Gents, I'm on deck in Quantico, and I just copied our command chronologies from 1976-1988. That's all the Gray Research Archive has for us until 2001 or so. Next week I'm going to locate the end of the 80s and all of the 90s back at Great Lakes (it's either with us or with Group). In the next day or so, I'm heading over to the National Archives to see how much of our 1953-1975 stuff I can find (all the name changes won't make it easy).
So far, it's going well. Gray's been a great help, and we now have a huge amount of MWCS-48 history in one place. I provided them some of our documentation as well, like then-LtCol Davis' letter from NFL Properties about the 1988 unit logo change (which I've also provided to the Bears historian and the NFL Archives, neither of which had a copy).
I'll let you know what I find at the National Archives, but let me know if you have any historical information on Comm Squadron...really, anything. And again, if you have stories from your time in, let me know and we'll set up an interview so I can get the story added to the History Division's Oral History Program (at which point I can add info from your story to the MWCS-48 Wikipedia page).
Finally, if any of you are in the Quantico area this week and want to get a beer, I'll be in the Globe and Laurel every night.
Semper Fi,
Capt Palmer
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Thursday, February 7, 2013
We have begun to write the unit history of MWCS-48. This is an early first draft. Please send us your stories and photos for inclusion in this History.
Or you can email them to:
Craig Hullinger craighullinger@gmail.com
and/or
Christian Palmer cpalmer3002@gmail.com
Semper Fi
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
1953 Photo
We found this photo was on line and is of an Anglico Unit from Chicago training in California in 1953. The Anglico Unit may be the predecessor unit to MWCS-48.
Does anyone have any information about the Anglico unit days?
MWCS-48 is preparing a history of the Unit.
Semper Fi,
Craig Hullinger
Oral History Interviews
I'm talking with a field historian I know from the Navajo Code Talker event last summer about how to do interviews for submission to the Oral History Project. Half of you are already on my hit list as strong candidates for interviews, but for the moment I'm going to focus on who's most interested. If you'd like to talk about what one of these interviews entails, hit me up at cpalmer3002@gmail.com.
______
This will be fun. I encourage all MWCS-48 Squadron mates to participate, unless you fear that your ex wife or the long arm of the law will find you through the video. We will put the videos on this blog.
Semper Fi
Craig Hullinger
______
This will be fun. I encourage all MWCS-48 Squadron mates to participate, unless you fear that your ex wife or the long arm of the law will find you through the video. We will put the videos on this blog.
Semper Fi
Craig Hullinger
Monday, January 28, 2013
Update of lineage and honors
I'm working toward scheduling an update of our lineage and honors with the History Division. Part of it is piecing together our old command chronologies, but it really only comes down to three things for each year of our history:
1. Where did we go?
2. When did we go there?
3. How many Marines did we bring?
Unlike our own internal history, they don't need a lot of detail, so having just those three things will ensure that we get the right awards in a timely manner. Also, if we get our books in order, it really helps the History Division...there's just one poor woman, Ms. Crumley, updating lineage and honors for every unit in the whole Marine Corps, so we want to make her job as easy as possible.
Piecing it together, covering gaps
I just talked to an archivist over at Gray. I'm trying to get copies of our old command chronologies that we can keep at the unit. Right now we only have so many of them, and they're concentrated in the 1990s and over the past few years. Long story short, he was able to turn up documents from us going back to 1971, when we became MWCS-48, but there are some gaps.
I'm working on finding a Marine to go over to Quantico and spend a day scanning everything, and checking some of our previous names. If anyone is out in the Quantico area (or is going to be), and wants to spend a whole day scanning or xeroxing documents, let me know. If not, plan B is that I try to convince my brother, Sgt Palmer, to do it for us. He spends plenty of time over at Gray anyway.
When we have everything, we'll be able to see exactly what we're missing.
I'm working on finding a Marine to go over to Quantico and spend a day scanning everything, and checking some of our previous names. If anyone is out in the Quantico area (or is going to be), and wants to spend a whole day scanning or xeroxing documents, let me know. If not, plan B is that I try to convince my brother, Sgt Palmer, to do it for us. He spends plenty of time over at Gray anyway.
When we have everything, we'll be able to see exactly what we're missing.
Unit History
MARINE WING COMMUNICATIONS SQUADRON 48
Unit History
Redesignated 1 July 1962 as 5th Communication Battalion, Force Troops, Fleet Marine Force.
Redesignated 1 May 1967 as Marine Wing Communication Squadron 4, and re assigned to 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.
Redesignated 1 July 1971 as Marine Wing Communication Squadron 48.
Their were two Squadrons - MWCS-48 and MWCTS-407. (Marine Wing Communications Training Squadron-407). MWCTS-407 was formed by the Communication Platoons that would normally be part of the Marine Air Base Squadrons. The thinking was that the Marines would be better trained in on central location rather than being located with the MABS.
Relocated in 1974 to Naval Air Station Glenview, IL
1977 attached to MARINE AIR CONTROL GROUP 48. MWCTS-407 was merged with MWCS-48.
Mobilized in support of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Southwest Asia FEB - JUN 1991. Approximately ½ of the Squadron was activated while the remainder was near mobilization. Squadron Marines served in North Carolina, Norway, and in the Persian Gulf.
Relocated during September to Fort Sheridan in Highwood, IL in 1995
Relocated during November 2001 to Great lakes, IL
Mobilized in support of Operation IRAQI Freedom, IRAQ FEB 2003
Annual Training Duty
ANNUAL TRAINING DUTY SUPPORTED BY THE SQUADRON
YEAR LOCATION DESCRIPTION
72 29 Palms Palm Tree Exercise
73 Coronado Comm Planning Course
74 Pendleton Exercise
75 New River MAB Exercise
76 Pendleton Exercise
77 29 Palms CAX
78 Cherry Point Exercise High Intercept
79 Yuma Exercise WTI
80 Yuma Exercise WTI
Little Creek BLT/RLT Planning
81 Yuma Exercise/School WTI
82 29 Palms Exercise
Little Creek Air Control Operations Course
83 29 Palms CAX
84 Cherry Point MAB Exercise
Camp Pickett Logistics Exercise
85 Quantico Exercise Communication School
86 Quantico Communication School Exercise
87 Pendleton MAB Steel Thrust Exercise
90 Cherry Point Solar Flare, ACE Comm (July 90)
90 Desert Storm One half of the Squadron mobilized for the war,
the rest on call, serving in North Carolina, Norway
and the Middle East.
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Wing_Communications_Squadron_48
http://www.marineparents.com/units/Print.asp?ID=448
http://www.facebook.com/pages/MWCS-48-Official/117784741569876
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=77054812829
http://www.history.navy.mil/wars/dstorm/ds5.htm
http://glenviewmarines.blogspot.com/
http://marines10.blogspot.com/
http://mwcs.blogspot.com/
http://devastatecharlie.blogspot.com/
Squadron Stories
Squadron Stories
One half of MWCS-48 was mobilized for Desert Storm in Iraq, but most of us did not serve in country. We were on tap if the war went badly, but of course it went very quickly.
In 1972 the unit was located in an old tank factory just south of the Chicago White Sox Park. The Squadron was very large and composed almost entirely of guys who joined to avoid the draft. Many had college degrees and good jobs. Mayor Richard M. Daley was a member of the unit.
They did a good job, but were pretty cocky. You had to lead them much differently than active duty Marines. Very few Vietnam Vets joined in the early 70's - most people were burned out and tired of the entire thing.
The threat of the draft kept most people performing. One time we were all standing locked up in formation and the FBI brought a Squadron member across the front of our formation in handcuffs. He was sent on active duty and the word was that he was killed a months after he got to Vietnam. I don't know if that was true but it did motivate the troops to show up for drill.
As a member of the Ready Reserve you serve a minimum of 12 weekends a year plus 2 weeks of active duty. We would usually go to a Marine base on the east or west coast for our two weeks.
Gradually the draft motivated guys got out of the Reserves, to be replaced by less well educated guys. We had a lot of trouble with drugs and motivation in the 1970's.
We went to a number of active duty periods in 29 Palms, California, usually in August. An infantry Battalion would fight from one end of the valley to another, shooting live ammunition and bombs.
One time we screwed up and put the napalm BEHIND the VIP reviewing area. Our PR guy tried to palm it off as normal, but several reporters knew how stupid it was.
It was easy to get confused out in the desert about exact location. I took two young Marines in a radio jeep to set them up a retransmit point just behind the infantry assault. We got to the hill and set up the equipment. Then we saw that about ten 250 lb bombs were stuck into the hill. I got the guys sheltered behind the hill and called range control to ask about the chances that the bombs would go off. "If they have not gone off yet, they probably won't" said the Range guy. They did not go off.
I took the same two Marines up a mountain in a helicopter to set up another retransmit site. Way up high and very hot. We set up a little shelter for them. Nasty place with a great view.
"Whoom" went a very large round right over our heads. Very close. They were not supposed to be shooting our way. Never did know what the shell was. I had hopes that those two young guys would stay in, but after they got home and told their stories to their wives their families strongly encouraged them to leave the service.
I saw one A-6 Jet Aircraft simulating strafing over the troops in 1973. He was flying very low and made me pretty nervous. Then he crashed.
I called the medevac in with an old tired PRC-41 UHF radio that I powered with slash wire off the jeep. I kept washing it trying to cool it down, hoping it would last till the medevac was done. It did last. Both Majors flying the plane died and they badly burned two other Marines on the ground. The troops said the pilots realized they were going to crash and were able to pull the plane away from most of the troops, or a lot of them would have died.
We rode lots of helicopters and airplanes, which was always fun. One time we left 29 Palms on the last CH-53 Helo out - with major dust and wind storms. We had a radio jeep on the chopper and a water buffalo hanging below, and about a dozen troops in the Helo. The winds were so strong that the hello tried to keep down in the valleys. It was so rough that a number of guys got sick. Then I noticed that in their rush they had only tied the jeep down in one direction - if the helo had put his nose up the jeep would have ran off the chopper, and probably caused us to crash.
I worked with two good young Marines, Webster and Knox. Knox began to miss drills. I tried to get him to reform, but he started a business making mens suits, and he was given an undesirable discharge. We had to kick lots of people out of the service.
Webster was murdered in Cabrini Green. Someone shot him for his white rabbit skin coat. Our Sergeant Major was a Chicago Homicide Detective and he worked very hard to catch they guy. They found the killer with the murder weapon, wearing the coat with the bullet hole and Webster's blood on the coat.
Webster's platoon helped with the wake and the funeral. Webster was laid out in his Marine Green uniform.
At the funeral his platoon and I and the CO were in uniform. Cpl Pittman played taps. It was very poignant. The troops folded the flag, and gave it to our CO to give to the family.The wife or mother normally takes the flag. Webster was not married but had a number of children. The CO did not know who should get the flag. Finally one of the women took the flag.
Another one of our young Marines was a security guard who was killed. The story was that he and another security guard had been playing quick draw. The other security guards .45 went off.
I fell into a great deal in 1979. The Marine Corps Reserves sent me to Oberamergau, Germany to study Electronic Warfare. I traveled with my Commanding Officer. We were the only Reserves - everyone else was full time military from a variety of NATO countries - Germany, England, Holland, Belgium, Italy, etc.
The class was great - learned a lot about Electronic Warfare, NATO, and our allies.
All the other officers treated the two weeks as a normal duty - they stayed around the base. My boss and I rented a car, and drove around like crazy. We decided to sneak behind the iron curtain. We hid everything that showed that we were military, attending a Secret EW Course. We tried first to get into Czechoslavakia - a grim entry, with a telephone pole serving as their border gate - swinging into their country - designed to keep their people in, not us out. Grim place - would not let us in.
Next we tried Hungary. They made us cool our jets for 3 hours - took our car for 2 hours, then let us in. We wondered if they bugged the car.
We drove around Hungary - another grim poor place. There were Russian and Hungarian troops - they did not like each other. We went to a grim hotel with a little old lady safeguarding each floor. The bar was filled with angry soldiers looking for a fight. The place was a true Police state, with soldiers everywhere.
We took a photo of an old steam engine. An armed soldier yelled at us to get out, waving his rifle at us.
We left Hungary to go into Yugoslavia - the border between Communist Hungary and Communist Yugoslavia was heavily guarded - felt like a free place relative to Hungary. I did kind of dumb prank there - in an area filled with Communist troops - went into the washroom and put a Marine Corps Decal on the mirror to let them know we had been there.
Incidentally, the border between Yugoslavia and the west was not guarded well - the Communists knew they had nothing to fear from the west. They had great security between the Communist "allies" borders.
When we got back to the base we really wanted to tell our fellow officers where we had been - but did not dare. We asked them if any of them had ever been behind the Iron Curtain - no they said, would not dare, out would come the rubber hoses and torture.
My CO was a seasoned traveler and set up our tickets so we got to visit Madrid, Paris, and London on the trip. My CO and I did not talk about this for a number of years, but I presume I am beyond the reach of the long arm of the US government - I hope. Don't tell anyone.
I went to another electronic warfare school in Germany and this time my wife went along. We drove around four or five countries and had a great time.
There was another Marine in the Class, an active duty Weapons Officer who flew the A-6. Nice guy but quiet. I ran into him a few years later in another school. A few years later Master Sergeant Clayborne told me that the Officer was a prisoner in Levenworth. The story went that he was jealous about his wife. He killed two men with a knife, and the one killed was not the right guy but his brother.
Master Gunnery Sergeant Claiborne was a great guy - a massive guy. He was a former drill instructor. His son was a strapping young kid. Some years later the son was a star linebacker for the Detroit Lions, and MGSgt Claiborne was living with him in Detroit. He was murdered there.
Craig Hullinger
Served with MWCS-48 from 1972 till 1991
1st Lieutenant to Colonel
http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jun/18/sports/sp-42338/2
I became the Commanding Officer of MWCS-48 from 1989 to 1991. One half of the Squadron was mobilized for Desert Storm. The rest of us were going as backfill if the casualty rate was high. Fortunately it was not.
I personally wanted to go. It is a little like being a Fireman, training for years, and then missing the fire. I informally asked my Squadron members how many hoped they would be mobilized? About 1/2 wanted to be mobilized. Then I asked if we were mobilized, how many wanted to go to Iraq. It was about 1/2 again, but different people. Some Marines wanted to go to Iraq, while some did not want to get mobilized but if they did get mobilized they wanted to go to the war.
I did not push hard to get our Squadron into the war. If the war ended up going badly I did not want my actions to cause casualties for my guys. Of course what I wanted did not count for much in any event.
Captain John Joyce and I did call Headquarters Marine Corps and volunteered for Iraq. I knew that it was unlikely that they would take me as I had recently been promoted to Colonel. So I volunteered to go back in any rank and any MOS. They did not take me up on that offer. I was concerned that they might take me back as a Private and put me on mess duty again. My wife was a bit unhappy about this.
In addition to spending 13 years in MWCS-48, I also served in the Headquarters Detachment 4 of 4th Marine Division in Chicago, at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, DC, at Fleet Marine Force Atlantic at Camp Lejeune, NC and Norfolk, VA, and finally at the Amphibious Warfare Technology Directorate in Quantico, VA. In my last four years at Quantico I worked on high tech weapons development. I retired in 1999.
In addition to spending 13 years in MWCS-48, I also served in the Headquarters Detachment 4 of 4th Marine Division in Chicago, at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, DC, at Fleet Marine Force Atlantic at Camp Lejeune, NC and Norfolk, VA, and finally at the Amphibious Warfare Technology Directorate in Quantico, VA. In my last four years at Quantico I worked on high tech weapons development. I retired in 1999 - Colonels are permitted a maximum of 30 years of Commissioned service.
My buds from MWCS-48 at a recent reunion
Legendary Squadron Members
We have a number of very interesting Marines who have served in the Squadron. Here are summaries of a few of them:
CWO-4 Walt Kidden
The Gunner was an amazing Marine. He served in both the Pacific and Atlantic Theaters in World War II, flying as a radio operator / gunner in Torpedo Bombers. He did not talk about his war exploits, but told us many funny stories about the war. One of his favorites was one about how the Marines stole the SeaBees beer.
Once we were at the officer club at New River Air Station in about 1975. The Gunner noticed two men who had long hair. He decided to roust them. Our CO Major Russ Hackert asked him not to do it, but there was no stopping the Gunner. They had a confrontation but no blows were thrown.
The CO told me to go and calm the waters. I went to the two long haired men who were very angry. They were Civilian Naval Investigators. I calmed them down by telling them that the Gunner was a brave guy who flew in both the Atlantic and Pacific in WW II.
Everything was fine, but then I realized the Gunner had seen me talk to them. Now he was mad at me. "What did you say to them!" he said angrily.
I told him the truth. I told them that the Gunner was a brave guy who flew in both the Atlantic and Pacific in WW II. That satisfied him.
We used to conduct war games at the old Nike Site in Libertyville, Illinois. The abandoned site was a great location for mini wars. Walt was sent out on patrol leading a small group. I was leading another small patrol. The night was very foggy. We bumped into Walt without his men. "I lost my F___ men", said Walt. I encouraged Walt to join us but he continued to search for his men.
Later he found them and bunked them down comfortably in an old underground bunker. The rest of us were cold and wet.
__________________________
HENRY WHITE
Henry "Hank" White, passed away Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, beloved husband of Brenda White (nee Greeney); loving father of Norman (Sharon), Karen (Chris), Marc (Donna Sue) and Jeffrey; cherished grandfather of Julie, Phillip and Steven; fond uncle to many nieces and nephews.
Hank was a proud First Sergeant with the United States Marine Corps and a Veterans Service Officer for the State of Illinois. He was the First Sergeant of MWCS-48 for many years. He was the Director of the Young Marine Battalion for the State of Illinois, and a founding member of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
Hank was also Marine of the Year for 1978, and served as the National Chaplain for the Marine Corps League for 15 years. He was a former President of the American Cancer Society's Mount Greenwood Chapter, and served many years as a business mentor for General Telephone's Junior Achievement Program. Services to be held Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, Bethany United Church, 1750 W. 103rd St., Chicago, IL 60643 (773) 779-0123, Memorial Visitation from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., Memorial Service from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Hank's name may be made to: The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, 909 N. Washington St., Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 549-0060.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=henry-white&pid=155623344&eid=sp_shareobit
February 10, 2012
Hank White served Corps and country for many years. Dedication, sacrifice and hardship were his primary rewards - those are all a Marine needs to feel he has done his duty.
Hank will be missed, and losing his wit and humor will leave this world a little sadder place.
Semper Fidelis, Marine.
SgtMaj. Daniel Flynn,
Schaumburg, Illinois
January 28, 2012
We will miss you Top. You were a Marine's Marine. Semper Fi!
Sgt Tony Neven,
Bonfield, Illinois
January 25, 2012
We have lost a great Marine and friend to all. Our prayers go out to his family. LtCol Don and Linda Motz
Don Motz Jr,
Wheaton, Illinois
January 24, 2012
We salute your Marine. Our condolences for your loss and gratitude for your loved one's service to our country.
See you on the other side Brother.
Don "Boots" Jensen
Sgt. USMC
Don & Maria Jensen,
Eagle, Wisconsin
January 24, 2012
Very sorry to hear of the passing of 1st Sergeant White. He was a great Marine.
http://glenviewmarines.blogspot.com/
Craig Hullinger,
Sarasota, Florida
__________________________
________
CWO-4 Walt Kidden
The Gunner was an amazing Marine. He served in both the Pacific and Atlantic Theaters in World War II, flying as a radio operator / gunner in Torpedo Bombers. He did not talk about his war exploits, but told us many funny stories about the war. One of his favorites was one about how the Marines stole the SeaBees beer.
Once we were at the officer club at New River Air Station in about 1975. The Gunner noticed two men who had long hair. He decided to roust them. Our CO Major Russ Hackert asked him not to do it, but there was no stopping the Gunner. They had a confrontation but no blows were thrown.
The CO told me to go and calm the waters. I went to the two long haired men who were very angry. They were Civilian Naval Investigators. I calmed them down by telling them that the Gunner was a brave guy who flew in both the Atlantic and Pacific in WW II.
Everything was fine, but then I realized the Gunner had seen me talk to them. Now he was mad at me. "What did you say to them!" he said angrily.
I told him the truth. I told them that the Gunner was a brave guy who flew in both the Atlantic and Pacific in WW II. That satisfied him.
We used to conduct war games at the old Nike Site in Libertyville, Illinois. The abandoned site was a great location for mini wars. Walt was sent out on patrol leading a small group. I was leading another small patrol. The night was very foggy. We bumped into Walt without his men. "I lost my F___ men", said Walt. I encouraged Walt to join us but he continued to search for his men.
Later he found them and bunked them down comfortably in an old underground bunker. The rest of us were cold and wet.
__________________________
1st Sergeant Henry White
Hank was a proud First Sergeant with the United States Marine Corps and a Veterans Service Officer for the State of Illinois. He was the First Sergeant of MWCS-48 for many years. He was the Director of the Young Marine Battalion for the State of Illinois, and a founding member of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
Hank was also Marine of the Year for 1978, and served as the National Chaplain for the Marine Corps League for 15 years. He was a former President of the American Cancer Society's Mount Greenwood Chapter, and served many years as a business mentor for General Telephone's Junior Achievement Program. Services to be held Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012, Bethany United Church, 1750 W. 103rd St., Chicago, IL 60643 (773) 779-0123, Memorial Visitation from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., Memorial Service from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Hank's name may be made to: The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, 909 N. Washington St., Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 549-0060.
Semper Fi, First Sergeant
February 10, 2012
Hank White served Corps and country for many years. Dedication, sacrifice and hardship were his primary rewards - those are all a Marine needs to feel he has done his duty.
Hank will be missed, and losing his wit and humor will leave this world a little sadder place.
Semper Fidelis, Marine.
SgtMaj. Daniel Flynn,
Schaumburg, Illinois
January 28, 2012
We will miss you Top. You were a Marine's Marine. Semper Fi!
Sgt Tony Neven,
Bonfield, Illinois
January 25, 2012
We have lost a great Marine and friend to all. Our prayers go out to his family. LtCol Don and Linda Motz
Don Motz Jr,
Wheaton, Illinois
January 24, 2012
We salute your Marine. Our condolences for your loss and gratitude for your loved one's service to our country.
See you on the other side Brother.
Don "Boots" Jensen
Sgt. USMC
Don & Maria Jensen,
Eagle, Wisconsin
January 24, 2012
Very sorry to hear of the passing of 1st Sergeant White. He was a great Marine.
http://glenviewmarines.blogspot.com/
Craig Hullinger,
Sarasota, Florida
__________________________
Colonel Eldon Dilworth, CO MWCS 48
Eldon Russell Dilworth, age 78, of Sac City, Iowa, formerly of Adair, Ill., passed away at his home in Sac City on Tuesday (Dec. 18, 2012).Eldon was born on Aug. 22, 1934, to James and Helen (Miner) Dilworth at Table Grove. He was baptized and confirmed at Table Grove Community Church in Table Grove, and was a member of the United Methodist Church in Sac City. He attended Table Grove country school and graduated from Adair High School in 1952.
- He went on to college, graduating from Western Illinois University at Macomb in 1954 and completed his BS in Agriculture from the University of Illinois (1959-1961). In 1965 he earned his Masters in Agronomy.
- Colonel Dilworth enlisted in the Marine Corps in March of 1953 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and designated a Naval Aviator on July 11, 1956. He served with VMF (AW)-531st Gray Ghosts and H&S-24 at Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, N.C. until July of 1962. At this time, he transferred to the Marine Corps Reserve and served with VMA-611, Naval Air Station, Glenview, Ill., as Flight Line Officer and Squadron Pilot.
- In March of 1969, he became a member of HML-776 and served as Avionics officer. In subsequent years, Colonel Dilworth served at various assignments with VMA-124, Naval Air Station, Memphis, Tenn.; 7th Staff Group, Lambert Field, St. Louis, Mo.; and with the 4th Marine Division.
- Colonel Dilworth assumed command of Marine Wing Communications Squadron-4B on Nov. 7, 1981, and commanded the Squadron through Operation Phantom Fox at Cherry Point, N.C., and Operation High Sky at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz.
- Eldon served his country in the United States Marine Corps for 33 years and also served in the United States Navy for four years. He began his career in 1953, serving with the 531st Gray Ghosts as a Pilot and earning the rank of Colonel on May 1, 1983. One of his special honors was the Fighting Leather Neck Award for 33 years of service to the USMC. He was transferred to Retired Reserve Oct. 1, 1986, and retired from reserves Jan. 29, 1988.
He was married to Jean Cotter, and they were blessed with two children, Doug and Sondra.
- Eldon was proud to be the first Agronomist to work closely with the Amish in Missouri. He was also employed as an Agronomist by ISU, Ames, working on the Newell Allee Farm and at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. He retired in 2001.
- He had many personal interests including horses, flying, hunting, fishing, traveling and reading (especially history books and westerns). He was an avid rock hound and collector belonging to Macomb Rock Club. He enjoyed being a "go-fer," carrying rocks to the truck. He was involved with community events as a Volunteer Fire Fighter, 55 year member of the Masons as a member of the Newell Masonic Lodge, Newell, Iowa, Vermont Masonic Lodge, Vermont, Ill., and Colony Masonic Lodge, Colony, Mo. He also served as a member of the board at Table Grove Community Church, school board member in Macomb, Editor of the Marine Squadron Grey Ghost News Letter, and enjoyed attending U.S. Marine Corp social activities.
- On Dec. 27, 1992, Eldon was united in marriage to
- Sandra Naydene Zemke at Colony, Mo. His family grew with the addition of Sandra's children, Jason and Cassandra.
- Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Sandi Dilworth of Sac City; son Dr. Doug Dilworth of Charlotte, N.C., and daughter Sondra (Chad) Brown of Brighton, Ill.; stepson Jason (Erin) Ballou of Newell; stepdaughter Cassandra Ballou of Newell; four stepgrandchildren, Wyatt, Mackenzie, Grace, and Bryce Ballou of Newell; and extended family members.
- Eldon was preceded in death by his parents, James and Helen Dilworth; brother Eugene Dilworth; and sister Harriett Dilworth Slack.
- Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, at the United Methodist Church in Sac City under the direction of the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home of Sac City.
- On Feb. 16, 2013, memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. at Table Grove Community Church in Table Grove. A private internment will be held at the Harris Cemetery in Table Grove at a later date.
- Memorial contributions will be directed to the Alzheimer's Association out of Fort Dodge, Iowa.
________
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