Three Young Lieutenants

By C. R. Layton

2008

We have just lost three great officers in the last couple of years. They were a part of what is now called “the greatest generation”. I just added these three men to the “Honor Roll” in our reunion program.

Col. Lester R. Ferriss, Lt. Col. Earl F. Dunphy and Col. Lewis L. Howes were early pioneers of Weather Reconnaissance.

Pilots Col. Ferriss and Lt. Col. Dunphy go back to the 59^th RS (VLR) Weather Squadron that was formed in Tampa in Dec 1945, moved to Merced in Jan 1946, Fairfield-Suisun in Dec 1946 and finally to Ladd in 1947. The squadron became the 375^th in Oct 1947, and eventually the 58^th in Feb 1952. They both were in charge of detachments of the squadron at Shemya and McCord. From Alaska they both went to Reconnaissance Operations office of the Weather Service at Bolling AFB in Washington D.C. Ferriss was commander of the 56^th at Yokota, Japan from May 1952 to Apr of 1955. LT. E. F. Dunphy was at the forefront of Arctic operations. Dunphy was the project officer that oversaw the WB-50D acquisition program a AWS and was rewarded with command of the 59^th in Bermuda in May 1955. He was replaced in 1958. (see notes and photo of Dunphy’s B-29, “Duffy’s Tavern“) In another story I mentioned that Col. Ferriss then a Captain was on the team that won the basketball championship in the Midnight Sun League in 1947-48. (There is a photo of that team attached to the story, “BEFORE IT WAS THE 58th” that I wrote earlier. Both Ferriss and Dunphy suffered from Alzheimer’s.

Col. Lewis L. Howes was a Weather Officer in the 375^th and later went to HQ AWS. He wrote several books, and a booklet, Nuclear Explosion Detection System.

Three men who brought weather recon from its infancy as Lts and went on to be leaders. A generation that will soon be gone:

Col. Lester L. Ferriss USAF (Ret.) born July 19, 1921, died June 23, 2007

Col. Lewis L. Howes USAF (Ret.) born Oct 30, 1922, died Oct 13, 2006

Lt. Col. Earl F. Dunphy USAF (Ret.) born Jan 31, 1918, died Dec 12, 2006

I want to thank Lt. Col. Bernie Barris USAF (Ret.) and Sgt.Wallace Ahborn for the photos and information they both contributed for this story.

LT. E. F .Dunphy’s B-29 Tail number 44-62216 named “Duffy’s Tavern”. The aircraft was destroyed in a landing crash (different crew) at Shemya in 1949/50. This photo was taken at Fairfield-Suisun. The man admiring the artwork is Col. Richard Ellsworth, who was commander of the 308^th Weather Reconnaissance Group. He later became a SAC Wing Commander, and was killed in an RB-36 crash in Newfoundland. Ellsworth AFB is named for him. The names painted on the aircraft are:

Lt. E.F. Dumphy Pilot                   MSGT Behn Crew Chief

Lt. L. H. Helle Pilot                        S SGT Brown Mechanic

Lt. B. N. Husky Navagator            SGT Raby Mechanic

Lt. C. G. Markham Weather Observer                     CPL Jelush Mechanic

MSGT Peth Flight Engineer                                      CPL Balls Mechanic

TSGT Barker Radio Operator                                   CPL Dye Mechanic

SSGT Taylor Radio Operator                                     PFC Miller Mechanic

SSGT Toliver Asst Crew Chief                                   PFC Lunsman Mechanic

Note the nine visible “Stork” logos. The Stork tracks went between Fairfield-Suisun and Al