Ron Haun, Serving on the Home Front

Ron Haun

My draft number either came up or was going to come in the summer of 1964. So, like a lot of other scared people who did not want to go Vietnam, I called the Air National Guard in Wichita about joining them.  I think they told me there would not be a spot available for several months. I said you have to be kidding me.  They appeared to not be surprised with my response. They then asked me what I might be interested in doing. I told them I wanted to be a spy like Floyd Watson tried to do in the Army when he enlisted.  Well, they had a good laugh, then kindly took my name and phone number and said they would call if anything came up.

Guess what? They called two days later and said a slot just became available.  They asked how I felt about becoming an aircraft firefighter. I am sure there was a long pause before I answered. I believe I asked if they were any other choices. They said no. I said I can’t be a spy? No. Then they said I had to come out to the base the next day to enlist and pass a physical. They left the best part for last, naturally. I would have to depart from McConnell AFB in Wichita in three days for Basic Training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas.

Well, to say it was hot as hell is an understatement. It was worse. I believe the Red Flag warning (100 degrees plus for the day) was up every day for my wonderful stay and experience in Basic Training. Then, I spent three plus years serving in the Air National Guard in Wichita.

On Friday afternoon, January 26, 1968, while working at Boeing in Wichita, I and many other Boeing employees were called into an auditorium and told we were no longer employees of Boeing.  A Boeing representative read the order from the Air Force to us that we were ordered to report to active duty that night, at 10 p.m., at McConnell AFB with our families for processing.  My dear wife, Colleen Kernohan, class of 1961, said she did not join the Air Force, and they could not order her around. She finally agreed to go just before 10 p.m. I spent the rest of my service time dealing with an Irish wife who did not follow orders very well.  Got to know the base commander very well.

My active duty service time went from January 26, 1968 to June 18, 1969.  I spent the entire active duty time at McConnell AFB. Before my unit left for South Korea, I hurt my wrist and was sent to Lackland AFB for evaluation and possible surgery. They decided I did not need surgery and sent me back to Wichita. Somehow, the Air Force managed to lose my health records, so I stayed at McConnell while my buddies got to go to South Korea. I swore to all of them that I had nothing to do with the missing records.