Thank You
Robert Serge
VVA 17 Member
Blog Master
To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember
From: KLewis@lvul.org
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 09:07:48 -0800
Subject: Attention EMPLOYERS - Resource Fair Invitation / Saturday-February 8th / 10am-2pm
Attention EMPLOYERS ONLY
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) would like to extend an invitation to Community EMPLOYERS!
*Note-they already have plenty of "Community RESOURCES" – and the need is for Community EMPLOYERS*
The LVMPD will host the Community Resource Fair on Saturday-February 8th from 10am to 2pm at the LVMPD 400 South Martin Luther King Blvd Building "B" *See Attached Flyer*
Interested EMPLOYERS; if you would like to reserve a table, free of charge…
*Please Reply to this Email and provide me with your Employer Name, Name of Employee(s) that will attend, and point of contact phone number(s)…Not Later Than Tuesday-February 4th
Thanks in Advance for your Considered Support!
Sincerely,
Karen
Karen A. Lewis
Retired Air Force Veteran
Employer Specialist and Community Outreach
930 West Owens Avenue
Las Vegas, Nevada 89106
Phone: 702-636-3949 ext.113
Fax: 702-636-9240
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I wanted to go to the Naval Academy and knew the easiest way would be by joining the Navy and getting a Presidential appointment. The journey began in 1939 as war in Europe seemed likely and didn't end until 1968, some 29 years later. That included WW II and the Korean conflict.
surprise attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941---was pregnant with my second son, so I left the Navy for a job with United Airlines in their operations department.
first pass but my .50 Caliber machinegun jammed and I was unable to clear it. The enemy made 11 passes on our starboard side or directly overhead. On the overhead passes he attempted to hit us with 100 pound bombs but with no effect. We finally managed to get the tunnel hatch .30 Cal gun out to replace my inoperative gun. On the 12th pass I was able to get some hits with that gun before we found cloud cover. Upon exiting the clouds we saw one of our other planes being attacked by another Betty. We made a passing attack from the stern firing bow and waist guns and drove the enemy off. We suffered two slightly wounded crew members and 25 hits in the aircraft structure. That day I became a man.
During the Korean conflict I was a PB4Y2 crew member in the VP-871 Patrol Squadron. Among our assignments was flying night interdiction missions into North Korea by dropping flares for young Marine pilots so they could more easily identify their targets. We stayed on station dropping flares to then help guide them in attacking those targets. One night we were operating with Marine F7F's when were advised by our Marine companion that we had a bogey on our 6; he said he had night fighter gear and would get him if we remained on our course for two more minutes and when he gave us a mark we were to turn hard to starboard. We did and he got the bogey. That incident had a very sobering affect and gave me pause to reflect on the frailty of life.
My fondest memories are of my duty with VR-5 at NAS Moffett Field. We had R6D-1 aircraft and I became qualified as a flight engineer in that aircraft. During that time I and three other chiefs were asked by the skipper to write and teach classes on the various systems of the Douglas aircraft. During that time I was able to qualify for a CAA Flight Engineer's license (1953) and I believe I was the first enlisted man to get that certification.
The Distinguished Flying Cross was given to me after my 20th mission: a night interdiction mission over Kavieng, New Britain. Japanese forces occupied Kavieng since January 1942. Over the next two years, almost all of the Europeans who had remained on the island were killed by the Japanese. By the time the Allies retook the island in 1945, Kavieng had been almost completely destroyed.
Another honor I value greatly is being elected to the Enlisted Combat Aircrew Roll of Honor in 2007.
over the side and stand by for a loop." I had just been relieved from the tower (flight engineers station) when I felt a rush of air from the after station; I hurried back there to find that the photographers mate had the blister open and was trying to pull the .50 Cal out of its mount. I stopped him immediately then decided to have fun with the Chief flying the plane. I got on the intercom and asked him if his pay account was in good shape and he replied that it was, so I told him that the photographers mate had thrown the .50 Cal over the side. He rushed back to the after station and we all gave him a big cheer. He was pretty mad for a few minutes but soon saw the humor and swore he'd get even with me. The PPC was still asleep in one of the bunks and didn't hear about the prank until much later.
able liquid rocket engine. I progressed through the test phase, became section supervisor of the Plans and Analysis section. When we got the Gemini program contract for the docking vehicle I was put in charge of the qualification program of the Bell multistate rocket engine. In 1966 I was transferred to the main plant in Sunnyvale, CA and had a number of jobs in various programs. In 1983 I was transferred to England for a Mission Controller on a NATO project. I stayed in England 5 years and retired with 30 years service.
Legion, Military Order of the World Wars, Military Officers Association, Naval Institute, Naval Memorial Association, and Naval Air Museum in Pensacola.
To choose a good career path, one that you are interested in, and develop a plan to achieve your goals. It is good to set sights on an achievable goal.
