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(flowing string music)

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- [Narrator] The Kentucky
Air National Guard's

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123rd Airlift Wing,

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is one of the most decorated
units in Air Force history.

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With 17 Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards,

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eight Distinguished Fly Unit Plaques,

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and multiple other awards;

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including the SPATs, and Metcalf trophies.

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That legacy is a testament to
the dedication of its airmen;

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who have continually answered the call

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to serve wherever they're needed.

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Since 9/11 alone, the Wing's airmen

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have deployed to over two
dozen countries worldwide.

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Logging more than 300,000 days of service,

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much of it in combat zones.

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From the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan,

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to humanitarian missions
in Somalia, Bosnia,

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and the Ebola Crisis in East Africa.

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To disaster recovery assignments

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following earthquakes in Japan and Haiti,

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and homeland hurricanes like Katrina,

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Harvey, Irma, and Maria,

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the Kentucky Air Guard has
been a key participant.

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This commitment to global service,

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dates to the wings earlier days in 1947.

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But one of it's most
significant federal missions

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took place in 1968 when the Wing,

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then known as the 123rd
Tactical Reconnaissance Wing,

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was mobilized in response
to the Pueblo Crisis.

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On January 23, 1968, the
North Korean military

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seized the USS Pueblo; the
US Navy intelligence vessel

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operating in international waters,

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killing one crew member,
and capturing 82 others.

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The incident raised international tensions

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to near crisis level, and
precipitated the call up

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of the Kentucky Air National Guard.

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(dramatic music)

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With military forces
heavily engaged in Vietnam,

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President Linden Johnson

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mobilized Kentucky's 123rd
Tactical Reconnaissance Wing

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on January 26, 1968.

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Air Guard units in Arkansas
and Nevada were attached

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to the Kentucky wing for
administrative purposes.

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And those units were also
called to federal service.

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The no-notice recall brought
104 officers, and 650 airmen

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of the Kentucky Air Guard,
to active duty abruptly,

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giving them no time to
adjust from civilian life.

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None the less, within 24 hours,

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all members of the Kentucky
units, reported for active duty.

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By January 29th, the Kentucky airmen

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launched into serious training efforts.

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Air crews were sent to sea survival school

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at Homestead Air Force Base,
Florida, and tactical training

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at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina;

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home of the tactical air
reconnaissance center.

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Other training included camera repair,

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aircraft maintenance, total
processing interpretation,

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and intelligence debriefing.

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On May 28th, the Unit was
alerted that it would be moved

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to Richards-Gebaur Air
Force Base, Missouri,

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located south of Kansas City.

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Farewell ceremonies were
held in Louisville July 9th,

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for the departing units.

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And the RF 101 Voodoo aircraft
from Kentucky and Nevada,

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were deployed July 12th to Missouri.

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Back in Louisville, personnel
from the inactivated portions

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of the Kentucky Air Guard

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were beginning to leave
for other assignments.

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131 Kentuckians were reassigned

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to 30 separate bases in the
continental United States.

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And 173 were sent overseas.

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Of those leaving the country,

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156 went to six bases in Korea,
14 to two bases in Japan,

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one to South Vietnam, and one to Libia.

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The main group of personnel,
assigned to Richards-Gebaur,

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reported July 22nd, in
the Wing's 165th Squadron,

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began its rotation to the
far east in January 1969,

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bound for Itazuke Air Base, Japan.

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While overseas, the Unit
flew 18 sorties per day,

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as directed by the operations center

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at Osan Air Base, Korea.

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Most of the photo targets were
bridges, railway complexes,

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communications facilities,
airfields, and radar sites.

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One of their biggest jobs
was pre-strike photography

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for exercise focused retina,

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then the longest airborne
assault in history,

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which took place in March.

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In late April, the 165th
returned to Richards-Gebaur,

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and the following month,
from May 18th to the 25th,

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the Kentucky and Nevada contingents

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returned to their respective
Air National Guard Bases.

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A deactivation ceremony for
the Kentucky Air Guardsmen

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was conducted in
Louisville on June 9, 1969.

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During the recall period of 17 months,

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the entire wing compiled
an enviable record.

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Logging approximately 20,000
tactical flying hours,

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from a total of 11,561 sorties,

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and delivered almost 320,000
reconnaissance prints

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to requesting agencies.

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The command was deployed
on important missions

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to the Panama Canal Zone,
the Alaskan Air Command,

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and to Itazuke Air Base Japan.

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It also lost one of its air crew members,

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Captain Robert W. Sawyer, who was killed

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when he ejected from his
disabled from his RF 101 Voodoo,

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during a flight near Kansas
City, on August 5, 1968.

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At various ceremonies,
37 individual awards

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were presented to Kentucky
Air National Guardsmen

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for outstanding performance during recall;

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including the Bronze Star Medal.

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Performance during the
period also earned the unit

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it's very first Air Force
Outstanding Unit Award.

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In his comments to the
airmen of the 123rd,

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following the Unit's
deactivation, Wing Commander,

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Brigadier General Jack
Owen, spoke of the Units

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impressive accomplishments
under trying circumstances.

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"As we close out our active
duty service," Owen said,

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"We can look back upon the
outstanding service of this wing,

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"particularly it's tactical squadrons,

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"which have compiled a
tremendous record in Japan,

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"and the Republic of Korea.

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"Operationally, this
wing is without equal,

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"anywhere in the Air Force.

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"We have flown more hours, more sorties,

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"and more fragged missions,

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"than any comparable unit anywhere.

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"If we're a little proud of
ourselves, we have good cause."

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That pride, is still
evident in the men and women

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of the Kentucky Air National Guard today,

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thanks in part to the legacy
of service, set by the airmen

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who answered the call to
Pueblo crisis 50 years ago.

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(dramatic instrumental music)