Vermont Garrison (October 29, 1915 – February 14, 1994) was a career officer in the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
, and a
flying ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
credited with 17.33 victories in aerial combat.
[ Per USAF records, he has no middle name.] He was one of only seven Americans to achieve ace status during World War II, then again against
jet fighter
Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
opposition during the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
.
[Dubbed "the inner seven." The other six are USAF pilots Brig. Gen. Harrison R. Thyng, Col. ]Francis S. Gabreski
Francis Stanley "Gabby" Gabreski (born Franciszek Stanisław Gabryszewski; January 28, 1919 – January 31, 2002) was a Polish-American career pilot in the United States Air Force who retired as a colonel after 26 years of military service. He wa ...
, Col. James P. Hagerstrom
James Philo Hagerstrom (January 14, 1921June 25, 1994) was a fighter ace of both the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in World War II and the U.S. Air Force (USAF) in the Korean War. With a career total of 14.5 victories, he is one of s ...
, Major William T. Whisner
William Thomas Whisner Jr. (October 17, 1923 – July 21, 1989) was a career officer and pilot in the United States Air Force, retiring as a colonel with 30 years of military service. He was a fighter ace with Army Air Forces over Europe in World ...
, and Major George A. Davis, Jr.; and Marine Lt. Col. John F. Bolt. In 1966, Garrison participated in his third war, as vice commander of the
8th Tactical Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force 8th Fighter Wing is the host unit at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea and is assigned to Seventh Air Force. Seventh Air Force falls under Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). The Wing's 8th Operations Group is the success ...
, and flew a full tour of bombing and fighter missions over
North Vietnam
North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...
.
During all three of his combat tours, Garrison was consistently older than his peers, becoming an ace in World War II at the age of 28, in Korea at the age of 37, and flying
Rolling Thunder missions at the age of 51. For this and his renown as a gunnery expert, Garrison was known in the service as "The Gray Eagle".
[Seen variously as the "Ole Gray Eagle", the "graying eagle", and "the Gray Fox".]
U.S. Air Force historian and author
Walter J. Boyne described Garrison as a "first-rate combat unit leader."
[Boyne, "The Forgotten War", p. 35] Col.
Robin Olds
Robin Olds (July 14, 1922 – June 14, 2007) was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the United States Air Force (USAF). He was a " triple ace", with a combined total of 17 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. ...
, commanding the 8th TFW in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, said of his vice commander: "Of the many hundreds I've served with, Garry was one of the greatest—as pilot, as gentleman, as officer, and as friend."
[Oliver (1999), p. 65.]
Biography
Garrison was born on a farm near the tiny hamlet of Mt. Victory, in
Pulaski County, Kentucky
Pulaski County is a county in the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 65,034. Its county seat is Somerset. The county was founded in December 1798 from land given by Lincoln and Green Counties and named for ...
, a part of
Appalachia. He was a younger half-brother to his father's first child and the oldest of five sons and three daughters (one of which died in infancy) born to Mayhue H. Garrison and his second wife, Shelta Harriet Sears Garrison.
While he grew up farming and timbering to help his family subsist,
he also completed a basic education despite the
Great Depression. He graduated from Pulaski County Public Schools in 1933, then went on to two years at
Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College, and earned a teaching certificate after a term at Sue Bennett Junior College in nearby
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. He taught elementary school in one-room schools between 1936 and 1941.
Following his return from World War II, Garrison was married to Reatha Mae Cuthbert (1928–1959) of
London, Kentucky
London is a home rule-class city in Laurel County, Kentucky, in the United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 7,993 at the time of the 2010 census. It is the second-largest city named "London" in the United States and the ...
, until her death in July 1959. Garrison remarried in August 1961 at
Mountain Home, Idaho, to Marie E. Lee (1920–1997). The couple resided in Idaho after his 1973 retirement and raised three daughters and a son. Garrison died of a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...
on February 14, 1994, in Mountain Home.
He is buried at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
with his wives.
World War II
Royal Air Force
On March 17, 1941,
Garrison enlisted in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
and became an aviation cadet in Class 41-C at
Muskogee, Oklahoma, but washed out of advanced flight training at
Brooks Field, Texas, in October. Garrison promptly enlisted in the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
at Dallas, Texas and completed flight training at
El Centro
El Centro (Spanish for "The Center") is a city and county seat of Imperial County, California, United States. El Centro is the largest city in the Imperial Valley, the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban are ...
, California. After obtaining his RAF wings, Pilot Officer Garrison was shipped to England, where after further training he was promoted to Flying Officer and made a gunnery instructor, posted to
RAF Hawarden
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
to train pilots flying
North American Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
s.
[Oliver (1999), p. 53.]
Army Air Forces
![1st Lieutenant Vermont Garrison](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/1st_Lieutenant_Vermont_Garrison.jpg)
On July 13, 1943,
Garrison transferred from the RAF to the
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
, receiving a commission as a
first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a ...
. On September 26, after transition training in the
P-47 Thunderbolt
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bom ...
at
RAF Atcham
Royal Air Force Atcham or more simply RAF Atcham is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, on the north eastern boundary of Attingham Park.
Initially built for RAF Fighter Command, during the Secon ...
, he was assigned to the
4th Fighter Group
The 4th Fighter Group was an American element of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force during World War II. The group was known as the Debden Eagles because it was created from the three Eagle Squadrons of the Royal Air Force: ...
, based at
RAF Debden
Royal Air Force Debden or more simply RAF Debden is a former Royal Air Force station located southeast of Saffron Walden and approximately north of the village of Debden in North Essex, England
History
The airfield was opened in April 1937 ...
, as a member of the
336th Fighter Squadron.
[The 336th FS had formerly been ]No. 133 Squadron RAF
133 Squadron RAF was one of the famous Eagle Squadrons formed from American volunteers serving with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.
History
133 Squadron was first formed in 1918 at RAF Ternhill. It was a training unit fo ...
, an Eagle Squadron
The Eagle Squadrons were three fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) formed with volunteer pilots from the United States during the early days of World War II (circa 1940), prior to America's entry into the war in December 1941.
Wit ...
, until September 1942. Garrison's first combat mission came on October 4, 1943. The 4th Fighter Group was assigned to support a task force of 3rd Bomb Division
B-17s on its withdrawal after bombing
Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...
, Germany. It proceeded to the rendezvous-point at
Eupen
Eupen (, ; ; formerly ) is the capital of German-speaking Community of Belgium and is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of Liège, from the German border ( Aachen), from the Dutch border (Maastricht) and from the " High Fens" ...
, Belgium, but could find no bombers, remained in the vicinity for 16 minutes, and then withdrew.
Garrison recorded his first combat victory returning from a bomber withdrawal support mission to
Bremen on December 16, 1943. In exceptionally bad winter weather conditions, he shared credit for shooting down a
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 is a German World War II ''Luftwaffe'' twin-engined multirole combat aircraft. Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works (JFM) designed the plane in the mid-1930s as a so-called '' Schnellbomber'' ("fast bomber") that would be too fast ...
fighter over the German-Dutch border with
Don Gentile and
Louis Norley.
[The kill was also the first USAAF victory for both Gentile, who was eventually credited with 19.83, and Norley, who was awarded 10.33 kills.] A month later, on January 14, 1944, he downed two
Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, although his claim report for the second kill credited half to Norley. A review of his gun camera film, however, resulted in the award to Garrison of both victories. By February 10 he had scored his fifth kill and made ace, followed by a sixth victory on February 25, during an escort mission supporting the
Big Week bomber offensive.
![P-51A in Flight](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/P-51A_in_Flight.jpg)
The next day his squadron began conversion to the P-51B Mustang fighter. On March 3, 1944, the 4th Fighter Group flew a bomber support mission to Berlin for the first time, resulting in several large aerial engagements. Garrison was part of a flight of nine P-51s of the 4th engaging more than 60 Luftwaffe fighters attacking bombers at 24,000 feet near
Wittenberg
Wittenberg ( , ; Low Saxon: ''Wittenbarg''; meaning ''White Mountain''; officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg (''Luther City Wittenberg'')), is the fourth largest town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Wittenberg is situated on the River Elbe, north o ...
. Three of the flight, including Garrison, were shot down. Despite losing his aircraft's
supercharger and having three of its four guns jam, Garrison shot down an Fw 190 and received a "probable" for downing a
Messerschmitt Bf 110
The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,Because it was built before ''Bayerische Flugzeugwerke'' became Messerschmitt AG in July 1938, the Bf 110 was never officially given the designation Me 110. is a twin-engine (Des ...
. Flying back to England at low level with two wingmen, one of whom had a damaged engine and could not maintain altitude, Garrison was shot down by
antiaircraft fire near
Boulogne-sur-Mer
Boulogne-sur-Mer (; pcd, Boulonne-su-Mér; nl, Bonen; la, Gesoriacum or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. Boulogne lies on the C ...
and bailed out. Captured almost immediately, he was subjected to two weeks of interrogations, then shipped to
Stalag Luft I, the German
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp (often abbreviated as POW camp) is a site for the containment of enemy fighters captured by a belligerent power in time of war.
There are significant differences among POW camps, internment camps, and military prisons. ...
near
Barth, Germany
Barth is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated at a lagoon ( Bodden) of the Baltic Sea facing the Fischland-Darss-Zingst peninsula. Barth belongs to the district of Vorpommern-Rügen. It is close to the Western Pomerania L ...
.
U.S. Air Force
Post-war service
Liberated on May 1, 1945, by Soviet troops, Garrison elected to rejoin his squadron rather than return to the United States. He remained with the 336th FS until it was inactivated in September 1945, then transferred to the 406th Fighter Group on
occupation duty in Germany. In 1946 he transferred to the
56th Fighter Group at
Selfridge Field
Selfridge Air National Guard Base or Selfridge ANGB is an Air National Guard installation located in Harrison Township, Michigan, near Mount Clemens. Selfridge Field was one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established after the Unit ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
, where he again flew P-47s. Garrison rejoined the 4th Fighter Group (now a component of the
4th Fighter Wing
The 4th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command's Ninth Air Force. It is stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, where it is also the host unit.
The wing is one of two Air Force uni ...
) at
Andrews Air Force Base,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, in April 1947, was promoted to captain, and became part of the U. S. Air Force when it became an independent service on September 18.
Garrison organized and led a jet aerial demonstration team for the 4th FW, flying
P-80 Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) during World War II. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943 and delivered just 143 days from the start of design, prod ...
s,
[Oliver (1999), p. 61.][Garrison led, with Captains Erwin A. "Sandy" Hesse and Beriger A. Anderson as wingmen, and Capt. Lawrence E. McCarthy in slot. Anderson, a World War II P-47 pilot, was killed in action in Korea in November 1950 when his F-51D was shot down. Hesse became a general officer before his retirement.] and participated in the first official delivery of
air mail by jet to celebrate the
30th anniversary of air mail on May 15, 1948. Using the same route as in 1918, Garrison delivered a packet from
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
to New York City in a 28-minute flight.
[The 1918 flight took three hours 20 minutes.] In May, 1949, he led the team representing the 4th Fighter Wing at the first
Air Force Worldwide Gunnery Competition at
Las Vegas Air Force Base,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
, winning the jet portion of the competition.
Garrison's noted gunnery skills and prior instructor experience resulted in his transfer in May 1950 to Las Vegas, now
Nellis Air Force Base
Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military ...
, where the USAF converted its flying training establishment into the
USAF Aircraft Gunnery School. After completing the gunnery course, he remained at Nellis as an instructor and
R&D officer of the 3596th Advanced Applied Tactics (later "Combat Crew Training") Squadron, where one of the instructors was Captain
Manuel J. Fernandez. Garrison formed another unit jet air demonstration team, the "Mach Riders", with Fernandez and future ace Capt.
William H. Wescott on wing.
[Davis, "The Unknown Ace: Manuel J. 'Pete' Fernandez"][The slot pilot was Capt. Wendell D. Brady, and Capt. William L. Craig flew a solo demonstration. Both were former World War II P-47 pilots and career USAF officers.]
At the outbreak of the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, while many experienced fighter pilots deployed to combat, Garrison continued in his combat crew training role at Nellis. He was promoted to major in 1951 and took command of the 3596th CCTS. The commander of the
4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing
Fourth or the fourth may refer to:
* the ordinal form of the number 4
* ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971
* Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision
* Fourth (music), a musical interval
* ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...
(successor to the 4th FG) requested Garrison by name to join the wing, and in November 1952 Garrison went to
Kimpo Air Base
Gimpo International Airport (), commonly known as Gimpo Airport , formerly rendered in English as Kimpo International Airport, is located in the far western end of Seoul, some west of the Central District of Seoul. Gimpo was the main interna ...
, Korea, as operations officer of the
335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.
Korean War
![F-86-4fiw](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/F-86-4fiw.jpg)
In January 1953, Garrison took command of the 335th FIS. The "GunVal Project", seven F-86s and five veteran pilots, was attached to the squadron to test armament modifications in combat.
North American Aviation removed the six
M3 .50-caliber machine guns from four late-production F-86Es and six block-one F-86Fs, expanded the size of the gun bays, strengthened the surrounding frame assemblies, and mounted four newly developed
T-160 20mm cannon in their place. Having a similar rate of fire, the cannons were expected to significantly increase the Sabre's lethality over that of the machine guns, whose
armor-piercing incendiary ammunition was usually ineffective against jet aircraft above 35,000 feet of altitude. However, the heavier weight and bulk of the cannons and ammunition, while providing greater effective range, flatter trajectory, and higher velocity, limited the F-86 to only 400 total rounds, which reduced its total firing time by nearly 75%, from 16 to 4.6 seconds.
Garrison worked closely with the project after one of the test aircraft was lost in combat on January 25 because its engine experienced compressor stall from ingesting the cannons' propellent gases. He regularly flew GunVal Sabres on missions before the testing ended on May 1, and despite firing limitations imposed by the stall risk, scored a MiG victory in a cannon-equipped F-86F, near Sui-ho Reservoir on March 26.
[The GunVal aircraft were restricted to firing only the two upper guns when above 35,000 feet, and none at all above 40,000 feet, although the latter restriction was disregarded because the MiG-15bis had a service ceiling above 50,000 feet.]
His first victory came on February 21, 1953, during his 18th mission as 335th FIS commander. Engaging a pair of MiGs in a "
dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is an aerial battle between fighter aircraft conducted at close range. Dogfighting first occurred in Mexico in 1913, shortly after the invention of the airplane. Until at least 1992, it was a component in every majo ...
", Garrison was nearly shot down as he became too focused on his quarry and failed to detect a MiG closing in from behind, then became locked into a
Lufbery circle The Lufbery circle or Lufbery wheel, also spelled Lufberry or Luffberry, is a defensive air combat tactic first used during World War I.
While its name derives from the name of Raoul Lufbery, the leading fighter ace of the Lafayette Escadrille, he ...
. When the MiGs broke the circle and tried to escape, both he and his wingmen destroyed one.
With just two MiG credits in his first six months of his tour, Garrison's tally increased dramatically in the final three months of combat before the Korean armistice. In the spring of 1953, the size of the
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organizat ...
's F-86 force doubled, increasing competitiveness among its pilots for victories over largely inexperienced communist pilots. Garrison achieved two kills in May.
On June 5, 1953, he led a fighter sweep to the mouth of the Yalu River in the northwest corner of "
MiG Alley
"MiG Alley" was the name given by United Nations (UN) pilots during the Korean War to the northwestern portion of North Korea, where the Yalu River empties into the Yellow Sea. It was the site of numerous dogfights between UN fighter pilots and ...
" at 45,000 feet. Observing approximately 40 MiG's in the process of taking off from an airfield in Manchuria, he led his flight of four aircraft in an attack on the vulnerable fighters, diving at
Mach 1 through a protective top cover of MiGs 20,000 feet over the base. Almost immediately he shot down a MiG at low altitude, followed by a second soon after, as every member of the flight scored a kill, a rare if not unique occurrence.
[The pilots in Garrison's flight were 1st Lt. Harry A. Jones, Capt. Lonnie R. Moore, and 2nd Lt. William E. Schrimsher. USAF credited Moore and Schrimsher each with half of the final MiG shot down by the flight, reputed to be the 700th of the war.] In addition to recognition as the USAF's 32d jet ace, Garrison was awarded the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
for the mission. He was promoted to
lieutenant colonel on June 25, 1953, and scored his final MiG victory on July 19, eight days before the armistice.
[Oliver (1999), p. 63.]
Professional career
Garrison finished his tour on Korea on October 28, 1953. His next assignment was in the newly activated
4750th Training Wing (Air Defense) at Yuma (later
Vincent
Vincent ( la, Vincentius) is a male given name derived from the Roman name Vincentius, which is derived from the Latin word (''to conquer'').
People with the given name Artists
*Vincent Apap (1909–2003), Maltese sculptor
*Vincent van Gogh ...
) Air Force Base,
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, an Air Defense Command organization developing tactics and training pilots to fly the
F-86D rocket-firing interceptor. There he worked in conjunction with wing commander Col.
Glenn Eagleston and 4750th Training Squadron commander Lt. Col.
James Jabara
James "Jabby" Jabara (10 October 1923 – 17 November 1966) was the first American and United States Air Force jet ace. Born in Oklahoma, he lived in Kansas where he enlisted as an aviation cadet at Fort Riley after graduating from high school ...
, both aces who also served in the 4th FIW in Korea.
[Davis and Isham, "Yuma", pp. 5–12]
Garrison attended the
Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare Senior Officers Course (now the Marine Corps Command and Staff College) at
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southeas ...
from September 1957 to June 1958, then served a tour at Headquarters USAF in the
Pentagon. Later assigned to
Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt. Frank Benjamin Tyndall. The base operating unit and host wing is the 325th Fighter Wing (325 ...
,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
, he was promoted to
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
in March 1961. Assigned to the
25th Air Division
The 25th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force intermediate echelon command and control organization. It was last assigned to First Air Force, Tactical Air Command (ADTAC). It was inactivated on 30 September 1990 at McChord A ...
at
McChord Air Force Base
McChord Field is a United States Air Force base in the northwest United States, in Pierce County, Washington. South of Tacoma, McChord Field is the home of the 62d Airlift Wing, Air Mobility Command, the field's primary mission being worldw ...
,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, Garrison served on the command staff and as senior advisor to the
Washington Air National Guard
The Washington Air National Guard (WA ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Washington, United States of America. It is, along with the Washington Army National Guard, an element of the Washington National Guard.
As state militia units, th ...
through the early 1960s.
[Oliver (1999), p. 64.]
Vietnam War and service to retirement
![Vermont Garrison Vietnam](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Vermont_Garrison_Vietnam.jpg)
In August 1965, Garrison returned to combat for the third time in his career, becoming deputy commander for operations (DCO) of the
405th Fighter Wing at
Clark Air Base in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. The 405th was a composite wing of
F-100 Super Sabre and
F-102 Delta Dagger fighters, and
B-57 Canberra
The Martin B-57 Canberra is an American-built, twin-engined tactical bomber and reconnaissance aircraft that entered service with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1953. The B-57 is a license-built version of the British English Electric ...
bombers serving temporary duty (TDY) rotations in
South Vietnam. Shortly after, Garrison moved up to vice commander, and on January 5, 1966, advanced to his first wing command. He remained in command of the 405th until August 4, 1966, when he was succeeded by Col.
Charles Yeager.
From Clark AB, Garrison was assigned as vice commander of the
8th Tactical Fighter Wing
The United States Air Force 8th Fighter Wing is the host unit at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea and is assigned to Seventh Air Force. Seventh Air Force falls under Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). The Wing's 8th Operations Group is the success ...
at
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility located near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is approximately 488 km (303 miles) northeast of Bangkok. The Laos border is about dire ...
,
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, in August 1966.
The following month Col. Robin Olds was made commander of the 8th TFW to invigorate its combat spirit, and together with deputy commander of operations Col.
Daniel "Chappie" James and Garrison, provided one of the strongest and most experienced command triumvirates in Southeast Asia. Garrison flew the
F-4C Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American Tandem#Aviation, tandem two-seat, twinjet, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic aircraft, supersonic jet interceptor aircraft, interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed ...
on 97 missions over North Vietnam and Laos, although Olds noted that Garrison never formally "checked out" (qualified) in the type, as a result of which he always flew with an instructor pilot in the rear seat.
[Olds (2010), p. 308] In describing Garrison's combat experience, Olds observed that Garrison flew his "52nd combat mission on his 52nd birthday" while at Ubon.
[
Olds misspoke, as the mission was Garrison's 51st on his 51st birthday, October 29, 1966.] Olds also noted that by 1967 Garrison was:
...so nearsighted he carried about four different pairs of glasses with him...but by God, if you wanted a target bombed, he would hit it. He would hit it when everybody else missed. ...He got furious with me because I wouldn't let him get up there among the MiGs. I told him, 'Pappy, every fighter pilot in the Air Force knows and loves you, and I am not going to be the guy that sends you up there to get your butt scragged.' He just could not see anymore.
He finished his tour on June 5, 1967, turning over his vice commander's slot to James.
Between the end of his combat tour and his retirement on March 1, 1973, Garrison served in a number of command slots: commanding officer of the
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo is a supersonic jet fighter which served the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
Initially designed by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation as a long-range bomber escort (known as a ...
-equipped
408th Fighter Group
4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It is the smallest semiprime and composite number, and is considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures.
In mathematics
Four is the smallest c ...
at
Kingsley Field
Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Oregon Air National Guard's 173rd Fighter Wing (173 FW).
History
In 1928, the citizens of Klamath Falls approved the sale of $50,000 worth of bonds to construct an airport. The a ...
,
Oregon
Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...
, from July 1967 to August 1968; vice commander of the
26th Air Division at
Adair Air Force Station Adair may refer to:
People
* Adair (name), a surname and given name
* Adair baronets in the Baronetage of the UK
Places
* Adare Manor, a manor house in Adare, County Limerick, Ireland
* Bahia Adair or Adair Bay, a bay in the municipality of San L ...
, Oregon, to June 1969; commander of the
4780th Air Defense Wing at
Perrin Air Force Station
Perrin Air Force Station (ADC ID: RP-78, NORAD ID: Z-78) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located southeast of North Texas Regional Airport, Texas. It was closed in 1969.
History
Perrin Air Force ...
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
, to July 1971; and commanding officer of the 4661st Air Base Group at
Hamilton Air Force Base Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, to his retirement.
Aerial victory credits
::::
SOURCES: ''Air Force Historical Study 85: USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II'' and ''Air Force Historical Study 81: USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, Korean War''; Oliver, ''The Inner Seven'', p. 66.
None of Garrison's assigned aircraft was named or featured nose art. He scored all but the last of his 7.33 World War II victories in P-47 Thunderbolts 41-6573, marked VF: S, and 42-74663, marked VF: H. His final kill was also the plane in which he was shot down, P-51B 43-6871, with the VF:H markings. His Korean War MiG-15 kills were made in F-86F 51-12959, an unrecorded GunVal Project F-86F-2, and F-86F's 51-12944 and 51-12953.
[Thompson, (2006), p. 94.]
Awards and decorations
Vermont Garrison's ribbons, including retroactive awards.
[Oliver (1999), p. 66.]
Distinguished Service Cross citation
:Garrison, Vermont
:Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force
:335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 5th Air Force
:Date of Action: June 5, 1953
:Headquarters, Far East Air Forces: General Orders No. 387 (October 13, 1953)
:Citation:
Notes
;Footnotes
;Citations
References
*
*
*
*Glines, Carroll (1979). ''Saga of the Air Mail'', Arno Press,
*Hatch, Gardner N. (1997). ''P-51 Mustang'', Paducah: Turner Publishing.
*Newton, Wesley P. Jr., and Senning, Calvin F. (1985)
''USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II''(USAF Historical Study No. 85). AFHRA, Maxwell AFB.
*Olds, Robin. (2010) ''Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds '', St. Martin's Press,
*Oliver, William E. (1999). ''The Inner Seven: The History of Seven Unique American Combat Aces of World War II and Korea''. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing,
*
*Thompson, Warren (2006). ''F-86 Sabre Aces of the 4th Fighter Wing'', Botley, Oxford: Osprey Publishing.
*Thompson, Warren E., and McLaren, David R. (2002). ''MiG Alley: Sabres vs. MiGs Over Korea'', North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press.
*Werrell, Kenneth P. (2005). ''Sabres over MiG Alley: The F-86 and the Battle for Air Superiority in Korea'', Annapolis: Naval Institute Press.
External links
Col Vermont "Garry" Garrison Findagrave; World War II image of Garrison at site
Veteran tributes: Vermont Garrison4th Fighter Group Association WWII
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garrison, Vermont
1915 births
1994 deaths
United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
United States Air Force personnel of the Korean War
United States Air Force personnel of the Vietnam War
American Korean War flying aces
American prisoners of war in World War II
American Vietnam War pilots
American World War II flying aces
Aviators from Kentucky
American Royal Air Force pilots of World War II
Royal Air Force pilots of World War II
People from Mountain Home, Idaho
People from Pulaski County, Kentucky
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
Recipients of the Silver Star
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
Recipients of the Air Medal
United States Air Force officers
United States Air Force colonels