Richard Bednar - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series

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Korean War

Click on Veteran's photo to see their service story. These Warriors served during the Korean War

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I donate?

I have created a way to accept donations to grow the project, use the WWII Veterans Portrait Series Go Fund Me.

Where are you located?

I live in the San Diego area but have traveled to many locations to interview and photograph Veterans.


How Long is an Appointment?

Appointments usually last an hour. But please free up time for Mickey to set up lights and cameras, hold the interview, and take some still photographers for in the project.

Do you accept reservations?

Yes is the simple answer to the question. Each appointment is set up as an individual session. Group sessions have been set up when I visited a senior living facility or many of the California Veterans Homes.

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US Air Force Airman First Class Korean War Richard Bednar was born in Akron, Ohio, on May 6, 1930, and grew up in Hazel Park, Michigan. He graduated from Hazel Park High School in June of 1945. Richard figured that Uncle Sam would be a great place to get some training. On 1 August 1949, Richard attended Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio, Texas. He then reported to Engine Mechanic training, but too many airmen were waiting to attend class. Richard was reclassified and sent to Communications School for nine months at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He learned the basics of radio mechanics and communications equipment. After graduation, A1C Bednar was assigned to the 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), part of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing at Larson Air Force Base, Moses Lake, Washington. In Washington, the squadron's mission was the air defense of eastern Washington, including the Grand Coulee Dam and the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. In Washington, local apple orchards hired airmen to pick apples on weekends, including the all-you-can-eat implied rule. The 92nd TFG flew the North American F-86 Sabre, a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Richard and the squadron expected to deploy to Korea, but the 81st Fighter Interceptor Group received orders to deploy to England. They deployed to RAF Shepherds Grove to provide air defense of Great Britain during the build-up of Soviet Forces and to patrol the US Zone of Occupation in Germany as the first F-86-equipped units in Europe. Richard's enlistment was extended due to the Korean War, and he continued to serve in England with his squadron. After his enlistment was fulfilled, he returned via troop ship to the United States, arriving in New York after 13 days at sea, including riding out a hurricane. He reported to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, for out processing and was honorably discharged on January 2, 1953, and awarded the National Defense Medal and Good Conduct. Richard rode the train to Chicago but was delayed for a few days. He called the airlines, refunded his train ticket, bought an airline ticket, and flew home to Los Angeles, California. He moved in with his parents, who relocated to Los Angeles. Richard worked with a small company for a while on wiring spectrophotometers, a device that measures light. Before attending college, he worked in a telephone switching depot with Western Electric, which sounded like a house full of crickets all day. Using his GI Bill, he attended school in Riverside to become a CPA, but he changed to general education. He married Miriam, and they had five children. He joined a group working as a biomedical technician and joined the group maintaining medical technology equipment.
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Richard Bednar - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
US Air Force Airman First Class Korean War Richard Bednar was born in Akron, Ohio, on May 6, 1930, and grew up in Hazel Park, Michigan. He graduated from Hazel Park High School in June of 1945. Richard figured that Uncle Sam would be a great place to get some training. On 1 August 1949, Richard attended Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio, Texas. He then reported to Engine Mechanic training, but too many airmen were waiting to attend class. Richard was reclassified and sent to Communications School for nine months at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He learned the basics of radio mechanics and communications equipment. After graduation, A1C Bednar was assigned to the 92nd Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), part of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing at Larson Air Force Base, Moses Lake, Washington. In Washington, the squadron's mission was the air defense of eastern Washington, including the Grand Coulee Dam and the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. In Washington, local apple orchards hired airmen to pick apples on weekends, including the all-you-can-eat implied rule. The 92nd TFG flew the North American F-86 Sabre, a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Richard and the squadron expected to deploy to Korea, but the 81st Fighter Interceptor Group received orders to deploy to England. They deployed to RAF Shepherds Grove to provide air defense of Great Britain during the build-up of Soviet Forces and to patrol the US Zone of Occupation in Germany as the first F-86-equipped units in Europe. Richard's enlistment was extended due to the Korean War, and he continued to serve in England with his squadron. After his enlistment was fulfilled, he returned via troop ship to the United States, arriving in New York after 13 days at sea, including riding out a hurricane. He reported to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, for out processing and was honorably discharged on January 2, 1953, and awarded the National Defense Medal and Good Conduct. Richard rode the train to Chicago but was delayed for a few days. He called the airlines, refunded his train ticket, bought an airline ticket, and flew home to Los Angeles, California. He moved in with his parents, who relocated to Los Angeles. Richard worked with a small company for a while on wiring spectrophotometers, a device that measures light. Before attending college, he worked in a telephone switching depot with Western Electric, which sounded like a house full of crickets all day. Using his GI Bill, he attended school in Riverside to become a CPA, but he changed to general education. He married Miriam, and they had five children. He joined a group working as a biomedical technician and joined the group maintaining medical technology equipment.