JAC Enlisted Leader Visits WWII Counterpart for New JAC Award for Support Excellence

  • Published
  • By Peter G. Park, Commander's Action Group
  • JIOCEUR Analytic Center
OSAGE, IOWA AND ROYAL AIR FORCE MOLESWORTH, England --  Army Air Corps Master Sergeant Fabian S. Folmer, and Navy Master Chief Petty Officer John C. Frakes served at Molesworth 66 years apart. 

Despite the passage of time, the role of the two men is quite similar. Master Chief Frakes leads the enlisted corps of today at the JAC in supporting the JAC's analytic mission. Master Sgt. Folmer led the mechanics who kept the B-17s flying out of Molesworth against Nazi Germany in 1942-1944. 

So why was the JAC Senior Enlisted Leader in Osage, Iowa (population 3451) on July 13th visiting now 91 year old retired Master Sgt. Fabian S. Folmer ?

The JAC Commander, Marine Corps Colonel Pete Devlin, has created a new JAC award for enlisted members in JAC support services who make the analytical mission possible. With the current JAC analytical awards named for WWII 303rd Bomb Group Intelligence officers, it was natural to find a 303rd member who epitomized excellence in support services. Master Sgt. Folmer was the obvious choice. A check with Mr. Gary Moncur, historian and webmaster of the 303rd Bomb Group Association revealed that Master Sgt. Folmer was living in Osage, Iowa. 

The painting "Molesworth Dawn," by aviation artist Keith Hill, depicts Master Sgt. Folmer and his crew preparing "Hells Angels" for a mission.  The painting was commissioned by the first JAC Commander, Air Force Colonel (later Major General) Glen D. Shaffer.

Master Chief Frakes went TDY to the JAC Minneapolis reserve site over the weekend of July 11-12, and drove to Osage the following day. He met with Master Sgt. Folmer who signed prints of the painting to be presented to recipients of the new MASTER SERGEANT FABIAN S. FOLMER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SUPPORT SERVICES. 

As David Namanny, Editor of the Osage, Iowa Mitchell County Press-News noted in a local article on the visit: "The United States European Command is honoring an Osage native for his service during World War II.  Now the last surviving member of the famed 'Hell's Angels' ground crew during World War II, Osage's Fabian Folmer was responsible for keeping one of the most amazing B-17 bombers ever built in working order some 65 years ago."

'Hells Angels,' was the first B-17 to complete 25 missions during WWII. It finished its 25th mission several days before the more famous "Memphis Belle" which was sent back to the United States on a war bond tour, and about which the movie of the same name was made. 'Hells Angels' soldiered on for 48 missions before it too went back on a war bond tour with Master Sgt. Folmer onboard. 

One gets a good sense of Folmer's contribution from the following passage in the book 'First of the Many: Journal of Action with the Men of the Eighth Air Force" by John R. McCrary and David Edward Scherman:'  "Fabian Folmer, from Mansfield, Ohio, twenty-five years old, married... father of a six-months-old baby girl born after he left the States, is the crew chief of a very big baby, the famous Fortress 'Hell's Angels.'  They taught Fabe to love a bomber like it was flesh and blood. Over here, 'Hell's Angels' is his only love. There is a strange and strong relationship between a pilot and his crew chief - stronger than between any other two men in the air corps stronger often than the tie between pilots and co-pilots."  

Master Sgt. Folmer himself said at the time: "When I tell a pilot that my plane is 'ready for combat' he's got to take my word for it. Sometimes, you sort of flinch when you say it, especially in the beginning, because you know so much depends on your being right. I haven't been wrong yet." 

The first MASTER SERGEANT FABIAN S. FOLMER AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SUPPORT SERVICES will be presented in the spring of 2010 along with two other JAC awards also named for 303rd Bomb Group members.