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TINKER AFB. Okla. -Lt. Col. Leslie E. Kassehaum. of the 1707th Air Transport Wing, has a flying record not many Air Force pilots can match.The former Bc-atrician is a command pilot with over 19 years in the Air Force. He has logged an impressive 8.000 flying hours, or over ten months in the air. Proof of his proficiency as a pilot are his Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters and Distinguished Flying Cross.Born in Beatrice, his flying career began in January 1943 as an aviation cadet. Commissioned in November 1943, his first overseas assignment was in war-torn Europe,Assigned to the famous Bloody 100th Bombardment Group in Drss. England, he piloted a B-17 Flying Fortress on 34 combat missions. Participating in the second shuttle raid between England. Russia and Italy, their dangerous mission was dropping supplies and ammunition to the Polish patriots who were holding a part of Warsaw from the Germans.I Overseas again in 1945 and stationed at Fassberg, Germany, he logged 133 missions during seven months on the Berlin Airlift. Assigned another vital mission in 1953. Col. Kassebaum was the group chief pilot of the First Aero-medical Transport Group at Brocks AFB, Texas.Just prior to his Tinker assignment, he served at Ernest Harmon AFB. Newfoundland. Col. Kassebaum, his wife. Emmy, their son. Cary, 17 and two daughters, Nina\ KLt. Col. Kassebaum9, and Lisa. 6, arrived at Tinker in August I960.In April of this year. Col. Kassebaum took over as commander of the 1707th Organizational Maintenance Squadron. A perennial op-tomist. Col. Kassebaum is quite enthusiastic over his new position. I think this position as squadron commander is a very stimulating one. particularly because I have the opportunity to work with so manv younger airmen.Col. Kassebaum is married to the former Emmy Applegarth of Beatrice, His mother. Mrs. Martha Kassebaum. now lives in Lincoln.
Newspaper Details
Beatrice Daily Sun
Beatrice, Nebraska, US
Sun, Aug 26, 1962
Page 28
Full Page
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OK, USA 07 Aug 2017
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