Unit history captured for display Published Nov. 6, 2006 By Senior Airman Chris Bolen 434th ARW Public Affairs GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind -- The 72nd Air Refueling Squadron has an addition to its office area that displays its history and heritage, in a colorful manner. A detailed bulletin board that chronicles the unit history from its birth as the 72nd Troop Carrier Squadron in 1943, up to present day, is proudly displayed in the main corridor of the squadron In a bit of detective work, the squadron commander, Lt. Col. Laen August , performed extensive research in squadron and Air Force archives to detail the squadron's history. I originally had the idea after performing research to update the squadron's guidons, he said. "I was surprised to learn of the squadron's history dating back to World War II," the colonel confided. In addition to researching local sources, the colonel went through the archives at Maxwell AFB, Ala.. "I spent an entire day digging through files, microfiche, pictures, and putting things together," he added. . With what he describes as a "vague idea" of what and how he wanted to present his research in a meaningful way, Colonel August contacted the ROTC unit at Valparaiso University. He was referred to a senior meteorology student, Robert Furgal. With the help of squadron personnel, the colonel spent several months condensing and editing down the volume of research. Mr. Furgal then went to work digitizing much of the data, research, and pictures, the end result being the bulletin board masterpiece. "[Mr.] Furgal is the real genius of this project," the colonel stated. "This not only honors the squadron, but it is also a nice way to honor the Air Forces' 60th Anniversary.
