862nd Medical Group help

[42ndbombers]

I`m trying to find an image of the 862nd medical group insignia with a Latin banner on the bottom. There`s a patch on Ebay I found, but don`t know if it`s a medical group one. I know the group was at Minot in the 60`s, but I`m having no luck with a pic to verify it`s a medical group. I found a similar pic on USAFPatches that`s a hospital.

Thanks

[ocsfollowme]

internet search shows a year book from Minot in 1964 having them listed and another in 1969. So at least a 5 year period. Below is the 1964 one. 

 

 

The 862d Medical Group was also formed and reported to the Commander, 810th Air Division.

 

On 2 July 1969 the 862d Medical Group was renamed the USAF Hospital. 

 

 

[ocsfollowme]

worthpoint has nothing with insignia. I cannot find anything. 

 

They may have worn the combat support group insignia 

 

https://usafpatches.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pid=49893#top_display_media

 

Good luck finding it. Please post anything that you find. 

[Randy]

41 minutes ago, 42ndbombers said:

I`m trying to find an image of the 862nd medical group insignia with a Latin banner on the bottom. There`s a patch on Ebay I found, but don`t know if it`s a medical group one. I know the group was at Minot in the 60`s, but I`m having no luck with a pic to verify it`s a medical group. I found a similar pic on USAFPatches that`s a hospital.

Thanks

Many times they kept the same insignia and changed the scrolls as needed. So, very possible the design for USAF Hospital, Minot was used when it was known as the 862 MDG.

[42ndbombers]

Thanks for all the help. The 862d Combat Support Group insignia I`m looking at is different. Old medical group patches are some of the ones I like collecting. They always cost more than the "average" ones in general and I`d hate to make a purchase that isn`t what I hoped it might be. 

[DocBoink]

Hi Gents,

I was the 862nd MG's designated heraldry 'artiste', back at MAFB in the mid-to-late 60s, thanks to CMSgt. Clarence W Mullen's (NCOIC) favor. We provided Colonel Herrman Parish, Jr. (our CMDR) with most of the Group's artwork, thanks to a trusty old Keufel & Esser 'Letraset' instrument and lots of imaginative artistic license. The official heraldric insignia (i.e. patches) were as shown on the below illustration which I provided for several dining-in occasions. I never obtained copies of the embroidered patch myself, since I was just a lowly A2C at the time. I suppose we could run off a bunch of them for sale (on ebay, etc.), since I've done that before with original patch designs, if anyone is interested. The scroll at bottom of the patch (in Latin) says 'Non Incautus Futuri Temporis', which translates approximately to 'Not without due caution for the future'. Some period cartoons attached, also, just for yuks.

[42ndbombers]

Wow! I love this website. The pictures of the snow remind me of being in Loring when I was very young. Thank you for your post. 

[DocBoink]

Yep, those WERE the days. To my mind, SAC and LOTS OF SNOW were near synonymous  back then! As a California-bred-and-born troop, I strangely loved all that cold stuff . Fortunately, I was most often in a nice, warm FSO clinic or at John Moses Veterans Hospital, but the Apes out on the alert pad (the 'Christmas tree'), guarding our nukes, thought I was certifiable! Speaking of Apes, if you aren't familiar with it, check out Patrick Thomas's book about being an Ape at Minot, titled 'FROZEN HELL: THE MEMOIRS OF A USAF SECURITY FORCES DEFENDER IN MINOT AFB' (2015), available on Amazon. It's a hoot! (As for me, I was frequently able to thaw out, well-behind one of our 5th FIS Sixes hitting reheat to take off! 😉

[DocBoink]

Hold the Presses! My illustration (posted earlier) of the 862nd MG's emblem is not completely correct (I used a B&W illustration of it and added the colors manually from memory). The correct 862nd MG emblem had the sky surrounding the sun the same shade of dark blue as the nebuly bars (note: a 'Nebuly' or 'Nebule' is a series of bulbous protrusions, either on a vertical or horizontal bar, that sybolises clouds in Heraldry designs) and not sky blue as I had incorrectly rendered it. Further, the scroll at the bottom with 'Non Incautus Futuri Temporis' script is correctly rendered as white, not pale yellow, with black lettering. A corrected emblem image is given immediately below.

 

The reason there is so much confusion over something as simple as the unit's emblem is that at this particular time, late 60s/early 70s, there were a great many USAF Command  structure and redesignation changes being made as the MAJCOM elements of the USAF began reshaping and reorganising themselves to more adequately match the emerging mission requirements of the later 'Cold War'. Thus with regard to the USAF Hospital in Minot and its emblem, there's very little explanatory data on all this. Individuals who served in the 862nd (such as myself and CMSgt Bob Herrington of Minot, now retired), may understandably be a bit uncertain about all of this. [Note: Bob was not in the MG; his AFSC was in aircraft maintenance.].

 

Following is a brief little backstory on the 862nd and the John Moses Veterans & Air Force Hospital (now long-since inactivated, of course). Bear with me as I cover some of the key aspects that relate to this subject here:

 

After the 1st Word War there were several thousands of North Dakota natives who had served in the Allied Expeditionary Force under the Command of General 'Black Jack' Pershing. The ND American Legion therefore pushed for adequate medical and hospital care for the state's veterans (a large number of whom were of Scandinavian ancestry, predominantly Norwegian). A regional VA medical center was thus established in Fargo for this purpose. By the time of the Korean War began, a push to establish a similar, comprehensive VA hospital serving the City of Minot had resulted in the construction of a brand new, 162 or so bed, 8 floor facility on West University Avenue in Minot. Named after a ND Governor (John Moses) it was dedicated and began operations in 1950, serving veterans exclusively. In 1954, as fears of a strategic Soviet nuclear threat expanded, the US Air Force decided it needed a base facility in the state and approached Minot with a proposal to establish an Air Defense Command base that it named after the city (Minot AFB), after the city entered into a cooperative agreement to help build the base. It was supposedly a win/win for both city and the Air Force, as a new base in or near the city would bring in considerable revenue to the city (despite the obvious fact that were a nuclear missile from Russia be launched at MAFB, the city would be completely obliterated). The new base began operations between 1955 and 1957 as the site of the 32nd Fighter Group. It was located about 12 miles North of Minot on Highway on State Route 83.

 

In the early 60s (about 1962 or so), as the Air Force's Strategic Air Command was converting from the B-36 (and B-47s) to the new B-52, the base then went under SAC's command aegis, hosting BUFFs (450th Bombardment Wing), KC-135 refuelers and a wing of Minuteman ICBM missiles, the 455th Strategic Missile Wing, comprised of three squadrons of Minuteman ICBMs), with the resident ADC squadron becoming a subordinate (and independent) tenant on the base (as part of ADC's NORAD's 4th SAD element). Concurrent with the establishment of the base in Minot, an agreement by the VA and the Air Force to share the facility, serving both the VA patients and the base's personnel, was entered into. Thus the hospital changed its name from 'John Moses Veterans Hospital' to the 'John Moses (Veterans and) Air Force Hospital'. This is the stately, 8 floor edifice one occasionally catches glimpses of on contemporary post-cards of that era.

 

The hospital was a fully equipped, comprehensive facility for in-patient treatment and research work, but an element was also established as separate but associated clinical facility on the base itself (which included the base's Flight Surgeon's Office and crash-response equipment & personnel). The Commander of the 862nd at the time I was there (1966-67) was Colonel Herman S. Parish, Jr., who was also the Hospital Commander.

 

In 1960, the 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, that had been flying F-102s in New Jersey, was reassigned to MAFB, almost concurrent with an upgrade to the so-called 'Ultimate Interceptor', the F-106 Delta Dart (the final iteration of the delta-wing Convair fighters); the 5th FIS remained at MAFB for 28 years, until it was inactivated in 1988, finally trading in its F-106s for F-15s in 1985. Not long after I left MAFB, the base underwent (in 1968) a reassignment of its strategic bomber host unit, thus the former 450th Bombardment Wing was replaced by the 5th Bomb Wing, where it has been ever since.

 

A movement within MAJCOM during the late 60s, resulting principally from the need to downsize units and forces, aimed to eliminate many of the numerous numbered wing and squadron elements then serving and preserve the legacies of some of the oldest, most distinguished, senior units (thus the 5th BW). Under the 5th BW's new organisational structure, subordinate elements (support groups) adopted their parent's unit identification (thus the 5th OMS, the 5th Med Group, etc., etc.).

 

Subsequent to the establishment of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, in 1988, after construction of a new hospital and clinic on the base itself, the old John Moses Air Force Hospital in downtown Minot was closed down in 1988 and razed/demolished in 1991. Today the site is a parking area for Trinity Health Care Services.

 

It was at this point that the 862nd was inactivated (along with its emblem) and the new, resident 5th MG emblem was adopted. The 5th BW's motto is "Kiai O Ka Lewa", or the Hawai'ian translation of "Guardians of the Upper Realm", a phrase long revered by the ancient Hawai'ian 'Koa Kahiko' (ancient warriors). Today one will see the 5th BW shield with that script at the bottom (on the scroll) as well as the Medical Group's emblem of the 5th BW insignia with "5th Medical Group" on its bottom scroll.

 

Eventually, the new on-site 5th MG hospital facility at MAFB was again reorganised and served solely as a clinical support facility for base personnel; all patients requiring long-term or intensive care were subsequently transported (by med evac) to large USAF Regional hospitals elsewhere.

 

Whew! That's a lot of history (capsular and compacted as it may be) but I think you can understand how quickly changing events kept occurring in the makeup and disposition of USAF forces as aircraft,, personnel and mssion requirements kept changing, bringing a lot of uncertainty and some confusion to those who today may be looking back and simply trying to find and/or determine what a unit's emblem-patch was! Forgive me for going on at such length but I feel it necessary in order to characterise the relatively short and turbulent history of the 862nd Medical Group at MAFB!

 

Any misrepresentations and/or errors, omissions and oversights here are entirely my own, since this was all researched and set down in the span of a couple of hours! (Below the corrected image of the 862nd MG/John Moses USAF Hospital appears first, followed by the current 5th Medical Group emblem).

[DocBoink]

PS: I've just ordered a number of these 862nd patches through a major patch supplier and expect to have them in a few weeks. If anyone wants one, they will be US$10 each and well worth it, as superb reproductions. They come with VELCRO hook & loop backing attached so you can just slap one on your flight jacket or zoombag.

[DocBoink]

OK, one further addition to add here. In 1988, the original 'John Moses Air Force and Veteran's Hospital' was officially closed and the old site's structure on University Avenue in Minot was entirely demolished. Due to the USAF reorganisational changes that brought the 5th Bomb Wing tenant to the base (replacing the 450th BW) and due to changes in both the US Air Force's medical needs and the establishment of the 5th Medical Support Group on the base (subordinate and respondent to 5th BW Command, replacing the 862nd MG), a new USAF Hospital was constructed on the base in the mid-1980s intended to serve as a regional facility both to support the base itself and to provide support to other SAC units in North Dakota. This new hospital became designated as 'USAF Regional Hospital Minot' and was a fully-equipped in-patient and clinical care facility (although much smaller than the old John Moses facility). Somewhat prior to 1988, the new hospital submitted a proposal to the USAF Heraldry Organisation for approval of its new (5th Medical Support Group) hospital emblem/insignia. That proposal was approved, dated 1987, and appears as below. It is uncertain to me if that emblem remains representative of the 'new' base hospital (short as its active life was), because the new hopspital too was subsequently reorganised and became a purely clinical facility serving the base (under 5th MSG). Patients requiring intensive and specialised treatment were air-evacuated to larger 'regional' facilities (with burn cases, for example, being sent exclusively to the USAF Burn Center at Wilford Hall Hospital and Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX, which is also one of the main USAF 'Level-1 Trauma Centers'). All of these changes occurred principally due to DoD/Congressional force-reduction mandates and consequent consolidation of medical resources as major commands also changed and/or were reorganised (examples would be the inactivation of SAC in the early 1990s (as well as TAC), and their missions absorbed into the new combined USAF Combat Command, as well as the equally confusing revamping of enlisted rank designations from 1947 through the present).*

 

So once again, the below emblem was assigned to the 'New' USAF Regional Hospital established on MAFB, but whether it is still actively used or not is at this time uncertain. It may have been no longer used when the MAFB Hospital underwent its final reorganisation. This remains to be definitively researched and clarified (as of 14 Aug 23), so consider this information tentative and speculative until further updated and/or clarified.

 

As you can see, the history of the US Air Force since the end of the erstwhile 'Cold War' is one of on-going, often confusing and continuing processes of change and 'reinventing itself'. This makes any sort of absolutely accurate historical tracking of units and organisations an extremely arduous and ever frustrating challenge to historians. This is further complicated by the fact that the USAF (like all US military services) often pays only minimal attention to its military history, since that matter lies largely outside of official service mission requirements that take first preference for budgetary funding allocations. Military historians have complained about this for decades, but these are merely part of the hurdles set up between historical accounting and underfunded military history personnel.  Speaking as one myself, I am well-acquainted with this handicap! Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any further help, here.

 

----------------------------------------

* Speaking of rank (and uniform matters), if anyone is interested is this, you might find an article of mine on changing USAF enlisted rank and uniforms of interest, see US Air Force Enlisted Rank and Uniforms . It needs to be updated to cover the establishment of the new separate, autonomous US SPACE COMMAND, but it's still a good retrospective history to refer to.

[DocBoink]

Hoo-boy! Give a guy a little encouragement and see what results?! I've gone a bit further on in researching the 862nd MG's heraldry emblem and here's what I managed to 'dig out', thanks to the kind researchers at the US Army's Heraldry Institute! The 10 images below contain background on the Command petition for approval of the 862nd's emblem AND...more importantly...the original artwork and design details and history of the 862nd's emblem. Priceless stuff! Enjoy!

 

[Randy]

Good job tracking all that down. Many times it leads to dead ends. Always nice to know you have it correct!

 

Randy

[DocBoink]

Thanks, Randy. Getting to the real source of the poop is always an all-consuming task but it does bring a certain satisfaction, knowing that all the little ducks are aligned properly along the trail! By the way, I just ordered about 50 of the 862nd Med Group's old emboidered patches (4"x4" size, with VELCRO hook backing). They promise to be perfect copies of the original and I'll offer them on eBay at US$10 a pop, if anyone is interested. Ditto for the 5th Medical Group's emblem (same specs, same venue and same price). All should be in my hands in about four weeks. Cheers, DocB.

[DocBoink]

And another correction: hopefully the last one on the subject of the 862nd Medical Group!

 

Talor G. Kirby, Archivist, Organisational Research Division, Air Force Historical Research Agency, has today (21 Aug 23) cleared up a certain mystery of the 862nd Medical Group's unit heraldry emblem which I had overlooked. Back about 15-20 years ago I received a negative proof illustration of the emblem shown in the first attached image (below). You'll note that, although a poor facsimilie (being a negative), the plate shows a US Army style Cadeuceus above a globe of the Earth, ringed by an electron-like orbital display of much smaller bodies. It is uncertain, due to the negative nature of the image, what colors are used in it but the scroll states "Non Incautus Futuri" (the 862nd's motto, or "Not unaware of the future") and...most importantly...at the very bottom the identifier, '862nd Medical Group' is clearly shown.

 

There seems to be very little record of this design anywhere, but it remained mysterious piece of the puzzle. Thanks to Archivist Kirby, who told me that the unit's final APPROVED design is dated December 1966, I can only surmise that the first image shown here, which was initially submitted in June of 1966, was only a proposal sent with a request for Command approval. That approval appears to have NOT been given and instead the second image's unit emblem was approved (Dec 1966). The first image, therefore is apparently an 'also-ran' proposal that was rejected, after a review by the approving (AFHR) authority.

 

It took me close to 20 years to clear this mystery up! Kirby also informed me that the approved 862nd unit emblem had only 5 colors used instead of 6. [Specifically, the rays of the sun were not alternating yellow and gold colors, but all-golden-yellow (along with the sun itself). A very small correction, but nonetheless important as far as historical accuracy is concerned. The 'approved' script on the final design showed the unit's motto as ("Non Incautus Futuri Temporis") and not the words '862nd Medical Group' (in red lettering), but copies of the patch may have been 'unofficially' or informally ordered with '862nd Medical Group' in red letters, also.

 

And that, hopefully, is the absolute final chapter on the origins of the unit emblem of the 862nd Medical Group of Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. I have ordered modern 4" x 4" embroidered reproductions of both versions (one with the motto and the other with the 862nd designation on the scroll) and shall be offering both to anyone who wants them in another month or so, when the supplier delivers them. Cost for the pair (2nd and 3rd shown images below) will probably cost you about US$15. I'll announce their arrival when I get them.

[DocBoink]

UPDATE: 8 SEP 23

Two embroidered versions of the 862nd Medical Group's heraldic emblem/patch are now available for purchase, as of today.

 

Shown on viewer's left in the first attached image below is the 'work uniform' patch version with '862nd Medical Group' inscription on the shield at bottom. The version on viewer's right in the same image is the 'officially approved Heraldry version' that features the group's motto (in Latin). Both are fully embroidered. The 'work' version (emblem on viewer's right in 2nd image) is plastic-backed, suitable for attaching VELCRO (should you wish it) The 'officially approved' version (emblem on viewer's left in 2nd image) is finished with a VELCRO backing on it so that it may be directly attached to a jacket or other item of clothing with female VELCRO on it. Both are being made available here for US$ 12 (that includes posting costs for up to four patches). Please contact me directly, after paying me through PAYPAL ([email protected]) and I will send them out immediately to you. The patches measure 4 inches by 4 inches, which is the standard US Air Force unit patch dimension during the 'Cold War 'years of the 60s/70s. Eventually these will be offered on eBay at a slightly higher price, so let me know if you want some at the above price now, eh? Lots of work, guys, but worth it to honor the old 862nd MG unit of Minot AFB, ND with these rare reproductions.

[Kalikiano Kalei]

UPDATE: 20 Oct 23    USAF REGIONAL HOSPITAL - MINOT / 91st STRATEGIC HOSPITAL

 

As is known (and has been stated previously), when the US Air Force built the Minot Air Force Base Facility (1959), the Air Force entered into an agreement with the US Veterans Administration to co-share the VA John Moses Veterans Hospital premises. As such, the Air Force leased the 8 story VA facility located in Minot and assumed staffing needs required to operate it, providing care for both vets, US Public Health Service recipients (mostly Dept. of Indian Affairs patients) and Air Force personnel. The unit responsible for this was the 862nd Medical Group (as a subordinate unit of the 862nd Combat Support Group) at first. When the base's original host (ADC) turned it over to Strategic Air Command (under the operational aegis of the 450th Bomb Wing), the 862nd MG continued its operations at both the John  Moses Veterans Hospital in town and at a clinical adjunct structure on the base itself (which contained an emergency room, ancillary medical services, and the base's Flight Surgeon's Office); it also provided ongoing out-patient clinical care for base dependents (with acute in-patient care provided by the John Moses hospital in town) until 1969, when the 862nd Medical Group was inactivated. In 1969, after roughly 7 years of activation, the 862nd Medical Group's duties at MAFB were subsumed into the new (5th BW) air wing's 5th Bomb Wing's 5th Medical Group, which was activated in July of 1969 at the base.

 

By 1988, the John Moses Hospital building (which was now known as the' John Moses Veterans and Air Force Hospital') was about 33 years old and in much need of updating. Ground was therefore broken in 1985 to build an entirely new hospital facility on the base itself, owing chiefly to continuing problems associated with the severe Minot winters. The decision was simultaneously made to demolish the old John  Moses Hospital when the new on-base, 3-story hospital was completed in 1988. 

 

In 1969, with the inactivation of the old 862nd Medical Group, the John Moses Air Force & Veterans Hospital was renamed 'USAF REGIONAL HOSPITAL - MINOT'.  In 1987 the hospital was again redesignated  the '91st STRATEGIC HOSPITAL', indicative of its subordinate status to the 91st Strategic Missile Wing's command authority. This 'new' designation remained in use only for about a single year before being inactivated in July of 1988 (when the new on-base hospital was completed). Nearly simultaneous with the initiation of hospital operations on base, the old John Moses veterans structure in town was demolished (the old site was occupied, as of June 2020 at least, by the 'Burdick Job Core Center').

 

After several years of operation (beginning in 1988), the 47 bed hospital (later expanded to roughly 75 beds) closed down its acute in-patient services, and dedicated the entire on-base site to acute, emergency and clinical patient services. Surgical patients were thereafter referred to both Trinity and Saint Josephs Hospitals in the city of Minot (as required, transported by all-weather-capable air evacuation helicopters). The new on-base hospital/clinical complex continued to use its new heraldic emblem (see below image) until 1988, when the facility adopted the heraldic emblem of its parent organisation, the 5th Bomb Wing (and known as the 5th Medical Group).

 

Therefore, the unit emblem of the 862nd MEDICAL GROUP was in use for only about 7 years (1962 - 1969).

The hospital emblem of 'USAF REGIONAL HOSPITAL - MINOT' appears to have been in use for about 17 years (1969 - 1987).

The redesignated '91st STRATEGIC HOSPITAL' emblem seems to have been only in use for a single year (Jul 87 to Jun 88). [Note that the only difference between the USAF REG HOSPITAL - MINOT patch and its 91st STRATEGIC HOSPITAL iteration is the substitution of '91st Strategic Hospital' legend on the unit scroll in place of 'USAF Reg. Hospital - Minot'. Otherwise the shields on both are identical.]

 

Postscript: Whew! If that isn't enough to make your head spin, I don't know what is!

 

[42ndbombers]

Good stuff!!

[Kalikiano Kalei]

Thanks, 42nd bombers. I am currently working on a far more comprehensive history, titled "A Casual History of US Air Force Medical Services at Minot AFB, North Dakota, 1962-2023" and viewable at this URL. It is currently in a 'work-in-progress' draft form, with expected amplifications, corrections, references (index of sources) and additions coming very shortly. It'll total around 30 or so pages, including illustrative plates, et al.

 

Also, I've recently had the "USAF REG. HOSPITAL - MINOT" emblem (shown in the most recent of my prior posts here) worked up into its actual fully embroidered, original form and it, along with the 862nd patch(s) will be offered together (in 60s/70s size, 4" x 4", fully embroidered, no VELCRO format) on eBay as soon as they have been sent to me. I have a very limited number of the newest 5th MEDICAL GROUP patches (in 4" x 4" size) available if anyone out there is a true 'die-hard' collector of USAF medical unit emblems/patches. Contact me if interested in acquiring one (see image below).

 

As a former 862nd troop at MAFB, it pains me to see all these things falling through the cracks in the historical floorboards, since 'history' seems today to be a dying art both in schools and in society at large., thus all my efforts in this context to date. Tragic, IMHO! Whoda thunk that a full 55 years after serving at MAFB that I'd be SO nostalgic about my experiences there. Minot does that to you, I guess. Part of its spell. After all, 'ONLY THE STRANGE GO NORTH', eh? 🤪

 

-Cheers, 'DocBoink'

 

[Randy]

Here's some more recent Minot medical patches. The 5th MDG here does not have the detailed wings.

 

Randy

[Kalikiano Kalei]

Hey Randy, thanks very much for adding those more recent patches to the mix! Things in the 5th MG have obviously gotten much more complicated in terms of mission demands, support requirements, deployments and so forth in the present day. Now what we need is a much more detailed history of modern 5th operations by someone who is presently serving in the unit. I have seen a few other 5th patches (including a few 'morale patches' and some 'COVID-19 challenge coins, as well) floating around on eBay but didn't save images of them. And of course there are the 'subdued' versions for wear on combat fatigue uniforms. Lots of stuff to work up! 👍

[Kalikiano Kalei]

OK, here are the four patches that reflect the history of Minot AFB's Medical Services (all in legacy, 60s standard 4" size, embroidered), starting with the original 862nd MG emblem in both styles (one with the '862nd MG' script and the other with the unit motto) in the top row and in the bottom row the current '5th Medical Group' and previous 'USAF Reg. Hospital - Minot' emblems. These are all available from me (all four for US$15), if anyone is interested (so far few do seem to have much interest in them...pity!). Contact me if you are interested through the Militaria Forum. They are available nowhere else although I did list a few on eBay (so far no interest shown). I guess everyone persists in hating MAFB duty and few recall their service there with positive memories, sadly enough.

[Kalikiano Kalei]

PSS: If anyone is interested in two articles I recently put out on Minot AFB, you can see them at my AUTHORSDEN.COM website:

 

1) A HISTORY OF USAF MEDICAL SERVICES AT MINOT AFB

 

2) Minot AFB, North Dakota: Morale challenges of the 'new age'

[Randy]

I don't think it's Minot hate (though I get that!), but that USAF medical is such a niche area. I have a bunch of old medical patches for trade that just sit here getting older. But with older collectors passing on or trying to downsize and not much new blood coming in it may only get tougher.

 

Randy

[Kalikiano Kalei]

Well, Randy, apparently there is an element of 'strong dissatisfaction' with Minot AFB duty; see my second article URL, posted earlier (https://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?id=83219  but I would certainly agree w/you about the change in 'collecting' interests. Younger people are not just largely unaware of and disinterested in historical subjects (particularly military history), they are also not much interested in collecting anything (except possibly FACEBOOK 'likes' on their smartphones.

 

Speaking from my own experience as a collector (of ALSE/'personal equipment' gear), it is worrisome. Many of us who were specialists in this area of militaria dropped along the roadside for whatever reason, over the past 15 years. Some, as you said, due to age, ill health, death(!), etc. In my case, I've been left with a fascinating and broad ranging collection of artifacts including flight helmet/mask sets, life support gear, uniforms, hats, et al., that there's not much real market for now. Back in the 60s when gear collecting of this sort was very popular, there were many hundreds of collectors of this sort of thing. Now, not so many. I have a huge box full of USAF unit patches and related memorabilia that may well find its way to a Dempsey Dumpster when I kick the (bail-out) bucket, LoL! I hate to see all this regarded as just so much junk, but stripped of its symbolic meaning, that's all it amounts to...junk. One man's treasure, etc. I also have about 150 or so aviator breathing masks (not on helmet sets) that used to be worth a small fortune; now probably lucky if someone agreed to take them all for free! Yikes! I discussed this in a another article I wrote you can see here, if you're interested: https://www.academia.edu/38877507/AMERICAN_EARLY_JET_AGE_AIRCREW_FLIGHT_HELMETS_A_HISTORY_IN_TWO_PARTS_Part_I_A_general_guide_for_collectors_and_Part_II_A_history_of_US_Air_Force_P_series_helmets_PART_I_A_general_guide_for_collectors_of_American_jet_age_flight_helmets . Sad, sad, sad! And that's not even to mention dozens of ejection seats, antique Alpine climbing axes, etc., etc., etc.