340th FTG, 39th FTS honor remaining 57th BW WWII vets

Col. Kyle Goldstein (left), 340th Flying Training Group commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Warisar Villarreal (right), 340th FTG senior enlisted leader, present a certificate of appreciation and unit patches to two remaining World War II veterans from the 57th Bomb Wing Association during their final reunion in Kansas City, Missouri, held Sep. 28 to Oct. 2, 2023. The four WWII veterans honored were Dick Reed, with the 340th Bombardment Group, 486th Bombardment Squadron; Bob Stangier, with the 380th Bombardment Group, 381st Bombardment Squadron; Charles Wagamon, with the 340th BG, 486th BS; and Paul Young, with the 321st Bombardment Group, 445th Bombardment Squadron.

340th FTG, 39th FTS honor remaining 57th BW WWII vets

Maj. Matt Quy, Commemorative Air Force and 39th Flying Training squadron instructor pilot, briefs Col. Kyle Goldstein (center), 340th Flying Training Group commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Warisar Villarreal (left), 340th FTG senior enlisted leader, before their B-25J Mitchell Living History flight experience in Kansas City, Missouri, Sep. 30, 2023. The 340th FTG command team was there to honor and recognize four of the remaining World War II veterans from the 57th Bomb Wing Association during their final reunion Sep. 28 to Oct. 2, 2023.

340th FTG, 39th FTS honor remaining 57th BW WWII vets

Chief Master Sgt. Warisar Villarreal (right), 340th Flying Training Group senior enlisted leader, speaks with three "Rosies" who helped build bombers during World War II in Kansas City, Mo. Along with thanking the "Rosies" for their bomber-building efforts during WWII, the 340th FTG command team was also in attendance to thank four remaining WWII veterans from the 57th Bomb Wing Association during their final reunion held Sep. 28 to Oct. 2, 2023.

340th FTG, 39th FTS honor remaining 57th BW WWII vets

Three remaining World War II veterans from the 57th Bomb Wing Association, along with three "Rosies" pose for a group photo in front of a B-25J Mitchell during the 57th BWA final reunion held Sep. 28 to Oct. 2, 2023 in Kansas City, Mo. Team members from the 340th Flying Training Group, 39th Flying Training Squadron, Commemorative Air Force, and B-25 History Project were all in attendance to show their appreciation for these WWII veterans.

340th FTG, 39th FTS honor remaining 57th BW WWII vets

Team members from the 340th Flying Training Group, 39th Flying Training Squadron, Commemorative Air Force, and B-25 History Project were in attendance to honor and recognize four of the remaining World War II veterans from the 57th Bomb Wing Association during their final reunion in Kansas City, Mo., held Sep. 28 to Oct. 2, 2023. Part of the reunion’s activities involved getting an up-close and personal tour of the historic B-25J Mitchell, known as “Miss Mitchell.”

340th FTG, 39th FTS honor remaining 57th BW WWII vets

Published Oct. 10, 2023
By Jet Fabara
340th Flying Training Group Public Affairs

KANSAS CITY, Missouri --

Air Force Heritage is often kept alive and well through the sharing of experiences handed down from one generation to another.

Team members from the 340th Flying Training Group and 39th Flying Training Squadron, along with the Commemorative Air Force and B-25 History Project, recently had the opportunity to honor their heritage by recognizing four of the remaining World War II veterans from the 57^th Bomb Wing Association during their final reunion in Kansas City, Missouri, held Sep. 28 to Oct. 2, 2023.

“It was an honor to have heard their stories and the tremendous sacrifices they endured to protect this great nation,” said Chief Master Sgt. Warisar Villarreal, 340^th FTG senior enlisted leader. “They are true heroes.”

The four WWII veterans honored were Dick Reed, with the 340th Bombardment Group, 486th Bombardment Squadron; Bob Stangier, with the 380th Bombardment Group, 381st Bombardment Squadron; Charles Wagamon, with the 340th BG, 486th BS; and Paul Young, with the 321st Bombardment Group, 445th Bombardment Squadron.

“Events like this allows us to connect the new 340^th [members] with the old 340^th [members] and tell them thank you for what they went through,” said Col. Kyle Goldstein, 340^th FTG commander. “Most of the veterans’ kids are [also] here, and the passion they have for telling their parent’s story is really refreshing.”

Part of the reunion’s activities also involved getting an up-close and personal tour of the historic B-25J Mitchell, known as “Miss Mitchell,” which was flown in by Maj. Matt Quy, 39^th FTS instructor pilot who is also a member of the CAF.

“This weekend we're commemorating the 57th Bomb Wing and their final reunion. We only have a couple of veterans that are still with us, but a lot of their kids are out here to honor their legacy and we were brought in to represent the rest of the B-25s in their group,” Quy said. “This is probably one of the most fun events for us to do because we get to actually meet with veterans and their families, [since] our mission with the Commemorative Air Force is to honor veterans and remember their legacy.”

The day’s events concluded with a presentation from the B-25 History Project, but not before 340^th FTG command team could present each veteran with a certificate of appreciation along with the 340th FTG’s newest “Avengers” patch and shirt, which was flown over Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, to honor their service. The “Avengers” patch was created and adopted as the unit’s morale patch to honor the legacy and identity of the 340^th BG.

“What the men did of that generation was absolutely extraordinary,” said Dan Setzer, 57^th BWA historian. “We were taking individuals who were farm boys, small-town shopkeepers, school kids, and training them to be pilots, [in] what was, at the time, one of the most sophisticated aircraft in operation, and most of these guys had never even been in an airplane before. This is extraordinary.”