ArcticForge

Arctic Forge 25 is a U.S. Army Europe and Africa led biennial exercise that leverages Arctic host nation exercises Local Defense Exercise 25 in Finland and Joint Viking 25 in Norway, February 17-28, 2025, to build Arctic readiness and interoperability in support of the U.S. Army's Arctic Strategy.

Arctic Forge 25 is focused on building the U.S. Army’s Arctic capabilities including deployment to the Arctic, Arctic multi-domain operations, and Arctic sustainment, and includes approximately 330 U.S. and 750 multinational participants from Canada (TBD), Finland and Norway.

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Video by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot

B-roll video Veteran F-100 crew chief lives quiet life on Iowa farm after Vietnam

185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard

Nov. 5, 2023 | 3:40

B-roll

Prepared for Veterans Day 2023: B- roll video shows Air Force veteran John De Groot on his farm in Sioux Center, Iowa. Video includes archival photos and film of the Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th Fighter Group mobilization for the Vietnam War following the USS Pueblo crisis. The 185th FG was mobilized from January 1968 to May 1969. Suggested script and font information are included.

Story:

Air Force Veteran John De Groot has been content to stay on his farm near Sioux Center, Iowa since leaving the military over 50 years ago.

The situation was quite different for De Groot in early 1960s, when leaving home for military service was not optional.

The United States was at war and after talking to some friends, De Groot decided to join the Air National Guard in Sioux City in 1964.

“We thought that sounded better than getting drafted.”

De Groot was assigned as a F-100 Fighter Jet crew chief where he says he has still not forgotten his assigned tail number “9-8-6” even after 50 years.

“That and your service number, you will never forget that,”

When North Korea seized a U.S. Navy intelligence ship, the USS Pueblo On January 23, 1968 De Groot’s Air Guard unit was activated within days. The 185th Tactical Fighter Group was in formation in Sioux City listening to the activation order before the end of the month.

By May of 1968 About 350 Airmen from the unit’s 174th Fighter Squadron arrived in Vietnam where they immediately began flying combat sorites. Slow days saw only a couple of sorties, most days however saw a third or fourth launch.

“The regular Air Force had F-100s too, but they had a lot more problems than we did because ours were in pretty good shape,” “Theirs had a lot of wear and tear already”.

After the year-long deployment De Groot decided not to reenlist, instead choosing a much quitter life at his home on the farm.

It turns out that De Groot’s old aircraft, tail 54-1986 has also been living a quiet life after it was transferred to the Air Force Armament Museum outside Eglin AFB in Florida where it is still on display.

The plaque by the display explains that the aircraft was painted with a different tail number in honor of the historic F-100 Misty Squadron. The aircraft’s original tail number can still be seen below the horizontal stabilizer confirming that is indeed De Groot’s old tail number.

The plaque also explains the pilot’s name on the side of aircraft of a fellow Northwest Iowa Native, and Medal of Honor recipient written simply as “Major Bud Day- Misty 1”.

This Veteran’s Day as De Groot finishes another harvest, he is looking forward to another peaceful winter on the Farm. Fifty years after his service he can also find some solace in that a piece of his military history is being well preserved honoring a significant figure in Air Force history.
In Sioux Center, Iowa I’m Vince De Groot

Lower Thirds:
00:00:00 – 00:00:10 Sioux Center, Iowa
00:01:49 – 00:02:01 John De Groot former F-100 Crew Chief
00:02:09 – 00:02:24 Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
00:03:00 – 00:03:10 Vincent De Groot reporting

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