Colonel Douglas “Pete” Peterson
Vietnam Prisoner of War, U.S. Congressman Under the Clinton Administration by Melissa LaScaleia Douglas Peterson was born on June 26, 1935, in Omaha, Nebraska, and was raised in both Nebraska…
Lieutenant William Hook
A Snapshot of Myrtle Beach in the ‘40s Via the Lens of a WWII Navigator by Melissa LaScaleia Lieutenant William J. Hook was born on March 12, 1917, in Albany,…
The 113th Tactical Fighter Wing at MBAFB
by Melissa LaScaleia At different points throughout the last century, various wings were stationed at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, leaving their footprint and making history. One of these…
Brigadier General James Howell Howard
A Soldier Whose WWII Derring-do Was Famous by Melissa LaScaleia Brigadier General James Howell Howard was born in Canton (modern day Guangzhou), China on April 8, 1913. His American parents…
General Robert H. Reed
Leading Myrtle Beach’s 354th to Readiness in the A-10 Aircraft by Melissa LaScaleia Robert H. Reed was born on October 10, 1929, in Elkhorn City, Kentucky. He attended Warfield High…
Captain Stephen Richard Phillis
War Hero, Silver Star Recipient by Melissa LaScaleia Captain Stephen Richard Phillis was born on May 7, 1960, in Illinois, the eldest of five siblings to parents, Richard and Diane….
Training and Wartime Preparation at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base
by Melissa LaScaleia In the early days before the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base was officially built, the United States Army Air Corps was collaborating in partnership with the local…
The Reactivation of the 354th Fighter Day Wing
Check out this article about the 354th Fighter Day Wing.
James Howell Howard
A WWII Media Sensation and Author by Melissa LaScaleia Howard Avenue in the Market Common is named after a notable member of the United States Air Force. Born to American…
The A-10 Thunderbolt II
“The Warthog” by Melissa LaScaleia The A-10 Thunderbolt II was developed in the 1960s for the United States Air Force by the OEM team from Fairchild Republic Company. The military commissioned a new close-air…
Major General Paul T. Johnson, Retired Iraq War Pilot and Hero
Paul T. Johnson of the United States Air Force was a pilot who served in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Northern Watch & Operation Enduring Freedom. He did a job that not many people could handle; for that, we are all thankful.
Pilot Robert G. Emmens and the Eponymous Emmens Preserve
Robert Emmens (front row, right), with the other crew members of plane #8 from the Doolittle Raid, on deck of the U.S.S. Hornet, April 18, 1942. by Melissa LaScaleia Emmens…
The Advent of Industry, The Designation of a Name
Myrtle Beach in The Early Years by Melissa LaScaleia The 114 acres of land located within the city limits of Myrtle Beach, today known as the Market Common, has a…
The MBAF Base’s Pivotal Role in the 20th Century
Market Common is filled with history and at the Insider we always like to learn more and more about our community, so read with us all about the heroes of this area!
Major General Ervin C. Sharpe
While much is not known about Major General Ervin C. Sharpe’s early life, he achieved a prominent military career and made significant contributions to the prestige of the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base towards the end of the base’s days in active service. Written by Melissa LaScaleia
Hoyt LeGrand Hendrick
Recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star by Melissa LaScaleia Hoyt LeGrand Hendrick was born in Conway, South Carolina on January 24, 1924 to parents Robert O’Neil and…
William Glover Farrow
WWII War Hero and Prisoner of War by Melissa LaScaleia William Glover Farrow was born on September 24, 1918 in Darlington, South Carolina. He attended St. John’s High School and…
Highlights From The MBAF
by Melissa LaScaleia This month, to honor our country on Independence Day and celebrate the values of freedom our country has always stood for, our history section highlights some snapshots…
Major General Charles Baldwin
Rated Air Force Pilot and Chief of Chaplains by Melissa LaScaleia Charles C. Baldwin was born on April 7, 1947, and is a native of New Haven, Connecticut. He attended…
Lieutenant General John Rosa
Recipient of SC’s Highest Civilian Honor, the Order of the Palmetto by Melissa LaScaleia John William Rosa Jr. was born in Springfield, Illinois on September 28, 1951. He grew up…
The MBAF Base Throughout the 20th Century: Part 8
by Melissa LaScaleia By the early 90s, the topic of closing the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base again resurfaced. It had been proposed in the past, ever since the end…
The MBAF Base Throughout the 20th Century: Part 7
by Melissa LaScaleia By 1980, when President Jimmy Carter was in office, the 354th at Myrtle Beach became part of the president’s Rapid Deployment Force, also called the Rapid Deployment…
Commemorating The Life of Colonel Nevers
by Melissa LaScaleia This month’s history section commemorates the valor of Colonel Joseph R. Nevers, for whom Nevers Street in the Market Common is named. Colonel Nevers, passed away several…
The MBAF Base Throughout the 20th Century: Part 6
by Melissa LaScaleia 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…
The MBAF Base Throughout the 20th Century: Part 5
by Melissa LaScaleia 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…
The MBAF Base Throughout the 20th Century: Part 4
by Melissa LaScaleia 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,…
The MBAF Base Throughout the 20th Century: Part 3
by Melissa LaScaleia Continued from last month… In 1956, officers and military personnel began the work of compiling a fighter wing on the premises of the newly reconstructed Myrtle Beach…
The MBAF Base Throughout The 20th Century: Part II
The MBAF Base Throughout The 20th Century: Part II by Melissa LaScaleia Last month’s history column highlighted the role that the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base played throughout part of…
The MBAF Base Throughout the 20th Century: Part 1
by Melissa LaScaleia In 1939, the Myrtle Beach Town Council voted that the City of Myrtle Beach needed a local airport, and subsequently purchased 135 acres of property to create…