
DATE: Friday, September 12, 1997            TAG: 9709100158

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 04   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   89 lines

50TH ANNIVERSARY AIR FORCE GALA OPENS CONFERENCE CENTER TONIGHT

THE BRAND NEW Chesapeake Conference Center will be flying high tonight.

For the center's first booking, Chapter 242 of the Air Force Association will present its celebration of the Air Force's Silver Anniversary this evening beginning at 6:30 p.m..

The national observance of the Air Force's 50th will take place Sept. 17.

``This is a special time for us in the Air Force,'' said Mike Copeland, who along with William ``Bill'' Cuthriell helped organize tonight's gala celebration.

``I think it's appropriate that we'll have the first booked event at the new center,'' said Cuthriell, executive director of Chesapeake Volunteers in Youth Services. ``We wanted this event to take place in Chesapeake and we're excited that we'll be able to hold it in the new conference center.''

Cuthriell is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, having served as chaplain for 20 years. After retiring from the service, he joined the Chesapeake Volunteers in Youth Service in 1980.

``I was a kind of frustrated fighter pilot,'' he said with a laugh.

But Cuthriell has effectively piloted this project since May, lining up a prestigious speaker and appropriate entertainment for this 50th anniversary celebration.

The evening's guest speaker will be Gen. Richard E. Hawley, commander of Air Combat Command, headquartered at the Langley Air Force Base.

``Getting him was a real achievement for us,'' Cuthriell said. ``He's a head man. He's in charge of all the shooters. He has all the fighters, bombers and missiles under his command.

After graduating from the Air Force Academy, Hawley entered the service in 1964. He flew 43 combat missions in Vietnam, when he was stationed at the Pleiku Air Base. Before assuming command at Langley, he was commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Allied Air Forces Central Europe based at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Cuthriell is not sure of Hawley's talk, but he's sure it will center on some aspect of the Force's 50th anniversary.

``During his address he will also recognize the contributions of the Air National Guard and of the famous Tuskegee airmen,'' Cuthriell said.

Along with Hawley's talk, the evening will include official greetings and remarks from Congressmen Norman Sisisky and Owen Pickett.

There will be exhibits from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and detailed displays and dioramas from the Hampton Roads Scale Model Association, who are expected to showcase an array of historical Air Force scenes from World War II to the present.

Cuthriell said the evening also will swing along with an appearance from the Air Force Heritage of America Band Jazz Ensemble.

``The group is every bit as good as the bigger Air Force Concert Band,'' he said. ``They travel and perform all over the country and the world.''

Cuthriell said the 18-member jazz band is expected to don vintage World War II era Air Force uniforms during its tribute to one of the Air Force's own, the legendary Glenn Miller.

Miller joined the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942, achieved the rank of major and disappeared in 1944 during a service-related plane trip.

``I think it's appropriate that they play music by Glenn Miller; he was a member of the force and his music is part of that era,'' Cuthriell said.

Cuthriell said tonight's event is open to all, not just for those associated with the Air Force.

``The purpose of tonight's gala is to celebrate and support air power, the Air Force and aerospace education,'' he said. ``It's open to anyone who wants to pay tribute to a tough guy: the U.S. Air Force.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos

Among the entertainment tonight will be a performance by the

18-member Air Force Heritage of America Band Jazz Ensemble. They

will do a tribute to one of the Air Force's own, the legendary Glenn

Miller.

Gen. Richard E. Hawley, commander of Air Combat Command at Langley

Air Force Base, is guest speaker.

Graphic

WANT TO GO?

What: Tidewater Chapter 242 of the Air Force Association's 50th

Anniversary Gala, co-sponsored by Cox Communications.

Who: The featured speaker will be Gen. Richard E. Hawley,

commander of the Air Force Air Combat Command. Music will be