Lt Colonel Alvin G. Millspaugh
 

Lt Colonel Alvin G. Millspaugh enter the US. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet from Oakland, California in 1942.  After completing his pilot training he received his wings and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant , then went on to advanced training.   He completed his mission training  in the B-24 Liberator, a four engine heavy bomber,  at Walla Walla, Washington.  In 1944 he and his crew were sent overseas and assigned to the 720th Bomb Squadron of the 15th Air Force and flew from bases in North Africa.  As a B-24 co-pilot he  flew five combat missions. On the fateful  fifth mission to bomb rail yard facilities in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia his  Liberator was hit by anti-aircraft fire.   With one engine on fire and a second malfunctioning the crew bailed out.  All survived the jump except  the tail gunner.  Col Millspaugh would spend the remainder of the war  at  "Stalag Luft I"  as a  Prisoner of War. Here is a link to Col Millspaugh's own World War II Survival Story. In 1948 he joined the 61st Fighter Wing of the California Air National Guard flying from Oakland, California.  The wing would move to Hayward, California in 1951 and then to Fresno in 1954.  The 129th Air Resupply Group was then formed at Hayward with Col Millspaugh as a charter member.  He was also a member of the Air Technician Detachment ++  and served has the Base Operations Officer.  He flew the group's C-46, HU-16 and C-119 aircraft.  Most notable among his military decorations are the Prisoner of War and the Purple Heart medals.    Col Millspaugh retired from the 129th in 1973 and with wife Fern now resides in Ukiah, California.

++Air Technician:  A federal civil service position providing full time support for Air National Guard units.  Membership in the unit served is a condition of employment.