3rd Outstanding Unit Award Presented To 1974th Comm Group
UDORN RTAFB. Thailand – Eight Thailand-based units received the coveted Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for the third time when the 1974th Comm. Gp., headquartered at Udorn, and its seven subordinate units were honored.
The subordinate units are: 1965th Comm. Sq., Don Muang RTAFB: 1973rd Comm. Sq., Udom RTAFB;1980th Comm. Sq., Takhli RTAFB; 1982nd Comm Sq., Ubon RTAFB; 1985th Comm. Sq., U-Tapo RTAFB; 1987th Comm. Sq., Nakhon Phanom RTAFB; and the 1998th Comm. Sq., Korat RTAFB.
Brig. Gen. Harold R. Johnson, Pacific Comm. Area commander, presented the AFOUA streamer to Col. Joseph H. Weeks, 1974th commander in ceremonies at Udorn.
The majority of the personnel who served with the 1974th and its subordinate units during the AFOUA time period, July 1, 1962 to July 30, 1968. have departed from the units and many now are serving with other organizations.
These men are authorized to wear the AFOU A ribbon or to add an oak leaf cluster to a previously merited AFOUA ribbon. The men should also ascertain that their records reflect the award. The group, originally activated at Korat RTAFB on November 1,1965 and the squadrons were cited for “outstanding communications support services to combat operational units from bases in the Kingdom of Thailand . . . providing air traffic control services, navigational aids, non-tactical radio, teletype and telephone services.” The award covers the period July 1, 1967 to June 30, 1968.
One of the 1974th”s most significant accomplishments during the award period was the installation of a fully automatic digital message switching center. It was the first of its kind in the Southeast Asia mainland to utilize orbital communications satellites for its message transmission path, and also the first to use troposphere scatter radio links to connect the majority of in country subscribers to the computer relay bank. Prior to this time, Thailand had only interim data networks using a non-automatic relay center.
CoL. Albert J. Brown headed the organization from July 1967 to December 1967, and Col. Robert P. Baumann Jr., was commander from December 1967 to November 1968.
The commander of the group also serves in a dual capacity as director of communications-electronics for Seventh/Thirteenth Air Force, also located at Udorn.
In a congratulatory letter to the 1974th commander, Maj. Gen. R. W. Paulson said, “The devotion and dedication which has brought this high honor on the 1974th Comm. Gp. graphically portrays the ability of AFCS professionals to work smoothly and efficiently, even under the most adverse conditions.
To request these award, go to: www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/infomgt/forms/eforms/dd0149.pdf and print out a DD Form 149, complete it and mail with this article as supporting material.