Market Common History

Vietnam Prisoner of War, U.S. Congressman Under the Clinton Administration by Melissa LaScaleia Douglas Peterson was born on June 26, 1935, in Omaha, Nebraska, and was raised in both Nebraska and Milton, Iowa. He attended college at the University of Tampa. On November 5, 1954, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force; he became a second lieutenant in 1956. Over his twenty-six year military career, he would serve as a fighter pilot, instructor pilot, and resource manager.  Douglas initially served as an F-84 pilot with the 612th Fighter-Bomber Squadron at England Air Force Base, Louisiana, and then as an F-100 Super Sabre pilot with the 22nd Fighter-Day Squadron in West Germany. In 1966, during the Vietnam War, he was stationed with the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. On September 10 of that same year, on his 67th mission over North Vietnam, his F-4 Phantom II fighter plane was shot down and he was captured by the North Vietnamese. He remained imprisoned for the next six years, a period of time which he described as being insufferably boring and part terrifying. He was released, March 4, 1973.  From July 1975 to September 1978, he served as Chief of Operations Plans for the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing and then as Deputy Commander of the 354th Combat Support Group at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina. His final assignment was as commander of the 4th Combat Support Group at Semour Johnson Air Force Base, in North Carolina. He retired in 1981 as a full colonel.  After retirement, he earned a Ph.D in finance from Central Michigan University. He started his own contracting firm in Tampa, Florida, and also started a company called CRT Computers. In 1985, he joined the faculty at Florida State University where he directed a specialized treatment program in the psychology department.  He spearheaded the creation of an innovative rehabilitation program for juvenile offenders at the Dozier School for Boys. In 1989, when Florida officials tried to close the school for financial reasons, Douglas fought hard for funding and succeeded in keeping the school open. That struggle, and ensuing victory in preserving what he believed made a positive impact on society, inspired him to enter politics.  He served as a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives for Florida’s 2nd Congressional District from January 1991 to January 1997. And he was appointed the first post-war Ambassador to Vietnam on April 11, 1997, by President Clinton; he served until July 15, 2001. In 2000, Clinton presented him with the Presidential Citizens Medal.  Upon retirement, he moved to Melbourne, Australia to be closer to his Vietnamese-born wife’s family. In 2009, he acquired Australian citizenship. Peterson Street, which intersects with Hook Avenue in the Market Common, is named in his honor. 

Leading Myrtle Beach’s 354th to Readiness in the A-10 Aircraft by Melissa LaScaleia Robert H. Reed was born on October 10, 1929, in Elkhorn City, Kentucky. He attended Warfield High School in Kentucky, and after graduation attended Syracuse University. He graduated in 1959 with a degree in international relations, and earned a master’s of public administration from The George Washington University in 1965.  Robert enlisted in the Air Force, and completed his pilot training at Marana Air Base and Williams Air Force Base, both in Arizona, from 1952-1953. He graduated as a second lieutenant, and completed F-94C All-Weather Fighter-Interceptor School at Moody Air Force Base, in Georgia. In 1953, he was stationed at New Castle Air Force Base, Delaware, as part of the 332nd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.  Robert had numerous military assignments. In 1954, he was assigned as an F-89D pilot at Ladd Air Force Base, in Alaska, as part of the 18th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. Two years later, he was assigned to the 319th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Bunker Hill Air Force Base, Indiana. He completed tours of duty at Gettysburg, South Dakota; Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota; 916th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Prince George, British Columbia; and as flight commander at Griffiss Air Base, New York, where he flew F-101Bs as part of the 49th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.  In 1963, he was assigned to Headquarters 26th Air Division as an aide-de camp to Major General Arthur Agan, Jr. at Hancock Field, New York. Robert completed Air Command and Staff College in 1965. Afterwards, he was assigned to Headquarters Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado where he acted as an operations staff officer and executive officer in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations. In 1968, during the Vietnam War, he served as operations officer for the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, at Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, Republic of Vietnam. While he was there, he completed 305 combat hours in F-4 Phantom IIs.  He graduated from Air War College in 1972.  In 1974, he was assigned to the U.S. Air Force Six Man Group, a special study team established by the chief of staff to investigate and offer advice on the development and employment of Air Force forces. In March, 1975, he was assigned to the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, where he served as vice commander. In August 1976, he became commander, and served in that capacity until 1979. Among his many accomplishments during this time, Robert successfully transitioned the 354th from A-7D aircraft to the new A-10— which offered closer air support than previous craft.  Under his tutelage, the 354th became trailblazers in both preparation and readiness with A-10s. Their’s was the first operationally-ready combat wing in the Air Force that was manned of A-10 aircraft. With the A-10, the wing demonstrated high aircraft sortie rates; an ability to perfect rapid re-arming and turnaround techniques; maintain a high aircraft in-commission rate; refine close air support tactics; and perfect the capability to operate from austere locations.  Robert served as commander of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in 1979, as well as commander of the Air Defense Weapons Center at Tyndall Air Force Base from 1980-1982. He also served as the Air Force representative for the United States Delegation to the Military Staff Committee, for the United Nations. He acted as chief of staff of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in June 1986. He was promoted to the rank of general in July.  During his career, General Reed flew 6,100 hours. His military decorations and awards include: the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 10 oak leaf clusters, and Air Force Commendation Medal.  He passed away in Myrtle Beach on December 24, 2017.

Check out this article about the 354th Fighter Day Wing.

A WWII Media Sensation and Author by Melissa LaScaleia Howard Avenue in the Market Common is named after a notable member of the United States Air Force. Born to American parents in Canton, China on April 13, 1913, James Howell Howard moved with his family to St. Louis, Missouri in 1927. He graduated from Pomona College in Claremont, California in 1937, intending to pursue a career in medicine. But the thrills of a military life during World War II called to him, and he became a P-40 fighter pilot with the famous American Volunteer Group— the Flying Tigers, in Burma, instead. He flew 56 missions and was credited with shooting down six Japanese airplanes. Following that group’s disbandment, James returned to the U.S., joined the Air Force, and in 1943, was promoted to major and given command of the 356th Fighter Squadron in the United Kingdom. On January 11, 1944, James made the choice that would earn him a promotion to lieutenant colonel, and the United States military’s highest decoration— the Medal of Honor. He is the only fighter pilot in the European Theater of Operations in World War II to receive this distinction.  He single-handedly flew his P-51 Mustang into some thirty Luftwaffe fighters that were attacking a formation of American B-17 Flying Fortress bombers over Oschersleben, Germany. For more than a half-hour, James defended the bombers of the 401st Bomb Group against the swarm of Luftwaffe fighters, attacking the enemy airplanes and shooting down six. At a press conference the following week, James described the attack to reporters, including the BBC, the Associated Press, CBS reporter Walter Cronkite, and Andy Rooney, then a reporter for Stars and Stripes. The story was a media sensation, prompting articles such as “Mustang Whip” in The Saturday Evening Post, “Fighting at 425 Miles Per Hour” in Popular Science, and “One Man Air Force” in True, The Man’s Magazine. The New York Times reported on January 19, 1944, that after James’ plane ran out of ammunition, he continued to dive on enemy airplanes. “An attack by a single fighter on four or five times his own number wasn’t uncommon,” wrote a fellow World War II fighter pilot in his postwar memoirs of James’ performance. “But a deliberate attack by a single fighter against thirty plus enemy fighters without tactical advantage of height or surprise is rare almost to the point of extinction.” After he retired, James told his great military exploits in his autobiography, Roar of the Tiger, as well as founding a successful systems engineering business, Howard Research. James passed away in 1995, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Myrtle Beach in The Early Years by Melissa LaScaleia The 114 acres of land located within the city limits of Myrtle Beach, today known as the Market Common, has a long and interesting history.  Most people who have taken up residence there or in the Myrtle Beach area for any stretch of time, know that the Market Common used to be the site of the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. But many don’t know of the history of this area before those important years of the 20th century.    The Waccamaw and Winyah peoples were inhabitants of the land in and around the Grand Strand before the Spanish arrived to colonize in the 1600s. And although there is a rich artifactual trail documenting their existence, very little in the way of written accounts exists to tell their story.  By the 1700s, the English were colonizing the eastern coast. Georgetown, South Carolina’s third oldest city, was founded in 1730. Surrounded by rivers and marsh, it became the center of America’s colonial rice empire.   But elsewhere along the Grand Strand, the area that is today so bustling, was sparsely dotted with plantations or uninhabited.  By 1735, in an attempt to encourage settlers to move into the uninhabited areas, the American colonial government began issuing land grants. One of the families, the Withers, received a tract of land around present-day Wither’s Swash.  Additionally, settlers from the Waccamaw Neck, north of Georgetown and just south of Myrtle Beach, began to extend their plantations. Independent farmers and fishermen began to move into the area, with nuclear families to work and manage their self-contained homesteads.   Even once the colonies gained independence, the area remained largely unchanged. George Washington traveled down the King’s Highway, and spent the night at Windy Hill, today part of North Myrtle Beach.  Fast forward 100 years or so, and the area still had very little economy and even less infrastructure— leaving the coastline largely uninhabited.   By the mid 19th century, the area’s largest industries were naval stores and timber. One plan for the area was to use the surrounding forests to build a railroad. As the economic landscape shifted, many farmers could no longer afford to pay their taxes, and sold their property to the timber and turpentine dealers.  One such dealer, the Burroughs and Collins firm, acquired large tracts of land along the coast from these farmers, as well as from the Withers family. And at the turn of the century, the company began developing the area as a resort town.  Franklin Burroughs envisioned turning the area into a tourist destination that would rival Florida and the Northeastern states. The Seaside Inn, the beach’s first hotel, was built in 1901.  The new outpost was simply referred to as New Town, but the fledgling community was up for a new name.   A local publication sponsored a contest to give the area an official name, and invited submissions. Mrs. Burroughs won, with her suggestion of Myrtle Beach, in honor of the wax myrtle shrub that grew in abundance throughout the area.  In 1912, Simeon B. Chapin, a northern financier, met with the Burroughs family. Together they formed a new partnership— the Myrtle Beach Farms Company, and came to influence the area significantly with their projects for development.   In 1937, the Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport was built and named after the mayor at the time, W. L. Harrelson, in honor of his support of the project. In 1938, Myrtle Beach was incorporated as a town.  The United States Army Air Corps took over the airport in 1940 and converted it into a military base. Plans for redevelopment of the area were underway soon after the base closed in 1993, and the Market Common, as the picturesque work-live-play area was named, became a beloved addition to the many communities of the Grand Strand.

Market Common is filled with history and at the Insider we always like to learn more and more about our community, so read with us all about the heroes of this area!

A look back at some local History!

Recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star by Melissa LaScaleia Hoyt LeGrand Hendrick was born in Conway, South Carolina on January 24, 1924 to parents Robert O’Neil and Minnie Cannon Hendrick.  Growing up during the roaring ’20s, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II, and received both the Purple Heart as well as the Bronze Star for his service and sacrifices in combat.   He graduated from Clemson University with a degree in civil engineering, and attended graduate school at the University of Tennessee where he received a master’s of science.  He was a civil engineer, registered professionally with the state of South Carolina. The majority of his career was spent working as an engineer for the military. In addition to being a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church, Hoyt was also a member of the Clemson Alumni Association for 50 years.  Hoyt was employed as a civil engineer for the United States Army Corps of Engineers when he first became involved with what is today the Market Common area professionally.  In 1955, the Myrtle Beach municipal airfield was transitioning into a major Air Force base. Hoyt was employed as a civil engineer on the project.  In 1958, he transferred to the United States Air Force and continued working as an engineer on the project, now helping to prepare the base by overseeing the construction of the necessary facilities which would house aircraft, buildings, and personnel.  Hoyt became the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base deputy civil engineer, and remained in that position for almost thirty years before retiring. He assisted in numerous transitions throughout his career, including the housing and implementation of the initial aircraft at the base, the F-100; A-7D aircraft in 1970; and A-10 aircraft in 1977.   Hoyt was married to Rachel Rheuark who passed away in 1981. His second wife was Kathryn Hendrick, with whom he remained until he passed. He had three children, Steve, Michael, and Kent; two step-sons, Daniel and John; two step-daughters, Debbie and Kelly; and fourteen grandchildren.  Hoyt L. Hendrick died on July 2, 2007, at the age of 83, in Conway, South Carolina.   Hendrick Avenue, the avenue in the Market Common which stands as a tribute to his service and contributions to this area, is a long street which houses many residences.  It stretches through the Soho District, from Farrow Parkway down to Hackler Street, running parallel with Johnson Avenue. The plaque which commemorates his life and accomplishments can be found there. 

WWII War Hero and Prisoner of War by Melissa LaScaleia William Glover Farrow was born on September 24, 1918 in Darlington, South Carolina. He attended St. John’s High School and graduated with honors in May 1935. In 1938, he enrolled in the University of South Carolina. During his tenure at university, William was one of three people selected by the Civil Aeronautics Authority to attend pilot training at Hawthorne Aviation School. It was an honor to be selected, and an appointment which the government was funding. Consequently, it required a term of military service for the graduates who attended, upon completion.  In March 1940, William received his pilot’s license and was sent to Love Field in Dallas, Texas, where he was inducted into the U.S. Army Air Corps. In 1941, he was sent to the San Angelo Air Corps Basic Flying School. He graduated two months later and was sent to Kelly Field, in San Antonio, Texas for advanced pilot training. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on July 11. He completed the B-25 Mitchell training program, and then was sent to Pendleton Field in Oregon as a member of the 34th Bomb Squadron. In April 1942, William, along with 80 other men, volunteered to participate in the Doolittle Raid— a retaliation attack against the Japanese in response to that country’s bombing of the U.S. at Pearl Harbor. The mission required crews of five men to fly 25,000 lb land-based bomber aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier, dubbed the USS Hornet, off the coast of Japan.  Their target was an oil tank and aircraft factory in Nagoya, which they were to bomb, thereby rendering the enemy less effective from a military standpoint.  William’s B-25 aircraft, Bat Out of Hell, was the last to take off, which gave the Japanese time to deactivate the beacon that he was using for direction. Unable to find their way back, William and his crew landed in the dark after their plane’s fuel was exhausted, near Nanchang, China. They were captured by the Japanese at break of day, and imprisoned for almost 7 months before being executed. After his capture by the Japanese, a personal manifesto William wrote while still at university which he called his creed, was published to great acclaim. In it he set forth his personal views on how to live a proper life. All during his imprisonment and after his death, William’s story was relayed by newspapers around the world and eagerly consumed by a public who lauded, respected, and were touched by his heroism and values.  Today, his remains a well-known World War II story, and William, a figure who still inspires hope and humility. His aunt, Margaret Meadows Stem, recounted his story in the book, Tall and Free as Meant by God. Up until the time of his death, all evidence shows that William remained courageous, calm, and otherwise unfazed by his death sentence. His last letter to his mother included the following words, which were published in newspapers world-wide. His words comforted many who had lost loved ones during the war. “Don’t let this get you down. Just remember God will make everything right and that I’ll see you all again in the hereafter. Read ‘Thanatopsis’ by Bryant, if you want to know how I am taking this. My faith in God is complete, so I am unafraid.” At the end of the war, William’s ashes as well as those of his compatriots, were recovered and interred at Arlington National Cemetery. During the course of his pilot training and career, William flew a wide array of aircraft. Some of these include the B-25 Mitchell, Boeing B-29 Superfortress, numerous variations of the PT-17 and PT-18 families of the Boeing-Stearman series, BT-14 Yale, AT-6 Texan, T-28 Trojan, and P-51 Mustang. For his part in the Doolittle Raid, William was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Chinese Order of the Clouds, the Purple Heart, and a presidential citation among other awards. He is the namesake of USC’s Arnold Air Society William Glover Farrow Squadron hosted by Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 775.  Farrow Parkway in the Market Common is named in his honor.

A Snapshot of Its Involvement in 20th Century History by Melissa LaScaleia This month, to honor our country on Independence Day and celebrate the values of freedom our country has always stood for, our history section highlights some snapshots from the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base’s involvement in missions and operations that defended our country.  Although this is not an exhaustive list, we hope you’ll enjoy the trip down memory lane, and that the recounting will instill a sense of pride in the significant role that the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base has played throughout history since its inception— history which forms the backbone of the Market Common as we now know and love it. Tributes to the short but rich past of the base, and the men and women who served in our military with memorable contributions, grace the streets of the Market Common in the form of plaques. And Warbird Park is an outdoor history museum designed to keep the memory of the base alive in the minds of all who visit.  1939 The Myrtle Beach Town Council agrees to purchase 135 acres of land for $35 an acre to build the Harrelson Municipal Airport, in response to the growing city’s dire need for an airport.  1940 With the advent of World War II, the U.S. makes plans to take over the airport to train pilots for war. 1941 The U.S. Department of War acquired 6700 acres of land in Myrtle Beach in preparation to defend our country, including the airport. 1942 An Army Air Corps Base is officially established, with the official title: Myrtle Beach General Bombing and Gunnery Range. Within six months, the training of soldiers to defend America commenced. 1943 The base became the Myrtle Beach Army Air Field. German prisoners of War were held here. 1948-1949 Units deployed to key places around the globe acting as a presence to prevent and protect America from Soviet nuclear bombs during the Cold War. 1956 The deactivated base was reactivated and many new buildings erected to defend and strengthen America during the Cold War years. 1958 The 354th Fighter Day Wing, an illustrious Wing whose soldiers garnered many accolades throughout the years, is stationed at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. 1962 Units from the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base deployed in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis, a 16-day crisis in which the Soviet Union deployed missiles to Cuba. The confrontation is considered the closest point during the Cold War that the U.S. and the Soviet Union came to entering a nuclear war. 1966 Units deployed to bases around Asia in response to the Vietnam War. 1980-1990 Fighter squadrons deployed to Germany, England, Egypt, Korea, Hawaii, Cuba, and Puerto Rico for training initiatives. Called Bright Star exercises, the intensive trainings ensure that pilots are at peak performance to defend and protect the homeland. 1990 The 354th Tactical Fighter Wing was the first unit deployed to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm and Shield in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. 1993 With the conclusion of the Cold War, and cutbacks in military spending, the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base is closed, and lays dormant in preparation for a grand rebirthing. 1998 The Urban Village Redevelopment Master plan is created, a plan to transform the old base into a beautiful live-work area.

Rated Air Force Pilot and Chief of Chaplains by Melissa LaScaleia Charles C. Baldwin was born on April 7, 1947, and is a native of New Haven, Connecticut. He attended the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and graduated in 1969. He is also a graduate of Air War College. After his pilot training, he was assigned as an EC-21 pilot to the 552nd Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing at McClellan Air Force Base, in California. He completed further training, this time as a helicopter pilot, at Fort Rucker, Alabama. During the Vietnam War, those skills were put to use and he was sent to South Vietnam where he flew combat missions as an HH-53 helicopter rescue pilot. In 1974, he returned to civilian life and went to graduate school, earning his master of divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He then began a career as a Baptist minister. Five years later, he returned to the Air Force to serve as a Protestant Chaplain— a career track he would follow for the rest of his life, to great acclaim. From June 1989 to 1992, he served as the Senior Installation Chaplain at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. He accompanied the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing when that unit deployed to King Fahad International Airport in Saudi Arabia, during Desert Storm and Desert Shield, to serve as their Chaplain as well. In his career, Charles served in many illustrious positions: as Senior Protestant Chaplain for the United States Air Force Academy; Staff Officer in the Office of Command Chaplain at the Headquarters, United States Air Forces in Europe; Staff Officer, Office of the Chief of Chaplain, Headquarters, United States Air Force; Commandant, United States Air Force Chaplain Service Institute at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama; and Command Chaplain, Air Education and Training Command, at Randolph Air Base, in Texas. In June 2004, he was appointed his most prestigious position— that of the United States Air Force Chief of Chaplains. As such, he led an Air Force Chaplain Service of 2,200 Chaplains and Chaplain assistants. During this time, he was appointed the rank of Major General. He also served as a member of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board in which he and other military service chaplains advise the Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff on religious, ethical and quality of life concerns. His awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster; the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster; the Bronze Star Medal; the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters; and the Air Force Commendation Medal. Charles was and is still the only Air Force Chief of Chaplains to have been a rated air force pilot. He retired July1, 2008 as a U.S. Air Force Major General.  You can find the plaque commemorating his accomplishments at the intersection of Pampas Drive and Mallard Lake Drive, in the Market Common.

Recipient of South Carolina’s Highest Civilian Honor, the Order of the Palmetto by Melissa LaScaleia John William Rosa Jr. was born in Springfield, Illinois on September 28, 1951. He grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and earned a football scholarship to attend The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina, in Charleston. He played as starting quarterback beginning his sophomore year in college, and was also a member of ROTC. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1973 after graduation. John completed his pilot training at Craig Air Force Base, in Alabama; then completed his fighter training at Holloman Air Force Base, in New Mexico. The trajectory of his schooling, military accomplishments, and career reveals a lifetime of achievements and dedication to those he served. He graduated from the Air Force Squadron Officer School; Air Command and Staff College; U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; and U.S. Army War College. He attended the Instructor Course of the USAF Weapons School. He has a master’s degree in public administration from Golden Gate University which he earned in 1985, and graduated from the Program for Senior Executives in National and International Security Management at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. John was initially stationed at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base in South Carolina. From July 1975 to August 1980, he flew the LTV A-7 Corsair II and the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II with the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing. He was also stationed with the 56th Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, in Florida, where he flew the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon. From 1980 to 1983, he served on an exchange tour with the Royal Air Force, and flew both Hunter and Jaguar aircraft at the RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. During his long and illustrious military career, Lieutenant General John William Rosa Jr. had numerous command positions. Those include the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Kunsan Air Base, in South Korea; the 366th Operations Support Squadron in Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; 49th Operations Group at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina; and the 347th Rescue Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. John also served on staff assignments at Pacific Air Forces, the U.S. Air Force headquarters, and was Deputy Director for Operations on the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.  He led the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon during the September 11 attacks, and served as spokesman for the Joint Chiefs as U.S. troops deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.  He also served as Commandant of the Air Command and Staff College. His last military assignment was as the sixteenth Superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy, a position he held from July 2003 until he retired from active duty in 2005.  He then accepted the position of president of The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, where he served for twelve years before retiring in 2018. As a pilot, Lieutenant General Rosa has logged more than 3,600 flying hours. His many awards and medals include: U.S. Air Force Command Pilot Badge; Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge; Air Force Distinguished Service Medal; Defense Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster; Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two silver and one bronze oak leaf clusters; Air Force Organizational Excellence Award; Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters; National Defense Service Medal with two bronze service stars; Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon; Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon; Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters; Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon; Air Force Training Ribbon. He was presented with the state’s highest civilian honor in 2018, the Order of the Palmetto, by South Carolina’s Governor Henry McMaster. He is married to Donna Kangeter, a Charleston native. They have two sons, Jonathan and Brad (both graduates of The Citadel), and three grandchildren.

The End of an Era by Melissa LaScaleia Continued from last month. Click here to read Part 7.  By the early ’90s, the topic of closing the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base again resurfaced. It had been proposed in the past, ever since the end of the Vietnam War, and now it was suggested again.  The base’s proximity to the Grand Strand meant that it wasn’t possible to expand and develop the base further to accommodate additional missions, as it would encroach on the existing infrastructure of the city.  Furthermore, the military had five more bases open around the country than was necessary for the amount of support that they felt was truly needed. And at the same time that there was talk of closing the base, there was talk of inactivating the illustrious 354th Tactical Fighter Wing as well. The City of Myrtle Beach was opposed to the closure. The base and the personnel and staff who worked there contributed hugely to the economic vibrancy of the city through patronizing local entertainment venues and businesses. Many who worked on the base also lived in the community. Since the base was woven intrinsically into the fabric of the culture of Myrtle Beach, the city worried about its own future and the hole that the base’s closure would inevitably leave, financially, culturally, and emotionally. To advocate for it staying open, the city posited that the military was overlooking many things in opting for the base’s closure. First, the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base had recently been named one of the best bases in the country. Second, they argued that there was the potential to house a composite wing. They also noted that the base always had the ability to meet the missions assigned to it. Moreover, they felt it remiss of the military to overlook Myrtle Beach Air Force Base as a base which could provide additional close-air support for the Army in any future conflicts. After great consideration, the military stood in favor of closing the base, and redistributed the base’s A-10 aircraft to other bases around the country to begin the process.  On March 31, 1992, the 355th Fighter Squadron was inactivated and the aircraft were sent to Shaw Air Force Base, in South Carolina. On June 30, 1992, the 356th Fighter Squadron was inactivated, and the aircraft were sent to the Air National Guard. On December 15, 1992, the 353rd Fighter Squadron was inactivated, and the aircraft were send to the Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina.  On March 31, 1993, when the 354th Fighter Wing and all supporting personnel and groups were inactivated as well, the base was officially closed. But the renowned 354th Fighter Wing was to live on. On August 20, 1993, it was reactivated at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, as a way to preserve the lineage of the Air Force’s most honored Wing. At the same time, the 353rd and the 355th Fighter Squadrons were also reactivated at Eielson.  Although many couldn’t see it at the time, the dissolution of the Air Force Base was to usher in a bright new chapter of Myrtle Beach’s history— one that would ultimately contribute to the community, culture, and vibrancy for the entire Grand Strand.  Years later, the creation of the Market Common would add to the beauty, diversity, and social offerings that already make Myrtle Beach such a popular locale for a vacation, or a place to settle down and call home.

by Melissa LaScaleia To understand our Myrtle Beach history, of how it was birthed into being and took shape, it’s important to look at the history of what surrounds it.  Thus our history section for this month continues where we left off— with the settlement and expansion of Charleston, one-and-a-half-hours south of Myrtle Beach.  As we saw last month, in the 1600s, Charles Town as it was then called, today modern day Charleston, was established by the Lord Proprietors who were given dominion over the Carolinas by King Charles II of England.  They had a vision of making Charles Town a great port city.  This is one of the most fascinating places and times in all of history— vividly colorful, rife with potential and danger, and for many— it held unlimited opportunity to shape your life. It was a new world, and they simply made it up as they went along, although much was modeled after Europe. But this way of thinking and living was unprecedented in the class-structure that was so entrenched in Europe during this age. There was less emphasis on class distinctions because the culture was shaped by the day-to-day tasks of building and creating to establish, rather than adhering to what already existed, since little did exist.  In other words, social norms weren’t able to be enforced, and weren’t even as important, when everyone was simply trying to become established and survive.  The French and Spanish didn’t recognize England’s claim to the land, and wanted it for themselves.  Several times they targeted the coastline and attacked the new colony, attempting to uproot them.  The Charles Town colonists built a wall around their settlement fortifying themselves against the raiders and were successful in keeping them at bay.   Then too, there was a constant influx of new settlers– from the Virginia colony, emigrants from England, and slaves from Barbados– and everyone was forced to rub shoulders.  Even though slaves were treated as property and had no social status, this intermingling still created a different culture, with a flavor and feel that was uniquely its own.  In the late 1600s, infrastructure and governing was better, and the governor created a city-scape plan for Charles Town, laying it out in a grid pattern to establish better cohesion.  Settlers who successfully curried favor with the nobility in Europe or the New World for one reason or another were granted large tracts of land and began to operate large-scale plantations powered by slaves, establishing the area’s plantation culture.  Then there were the periodic raids by the Native Americans from inland, as well as by pirates from the coast.  But still Charles Town survived and grew larger.  And within ten years from when it was first founded in some small tents, it was moved further south to its current location on the peninsular.  By the 1700s, Charles Town was thriving in industry and trade.  By the early 1700s, the colonists were finally successful in cultivating indigo, a plant which was much coveted by the nobility of Europe who prized clothes dyed with the purple-blue color produced by the plant.  While rice grew in the swampy areas, indigo did well in areas that were dryer, where rice was unable to be produced.  Previously unused portions of land now generated income for property owners.  And the labor-intensive cultivation of indigo boosted the slave trade and population of the colony.  By the late 1700s, half of the area’s population were slaves.  Click here to read more of our history features.  

by Melissa LaScaleia Last month’s history article explored possibilities about where the name Chicora originated, and this month, we continue where our story left off— with the Spanish and French making initial discoveries and colonizing attempts of the coastal land.  The first documented visitation to the South Carolina coast by the Spanish was in 1521.  The first documented visitation to South Carolina by a French ship occurred in 1524, when King Francis I of France, sent the Italian, Giovanni da Verrazzano on an exploratory journey along North America’s eastern coast.  Verrazzano however, wasn’t looking to colonize, rather he sought a passage to the Pacific Ocean, and continued on. But it wasn’t until five years after Spain’s initial visit, that the explorer and conquistador who spearheaded the original exploration of the area and enlisted the aid of Pedro de Quejo and Francisco Gordillo to do so on his behalf, one Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon, attempted to colonize the Winyah Bay area (near what is today Myrtle Beach).  Lucas amassed a group of colonizers aboard three ships, and set sail for the South Carolina coast.  However, his slave/guide whom we introduced last month, Francisco Chicora, abandoned him upon arrival and he lost one of his three ships in an unknown river off the coast.  Off to a rocky start, things didn’t improve.  The colony was called San Miguel de Gualdape, and it’s impossible to know it’s exact location because it was never documented and was abandoned in a matter of months. Ravaged by fever and a harsh winter, almost everyone perished, including Ayllon.  He is however, known as the first European colonizer, and, what is also fascinating, was the man responsible for bringing the first African American slaves to what is now the United States.  Ayllon brought the slaves as labor to help him erect the colony. Seeing the colony’s weakness however, they soon rebelled, and fled away from the coast, where it is theorized that they settled with the Native Americans. The same year that saw the first colony here, 1526, is also remembered in history as the year of the first slave uprising on the continent.  More than thirty years passed before the French made a first attempt to set up a colony; it was much further south of Myrtle Beach, at Parris Island. This attempt also failed, and had a rather grim end.  The Myrtle Beach area remained sleepy, peaceful, and undisturbed by further attempts at colonization for over a century until the mid 1600s.  The first permanent English settlement in South Carolina was founded in 1670, mostly by Virginians exploring what lay to the south.  It was called Albemarle Point in present day North Carolina, about three hours away from Myrtle Beach by car.  Around the same time, the English King Charles II doled out parts of the North American coast to favored noblemen and made them colonies under the British Crown, with the noblemen as protectorates of the land.  Carolina was one of these pieces, and originally included what is today the areas of North and South Carolina.  The territory was overseen by eight so-named Lord Proprietors, who were eager to further populate the area and thus ensure it stayed out of the grasp of the Spanish, who had firm establishments further south.  The Lord Proprietors implemented liberal and generous living, political, and religious policies to incentivize people to move to the vast tract of land.  It worked.  And in ensuing years, the settlement at Albemarle moved further south into the Charleston area and became known as the hub of the southern colonies, with opportunities for industry and a new start arguably the backbone of its success. 

by Melissa LaScaleia Usually our history section recounts the stories of people who were involved in the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base in some capacity or another. This month, we turn the clock back further, to share who and what was in this area long before the United States existed. Like the rest of North America, the area of South Carolina was populated by Native American tribes. In our area, there were the Pee Dees, the Waccamaw and Winyah tribes. What is today known as Kings Highway was once upon a time a Native American walking trail for these people. Warring neighboring tribes kept the Pee Dees, Waccamaws, and Winyahs safely near the coast. And they learned to live o the land in this area. They harvested oysters, hunted deer, turkey, and bear, as well as fish, crabs, shrimp and clams. They built houses out of palmetto and pine trees. Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot of evidence giving us insight into what their lives and customs were truly like. But there are a multitude of legends and rumored stories. One of those has to do with Chicora. Some accounts say, and then many accounts repeat, that the Waccamaws and Winyahs named the area around what is today Pawleys Island “Chicora,” which means “the land.” But another account shares a possible explanation for the name’s existence being attributed to Spanish settlers rather than Native peoples. According to this account, on June 24, 1521, two Spanish ships, manned independently by Pedro de Quejo and Francisco Gordillo, discovered the coast of South Carolina via the mouth of what is today known as the South Santee River. The Spanish initially had peaceful encounters with the natives they met, but their intentions were to capture them and return to Spain with them as slaves. According to the account of one Peter Martyr, one of these eventual slaves was named Francisco and his nickname was el Chicorano. It’s here that the story breaks down in veracity and we’re left with conjecture. There have been theories that the name was a derogatory joke by the Spanish, a permutation of the Spanish word for “frog,” mixed with the poorly understood sounds of the native peoples’ word for “boy.” Hence the nickname means something along the lines of frog boy. But it is for certain that the name “Chicora” stuck, and the land that the two Spaniards discovered that day became known as Chicora. It also became the stuff of legends, and somehow through word of mouth or the passage of time, or both, Chicora morphed into a Garden of Eden, overflowing with the abundance of pearls, jewels, richness, lush fruits and vegetation, and the promise of gold and silver further inland. The very word conjured up images of earthly paradise, and spurred the Spanish and French to vie for acquisition of pieces of the coast over the next sixty years, as they sought and fought to find the fabled land of milk and honey. Today, we all know that the silly fools simply weren’t looking properly because those of us who live here know we’ve found paradise, our own version anyway. To read more of our history features, click here!

By Melissa LaScaleia This month, we recount the illustrious history of the 354th Fighter Wing of the United States Air Force, which was once stationed at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base in the current day Market Common. The history of this particular Fighter Wing dates back to the beginning of the Second World War, and has a long and rather complex history. It was created on November 15, 1942 at Hamilton Army Field, in California, and initially stationed at several other bases around the United States for the first year. Pilots trained in P-39 fighter craft, and then, in 1943, they moved to England. They were the first group in the Air Force to use the newly developed P-51 Mustang fighter craft, before entering combat. The 354th Fighter Wing flew intense fighter-bomber missions during part of WWII. The group distinguished itself with almost 600 victories, and earned two Distinguished Unit Citations and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. In 1946, the 354th was inactivated. Then, at the onset of the Cold War, the Air Force reinstated the unit as the 354th Fighter-Day Group, and stationed it at Myrtle Beach. In 1958, it was renamed the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing and had 84 officers, 3 warrant officers, and 911 enlisted men, several RF-80 aircraft, and one B-26. F-100s were later added. The 354th Fighter Wing was very active in military service during a series of world crises in the twentieth century, and spent relatively little time in its home base of Myrtle Beach especially in the 60’s. Units deployed to West Germany in 1961 during the time of the Berlin Wall construction. They were also deployed to Alaska in 1963, due to their proximity to the Soviet Union. During the Dominican Republic Crisis in 1965, units were sent to assist with that crisis. Many units also deployed to South Vietnam and Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War and afterwards. The 354th received the Presidential Unit Citation for service to their country for the years 1972-1973. In 1977, the 354th replaced their aircraft with A-10s, and conducted routine missions and trainings until the Persian Gulf War. The 354th was one of the first units to deploy in 1990; during that conflict, they shone in the role of offering close air support. Heroic actions have always been a part of the 354th. During the Persian Gulf War, Captain Paul Johnson and Captain Rand Goff, both of the 354th, rescued a Navy pilot 200 miles inside Iraq. Captain Johnson earned the Air Force Cross for his valor. The unit returned to Myrtle Beach in 1991, and the Air Force base closed in 1993. The 354th became inactivated because of the closure, but in an effort to preserve the Air Force’s “most honored wings,” less than five months later, it was reinstated at Eielson Air Force Base, in Alaska. There it remains to this day, acting as a defense for the Northwest part of the country and serving in worldwide missions. To read more history features, click here!

Georgetown County Native and Aircraft Maintenance Superintendent of the 354th at Myrtle Beach By Melissa LaScaleia This month’s history section commemorates U.S. Air Force veteran and South Carolina native, Jimmy E. Davis. There is a plague dedicated to him along Farrow Parkway, right by the intersection of Hendrick Avenue—between Hendrick and Howard. His plaque is one of many that are in close proximity on this block. Jimmy E. Davis was born on June 1,1937, and grew up in nearby Georgetown County, South Carolina. He attended Winyah High School also in Georgetown. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the U. S. Air Force and entered basic training. Jimmy chose to pursue a career in aircraft maintenance, and enrolled in Jet Aircraft Mechanics School at Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas. He graduated in December, 1954. For the duration of his service with the U.S. Air Force, he stayed within the aircraft maintenance career field, a highly complex and demanding occupation.= For his first operational assignment, he was sent to Europe, where he was stationed at Chaumont and Laon Air Bases in France, and at Bitburg Air Base, in Germany. He played a large role in supporting the U.S. during the Vietnam War, by maintaining and repairing aircrafts. First he was sent to Korat Air Base, in Thailand, in 1964. He deployed with the first F-105D aircraft that had been sent to that Air Force base, to maintain it and other aircrafts. In 1970, he was assigned to his nearby home, to the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base where he served as the NCO-In-Charge of Aircraft Quality Control. Later, he became an Aircraft Maintenance Superintendent in the organizational and flight line maintenance squadrons. In 1972, he was sent a second time to aid America in Vietnam, again to Korat Air Base. This time, he maintained the A-7D aircraft of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, based at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. He served two additional tours to support America during the Vietnam War: both in Udorn Royal Air Base, Thailand. Jimmy E. Davis was selected to be the Aircraft Maintenance Superintendent of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing. In this position, he achieved superior results, and showed himself to be an outstanding leader and manager. As a result he earned the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. Chief Master Sergeant Jimmy E. Davis died in Surfside Beach, at the age of 78, on October 13, 2015.

Oklahoma Native, Commander of the 354th at Myrtle Beach by Melissa LaScaleia Brigadier General Joel T. Hall was born in 1935 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. His career trajectory brought him to serve the United States Air Force as commander of the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base in 1984. Hall Lane, which intersects with Cook Circle near Iris Street in the Market Common, is named in his honor. We commemorate his career and accomplishments and remember his service to our city and country in this month’s history section. Joel T. Hall attended Shawnee Oklahoma High School, and graduated in 1954. He joined ROTC in college, and graduated from the University of Oklahoma’s School of Aerospace Engineering with a bachelor’s degree in 1961. Then, he was commissioned a second lieutenant through the Air Force Re-serve Officer Training Corps program and began pilot training. After completing pilot training, he returned to his home state of Oklahoma in 1962 where he was stationed to train other pilots. In January 1967, during the Vietnam War, he was assigned to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Bien Hoa Air Base, in South-Central Vietnam, about 16 miles from Saigon. Joel Hall was awarded the Silver Star by the President of the United States for his gallantry in service during his Vietnam term. On July 11, 1967, Joel, then a Captain, was acting as the Wingman in a relief flight mission of two F-100s that were sent to deliver weapons to a U.S. special forces camp that was in danger of being overrun by the North Vietnamese. The weather conditions at the time were hazardous, and visibility was very poor, making it challenging to accurately deliver the needed relief weapons. He also faced in-tense hostile ground fire from the enemy. Despite these circumstances, Captain Hall made numerous successful deliveries. Because of his valor, the special forces were able to overcome the North Vietnamese and cause them to retreat. In 1968, he left Vietnam for England, where he was assigned to the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Station, in Lakenheath. He later served as a squadron weapons officer, as well as a flight examiner in the wing standardization and evaluation office. Then he was stationed as Directorate of Operations at the U.S. Air Forces Europe Headquarters, in West Germany from 1970-1972. Hall attended Air Command and Staff College, and graduated in 1973. Then he served as the Directorate of Operations for the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, in Washington, D.C., from July 1973 to July 1977. His duties included serving with the worldwide range improvement program, joint operational tests, and the joint Air Force and Navy air combat evaluation and air intercept missile evaluation. He was stationed in South Korea in 1977. He graduated from National War College in 1981. In 1984, he was appointed commander of the 354th Tactical Fight Wing at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, where he served until 1986. General Hall is a command pilot who has flown more than 4,000 hours. His military awards and decorations include: the Silver Star, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, and Combat Readiness Medal. He was promoted to brigadier general on February 1, 1987. He retired from service on August 1, 1991. To read more about the Market Common’s history, click here!

A Perspective and Historical Account by Lynn Mueller On October 16, 1939, the Myrtle Beach Town Council concluded that the community was in dire need of a municipal airport. Given this conclusion, the town purchased one hundred thirty-five acres of adjoining property. Shortly thereafter, the airport was named the Harrelson Municipal Airport. It was named after Mayor W. L. Harrelson, a strong supporter of this project. During World War II, the Army Corps took over Harrelson Municipal Airport. The United States Department of War formally took charge of the airport in 1942 and named it the Myrtle Beach General Bombing and Gunnery Range. Finally, in 1943, the 5,000-acre base became known as the Myrtle Beach Army Air Field. After the war, the site was deactivated and returned to the city with 114 buildings in place. The Myrtle Beach Municipal Airport was reborn in November of 1947. The airport was donated to the military once again, this time to the Air Force, in 1954. It continued under their direction until 1991, when it was announced that the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base would permanently close. The base closed two years later, on March 31, 1993. It was expected that the closing of the base would necessitate the loss of more than 5,000 jobs, leave 1,500 homes vacant and for sale, reduce student enrollment by 15%, and raise unemployment by 20%, and generate a loss of over $91 million in taxes and general revenue. The lake across from Grand Park offers a mile long walking and running path with exercising stations along the way. This aerial photograph, taken atop a crane, shows how thoroughly and beautifully the Market Common has been redeveloped. By August 1995, the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base Redevelopment Authority was created with retired Air Force Colonel Buddy Styers at its head. This lead to the creation of the area we now know as the Market Common, which is comprised of 110 acres. In the early 1980s, the concept of New Urbanism arose. New Urbanism is a planning and development approach based upon an understanding of how cities have been built over the last several centuries. This approach replicated walkable blocks and streets, housing, and shopping near and accessible to open, public spaces. This approach was a reaction to the sprawling, single-use, low density pattern of post World War II development. The flight from urban America to suburbia had created a post urban society which disconnected homes from a traditional urban setting, where shopping and community connectivity had been the norm. The net result of suburbia was the creation of a situation with negative economic and environmental impacts. The evolution of New Urbanism was principally created as a reaction to the flight to suburbia. While Market Common as we find it today is unique to all of us, it is but one of literally thousands of similar types of developments across the United States and nations including The Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The basic principal driving the New Urbanism approach, which sometimes is called Traditional Neighborhood Development or TND, is that public and private spaces are of equal importance. Given this concept, one can create a balanced community which serves a wide range of home and business opportunities. Howard Avenue, in the Market Common, bustles with activity. Few people notice the building block that is encroaching beyond its intended borders. Colonel Buddy Styers, as head of the Redevelopment Authority, worked close- ly with the City of Myrtle Beach. The city had commissioned the development of an urban village plan that the Authority did not have access to, but through his efforts the city cooperated and an agreement was reached to integrate this plan into the planning process of the Authority. It was a commitment which included connecting what was to be developed with the history of the site. This led to the naming of all the streets in Market Common after those who were connected in some way to the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. In addition, plaques were placed throughout Market Common with narratives relaying the history of both the Air Force Base, and the people who made memorable contributions in connection to it. In addition to what might be characterized as Market Common’s downtown, residential neighborhoods surround the core shopping and living area. The core commercial district is filled with unique shopping opportunities with many locally owned businesses and eateries. The SoHo section was designed to replicate past urban America with a first floor as a commercial shop/work place and the business owner living upstairs. This section is relatively unique in these types of developments, and a tremendous shopping experience for residents and visitors alike. The mix of housing opportunities has stayed consistent over recent years. Sales trends tracking the sale of condominiums versus single family homes has continued to sustain each category. For example, in 2012, one-third of the properties purchased were condominiums and two- thirds were single family homes. This percentage stayed the same in 2013. By 2014, the ratio was one condo for every seven single family homes sold, and by 2016, this ratio was one condo for every five single family homes sold. “The backside of Curtis Brown Lane in the Sweetgrass Square development. Developments such as these bring life to the Market Common and support the economy.” Some interesting historical development tidbits are: Based on client design criteria, both the Barnes & Noble and P.F. Chang’s buildings required specific design com- mitments including the need for the Authority to build two large horses at the entrance to P.F. Chang’s. The lakes, the parks, the playgrounds and other public spaces were designed for not only aesthetic purposes but to serve the community and visitors. The addition of Horry Georgetown Technical College campus and the recent addition of the International Culinary Institute have enhanced the nature of the entire development. The development called for the installation of decorative street lamps throughout Market Common. The city wanted to put in standard street … Read more

Top Gun and Commander of the MBAF Base by Melissa LaScaleia Tucked away in the Market Common, intersecting Hendrick Avenue, is Jenkins Alley, so named after Brigadier General James J. Jenkins, who logged more than 3,100 hours flying with the United States Air Force. Little information can be found about James Jenkins early life, but we do know that he was a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (more commonly called Virginia Tech) in 1964, with a bachelor of science degree in animal science. In 1967, he received a master’s degree in animal physiology, from West Virginia University. James began his military career in college through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. After completing his master’s degree, he entered the United States Air Force. During his impressive military career, he distinguished himself with the following awards: Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster; Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster; Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters; Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters; Vietnam Service Medal with three service stars; Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm; and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. James excelled in rank steadily; he was promoted from Captain in 1969, to Major in 1973, to Lieutenant Colonel in 1978, to Colonel in 1983, ending with the appointment of Brigadier General in 1992, before retiring in 1997. James was stationed in South Vietnam with the 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron, during the Vietnam War in 1969. He was a student at the Royal College of Air Warfare, in Cranwell, England, as well as a pilot and flight commander of the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron, at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. He flew 198 combat missions over Southeast Asia. In 1981, he earned his first appointment as commander, over the 22nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, at Bittburg Air Base, in West Germany.
 Throughout his career, he flew F-102, F-106, F-4, F-15, A-10 and F-16 aircrafts. His skill earned him the accolade of F-106 Category Top Gun. From 1985-1987, he was appointed commander, Air Forces Iceland, at Keflavik Naval Air Station, in Iceland. His following appointment was as vice commander of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. Then, he was appointed commander. He served in those positions for three years, from 1987-1990. He went on to serve at other bases— as base commander in South Korea, deputy director of operations in Washington, D.C., and the deputy chief of staff for plans and operations. His last assignment was as director of logistics, Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces, at Hickam Air Force Base, in Hawaii, where he was responsible for the maintenance and support of fighter and support aircraft and management of equipment and supplies valued at more than $3.3 billion. He was also responsible for the allocation and maintenance of vehicles and war reserve equipment valued at over $350 million.

Our history column usually recounts the stories of those who served in the United States Military and were connected with the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. But this month, we’d like to commemorate the actions of a local civilian who was honored many years ago with his own plaque in the Market Common as well as with the naming of a street. The eponymous Fred Nash Boulevard is located in the Market Common; it intersects Farrow Parkway near Highway 17 Business. Once through the intersection, the boulevard turns into Crow Lane. Nash Boulevard is located near Myrtle Beach State Park. Fred Nash was a local businessman who together with his wife, Agnes, opened Fred Nash’s Grill near Springmaid Beach in 1947. The two also built and ran Nash’s Rooms and Apartments in the same area in the ’50s; they lived near Myrtle Beach State Park. On August 18, 1958, a T-33 aircraft was returning to the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base when something went terribly awry. The plane hit the State Park Pier, and had a crash-landing just outside of Fred’s house. Fred was home at the time, and ran over to the burning plane. A pilot was trapped inside, and Fred single-handedly pulled him out and to safety. He extinguished the flames on the pilot’s clothes and burning body, and sustained 3rd degree burns on his hands as a result. He was 71 years-old when he saved the life of the pilot. The United States Air Force showed their gratitude and recognized is heroism by presenting him with an Exceptional Service Award in Recognition of Distinguished Patriotic Service. Fred Nash loved to fish in the ocean, especially with his family, and was always helpful to people in his community. After he passed, his sons dedicated an artificial reef to their father, to honor his memory. The artificial reef is a mass of concrete, which is placed at certain locations in the ocean as a way to attract more marine life and learn more about ocean ecology. Fish will congregate around any substance in the ocean— thus artificial reefs create more opportunities for fishing and are a great way to help fishermen in the area. Myrtle Beach’s miles of sandy bottoms, devoid of any hiding holes that fish like to find, makes artificial reefs important for fishermen. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources helped to implement the 400-yard diameter reef in 2016. It is called Pop Nash Reef and is located 6 miles straight offshore of the Surfside Pier in Surfside Beach. Friends and family members gathered for a dedication ceremony, and scattered yellow roses at the site of the new reef— now an additional place near the Market Common that salutes the legacy of this local hero.

Vice Commander of the 354th at Myrtle Beach, American Ace in WWII by Melissa LaScaleia Kruzel Street, in the Market Common, is located between Farrow Parkway and Pampas Drive, running roughly parallel with both. It begins, or ends depending on your perspective, at Howard Avenue and Shine Avenue, connecting the two. Kruzel Street was named to honor of the valor of Major General Joseph J. Kruzel, who was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 1918.  In 1938, he graduated with a BS in chemistry from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. In May 1940, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps, completed flying training, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force in December of that same year. World War II was underway, and Joseph was stationed at Nichols Field, Manila, in the Philippines. He flew P-40 aircraft as a combat fighter in Australia, Java, and the Philippines. During this time, he logged 175 combat hours, and shot down a Japanese Zero fighter plane. He was in the Philippines when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the Philippine Islands. In 1943, he returned to the U.S. and became squadron commander of the 361st Fighter Group in Richmond, Virginia. Later that year, he and his group went to England to fight against the Germans.  During this time, he logged 325 combat hours, flying P-47 and P-51 aircraft. He brought down three German ME-109s and one FW-190 aircraft, earning him the accolade of American ace. He was eventually promoted to general, and in 1945 was appointed deputy base commander for a P-47 combat crew training school in North Carolina. He also completed an asiatic studies course at Yale University.  In 1946, he was stationed in Seoul, Korea; in 1947, he served in Tokyo, Japan. Then he completed another tour of duty in the Philippine Islands. In 1949, he was back in the United States where he attended Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, as well as Air War College. He graduated in 1954, and stayed on at the Air War College as staff until 1957. In June, he was appointed chief of the war plans division for the U.S. Air Force Headquarters in Europe, at Wiesbaden, Germany. He also served as chief of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe, in Paris. In 1960, he returned to the U.S., attended National War College, and was assigned as Vice Commander of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. He became full commander in 1963. His last assignment before retiring in 1970 as a major general, was as deputy director of operations to the U.S. Air Force Headquarters. Joseph Kruzel married after college, and had four children. His namesake, Joseph John, followed in his footsteps with a military career, eventually becoming a U.S. diplomat. His son and two other diplomats were killed on a diplomatic mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1995. The road washed out from under their vehicle and the car was swept down a mountain cliff before catching fire and exploding. Major General Joseph J. Kruzel died at home, in Florida, on July 9, 2002. His military decorations include: the Silver Star with two oak leaf clusters; Legion of Merit; Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster; Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters; and the Bronze Star Medal.

Air Force Cross Medal Recipient by Melissa LaScaleia There is no street in the Market Common named after Air Force veteran Lieutenant Colonel Colin Arnold “Arnie” Clarke, but there is a plaque which commemorates his service to our country and his many military accomplishments. Colin Arnold Clarke was born in Seattle, Washington on August 31, 1935. He had a long and illustrious military career.  As a young man, he enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve and received training as an electronics technician. Thereafter, he attended the University of Washington and graduated in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. He left the Navy to join the U.S. Air Force. On August 9, 1960, he was commissioned a second lieutenant. The following year, he completed pilot training and was awarded his pilot wings at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona; he also completed F-100 Super Sabre Combat Crew Training.  Arnie served two terms in the Vietnam War with this squadron, where he flew a total of 27 combat missions: the first from December 1962-February 1963, the second from August 1964-February 1965. On August 18, 1964, he was shot down and subsequently rescued. Arnie was promoted to captain and then transferred to Wethersfield, England to the Royal Air Force. He was sent again to Vietnam, and between July 1968 and July 1969, he flew a total of 285 combat missions using the F-100, O-1 Bird Dog, OV-10 Bronco, OH-6 Cayuse, and F-4J Phantom II fighter aircraft. He was shot down on January 22, 1969, and again rescued.  Arnie was promoted to the rank of major, and served as an Air Liaison Officer at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After completing A-7 Corsair II Combat Crew Training, he was stationed at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base with the 356th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing. He was stationed here from May 1971 to March 1974. From 1972-1973, he deployed for the fourth time to Southeast Asia and flew 73 combat missions from Thailand as an A-7 Sandy pilot.  He acted as On-Scene Commander for search and rescue operations over North Vietnam, and received the Air Force Cross from the President of the United States for his valor on one particular mission. He is commemorated such:  “Clarke directed an extremely complex mission that resulted in the successful recovery of two downed airmen despite adverse weather, mountainous terrain, and intense hostile ground fire. Disregarding these hazards, his own safety, and battle damage to his aircraft, he personally guided the rescue helicopter to the survivors’ location, suppressed hostile defenses, and continued to direct rescue efforts even though he sustained additional damage to his aircraft. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Major Clarke reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.” Arnie moved his way up the ranks of the military to become a lieutenant colonel, and retired on August 1, 1981. He managed Pangborn Memorial Airport in East Wenatchee, Washington, for many years after retirement. He died on December 13, 2010, and is buried at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington. 

by Melissa LaScaleia Phillis Boulevard is one of the streets that borders the Properties at the Market Common Real Estate Office and the Insider offices. It is off of Farrow Parkway in the Market Common, and leads to the General Aviation Terminal for private planes coming to and from Myrtle Beach. Phillis Boulevard is named in honor of Captain Stephen R. Phillis, who died in military service when he was 31 years old.  Stephen (Steve) Phillis was born on May 17, 1960. He grew up in Rock Island, Illinois, the eldest of five children. He graduated from Rock Island Alleman High School in Illinois, then the United States Air Force Academy in 1982. Phillis was a top graduate of his Fighter Weapons School class, and trained to fly the A-10 fighter craft, a plane nicknamed by the military, the “Warthog.” Captain Phillis was stationed at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, and was part of the 353rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 354th Tactical Fighter Wing. He was deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990 to support the United States in operation Desert Storm. On February 15, 1991, Captain Phillis and his wingman Rob were sent on a mission to Iraq to bomb the enemy, 80 miles further than any A-10s had gone previously. After completing their mission, the two were flying back to the Saudi border when Rob’s plane was hit by a missile from enemy fire. One engine of the plane was damaged, and his plane was becoming difficult to control. He radioed Phillis his intent to eject, then did. Phillis turned his plane back to try to determine his wingman’s exact location so a search could be conducted with greater precision and immediacy. Heading back towards Iraq, he was hit by enemy fire so intense he had no time to eject. He perished in the crash. As both soldiers were initially MIA, it took several months before the details of the story were fully known. Rob survived and was rescued by American troops. Captain Phillis’ body was recovered. He is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Rock Island, Illinois. Captain Phillis was known by his colleagues, friends and family as brave and loyal. He was dedicated to flying, and a man for whom it was natural to risk his life to preserve that of his wingman’s. Captain Phillis’ awards include the Purple Heart, the Silver Star, the Air Medal with three oak-leaf clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. To read more of our history features click here.