Page 3 - Nellis AFB Bullseye 6-5-15

BULLSEYE
www.aerotechnews.com/nellisafb
Vet visits NAFB first time in 75 years
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Rachel Loftis
Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Jobie Hammock
poses for a photo at Nellis Air Force Base,
Nev., May 21. Hammock, who joined the
Army Air Corps in 1943, was stationed at
the Las Vegas Army Air Field — now Nellis
AFB — in July 1945. He recently visited
Nellis AFB for the first time in 75 years.
By Airman 1st Class Rachel Loftis
99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. —
Boisterous laughs and smiles as wide
as the sea engulfed the room as friends
and family surrounded a wooden confer-
ence room table to hear 92 year old Jobie
Hammock recall decades-old memories
of his time in service.
Kendall cites progress on F-35 performance, schedule, cost
ALukeAirForceBase,Ariz., F-35ALightningIIstandsbytotakeoffatNellisAirForceBase,Nev.,April15.FrankKendall,the undersecretary
of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, recently said the F-35 program is making progress on performance, schedule and cost.
News
Hammock served at the Las Vegas
Army Airfield — now Nellis Air Force
Base — in 1945, and recently visited his
“old stomping grounds” for the first time
in 75 years.
Although age may have slowed him
down physically, Hammock’s memory
remains sharp.
“I swore in Sept. 27, 1943. I had been
out of high school for three years,”
Hammock said. “Ever since I had been
knee-high to a duck my ambition was to
be an Army Air Corps fighter pilot, but
at that time you had to have a college
degree to get into training. The effects of Now wave your hands because two out
the depression were still going on in 1943
and going to college was completely out
of the question for me.”
Hammock began his Army Air Corps
journey by heading to basic training at
Keesler Field, Mississippi, in October
1943.
After basic training, Hammock
received orders to a college training
detachment at the University of Mis-
sissippi in January 1944. Three months
later he received orders to Altus Army
Air Field, Oklahoma. In June 1944,
Hammock reported to the San Antonio
Aviation Cadet Center which led to him
to Harlington, Texas, for airfield gun-
nery school, but he ultimately attended
bombardier school.
“I was hoping to get into pilot train-
ing,” Hammock said. “By the time I got
in, you had to practically be able to walk
on water to make it into pilot training.”
Hammock laughed adding, “They had
(psychological) and reaction tests and
you had to score three (sets of) nines to
3June 5, 2015
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qualify for pilot training. I had only one, Force as a major in February 1983, and
so I chose bombardier because I thought for several years he wished to revisit each
it would take less math because I had base he’s been assigned to, to see what
never taken any math. As it turned out, became of them.
there is just as much math in bombardier
training.” Hammock ’s family, led by his
daughter and son-in-law Patricia and
By March 1945, Hammock graduated Alan Cuomo, was planning on taking
bombardier school in San Angelo, Texas, him to each of his old bases in chrono-
earned his commission as a second logical order, however, they realized it
lieutenant, and was soon assigned as a would be too large of an undertaking
bombardier instructor. and decided to give him a gift certifi-
cate instead, which he used to come to
“I was an instructor for about three Nellis AFB.
months after that,” Hammock said.
“They used to tell us ‘Cross your arms. “He is 92 years old and it was around
Christmas time and you start to run thin
of three of you aren’t going to be here.’ on gift ideas,” Patricia said. “He doesn’t
My class graduated almost 150 out of 195 need another shirt or tie, so what are
that had started.” you going to do? We had been hearing
for years that he would really like to go
After instructing, Hammock received back, so we gave him a certificate and it
orders for an overseas assignment in July said ‘you are entitled to one round trip
1945. Twenty days later, his orders were to Nellis Air Force Base,’ so that is how
cancelled and he was being diverted to all of this got started. Ultimately, we
Las Vegas Army Air Field. would love to take him to other bases he
has been to.”
“I was sent here supposedly to do a
B-29 central gun control officer class and Hammock finished off his visit to Nel-
I was supposed to start class the day after lis AFB with a tour of the Thunderbird
Japan surrendered,” Hammock said. Museum, and before departing, shared
his thoughts on his visit.
With his class cancelled, Hammock
left for home in Charleston, West Vir- “Coming back here has been wonder-
ginia, in September 1945. In November ful. I am so grateful for how cooperative,
1945, Hammock was released from active accommodating and nice everyone has
duty with an assignment to the Army Air been, it has been perfect,” Hammock
Corps stand-by reserve unit. said. “I only hope that I can make my way
towards the others bases I was assigned
“I looked into the Guard but they only to as well.”
had one slot available at the time which
was a supply officer and I was told if you Hammock currently resides in Ven-
had larceny in your heart that’s a great tura County, California, waiting anx-
place to be,” said Hammock. “So, I joined iously for the opportunity to revisit all
the Reserve.” his past-assigned bases.
Hammock retired from the U.S. Air
By Cheryl Pellerin
DOD News, Defense Media Activity
U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Thomas Spangler WASHINGTON — The F-35 Lightning
II program, also know as the Joint Strike
Fighter program, is making progress on per-
formance, schedule and cost, Frank Kendall,
the undersecretary of defense for acquisition,
technology and logistics, told U.S. report-
ers last week during a teleconference from
Norway.
Kendall was in Oslo to attend the two-day
F-35 CEO conference, an annual meeting in
which senior U.S. government leaders, in-
ternational partners and industry members
discuss the F-35 program’s status and strate-
gic outlook. This was the first year a partner
nation hosted the high-level meeting.
“We’re continuing to execute to the (2011
F-35 Technical Baseline Review),” Kendall
said. “And we’re exceeding our expectations
on cost and performance and we’re close to
our projections on schedule.”
__________________See F-35, on page 9