JACK HELM Lt Colonel USAF (Retired)

USAF OCS CLASS 57C, OC CAPTAIN, 2nd Group Operations and Training

I was born April, 1931, one of eight children, on a farm/ranch in the panhandle of Texas. I graduated from Estelline High School in 1947. After knocking around, I enlisted in the United States Air Force in Oct 1950. I attended Weather Equipment Operators School at Chanute AFB, Rantoul, Illinois, and was then assigned to Pepperel AB, Newfoundland. While at Rantoul, I married my wife, Billie, to whom I am still married. Following Pepperel, I was assigned to Carswell AFB, Texas. In 1956, I attended Weather Equipment Technician School, again at Chanute AFB and then was assigned to Roswell AFB, New Mexico. While there, I applied for OCS and was selected for the next available class (57C). Upon commissioning, I attended T-34, T28, T-33 flight schools, and then B-47 training at March AFB, California.

In 1963 I up-graded to B-52s and transferred to Clinton-Sherman AFB, Oklahoma. I flew 101 combat missions (Arc Light) out of Guam, Kadena AFB in Okinawa, and Utapao in Thailand. I attended Air Command and Staff College (1969) at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and then went to Korat AB, Thailand, where I flew EB-66s for 127 more combat missions. I was subsequently assigned to SAC HQ in the War Plans Programming Division as a programmer/system analyst to assist in the development of the SIOP, making LTC on time while there. I transferred to NATO at Mons, Belgium, in 1977 as a data automation manager. Billie and I were able to travel extensively while in Europe. I came to Carswell AFB, Texas, as Air Field Manager in late 1980; and retired as LTC in Sept 1985. I have dabbled in a couple of businesses and currently own a used car lot. This gets me out of the house every day and keeps me out of trouble. As of March, 2002, Billie and I have 4 children plus their spouses, 12 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren.

Billie and I always look forward to seeing our friends and class mates at the great 57C Class reunions.

Thanks, Jack