Wing inducts 57th member into hall of fame

  • Published
  • By Debbie Aragon
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  During an afternoon ceremony in the wing headquarters building April 9, Brig. Gen. John N.T. Shanahan, 55th Wing commander, inducted the 57th member into the unit's hall of fame.

In front of a gathering of 55th WG members past and present, along with family members, General Shanahan formally added retired Lt. Col. Howard "Lynn" Duncan to a distinguished list which includes officers and enlisted members, as well as 55th WG spouses past, present and future.

"One of the first things I did after I got here almost exactly a year ago was wander down this hallway and start looking at the plaques (in the hall of fame) ... and thought about what do you have to do to get on this wall," the general said.

"It has nothing to do with rank, nothing to do with power of the person, nothing to do with connections," General Shanahan said. "... What it has to do with is what they did for the 55th WG either as part of the 55th or in some other capacity after they left the wing."

Colonel Duncan is unique in that he has done "all of that and more," the general said.

The colonel began his service with the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing here in 1982 as an RC-135 electronics warfare officer in the 343rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron participating in every major operation including Grenada in 1983, Lebanon in 1983 - 1984, the Achille Lauro hijacking in 1985 and Libya in 1986.

He was then assigned to headquarters Strategic Air Command where he was involved in the planning for, tasking, execution and monitoring of the largest and first combat deployment of the 55th SRW during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

In 1999, he became the U.S. Air Force's program manager for the entire RC/WC/TC-135 fleet.

Two years later, after a 20-year Air Force career, Colonel Duncan retired from active duty but continued as a program manager with the BIG SAFARI office. BIG SAFARI is the Air Force's program office responsible for sustainment and modification of specialized mission aircraft.

"In the 55th WG as an EWO, at SAC in the reconnaissance business, in the J2 where he started having the real influence that you get to have that far away and now most importantly in BIG SAFARI in the RC-135 fleet. I don't know how else to put this other than we don't achieve what we do everyday around the world without what BIG SAFARI does for us every day," the general said. "The fact that we have '61, '62, '63 model airplanes out there around the world making an impact on today's fight only happens because of people like Lynn and BIG SAFARI. That is why he is part of this wall today.

"When the recommendation was to put Lynn Duncan up on this wall, I was thrilled beyond belief because that's the name I was thinking of," General Shanahan said. "I'm carrying on a legacy that was started before me but I am delighted beyond words to see (Colonel Duncan) up here on the wall."

"(Being inducted into the 55th WG Hall of Fame) almost doesn't seem real to me," Colonel Duncan said during the ceremony. "I sincerely appreciate it and feel very honored."

"Thinking back to 1982 when we first got here (to Offutt) ... a lot of days have gone by since then. I wouldn't trade any of it for anything," he said. "I see a lot of friends here and people I've really grown up with. You think when you come here as a second lieutenant you know what you're doing but you realize you don't really know. "

After thanking his wife, Ann, for "following us around all over the world," Colonel Duncan reminded those gathered that the wives of military members with the 55th WG are also honored in the hall of fame.

"I think (inducting spouses to the hall of fame) is probably one of the best things they ever did because there was a lot of sacrifice not just from my wife but from all wives," he said.

The 55th WG Hall of Fame was initiated by then 55th Support Group Commander Col. Bob Adkins in 1998 as the 55th Heritage Project. In 1999 at the first wing birthday ball, the original 19 inductees were presented as "representatives of all of the 55th WG history and the various eras and generations," according to retired Lt. Col. Max Moore, former 55th member and 55th Wing Association secretary.

The project was renamed and dedicated as the hall of fame on Jan. 31, 2003.

The hall of fame is in honor of the hard work, dedication and heroism of the men and women who have served the 55th WG faithfully in the past and whose legacies have continued long after the culmination of their military careers, according to the induction ceremony program.

This year's hall of fame induction was just one of several events during the 55th WG's Heritage Week which included the naming of Offutt's newest road after retired Lt. Col. Harrison "Harry" Tull, former Tuskegee Airman and 55th member, and hall of fame member, the Tales of 55th presentation and the 55th WG Birthday Ball.

"Heritage Week is for all us to learn a little bit about who we are," General Shanahan said. "To understand who we are, we've got to understand where we came from and that's what heritage is all about ... recognizing who we are, where we're from and where we're going."