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A lifetime of service
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| H&N photo by Todd E. Swenson Raymond Van Order, 85, was an aviation mechanic for the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Van Order worked on bombers, fighters and observation planes, including the P-51 during World War II. |
July 23, 2007
Raymond Van Order was barely 24 years old when he saw a group of Japanese bombers land at his Army Air Corps station on Ie Shima, an island off the coast of Okinawa.
Shortly after the Japanese planes arrived, with several of their national leaders disembarking, American planes landed. The Japanese leaders boarded them and took off, on their way to sign the treaty of surrender to U.S. forces, with Van Order and his fellow soldiers witnesses to the final moments of World War II.
“We just sat there and watched them get on the planes to go to Manilla,” he said.
Nearly 30 years of service in the Army Air Corps and Air Force, spanning three wars, led Van Order, 85, to traverse much of the world as a plane mechanic. He enjoyed serving his country, but seeing the world was a large part of his long commitment to the military.
Van Order was 20 and living in his native Wisconsin when Congress declared war on Japan and Germany in 1941, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Still in high school, he wanted to enlist but needed the signature of a parent to do so because he was under 21. His father died when he was young and his mother refused to sign the papers.
Shortly after the declaration of war, though, Congress began drafting those under the age of 21, providing Van Order with a way to convince his mother to allow him to enlist: More control over what branch he joined and what he would be doing.
Enlisted, Van Order shipped out to Jefferson Barracks outside St. Louis for basic training before being sent to Florida. He was trained as an airplane mechanic to serve in the Army Air Corps, a precursor to the U.S. Air Force. It was a job Van Order said he was pleased to have, having been fascinated by planes since he was a young boy.
Jacksonville, Fla., was his first assignment, working on O-47 observation planes for the 106th Observation Squadron. The squadron was manned by members of an Alabama National Guard unit.
During the next year, Van Order’s unit would move throughout the south and eastern United States every few months, from Georgia and Pennsylvania to Tennessee and the Carolinas. The Army Air Corps also became the U.S. Army Air Forces during this time.
Changing duties
Eventually, the unit changed its duties, going from an observation squadron to the 4th Fighter Squadron Commandos, operating fighter planes, such as the P-39.
The new planes required additional training so Van Order and his fellow soldiers and pilots were shipped to Thermal, Calif. The Southern California town is one of the hottest places in the country.
“The heat didn’t bother me, I just sweated a lot,” Van Order said.
The arrival of P-51 Mustangs for the unit’s pilots preceded deployment overseas, involving a long boat ride to New Guinea. Van Order said he didn’t have any issues with seasickness, unlike a few others.
The boat visited several ports throughout New Guinea and the Phillipines before Van Order and his fellow servicemen were allowed off the boat.
One night, the unit camped on a Phillipine beach when Van Order felt something move across his chest. Van Order said he felt it but didn’t move, for a reason he still isn’t sure of.
In the morning, as he was packing up his tent, he discovered what he thought to be a puff adder under his pillow. He pulled his gun and shot it.
“I killed my first enemy,” he said.
Van Order’s unit continued to move around the Phillipines, eventually arriving at Ie Shima. He learned of the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that preceded the arrival of the Japanese leaders to Ie Shima en route to Manilla.
Discharged home
The surrender of the Japanese led to Van Order’s discharge, sending him back to Wisconsin. He moved south to work for American Brass but the work didn’t please him.
He re-enlisted in 1946, going to Kelly Field in San Antonio to work on bombers.
“Just a born mechanic, I guess,” he said.
He stayed in the military until 1971, witnessing the transition to the current U.S. Air Force. Van Order said the transition didn’t change much except the color of his uniform from drab olive to blue.
Two more wars, in Korea and Vietnam, occurred during Van Order’s re-enlistment. During Korea, he was stationed at Okinawa and serviced fighters going to and from combat in Korea.
He married after returning to the U.S. in the 1950s and was assigned to Europe. The overseas duty allowed him, his wife and three children to see much of Europe, including Germany, Austria, France and Italy. He visited all the continents, except South America and Antarctica.
Constant lookout
The Vietnam War erupted in the 1960s, and Van Order went there as well, supervising a mechanics crew in Da Nang. He said he was glad to return to the U.S. after serving a year there, where he and others had to be on constant lookout for enemy rockets.
His final assigned base was at Kingsley Field, where he filed for his retirement. He said he was ready to take a break and didn’t want to be involved in a fourth war, having survived all the others without any injuries or illness. He was formally discharged in June 1971.
He and his wife enjoyed Klamath Falls and chose to settle here instead of moving back east. More than 30 years after his retirement, he still reminisces about his travels and the sights he saw as he traveled by boat, train and plane to serve his country.
“The only places I haven’t been are the North Pole and South Pole,” he said.
- By Ty Beaver
Raymond Van Order was barely 24 years old when he saw a group of Japanese bombers land at his Army Air Corps station on Ie Shima, an island off the coast of Okinawa.
Shortly after the Japanese planes arrived, with several of their national leaders disembarking, American planes landed. The Japanese leaders boarded them and took off, on their way to sign the treaty of surrender to U.S. forces, with Van Order and his fellow soldiers witnesses to the final moments of World War II.
“We just sat there and watched them get on the planes to go to Manilla,” he said.
Nearly 30 years of service in the Army Air Corps and Air Force, spanning three wars, led Van Order, 85, to traverse much of the world as a plane mechanic. He enjoyed serving his country, but seeing the world was a large part of his long commitment to the military.
Van Order was 20 and living in his native Wisconsin when Congress declared war on Japan and Germany in 1941, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Still in high school, he wanted to enlist but needed the signature of a parent to do so because he was under 21. His father died when he was young and his mother refused to sign the papers.
Shortly after the declaration of war, though, Congress began drafting those under the age of 21, providing Van Order with a way to convince his mother to allow him to enlist: More control over what branch he joined and what he would be doing.
Enlisted, Van Order shipped out to Jefferson Barracks outside St. Louis for basic training before being sent to Florida. He was trained as an airplane mechanic to serve in the Army Air Corps, a precursor to the U.S. Air Force. It was a job Van Order said he was pleased to have, having been fascinated by planes since he was a young boy.
Jacksonville, Fla., was his first assignment, working on O-47 observation planes for the 106th Observation Squadron. The squadron was manned by members of an Alabama National Guard unit.
During the next year, Van Order’s unit would move throughout the south and eastern United States every few months, from Georgia and Pennsylvania to Tennessee and the Carolinas. The Army Air Corps also became the U.S. Army Air Forces during this time.
Changing duties
Eventually, the unit changed its duties, going from an observation squadron to the 4th Fighter Squadron Commandos, operating fighter planes, such as the P-39.
The new planes required additional training so Van Order and his fellow soldiers and pilots were shipped to Thermal, Calif. The Southern California town is one of the hottest places in the country.
“The heat didn’t bother me, I just sweated a lot,” Van Order said.
The arrival of P-51 Mustangs for the unit’s pilots preceded deployment overseas, involving a long boat ride to New Guinea. Van Order said he didn’t have any issues with seasickness, unlike a few others.
The boat visited several ports throughout New Guinea and the Phillipines before Van Order and his fellow servicemen were allowed off the boat.
One night, the unit camped on a Phillipine beach when Van Order felt something move across his chest. Van Order said he felt it but didn’t move, for a reason he still isn’t sure of.
In the morning, as he was packing up his tent, he discovered what he thought to be a puff adder under his pillow. He pulled his gun and shot it.
“I killed my first enemy,” he said.
Van Order’s unit continued to move around the Phillipines, eventually arriving at Ie Shima. He learned of the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that preceded the arrival of the Japanese leaders to Ie Shima en route to Manilla.
Discharged home
The surrender of the Japanese led to Van Order’s discharge, sending him back to Wisconsin. He moved south to work for American Brass but the work didn’t please him.
He re-enlisted in 1946, going to Kelly Field in San Antonio to work on bombers.
“Just a born mechanic, I guess,” he said.
He stayed in the military until 1971, witnessing the transition to the current U.S. Air Force. Van Order said the transition didn’t change much except the color of his uniform from drab olive to blue.
Two more wars, in Korea and Vietnam, occurred during Van Order’s re-enlistment. During Korea, he was stationed at Okinawa and serviced fighters going to and from combat in Korea.
He married after returning to the U.S. in the 1950s and was assigned to Europe. The overseas duty allowed him, his wife and three children to see much of Europe, including Germany, Austria, France and Italy. He visited all the continents, except South America and Antarctica.
Constant lookout
The Vietnam War erupted in the 1960s, and Van Order went there as well, supervising a mechanics crew in Da Nang. He said he was glad to return to the U.S. after serving a year there, where he and others had to be on constant lookout for enemy rockets.
His final assigned base was at Kingsley Field, where he filed for his retirement. He said he was ready to take a break and didn’t want to be involved in a fourth war, having survived all the others without any injuries or illness. He was formally discharged in June 1971.
He and his wife enjoyed Klamath Falls and chose to settle here instead of moving back east. More than 30 years after his retirement, he still reminisces about his travels and the sights he saw as he traveled by boat, train and plane to serve his country.
“The only places I haven’t been are the North Pole and South Pole,” he said.
- By Ty Beaver
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| KCEDA up for $135,000 county contract |
Reader Comments
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leesa wrote on Jan 23, 2009 12:37 PM:
" these things should never happened in this world. the world should be safe. "
samantha r. wrote on Sep 23, 2008 12:12 PM:
" this article is So true when your a teen girl and your pregnant It seems to feel like your life is over and there is no way you can fix it but that's not true if your young and your going to have a child then stay focused in school your child wants you to succeed in life so he/she can succeed in life my name is Samantha R. I'm 14 years old i live in Klamath falls and i might be pregnant :] If so I'm determined to make sure my child has a better life then i did :] "
Babe wrote on Jan 23, 2008 6:54 PM:
" I think that chiloquin people do need help and not just the teens but i have also seen places that are alot worse i moved from L.A to chiloquin and ive been back there since and trust me chiloquin is nothing. I also think that crime and drugs etc. are noticed more because it is so small compared to other places and there is no form of disaplin at all "
Tony P. wrote on Jan 19, 2008 7:55 PM:
" I remember the night the plane went down.. My mother crying and my dad in tears.. his dad searched for him for years...
"
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RSS
Jane D. wrote on Apr 10, 2009 12:00 AM:
I Love You Bobby
May your soul Rest In Peace
-Deems "