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If you are interested in volunteering to help the 390th SMWMA, please contact Don Boelling at email president@390smw.org
He will be greatly missed. Rest in Peace Joe.
Joe and Dolores Brown
He will be greatly missed. Rest in Peace John.
John and Susan Lasher
Col. Edgar Northrup (Ret.)
Ed Northrup and Pat Green
It is with great sadness to inform our members that
Colonel Edgar (Ed) Northrup passed away June 22, 2020 in San Diego. Colonel
Northrup was a fighter pilot early in his career but became a Missilleer with
assignments in the Pentagon; as the Wing Commander of the 390 SMW (Titan II) at
Davis-Monthan AFB (Dec 1971-Jan 1973); and as XPM at SAC Headquarters (SAC
missile planning). Many of the improvement in missile systems were instituted
under Col Northrup’s direction! After retirement in 1980, he became a Vice
President at Titan Systems, Inc in San Diego. He continued working on missile
system improvement in support of General Electric in Framingham, MA focusing on
weapon system basing and deployment. Rest in Peace Ed.
A tribute to a great man - by Mike Kanalakis
In late fall 1972 I reported
in to the 390th as a young Lt. fresh out of Titan training from Sheppard AFB and
eager to get started with my new assignment. I recall reporting in to the old
390th SMW HQ building to check in and told to have a seat and wait for Wing
Commander to see me. I was petrified. I thought all I was going to do was hand
my orders over to someone and told to move on to my other stops. This was, at
first, somewhat unsettling. As I sat there wondering what awaited I was called
in to his office and offered a crisp salute with my best military bearing. “Lt.
Kanalakis reporting for duty, sir.”
“Sit down son” the Col. Said, tell me about yourself.
And so I told him all about me and Mary and our infant son John. That we were
staying in the BOQ until I could find housing and how excited I was to begin
work. I remember vividly the Col. Had a stack of papers on his desk and the
cleanest sharpest 1505’s I had seen since arriving on base. He was a no-nonsense
officer who you just knew was a natural leader. Within minutes he had me at ease
and welcomed aboard. But to me there was something very interesting and familiar
about him. Being a Star Trek junkie the Col. struck me as a true to life Captain
James T. Kirk. Anything he said you just knew you had confidence in.
But the kicker came at the
end of our 15 minute meeting when he told me “I take care of my people.” He took
my orders and a Red Marker and drew a large red “N” on it and circled the “N.”
Handing back my orders he said “ go take care of your business son, I’m
assigning you to the 570th. And if anyone gives you a problem on this base just
show them that. I was blown away. When I told Mary about it she was just as
impressed. Never used it but what an impression it left on me.
On another occasion I ran
into the Col. months later at the trainer and he asked me how I was doing and if
my sponsor did a good job of getting us settled. He actually remembered who I
was. I told him everything was working out great and
he cracked a smile. He said, I know everything that goes on at this base.
Another indelible impression on me.
But the best story I have is the day I got promoted to
MCCC. As you all remember it required an EWO certification briefing before the
Wing Commander and his staff. The week prior I had been
promoted to Captain and was ready to take over my own
crew. I had studied up like preparing for a final exam and felt confident it
would go well.
I could hardly sleep the night before and was nervous
as hell but confident that I had it all down. That morning I had just dozed off
when the alarm went off at zero dark thirty. Not wanting to disturb Mary or the
baby I got dressed in the dark with the fresh blue uniform I had laid out the
night before. I was ready to nail it.
Driving into the Wing HQ I kept wondering which crew
will they assign me to? Can’t wait to go on alert with my own crew. (Yawn) It
was dark and early, but my excitement kept me pumped up. I recall the briefing
room being dark with the staff officers sitting on one side of a large
conference table and a large screen behind me as I faced the panel with Col.
Northup in the center. As I went through the EWO briefing my confidence soared
as it appeared I had their full attention. And as I came to the end of the
briefing I knew I had just nailed it. “Are there any questions?” I proudly
asked. In the dark briefing room Col. Northup looked side to side at the other
staff officers and asked “ Do any of you have any questions?” They all shook
their heads and I knew that was it as I started relax.
Thinking it was over and
starting to head towards the door as the lights came on Col. Northup said in a
booming voice “ I have a question.” Stunned I looked at him and said Yes sir? He
said “ Weren’t you promoted to captain?” “Yes I was sir, last week.” “Well then,
check your collar insignia,” As my stomach sank to the floor and that feeling of
dread grew over me I looked down and sure enough I was wearing First Lt. cloth
insignia. Good grief! How could that have happened? And the Col. said “Get that
fixed.” “Good Job Captain.” And I slithered out the door as the room chuckled.
To this day and from time to
time I think about him and wish I had known him better. His influence on my time
in the Air Force and later civilian life was more than he would ever know. In
some ways I tried to emulate his leadership style in my rise through the ranks
of the Sheriff’s Office to ultimately becoming Sheriff. And it wasn’t until I
became aware of the 390th SMW memorial association that I heard anything about
him. In one of the old postings on the old guest book he made a comment. There
was discussion of a past reunion and Col. Northup chimed in with this: “When is
the after action report going to be ready?” That was so like him and it made me
ponder how his life turned out.
There are great men and there are great men. What sets
them apart as leaders is their ability to inspire and instill confidence. Col.
Northup had the right stuff and the world is a better place because of him. I
will never forget him. May he rest in Peace and may his memory be eternal.
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