Vernon Sharrol 'Vern' Hills was born March 11, 1937 in Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana, the son of Florence Ethel Munson (1894-1960) and Oscar Hills (1893-1977).
Vern had four older brothers who all served in the U.S. Navy during WW II.
• Arthur Leland (1921-2004)
• Robert Lawrence (1922-1966)
• Virgil Llewellen (1924-1994)
• Ronald Lee (1926-2007)
Vern entered the Air Force in February 1957 as an Aviation Cadet in Navigator Training Class 58-08C. He first attended pre-flight training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. After three months, he went to Harlingen ABF, Texas for flight training. At Harlingen Vern flew training missions in the T-29C 'Flying Classroom'.
Vern graduated with Class 58-08C on May 6, 1958 at which time he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and received his Navigator Wings.
Vern, along with the majority of our class, went to Keesler AFB, Mississippi for Electronic Counter Measures school.
After graduating from Keesler, he attended combat crew training at Castle AFB, California and survival training at Stead AFB, Nevada. He was then assigned as an Electronic Warfare Officer to the 77th Bomb Squadron, 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth ABF, Rapid City, South Dakota in January 1959 where he became a crew member in the B-52D 'Stratofortress'.
He rented a very small 'cottage', read converted garage, where he set up his 'H0' gage trains. The four by eight foot piece of plywood containing the train layout virtually filled the small bedroom and he actually slept under the train layout.
While at Rapid City, Vern and I took a weekend trip to his home in Butte, Montana to retrieve his Model 'A' Ford roadster. While in Butte, I met his family. We also visited most of the after hours bars in Butte.
Vern and I spent many wonderful evenings with Marty and Joyce Engelken either at their home or at the local bowling alley.
In January 1970, Vern was reassigned to the 718th Bomb Squardon, 4128th Strategic Wing at Amarillo AFB, Texas. Shortly thereafter, his life went downhill and several years later he was asked to resign his commission in the Air Force. At this time, we lost all track of Vern.
Fast forward to February 2020, when I was contacted by Robert A. Goodson and informed that Vern was his biological father. Robert was born out of wedlock on March 10, 1962 in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas. Our search continues for additional information on Vern's later life.
There is a Robert Allen Goodman listed in the 1962 Texas Births page 1552 born on March 10, 1962 to Jean McLean and John Robert Goodman in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas. Who is John Robert Goodman?
Fellow classmate Marty Engelken recently shared the following concerning Vern's activities:
I remember Vern with joy and sadness.
Vern was true "westerner;" he loved independence more than anything. It was one of the things I admired about Vern, but also something that got him in trouble more than once. One such occasion was a humid, foggy morning at Harlingen, perhaps at about the half way point in our training. Vern, like all of us, was a bit groggy at "oh dark thirty," and had trouble "falling in" to his element. The flight commander, an upper classman, said to Verm, "What's the matter Hills, can't you find your element?". Vern, mostly under his breath, said "Kiss my rosy red ass!". This particular upper classman was a reasonable person, and asked Vern, "What did you say?". Now most of us would have answered "Sir, nothing, Sir," but Vern, showing his independence, answered, "Kiss my rosy red ass." That earned him the famous "72 gun salute," meaning 36 demerits and 72 hours "on the tour ramp." Since one could only march on the ramp for 6 hours per weekend and couldn't leave the base until all of the hours were completed, that effectively restricted Vern to the base for 3 months! The very weekend after he completed his tours, and therefore would have been able to leave the base, Vern again found himself in trouble. During the Saturday Morning Inspection, the inspecting officer commented that Vern's pillow wasn't properly displayed. Rather than keep his mouth shut, Vern said, "The SOP changes around here every week anyway" and for his independent streak received a "6 and 12," which restricted him to base for another 2 weeks!
As Lee has mentioned, Vern, Lee and I, along with Jesse Valdez who had graduated the class before us, were assigned to Ellsworth AFB after completing the ECM program at Keesler AFB. I believe those days were the happiest days in Vern's life. He loved his little place downtown, and felt right at home with the western flavor of Rapid City. He was on a "select" crew, and liked his crew members. I was married by then, and my wife and I often had Vern over for dinner or met for a picnic at the park, where Lee would join us when he wasn't too busy chasing skirts! Vern became the unofficial god-father to our son, Chris, who was born while we were at Ellsworth. For Chris's birth gift, Vern gave him the smallest cowboy boots I've ever seen!
About the time we completed our first year at Ellsworth SAC announced that they were going to disperse the B-52 wings, and that one-third of the wing would go to Amarillo, Texas, one-third to Sheppard AFB, Texas, and one-third would remain at Ellsworth. Vern really wanted to stay at Ellsworth both because he loved his life in Rapid City, and because he was reasonably close to his mother and girlfriend in Montana, both of whom he loved a great deal. Vern thought he stood a good chance since the select crew he was on had an inside track to stay, but in the end the crew stayed but he was assigned to another crew and transferred to Amarillo. Simultaneously, Vern's girlfriend was killed in an automobile accident, and his mother passed away. At that point I think Vern felt he had lost his independence, and, I'm saddened to stay, began a downward spiral from which he never recovered. He found his solace in the bottle, and despite the best efforts of Jesse Valdez and myself to keep him out of trouble, he eventually was asked to leave the Air Force. Vern moved back to Montana, and I lost contact with him.
I like to think of those happy days in Rapid City, and that's how I'll remember Vern. God rest his soul.
Vern had four older brothers who all served in the U.S. Navy during WW II.
• Arthur Leland (1921-2004)
• Robert Lawrence (1922-1966)
• Virgil Llewellen (1924-1994)
• Ronald Lee (1926-2007)
Vern entered the Air Force in February 1957 as an Aviation Cadet in Navigator Training Class 58-08C. He first attended pre-flight training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. After three months, he went to Harlingen ABF, Texas for flight training. At Harlingen Vern flew training missions in the T-29C 'Flying Classroom'.
Vern graduated with Class 58-08C on May 6, 1958 at which time he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and received his Navigator Wings.
Vern, along with the majority of our class, went to Keesler AFB, Mississippi for Electronic Counter Measures school.
After graduating from Keesler, he attended combat crew training at Castle AFB, California and survival training at Stead AFB, Nevada. He was then assigned as an Electronic Warfare Officer to the 77th Bomb Squadron, 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth ABF, Rapid City, South Dakota in January 1959 where he became a crew member in the B-52D 'Stratofortress'.
He rented a very small 'cottage', read converted garage, where he set up his 'H0' gage trains. The four by eight foot piece of plywood containing the train layout virtually filled the small bedroom and he actually slept under the train layout.
While at Rapid City, Vern and I took a weekend trip to his home in Butte, Montana to retrieve his Model 'A' Ford roadster. While in Butte, I met his family. We also visited most of the after hours bars in Butte.
Vern and I spent many wonderful evenings with Marty and Joyce Engelken either at their home or at the local bowling alley.
In January 1970, Vern was reassigned to the 718th Bomb Squardon, 4128th Strategic Wing at Amarillo AFB, Texas. Shortly thereafter, his life went downhill and several years later he was asked to resign his commission in the Air Force. At this time, we lost all track of Vern.
Fast forward to February 2020, when I was contacted by Robert A. Goodson and informed that Vern was his biological father. Robert was born out of wedlock on March 10, 1962 in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas. Our search continues for additional information on Vern's later life.
There is a Robert Allen Goodman listed in the 1962 Texas Births page 1552 born on March 10, 1962 to Jean McLean and John Robert Goodman in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas. Who is John Robert Goodman?
Fellow classmate Marty Engelken recently shared the following concerning Vern's activities:
I remember Vern with joy and sadness.
Vern was true "westerner;" he loved independence more than anything. It was one of the things I admired about Vern, but also something that got him in trouble more than once. One such occasion was a humid, foggy morning at Harlingen, perhaps at about the half way point in our training. Vern, like all of us, was a bit groggy at "oh dark thirty," and had trouble "falling in" to his element. The flight commander, an upper classman, said to Verm, "What's the matter Hills, can't you find your element?". Vern, mostly under his breath, said "Kiss my rosy red ass!". This particular upper classman was a reasonable person, and asked Vern, "What did you say?". Now most of us would have answered "Sir, nothing, Sir," but Vern, showing his independence, answered, "Kiss my rosy red ass." That earned him the famous "72 gun salute," meaning 36 demerits and 72 hours "on the tour ramp." Since one could only march on the ramp for 6 hours per weekend and couldn't leave the base until all of the hours were completed, that effectively restricted Vern to the base for 3 months! The very weekend after he completed his tours, and therefore would have been able to leave the base, Vern again found himself in trouble. During the Saturday Morning Inspection, the inspecting officer commented that Vern's pillow wasn't properly displayed. Rather than keep his mouth shut, Vern said, "The SOP changes around here every week anyway" and for his independent streak received a "6 and 12," which restricted him to base for another 2 weeks!
As Lee has mentioned, Vern, Lee and I, along with Jesse Valdez who had graduated the class before us, were assigned to Ellsworth AFB after completing the ECM program at Keesler AFB. I believe those days were the happiest days in Vern's life. He loved his little place downtown, and felt right at home with the western flavor of Rapid City. He was on a "select" crew, and liked his crew members. I was married by then, and my wife and I often had Vern over for dinner or met for a picnic at the park, where Lee would join us when he wasn't too busy chasing skirts! Vern became the unofficial god-father to our son, Chris, who was born while we were at Ellsworth. For Chris's birth gift, Vern gave him the smallest cowboy boots I've ever seen!
About the time we completed our first year at Ellsworth SAC announced that they were going to disperse the B-52 wings, and that one-third of the wing would go to Amarillo, Texas, one-third to Sheppard AFB, Texas, and one-third would remain at Ellsworth. Vern really wanted to stay at Ellsworth both because he loved his life in Rapid City, and because he was reasonably close to his mother and girlfriend in Montana, both of whom he loved a great deal. Vern thought he stood a good chance since the select crew he was on had an inside track to stay, but in the end the crew stayed but he was assigned to another crew and transferred to Amarillo. Simultaneously, Vern's girlfriend was killed in an automobile accident, and his mother passed away. At that point I think Vern felt he had lost his independence, and, I'm saddened to stay, began a downward spiral from which he never recovered. He found his solace in the bottle, and despite the best efforts of Jesse Valdez and myself to keep him out of trouble, he eventually was asked to leave the Air Force. Vern moved back to Montana, and I lost contact with him.
I like to think of those happy days in Rapid City, and that's how I'll remember Vern. God rest his soul.
Vernon Sharrol 'Vern' Hills was born March 11, 1937 in Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana, the son of Florence Ethel Munson (1894-1960) and Oscar Hills (1893-1977).
Vern had four older brothers who all served in the U.S. Navy during WW II.
• Arthur Leland (1921-2004)
• Robert Lawrence (1922-1966)
• Virgil Llewellen (1924-1994)
• Ronald Lee (1926-2007)
Vern entered the Air Force in February 1957 as an Aviation Cadet in Navigator Training Class 58-08C. He first attended pre-flight training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. After three months, he went to Harlingen ABF, Texas for flight training. At Harlingen Vern flew training missions in the T-29C 'Flying Classroom'.
Vern graduated with Class 58-08C on May 6, 1958 at which time he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and received his Navigator Wings.
Vern, along with the majority of our class, went to Keesler AFB, Mississippi for Electronic Counter Measures school.
After graduating from Keesler, he attended combat crew training at Castle AFB, California and survival training at Stead AFB, Nevada. He was then assigned as an Electronic Warfare Officer to the 77th Bomb Squadron, 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth ABF, Rapid City, South Dakota in January 1959 where he became a crew member in the B-52D 'Stratofortress'.
He rented a very small 'cottage', read converted garage, where he set up his 'H0' gage trains. The four by eight foot piece of plywood containing the train layout virtually filled the small bedroom and he actually slept under the train layout.
While at Rapid City, Vern and I took a weekend trip to his home in Butte, Montana to retrieve his Model 'A' Ford roadster. While in Butte, I met his family. We also visited most of the after hours bars in Butte.
Vern and I spent many wonderful evenings with Marty and Joyce Engelken either at their home or at the local bowling alley.
In January 1970, Vern was reassigned to the 718th Bomb Squardon, 4128th Strategic Wing at Amarillo AFB, Texas. Shortly thereafter, his life went downhill and several years later he was asked to resign his commission in the Air Force. At this time, we lost all track of Vern.
Fast forward to February 2020, when I was contacted by Robert A. Goodson and informed that Vern was his biological father. Robert was born out of wedlock on March 10, 1962 in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas. Our search continues for additional information on Vern's later life.
There is a Robert Allen Goodman listed in the 1962 Texas Births page 1552 born on March 10, 1962 to Jean McLean and John Robert Goodman in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas. Who is John Robert Goodman?
Fellow classmate Marty Engelken recently shared the following concerning Vern's activities:
I remember Vern with joy and sadness.
Vern was true "westerner;" he loved independence more than anything. It was one of the things I admired about Vern, but also something that got him in trouble more than once. One such occasion was a humid, foggy morning at Harlingen, perhaps at about the half way point in our training. Vern, like all of us, was a bit groggy at "oh dark thirty," and had trouble "falling in" to his element. The flight commander, an upper classman, said to Verm, "What's the matter Hills, can't you find your element?". Vern, mostly under his breath, said "Kiss my rosy red ass!". This particular upper classman was a reasonable person, and asked Vern, "What did you say?". Now most of us would have answered "Sir, nothing, Sir," but Vern, showing his independence, answered, "Kiss my rosy red ass." That earned him the famous "72 gun salute," meaning 36 demerits and 72 hours "on the tour ramp." Since one could only march on the ramp for 6 hours per weekend and couldn't leave the base until all of the hours were completed, that effectively restricted Vern to the base for 3 months! The very weekend after he completed his tours, and therefore would have been able to leave the base, Vern again found himself in trouble. During the Saturday Morning Inspection, the inspecting officer commented that Vern's pillow wasn't properly displayed. Rather than keep his mouth shut, Vern said, "The SOP changes around here every week anyway" and for his independent streak received a "6 and 12," which restricted him to base for another 2 weeks!
As Lee has mentioned, Vern, Lee and I, along with Jesse Valdez who had graduated the class before us, were assigned to Ellsworth AFB after completing the ECM program at Keesler AFB. I believe those days were the happiest days in Vern's life. He loved his little place downtown, and felt right at home with the western flavor of Rapid City. He was on a "select" crew, and liked his crew members. I was married by then, and my wife and I often had Vern over for dinner or met for a picnic at the park, where Lee would join us when he wasn't too busy chasing skirts! Vern became the unofficial god-father to our son, Chris, who was born while we were at Ellsworth. For Chris's birth gift, Vern gave him the smallest cowboy boots I've ever seen!
About the time we completed our first year at Ellsworth SAC announced that they were going to disperse the B-52 wings, and that one-third of the wing would go to Amarillo, Texas, one-third to Sheppard AFB, Texas, and one-third would remain at Ellsworth. Vern really wanted to stay at Ellsworth both because he loved his life in Rapid City, and because he was reasonably close to his mother and girlfriend in Montana, both of whom he loved a great deal. Vern thought he stood a good chance since the select crew he was on had an inside track to stay, but in the end the crew stayed but he was assigned to another crew and transferred to Amarillo. Simultaneously, Vern's girlfriend was killed in an automobile accident, and his mother passed away. At that point I think Vern felt he had lost his independence, and, I'm saddened to stay, began a downward spiral from which he never recovered. He found his solace in the bottle, and despite the best efforts of Jesse Valdez and myself to keep him out of trouble, he eventually was asked to leave the Air Force. Vern moved back to Montana, and I lost contact with him.
I like to think of those happy days in Rapid City, and that's how I'll remember Vern. God rest his soul.
Vern had four older brothers who all served in the U.S. Navy during WW II.
• Arthur Leland (1921-2004)
• Robert Lawrence (1922-1966)
• Virgil Llewellen (1924-1994)
• Ronald Lee (1926-2007)
Vern entered the Air Force in February 1957 as an Aviation Cadet in Navigator Training Class 58-08C. He first attended pre-flight training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. After three months, he went to Harlingen ABF, Texas for flight training. At Harlingen Vern flew training missions in the T-29C 'Flying Classroom'.
Vern graduated with Class 58-08C on May 6, 1958 at which time he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and received his Navigator Wings.
Vern, along with the majority of our class, went to Keesler AFB, Mississippi for Electronic Counter Measures school.
After graduating from Keesler, he attended combat crew training at Castle AFB, California and survival training at Stead AFB, Nevada. He was then assigned as an Electronic Warfare Officer to the 77th Bomb Squadron, 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth ABF, Rapid City, South Dakota in January 1959 where he became a crew member in the B-52D 'Stratofortress'.
He rented a very small 'cottage', read converted garage, where he set up his 'H0' gage trains. The four by eight foot piece of plywood containing the train layout virtually filled the small bedroom and he actually slept under the train layout.
While at Rapid City, Vern and I took a weekend trip to his home in Butte, Montana to retrieve his Model 'A' Ford roadster. While in Butte, I met his family. We also visited most of the after hours bars in Butte.
Vern and I spent many wonderful evenings with Marty and Joyce Engelken either at their home or at the local bowling alley.
In January 1970, Vern was reassigned to the 718th Bomb Squardon, 4128th Strategic Wing at Amarillo AFB, Texas. Shortly thereafter, his life went downhill and several years later he was asked to resign his commission in the Air Force. At this time, we lost all track of Vern.
Fast forward to February 2020, when I was contacted by Robert A. Goodson and informed that Vern was his biological father. Robert was born out of wedlock on March 10, 1962 in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas. Our search continues for additional information on Vern's later life.
There is a Robert Allen Goodman listed in the 1962 Texas Births page 1552 born on March 10, 1962 to Jean McLean and John Robert Goodman in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas. Who is John Robert Goodman?
Fellow classmate Marty Engelken recently shared the following concerning Vern's activities:
I remember Vern with joy and sadness.
Vern was true "westerner;" he loved independence more than anything. It was one of the things I admired about Vern, but also something that got him in trouble more than once. One such occasion was a humid, foggy morning at Harlingen, perhaps at about the half way point in our training. Vern, like all of us, was a bit groggy at "oh dark thirty," and had trouble "falling in" to his element. The flight commander, an upper classman, said to Verm, "What's the matter Hills, can't you find your element?". Vern, mostly under his breath, said "Kiss my rosy red ass!". This particular upper classman was a reasonable person, and asked Vern, "What did you say?". Now most of us would have answered "Sir, nothing, Sir," but Vern, showing his independence, answered, "Kiss my rosy red ass." That earned him the famous "72 gun salute," meaning 36 demerits and 72 hours "on the tour ramp." Since one could only march on the ramp for 6 hours per weekend and couldn't leave the base until all of the hours were completed, that effectively restricted Vern to the base for 3 months! The very weekend after he completed his tours, and therefore would have been able to leave the base, Vern again found himself in trouble. During the Saturday Morning Inspection, the inspecting officer commented that Vern's pillow wasn't properly displayed. Rather than keep his mouth shut, Vern said, "The SOP changes around here every week anyway" and for his independent streak received a "6 and 12," which restricted him to base for another 2 weeks!
As Lee has mentioned, Vern, Lee and I, along with Jesse Valdez who had graduated the class before us, were assigned to Ellsworth AFB after completing the ECM program at Keesler AFB. I believe those days were the happiest days in Vern's life. He loved his little place downtown, and felt right at home with the western flavor of Rapid City. He was on a "select" crew, and liked his crew members. I was married by then, and my wife and I often had Vern over for dinner or met for a picnic at the park, where Lee would join us when he wasn't too busy chasing skirts! Vern became the unofficial god-father to our son, Chris, who was born while we were at Ellsworth. For Chris's birth gift, Vern gave him the smallest cowboy boots I've ever seen!
About the time we completed our first year at Ellsworth SAC announced that they were going to disperse the B-52 wings, and that one-third of the wing would go to Amarillo, Texas, one-third to Sheppard AFB, Texas, and one-third would remain at Ellsworth. Vern really wanted to stay at Ellsworth both because he loved his life in Rapid City, and because he was reasonably close to his mother and girlfriend in Montana, both of whom he loved a great deal. Vern thought he stood a good chance since the select crew he was on had an inside track to stay, but in the end the crew stayed but he was assigned to another crew and transferred to Amarillo. Simultaneously, Vern's girlfriend was killed in an automobile accident, and his mother passed away. At that point I think Vern felt he had lost his independence, and, I'm saddened to stay, began a downward spiral from which he never recovered. He found his solace in the bottle, and despite the best efforts of Jesse Valdez and myself to keep him out of trouble, he eventually was asked to leave the Air Force. Vern moved back to Montana, and I lost contact with him.
I like to think of those happy days in Rapid City, and that's how I'll remember Vern. God rest his soul.
Inscription
Vernon S. Hills / 1st Lt US Air Force / Mar 11, 1937 - Jan 27, 1976
