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Auditorium named after previous base commander

Mrs. Erica Leeds, wife of Lt. Col. Oliver Leeds, 92nd Air Refueling Squadron commander, and Mrs. Garnet Clay, wife of the 92nd ARS honorary commander Dennis Clay, cut the ribbon to unveil a model of a KB-29 aircraft during the renaming ceremony of the 92nd ARS auditorium at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., Sept 5, 2013. The 92nd ARS acknowledged the pioneering character of Col. Gerrald M. Vivian, the pilot to deliver the first KC-135 Stratotanker to Fairchild, along with a ribbon cutting of a heritage display. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Janelle Patiño/Released)

Auditorium named after previous base commander

Lt. Col. Oliver Leeds, 92nd Air Refueling Squadron commander, speaks about Col. Gerrald M. Vivian, the pilot to deliver the first KC-135 Stratotanker to Fairchild, during the renaming ceremony of the 92nd ARS auditorium at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., Sept. 5, 2013. The 92nd ARS acknowledged the pioneering character of Vivian along with a ribbon cutting of a heritage display. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Janelle Patiño/Released)

Auditorium named after previous base commander

Published Sept. 10, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Janelle Patiño
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The 92nd Air Refueling Squadron dedicated their heritage room Sept. 5 to honor the pilot who delivered the first KC-135 Stratotanker to Fairchild in 1958.

The auditorium was named after Col. Jerrold M. Vivian, the squadron's first commander, and included a ribbon cutting ceremony and the unveiling of a plaque.

Vivian had a long distinguished career with the Air Force. During World War II, he was shot down in a B-24 over Germany and was held as a prisoner of war. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, a military decoration awarded to Airmen who distinguish themselves in combat in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight."

Before given command of the 92nd ARS in July 1957, Vivian was assigned to the 15th Air Force Headquarters training division at March Air Force Base, Calif. During his command, the 92nd ARS was located in Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, and moved to Fairchild with the KB-29P Tankers.

The Boeing B-29 was modified in 1950 by mounting a boom to the tail called the rigid flying boom system, creating the KB-29P, which became the most common method for in-flight refueling and established the refueling mission at Fairchild.

"The 92nd ARS auditorium is named after Vivian because of the legacy he has distinguished to the 92nd Air Refueling Wing as the first commander of the 92nd ARS and later became the base commander here at Fairchild," said Capt. Irwin Hui, 92nd ARS pilot. "The auditorium will provide us with a daily reminder of the accomplishments of those who have come before us."

The 92nd ARS acknowledged the pioneering character of Vivian along with a ribbon cutting of a heritage display. After the ribbon cutting, 92nd ARS revealed a KB-29P refueling an F-84 model that is displayed right outside the auditorium.

"Heritage is not about yesterday, it's about understanding the giant shoulder you're standing on today and we're a squadron and wing that appreciates its heritage," said Leeds. "So we're here today to remember a pilot who brought the very first KC-135 to Fairchild."

Two former squadron commanders retired Col. Allard Carney, 92nd ARS commander from March 21, 1995 to July 22, 1996, and retired Lt. Col. Brand Hamby, 92nd ARS commander from Jun. 11, 2010 to Dec. 22, 2011 were also present during the ceremony and unveiled the plaque in honor of Vivian.