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Show Hilltop HILLTOP TIMES TIMES June 5, 2014 5 421st 'Black Widows' squadron gets new commander BY MITCH SHAW Hilltop Times staff HILL AIR FORCE BASE — The Black Widows now have a new head spider. Lt. Col. David Shoemaker relinquished command of Hill Air Force Base's 421st Fighter Squadron Monday morning in a ceremony that also welcomed in new commander Lt. Col. Ed Mangahas. Shoemaker spent two years as commander of the 421st, affectionately known as the Black Widows. One of two fighter squadrons assigned to Hill's 388th Fighter Wing, the squadron conducts flying operations to maintain combat readiness of a 24-aircraft F-16 squadron which includes 40 personnel and more than $600 million in assets. Shoemaker recently led the unit in a several month deployment to Osan Air Base, South Korea, as part of a mission to strengthen American forces in the area and improve relationships there. "Lt. Col. Shoemaker is a living testament to the genius of our Air Force system," said Col. Tom Klopotek, 388th Operations Group commander, when discussing the success of the deployment. The 421st regularly deploys aircraft to the Asia-Pacific Region, providing Pacific Air Forces and the U.S. Pacific Command commanders a Theater Security Package in the region. While Shoemaker received high praise, he was quick to thank those working under him. Looking out into a crowd of TODD CROMAR/421st Fighter Squadron ABOVE: Lt. Col. Ed Mangahas receives his first salute from the 421st Fighter Squadron on June 2. BELOW RIGHT: (From left) Col. Tom Klopotek, Lt. Col. David Shoemaker and Mangahas salute the squadron. BELOW LEFT: Shoemaker receives the Bronze Star. airmen in his squadron, Shoe- erations for the squadron. maker addressed them directly Among a long list of Air and pointed to a large American Force assignments, Mangahas flag. "They know that the freedoms that this flag represents don't come free," he said. "And their families know that too." Mangahas takes over command of the 421st after serving for a year as the director of op- also served as a F-16 flight examiner and weapons instructor pilot at Hill from 2008 to 2009. He said he's thrilled to be taking command of the squadron he's worked in for the past year. Balcom From 1 Balcom and daughter 11-acy Kline traveled from California, and his brother Keith Balcom traveled from Kentucky, to support Shoemaker. While Shoemaker didn't actually meet a member of the Balcom family until earlier this year, the story behind their connection begins May 15, 1966. On that fateful day, Ralph Balcom, who was serving as a pilot for the 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron, went missing near Dong Hoi, Vietnam. When Balcom lost contact with American forces, a search-and-recovery party was dispatched to find him and his F-105 Thunderchief, but the team ultimately came up empty-handed. Balcom left behind his wife, Marian, and Chris and lacy, who were 4 and 7, respectively. Chris said the family hoped for years that their father may have somehow survived, but gave up hope in 1973 after a large group of Hanoi prisoners of war came home and Captain Balcom wasn't among them. Chris said since the conflict in Vietnam ended, neither he nor anyone else MITCH SHAW/Hilltop Times Tracy Kline, Keith Balcom, Lt. Col. David Shoemaker and Chris Balcom pose for a photograph outside of an aircraft hangar at Hill Air Force Base on Monday on June 2. in his family has made contact with anyone who knew their father. "We really thought we were the only ones who remembered him," he said. "It was tough." But when Chris Balcom's son Jake deployed to Korea with the Marine Corps earlier this year, it became abundantly clear that someone else had remembered. By what the family calls more than a coincidence, Jake was in Korea at the very same time Shoemaker and his 421st Fighter Squadron were. The 421st FSS is the modern-day iteration of Ralph Balcom's 421st TFS. When Shoemaker got word that the grandson of a fallen Black Widow (the 421st's nickname) was nearby, he arranged a meeting, allowing Jake to spend a few days in March with his fallen grandfather's old unit. Jake, a 21-year-old field artillery cannonier, was given a tour of the 421st's deployed operation and shown several of the aircraft the squadron flies. "It's been amazing hanging out with (the Balcom family)," Shoemaker said. "(Ralph Balcom) is who we are and he's why we're here." While Jake remains on active duty and couldn't attend Shoemaker's change-of-command ceremony, the Balcoms who were there say they wouldn't have missed it for the world. "We just felt like we needed to be here," Chris Balcom said. "After what he did for us, we wanted to thank him in person and be a part of his event." Kline said the incredible set of circumstances and the hospitality shown by Shoemaker has given her what feels like a second family. "It means everything that somebody thought of us — that somebody thought of him," she said. "To know he's lived on in the hearts and minds of people outside of our family is indescribable." Keith Balcom said if there was ever anyone who deserved to be remembered, it was his brother. "He was my inspiration ever since he buzzed over my high school in his F-100. We'll never forget him." |