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Kenneth Hartzell Page By: Steph H., Class of 2004 |
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There were so many dangers and
chances of being killed or very badly hurt. Many weren’t lucky enough
to return home but my dad was. His name is Kenneth Mark Hartzell. He
served in the U.S. Air force from 1977 to 1996 attaining the rank of
captain. He saw action in Grenada, Desert Storm, and Desert Shield. He
commanded or participated in more than 55 sorties during Operation
Desert Shield and Desert Storm, which was the largest airlift operation
ever undertaken. Kenneth airlifted over 500,000 pounds of vitally needed
food, equipment, and explosives and over 200 troops. He was upgraded to
aircraft commander on a difficult Desert Storm mission. He broke off an
approach while carrying 45,000 pounds of Class A explosives into the
theater due to a scud missile alert at the airfield. He was lauded for
his excellent knowledge on a recent composite flight evaluation. Kenneth
also scored a 100% on his annual tests and earned the squadron’s top
score on a short-notice systems test. He was a crew member on one of
five crews on a three week Strategic Intratheater Deployment to Japan.
He flew 34 sorties supporting the U.S.’s extremely limited strategic
airlift force in the Asian theater. He met all standards on his
performance factors and he was a top performer. Heavily involved with
Operation Desert shield and Desert Storm, Captain Kenneth Hartzell flew
seven missions to halt further Iraqi aggression in the Middle East. His
flight evaluations and training records contain notably strong comments
about his procedural knowledge, airmanship, and self-confidence. Kenneth
Hartzell upgraded to aircraft commander during the Gulf war conflict,
which was a very difficult time for even the most experienced pilots. In
addition, he used much of his scarce extra time sharing his experiences
with younger pilots and teaching aircraft systems and procedures in the
classroom. His squadron safety program resulted in better safety
awareness and the production of the best reports and meeting minutes in
the wing. From working with the Boy Scouts to helping build a new
church, he has contributed greatly to the community. Kenneth was one of
the best and graduated the top of his class. His performances were
excellent. His superior decision making ability during critical
situations is evidence that he would be in the forefront of the Air
Force’s future leaders. He was cited in a letter of appreciation for
his great help during a recent wing security exercise.
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| Artifacts from bombed buildings in Iraq found by Kenneth Hartzell. | |||
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Page Designed By: Brandon C., Class of 2004 |
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