History Features
Meet Your Local Veteran: Jack Platt – Part Two: January 2020
“As a guard, you’re standing on the edge of the jungle. You’re trying to make yourself look as small as possible. It’s dark, and it’s not quiet. There were all kinds of noises in the jungle— birds, and monkeys, and you stood there and listened and listened. But the moment it stopped— that was the …
Local History: SS Mayaguez Operation: January 2020
As we continue our exploration of the history of the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base throughout the 20th century, as well as the squadrons that were stationed there and abroad, our journey takes us this month back to Vietnam during the 1970s. The 354 Tactical Fight Wing flew combat operations in Vietnam until January 1973. …
Meet Your Local Veteran: Jack Platt – Part 1: December 2019
PART ONE “I was born on September 3, 1927, in a small village on the small island of Cape Breton, in Nova Scotia— it’s off of Prince Edward Island. I was born in a small farmhouse with no electricity. My grandmother was the midwife. My mother was born on the island too. She was an …
Local History: December 2019
During the Vietnam War years, needs abroad for fighter units left the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base without any squadrons. Air guardsmen were dispersed throughout parts of Europe, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam as part of the war effort. It has been argued that the fighter pilots of the Vietnam era who were stationed to …
Local History: USS Pueblo: November 2019
During the 1950s and beyond, the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base saw considerable action in Eastern countries and other parts of the world, including Europe, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. During these years, an estimated 3,500 civilian and military personnel were involved in keeping the military base at the ready to meet the needs of our …
Meet Your Local Veteran: John Walker: November 2019
“I was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania on August 26, 1924. My father’s name was Leonard J. Walker, and my mother was named Haran Walker. I grew up during the Great Depression. I learned early in life that to survive, you must live moderately, never waste, and never ask for anything that you couldn’t pay for. …
Meet Your Local Veteran: Norton Davis – Part 3, September 2019
Continued from last month… So I came up with a suggestion I thought would help. “Why does each involved agency, division, and branch of the Corps have to send someone to the factory separately to check the equipment, then go back to the office, have meetings, then write reports, then circulate the reports, and, finally, after …
Local History: The Myrtle Beach Airforce Base Through the 20th Century Part III: October 2019
In 1956, officers and military personnel began the work of compiling a fighter wing on the premises of the newly reconstructed Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. The 342nd Fighter Day Wing was initially activated then subsequently deactivated. In its stead, officers and airmen worked to reactivate the 354th Fighter Day Wing which garnered fame during …
Meet Your Local Veteran: Alan Green, October 2019
“I was drafted in Pennsylvania and from there I was sent to Oregon as part of the United States Army Infantry. From there, half of us went to Europe, and the other half were sent down the coast of California. I was part of the group that went to California, where we were in training …
Local History: Colonel Robert G. Emmens: September 2019
The Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Through The 20th Century Part II Last month’s history column highlighted the role that the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base played throughout part of the 20th century. This month, we’ll explore its role in history in greater detail. During World War II, the United States Air Force was not …