by Brig. Gen. Rich Johnston
KMC and 86th Airlift Wing commander
As the U.S. Air Force turns 60, we reflect upon the past six decades of its history. Of course, my career goes back only 26 years, but the historical gap to the start of our independent Air Force was completed when I met John De-Vore, who joined the Air Force in 1947 when it first became an independent branch of service.
***image1***Mr. De-Vore was a supply sergeant who joined the Air Force when the uniform was the Ike jacket, and the summer uniform included sun helmets and long stockings. In 1949 the Air Force adopted “blues” as the service’s official uniform.
He had several assignments throughout Asia, the U.S. and here in Germany. In fact, Mr. De-Vore was stationed at Ramstein in 1958. He remembers Ramstein as two bases when the southern portion of the base was called Landstuhl, and the northern portion was called Ramstein. B40 cut through the middle of the base and there were security gates between the two separate bases.
He also recalls the swinging nights of the famous NCO club that was equipped with a revolving stage. And, the West Gate that was then a cobble stone road utilized as an emergency landing strip for the base.
Mr. De-Vore never imagined Ramstein would become the “Gateway to Europe” as Rhein-Main was the main hub while he was stationed here. And at that time, U.S. Air Forces in Europe headquarters was located in Wiesbaden.
It is at Ramstein where Mr. De-Vore met his wife of 45 years, Margarit. The De-Vores have lived in the KMC since 1965 and Mr. De-Vore has worked in or around the Air Force for the last 60 years. Mr. De-Vore has worked at the Cannon Hotel on Ramstein since 1995.
He said his 60-year experience with the U.S. Air Force has been a wonderful life and that he has met some of the greatest people in the world and he is proud to say the first sentence of The Airman’s Creed: “I am an American Airman.”
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by Brig. Gen. Rich Johnston
KMC and 86th Airlift Wing commander
As the U.S. Air Force turns 60, we reflect upon the past six decades of its history. Of course, my career goes back only 26 years, but the historical gap to the start of our independent Air Force was completed when I met John De-Vore, who joined the Air Force in 1947 when it first became an independent branch of service.
***image1***Mr. De-Vore was a supply sergeant who joined the Air Force when the uniform was the Ike jacket, and the summer uniform included sun helmets and long stockings. In 1949 the Air Force adopted “blues” as the service’s official uniform.
He had several assignments throughout Asia, the U.S. and here in Germany. In fact, Mr. De-Vore was stationed at Ramstein in 1958. He remembers Ramstein as two bases when the southern portion of the base was called Landstuhl, and the northern portion was called Ramstein. B40 cut through the middle of the base and there were security gates between the two separate bases.
He also recalls the swinging nights of the famous NCO club that was equipped with a revolving stage. And, the West Gate that was then a cobble stone road utilized as an emergency landing strip for the base.
Mr. De-Vore never imagined Ramstein would become the “Gateway to Europe” as Rhein-Main was the main hub while he was stationed here. And at that time, U.S. Air Forces in Europe headquarters was located in Wiesbaden.
It is at Ramstein where Mr. De-Vore met his wife of 45 years, Margarit. The De-Vores have lived in the KMC since 1965 and Mr. De-Vore has worked in or around the Air Force for the last 60 years. Mr. De-Vore has worked at the Cannon Hotel on Ramstein since 1995.
He said his 60-year experience with the U.S. Air Force has been a wonderful life and that he has met some of the greatest people in the world and he is proud to say the first sentence of The Airman’s Creed: “I am an American Airman.”