HWU

stands for “Help Whereabouts Unknown”.

Hotel-Whiskey-Uniform

Missing 1st. Wave Batcats

Lawrence Curran
AF15641238
Stephen E. Frence
AF15805530
William J. Nanens
AF 18959690
Peter BonoFound
AF11804649
Jeffery Feathers
AF12756747
Robert Audsley
AF17724482
Gary Kindle
AF11701278
Robert Hopkins
AF16934127
John Bates
AF18579134
James Brown
AF11292284
Bernard Cruz
AF38799687
Gary McManigal
AF19573431
Ray Smith
AF16463730
George Johnson
AF18844367
John Powers
AF16949341
Willim Schultz
AF11970218
Wayne Shaver
AF16981535
John Swanson
AF16897392
Dale Walier
AF 16949500
Riland West
AF12965312
William Whatley
AF15844230
Malcolm RiceFound
AF14596554

Raymond Vaterlaus
AF19788008
Perry E. Lloyd
AF25185063
John T. OlsenFound
AF19580067
Franklin E. Reed
AF24787045
Donald Anglin
AF25635921
David Baker
AF21957779
Kelcy Barger
AF25430776
Oracio EnciniasFound
AF18438405
Robert Felton
AF13568676
William Fletcher
AF25168088
John Gleason
AF12548288
Thomas Huggins
AF18612891
Guy KulimanFound
AF17337474
Wilton Neville
AF13240303
David Madory
AF12756354
John Maher
AF11467937
Lester Dennis
AF17747996
Edward Davis
AF17728715
Barry Murphy
AF19529546
Terry Cashen
AF11418808
Albert K. Nakata
AF10110361
Harold Kenny
AF12652210

Floyd McMannen
AF14705785
Ralph V. Parks Jr .Found
AF14674547
Gayle Schaffer
AF16873369
Edward Arnold
AF13522211
Thomas McClain Jr.
AF14517842
Clyllis D. Newson
AF18258815
Edward Walley
AF12437710
Donald Elliot
AF16412818
Dennis Knutsen
AF19844067
Ralph Coats
AF16695691
Francis Nowakowski
AF16733494
Edwin Smith
AF13829745
Douglas Windhorst
AF15744200
George Baranik
AF11384148
Stephen Litchfield
AF19759442
Jed H. Tom
AF10121102
James Stacey
AF19752583
Albert Karas
AF16613992
Fortino Chavez
AF18600476
David Sherman
AF12690785
Gary Kee
AF14871803

Last Updated: 1/13/12

Jonathon Christian
AF1987766 Found
Manual Gibbs
AF18739908
Joseph G.G. Pedro
AF11437695
Donald Whitling
AF13865499
Thomas Vansickle
AF16871360Found
Lawrence Inlow
AF15537651
Lenuel Hunt
AF13694920
Thomas Gillim
AF12693934
Preston Phipps
AF13346560
Ronald Elliott
AF12550278
Gary Hopkins
AF15618049
Arthur Gill
AF13709454
Oren Taylor
AF25530461
Albert BosseFound
AF13804230
Harry Williams
AF17604847
Ray Mandeville
AF13766266

Helpful Hints From Batcats

Bob Harper
i believe the third name in the first column is "Danens" not "Nanens". the first digits of his serial number
indicates he was from oregon. the last time i saw him was at keesler in '70. we were xtraing into avionics. bob

Bob Bulen
I'm sitting here at 5:30 am with my second cup of mud and wondering. If we have a name and USAF serial
number can we trace it backwards? I'm not sure even where to start looking. Maybe a recuiter? Just a thought.
Now back to the coffee.
Bob

Iggy Schiethauer
Robert Audsley was from Raytown, Missouri. Iggy

Denny Phillips
Ok, I remember another guy you can add to the list .
Jonathon Christian. Keesler Tech School in the same Class Dickie Upton and I were in. Tall, thin, quiet, thrifty.
54th Squadron CIM. He has a hidden adventurous soul and loved to have fun Batcat style. He was one of the
complete idiots who boarded a Russian Ship in Hong Kong Harbor after being denied permission to board the
USS President Wilson Cruise Ship. He joined in having Stoli shots with the other four CIMS before America ever
heard of the stuff at the 1st Class Bar. Only after the guys got aboard did it occur to them that Russia was an ally
of N. Vietnam and they held Top Secret Clearances, etc. etc. It all worked out just fine though, because the crew
just thought we were tourists and enjoyed our U.S. Currency. If you don't believe it, ask one of the other two
surviving idiots who did it. I will be glad to fill you in personally if you want to hear the full story.
Help us contact J. Christian. He's a for real Batcat and needs to be in Vegas in October................. Cheers, d
Found

Mike Rubin
Little Cliffy, on your missing list, Al Nakata was stationed with me in the 1st Special Operations Sq. at Kadena
AB, Japan & I was under the impression that he went back to Hiawii to retire. That is were he is from. Ralph
Parks (Found) also retired from the AF, but at a lower rank then he anticipated & I believe he went back to
Homestead Fl. where his family is from. I don't think that he is with us any more, if he is he still owes me money
for bailing him out. Last I knew about Jeffrey Feather is that he got out in 69 and was back to living in Long
Island NY. I had him over the my folks place in the summer of 69 & that is the last that I heard from
him........................Mikey-bob.

From Larry Westin's Website Added 4/22/10

Dan Brimmer drb3@charter.net - Added 10/15/05.
554 Reconnaissance Squadron, Crew 37, 1967 to 1969.
Currently living in Suwanee, GA FOUND

Mike Cassidy cassidymike@gmail.com - added 04/01/03, updated 02/12/08.
CICO on the first Crew 29. At Korat Nov 67-Nov 68
Spent 29 years in the AF and retired as an 0-6 in 1995

Robin Collord melodyranch@ntin.net - Added 10/06/09.FOUND
Initial Cadre of 553rd Flight Crews in March 1967
After retirement, American Airlines Check Airman
Instructor in the MD-11 and B777
Live on a small Ranch North of Ft. Worth, Texas
and a citrus grove in the Rio Grande Valley. Come visit!

Charles Dannheiser ccd1943@hotmail.com - added 07/04/01, updated 02/09/08.FOUND
I was at Korat from October 1967 to
October 1968 as a co-pilot on Maj. Joe Reed's
crew in the 553 Recon SQ. I am now living in
Newburgh, IN
Telephone 812-853-9282

David Dotson ddnnd@hotmail.com - Added 08/29/06.FOUND
CIM Nov 67 to Jun 69, 553rd Reconaissance Squadron
Crew #10 "Flings Ferrets." Retired from the USAF 1 Jul 86
Presently resides in Indianapolis

Josh Gavin Jr. dgavin14@comcast.net - Added 4/11/00, updated 07/23/06.FOUND
I was assigned to the 553rd from the 551st
in early 1967. Was deployed to Korat in the
fall of '67 (I think October), returned to
Travis AFB for discharge in Sept. of '68.
I attained the rank of Sgt. (E-4).
I was in the Field Maintenance Squadron Electric shop.
Home:
510 Emory Court
Tallahassee, Fl 32310
Home phone (850) 575-9550
Work phone (850) 414-7136

Bill Holbrook billvickholbrook@hotmail.com - Added 04/11/00.
I was assigned to the 553rd in May of 67. PCS'd to Otis and was
there when the first connie arrived. I was assigned as aircrew on
474 as en route maintenance in Nov 67 when the unit deployed to
Korat. There I was assigned to the 553rd instrument shop which
was part of the EMS sqdn.
6837 N 29th Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85017-1213

George Kamburoff george@kamburoff.com - Added 04/11/00 FOUND.
I was a tech in the 553d Electronics Maintenance Squadron,
Assigned March, 1967,
arrived Otis AFB, May, 1967,
deployed to Korat 11/67,
returned to US 11/68
533 Westover Lane
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
(925) 256-1444

Bill Keaveney computer@inreach.com - Added 05/5/04.
Helped form the original 553rd at Otis AFB, deployed with the last
3 aircraft from McClellan AFB, and became NCOIC of the instrument
and autopilot shop 553rd EMS. Returned for a second tour in 1969 with
same position in the 553rd EMS, where I coached the EMS softball team
to the base championship! Returned to the U.S., stationed at Norton AFB,
where I retired in 1971. Would be pleased to hear from other EMS via
e-mail!

Dan Kilburn dbkilburn@home.com - Added 03/02/01.
Dan Kilburn was CICO on Major Don Arth's
crew from Dec 67 to Dec 68. Retired Lt Col,
now living in Punta Gorda, FL.

Dan LeSage dnlesage@gmail.com - Added 04/28/03, updated 03/14/10.
Camer with A/C #437 in September 1967, left in March 1969
113 Combat Missions, 1300+ Combat Hours with crews 33-1 and 33-2
Retired as Master Sergeant 1992, now a recruiter for TIMCO Aviation
Services, Inc.

Jim Lewis Aintnothing53@aol.com - Added 10/2/00.
At Korat Oct. 1967 to Nov. 1968.
Now lives in Columbus, Ohio

Robert (Bob) Look blook39@pldi.net - Added 09/09/05.Found
Otis AFB Apr 67 to Oct 67
Korat AB Oct 67 to Sept 68
Helped set up and operate the temporary command
post while waitting for the headquarters building to be completed.
Retired from Vance AFB, Ok Sept 78.
Korat Oct. 1967 to Nov. 1968.
PO Box 99
Ringwood, OK 73768

Larry Meeks larry.meeks@adelphia.net - Added 03/23/05.
553rd EMS Nav Aids Shop Oct. 67 to Nov. 68
Part of the second wave from Otis AFB October 1967

Orville T. "Ted" Red tvred@onearrow.net - Added 02/06/05.
Part of the first crew to leave Otis AFB, MA, for Korat Oct. 13, 67 became crew 1.

James (Jim) Siler jsiler11@verizon.net - Added 08/13/06.Found
Assigned to 553rd July, 1967. Deployed to Korat Nov. 1967 through Nov. 1968.
Was a SSgt. in the instrument shop, 553rd EMS. Played on the base
champion softball team. Now teaching at Hicksville High School, Hicksville, Ohio.

Dale Waller stepndale@yahoo.com - Added 01/01/01.
I arrived at Otis from Keesler in early
summmer 1967, then rotated to Korat in
October. Was on crew 21, I think. Flew
with Major Gatchell as AC, a fine man;
also on Lt Col Greene's crew. Completed
97 missions. Went from Korat to Taipei
Air Station, then to Grand Forks, ND.
Now at
4134 Marshfield Dr,
Evansville, IN 47711
My wife is Stephanie,
(812) 479-7603

Robert Winegar Fortyukon@wmconnect.com - Added 09/06/09.
Part of first crew to Korat from Otis. Flight engineer
Retired with 21 yrs. in '69. Prior to 553rd, was flight
engineer on B-29, KC-97, and C-141, at Bergstrom, Lake Charles,
Selfridge, Vandenberg, and Charleston.
Now living in SC
Phone: (803) 732-3842

FOUND

HWU - HYDRAULIC SHOP

Bart Fundaro, shop chief FOUND
John Roach ???
Larry Bradley ???
Jodie Walker He was a SSgt then. He became an officer.
Chris Vilator ???
Rick Stitt. He is in PA somewhere
Mark Donahue. He is in PA somewhere
Mike Delong ???
Joe Carter ???
Paul Meckler. He is in Tucson AZ
Ray Dyal Lake City Florida

Cliff,

Thanks for your efforts. I do not see any of my fellows in the group, namely Tom Sears, or
Riley, or Ronald Newland, the Commander's Aide in EMS, and a great friend, who earned
the title of TWIC (Titless WAF In Charge). George Kamburoff

"Dan Márquez" <ddmarq@gmail.com To: "cliff_jensen"
<cliff_jensen@1stwave553rdreconwing.com>Another came to my mind: Norman Viveiros
of Rhode Island