papers. My first job as a Hughes Rep was with US Customs Air Operations from 1980 through 1987 at Davis Monthan AFB here in Tucson. It was wonderful! I flew in everything you can think of, fixed-wing and rotor, recip and jet, single and multi, including two years in highly modified P-3 Orions with Hughes sensor equipment used for drug interdiction. Later I transferred to the local Hughes Missile Systems, where I was a "Maverick." I supported the Hughes AGM-65 Air-To-Ground Maverick Missile factory and depot programs and managed to work myself up to becoming a Project Engineer and Member of the Technical Staff. The highlight of my tour with missiles was a two-year support contract with the Spanish Air Force at Zaragoza AB, Spain. I retired from Hughes/Raytheon in 1998. The first year, I was a partner in and helped to start up a dial-up internet company in Casey, IL, my hometown, and we have since sold the company. I'm doing a bit of engineering as a partner in a small R&D company here in Tucson. I'm still having fun with amateur radio, digital photography, computers, and electronic gadgets.

IF KNOWN, WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS WAS HE OR SHE A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY SPECIFIC BENEFITS THEY DERIVED FROM THEIR MEMBERSHIPS?
I am a member of the 12Th Tac Fighter Wing Association, the Air Force Association, and of course, Together We Served. TWS is my favorite since I'm actively involved with the organization.

IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU BELIEVE HIS/HER SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY THEY APPROACHED THEIR PERSONAL LIFE, FAMILY LIFE AND CAREER?
The Air Force taught me to be honest and have integrity in everything I did. From that, I learned to do everything as well as I possibly could, admit my mistakes, and fix them if possible. No easy task that, and I slipped and fell several times. My partner in life, Shirley Malcolm Slusser, served with me nearly my entire military career. Wives do not get the credit that they deserve for supporting their spouse, raising a family, and generally keeping the home front going while their military half is serving our country. It is very true that "They also served."

IF THEY WERE HERE TODAY, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU THINK HE OR SHE WOULD GIVE TO THOSE WHO FOLLOWED IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS AND RECENTLY ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE?
Just stay with it. Personally, I would not hesitate to do it all over again.

HOW EFFECTIVE HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM BEEN IN HELPING YOU RECORD YOUR REMEMBERED PERSONS MILITARY SERVICE? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE?
I check TWS every day at least once. I scan the new members to see if there might be someone I know and I try to look at the profiles of most of them. What a kick it is to find someone you knew in the past and send them a message and then receive their response. It's a great organization.

KC 2.7.24