The White Falcon - 06.05.1977, Blaðsíða 3

White Falcon
May 6, 1977
Page 3
VP-45 boasts resident college instructor
by Ltjg A1 Harms
The VP-45 Pelicans boast a college
teacher among their numbers. He is
Aviation Machinist's Mate First Class
Petty Officer Harold C. MacCollum
Petty Officer MacCollum currently
teaches aerospace and power plants
vehicles for Los Angeles Community
College Overseas. He teaches the three
credit hour course to 19 VP-45 members
as well as the three Air Force squadrons.
The course is the first in a sequence
of courses designed to prepare students
for their Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) license.
MacCollum is one of VP-45's top flight
engineers who flies on the commanding
officer's crew. Commander S. F. Loftus
states, "We had several men in the
squadron who wanted to pursue their
education in aviation maintenance during
this deployment. With Petty Officer
MacCollum onboard, we were glad to ex-
tend any support we could in getting him
the necessary approval to teach the
college course."
Petty Officer MacCollum did some
private tutoring in air frames and power
plants subjects in Jacksonville, FL. Be-
Talk about jogging . . .
600 miles
If you're one of those people who jog
to maintain physical fitness and have
maybe envisioned yourself as a long dis-
tance runner, read on.
The year was 1814. The War of 1812
wasn't going very well and General An-
drew Jackson needed reinforcements to
fight the British at New Orleans. His
only source of men was from General
William Carroll, who could muster
troops from Kentucky and Tennessee. But
William Carroll was in Nashville, 600
miles away, and time was critical.
After studying his map, General
Jackson told his messenger, a Mohegan
Indian named Holdfast Gaines, that he
could give him only 10 days to deliver
the message to Nashville, if Carroll's
troops were to reach New Orleans before
Christmas.
Holdfast started his epic run on
Nov. 7. Through the days (and some of
the nights) his long legs carried him
along the Tombigbee River to Yowanni,
Pontotoc and Colbert's Ferry and then
fore VP-45's deployment to Keflavik, the
squadron, on behalf of MacCollum, con-
tacted the Naval Station Education Office
to convey his desire to serve as an in-
structor for any existing air frames/
power plants course or help form a new
one. The Los Angeles Community College
Overseas (LACCO) informed MacCollum that
they needed an instructor, and approved
his credentials to teach.
MacCollum's early naval career was
centered at NAS Whiting Field, Milton,
FL. Assigned to Training Wing FIVE,
he worked exclusively on the T-28 "Men-
tor," the basic propeller training
aircraft of the Navy. But MacCollum
was not satisfied to be just another
aviation mechanic. He set his goals
much higher. He went on to demonstrate
his technical expertise and earned the
professional esteem of his peers to
become the Training Squadron THREE Power
Plants Shop Training Petty Officer, and
then shop supervisor.
But that was not enough for this
ambitious petty officer who went on to
become a designated T-28 flight test
aircrewman. Kudos for maintenance
achievements did not satisfy MacCollum's
desire to fly. He sought orders to VP-45
in 6 days
along the cane brakes of the Natchez
Trace to Nashville.
General Carroll was sitting down to
dinner on the night of Nov. 12 when
Holdfast interrupted him to lay Jackson's
message in his hands. Carroll noted
the date of the letter, and announced
in disbelief that Jackson's messenger
had run the 600 miles from Mobile to
Nashville in just six days. It was an
incredible feat.
Holdfast did not hear the excited
talk throughout the night as plans were
made to move down the river to Jackson's
aid. He was undoubtedly fast asleep.
General Carroll and his 3,000 troops
reached New Orleans in time to help
Jackson defeat the British, thanks to
this unsung hero of the War of 1812,
Holdfast Gaines., probably one of the
greatest runners of all times.
And that's a record worth thinking
about as you jog along, especially if
you need some added inspiration as you
enter the homeward stretch.
Misuse of grocery carts pose deadly hazards
Without giving much thought to it,
many parents use the familiar shopping
cart at the commissary as a baby buggy
while doing their shopping. This seem-
ingly harmless practice can lead to
a banged-up baby and an unhappy day if
the problem involved is not considered.
An unattended child may reach over
the handle bar or either side toward
inviting packages on nearby shelves.
FRA Branch Home
Elections were held at the Fleet Re-
serve Association Branch Home last week.
The following officers were elected:
ACC G. Raymond, president; SKI C.
Jones, first vice-president; DPC J.
Easley, second vice-president and DPI M.
Engwall, secretary-treasurer.
Selected for the board of directors
are PNCS J. Cristwell, MMCS J. Kerr,
ADR2 J. Kupsick and AC1 K. Shanahan.
Branch officers will be installed at
the Branch Home tomorrow at 7 p.m.
The child s center of gravity can
shift and tip the cart, particularly
if it has no groceries to counterbalance
the child's weight and motion. The in-
juries sustained from these falls can
range from crushed fingers to broken
bones.
No parent deliberately wants to hurt
a child, but this might happen if the
child is left unattended in the
shopping cart.
elects new officials
A cocktail hour will begin at 6 p.m.,
and the ceremony will be followed by a
buffet style supper, featuring "Steam-
boat Round."
Dress will be semiformal.
Installation of Unit 255 officers
will also be held.
May meetings are as follows: Tuesday,
general membership; May 17, Ladies' Aux-
iliary and May 24, Branch-Unit social.
All sessions are held at 7:30 p.m. at
the Branch Home (Bldg. T-184) except for
LAFRA which meets at 8 p.m.
and qualified as second mechanic and then
flight engineer in 1970.
He returned to VT-3 after his VP-45
tour, earning his FAA air frames and
power plants license during off duty
hours. With this license, he is fully
certified to perform maintenance on
any civilian aircraft air frame, or
power plant as well as perform exter-
nal adjustments to electronics equip-
ment. At this point, he became inspired
by peer advice and comments, and decided
to earn his teaching certificate.
Now Petty Officer MacCollum is cer-
tified by the State of Florida as a
college instructor of air frames and
power plants courses. He initially
taught at the Pensacola Junior College,
and is qualified to teach at any
Florida college or junior college.
Harold MacCollum is one of the more
colorful and popular of the LACCO in-
structors at Keflavik. Ms. Mellissa
Nassaux, LACCO representative, compli-
mented Petty Officer MacCollum by saying,
"He's a great person, great to talk to,
and a great instructor."
Upon the squadron's return to Jackson-
ville, Harold plans to work on his FAA
turbo-prop flight engineer's license.
LACCO INSTRUCTOR ADI Harold MacCollum
conducts a P-3 preflight inspection.
AFI Enlisted Advisory Council
Two or more representatives from each
Air Forces Iceland tenant command com-
prise the AFI Enlisted Advisory Council
(EAC).
The council, which meets monthly,
sponsors two annual "Dining Outs," in
addition to providing the Volunteer
Educational Tutoring Service (VETS).
About 26 volunteers participate in
the VF/TS program which EAC screens for
parents and their children who desire
a tutor.
Among several basic objectives, EAC
strives to improve policies, practices
and directives which concern an Air
Force member's job, career attitude
and development.
Along this line, EAC promotes work-
ing, living, service and recreation
facilities as well as operations.
The council tries to upgrade the
overall Air Force image by initiating
and operating community programs and
activities.
The human relations aspect of mili-
tary life is also considered.
On the local level, the council re-
ceives, reviews and recommends sugges-
tions and problems to Colonel W. E.
Lindeman, Commander Air Forces Ice-
land, council chairman.
The council maintains liason with
Naval Station Keflavik/Naval Forces
Iceland through the AFI senior en-
listed advisor to identify common
goals.
Membership is open to AFI enlisted
personnel E-l through E-9.
Each unit has both primary and
alternate representatives.
Master Sergeant Darrel Young,
president, may be contacted at the
57th Fighter Interceptor Squadron
Munitions Maintenance at 5123.
the book corner
by Sonia Allen
Completing National Library Week re-
cently, which included an open house and
art show, the library staff thanks
everyone who visited the library, parti-
cipating in the week's events.
The staff extends special thanks to
the following people who exhibited
their artwork: Linda Curry, Jane
Torrez, Jay Stone, Bob Silloway, Leo
Sorel, Mark Brannon, Jack Klabecheck,
Barbara Plaster and Jane Lynch.
The library staff also thanks the Air
Force and Navy wives who provided re-
freshments .
The Station Library receives about 65
new books every month, not counting the
20 books from the McNaughton Collection.
Check the new addition shelf when visit-
ing the library.
Individual suggestions and criticism
should be directed to Sonia Allen, Sta-
tion Librarian.
The Officers' Wives Club donated
money to purchase new books. A new
"The Times Atlas of the World" was or-
dered, and should arrive in June, along
with several copies of best sellers.
The following is the current best
sellers' list:
Fiction
Oliver's Story—Erich Segal
Trinity—Leon Uris
The Crash of '79—Paul Erdman
Raise the Titanic!—Clive Cussler
The Valhalla Exchange—Harry
Patterson
Condominium—John D. MacDonald
October Light—John Gardner
Nonfiction
Your Erroneous Zones—Dr. Wayne W.
Dyer
Roots—Alex Haley
The Gamesman: The New Corporate
Leaders—Michael Maccoby
The Grass Is Always Greener Over the
Septic Tank—Erma Bombeck
Howard Hughes: The Hidden Years—
James Phelan
Blind Ambition: The White House
Years—John Dean
Action candidate
The Rich Are Different—Susan
Howatch
Being a
reporter
is bis job
but
his
"Secret"
Is-
K£JM3

He stands alone//
- CONTINUeD ■
M-U/.B.