Colorado Wing Commanders

Maj W. W. Agnew - 1 Dec 1941 to 8 Apr 1942 Maj H. H. Andregg - 8 Apr 1942 to 13 Jul 1942 Maj J. D. Spencer - 13 Jul 1942 to 7 Aug 1942 Lt Col Harold R. Smethills - 7 Aug 1942 to 22 Aug 1945 Lt Col John A. Smethills - 22 Aug 1945 to 18 Sep 1947 Col Harold R. Smethills - 18 Sep 1947 to 26 Jul 1949 Col Charles Boettcher II - 13 Sep 1949 to 18 Oct 1954 Col Donald C. Carney - 18 Oct 1954 to 23 Oct 1956 Col Benjamin S. Jordan - 23 Oct 1956 to 30 Sep 1957 Lt Col Edgar C. Armes (Interim) - 30 Sep 1957 to 15 Oct 1957 Lt Col Lloyd R. Hashman (Interim) - 15 Oct 1957 to 27 Nov 1957 Col Robert M. Jackson - 27 Nov 1957 to 11 Mar 1958 Col Charles F. Howard - 11 Mar 1958 to 6 Feb 1961 Col Richard D. Law - 6 Feb 1961 to 27 Sep 1961 Col Eugene B. Adams - 27 Sep 1961 to 8 Mar 1963 Col Murray C. McComas - 8 Mar 1963 to 1 Jul 1963 Col Arthur F. Putz - 1 Jul 1963 to 18 Dec 1968 Col Frank L. Swaim - 15 Jan 1969 to 11 Nov 1970 Col Clarence M. Fountain - 11 Nov 1970 to 1 Jul 1972 Col Wayne E. Russert - 1 Jul 1972 to 2 Oct 1973 Col Thomas G. Patton - 2 Oct 1973 to 31 Aug 1976 Col Roger E. MacDonald - 1 Sep 1976 to 1 Oct 1980 Col Henry A. Elgin, Jr - 1 Oct 1980 to 25 Sep 1982 Col Harry E. Kouts - 25 Sep 1982 to 1 Feb 1987 Col Roger E MacDonald - 1 Feb 1987 to 1 Dec 1989 Col James C. Bobick - 1 Dec 1989 to 1 Dec 1992 Col Gary H. Tobey - 1 Dec 1992 to 17 Feb 1996 Col William F. Hines -17 Feb 1996 to 27 Feb 2000 Col John R. Buschmann - 27 Feb 2000 to 12 Aug 2003 Col Andrew J. Alexa (Interim) - 12 Aug 3003 to 4 Apr 2004 Col Donald G. Cortum - 4 Apr 2004 to Nov 2007 Col Edward Phelka - Nov 2007 to Mar 2011 Col Earl Sherwin Mar 2011 to Present

ARCHIVAL CONFIRMATION: 18 Nov 41- Telegram from W. W. Agnew indicating willingness to serve 9 Dec 41- Telegram from W. W. Agnew accepting appointment 17 Dec 41 - Maj W. W. Agnew was Commander (AAF Historical Studies, No. 19) 1 Aug 42 PO 5 - J. D. Spencer, Acting Commander, to Capt eff 1 Jul 42

20 Nov 42 CAP Bulletin No. 43 - Maj Harold R. Smethills was Commander 2 Jul 43 CAP Bulletin Vol. II, No. 27 - Maj Harold R. Smethills was Commander Dec 43 Skyways Magazine - Maj Harold R. Smethills was Commander 5 Jan 44 Roster - Lt Col Harold R. Smethills was Commander 3 Jul 45 Roster - Lt Col Harold R. Smethills was Commander 1 Aug 45 Signature on certificate. John A. Smethills was Commander 29 Dec 45 Nat. Hq. list gives W. W. Agnew as Comdr from 12/1/41 to 4/8/42, H. H. Andregg as Commander from 4/8/42 to 7/13/42, J. D. Spencer as Commander from 7/13/42 to 8/7/42, Lt Col Harold R. Smethills as Commander from 8/7/42 to 8/22/45, & Maj John A. Smethills as Commander from 8/22/45 to date 10 Jan 46 Wing Commanders' Conf. Minutes - Maj John A. Smethills was Commander 31 Jan 46 Roster - Lt Col J. A. Smethills was Commander 3 Sep 46 Roster - Lt Col J. A. Smethills was Commander 10 May 49 NB Minutes - Col Harold R. Smethills was Commander 23 May 50 NB Minutes - Col Charles Boettcher was new since May 49 18 Oct 54 GO 52 - Col Donald T. Carney; Vice Col Charles Boettcher 22 May 56 NB Minutes - Col Donald T. Carney was Commander 5 Feb 57 NEB Minutes - Benjamin S. Jordan confirmed as Acting Commander 9 May 57 NEB Minutes - Benjamin S. Jordan to Col & Commander 14 Nov 57 NEB Minutes - Ratified suspension of Jordan & removed him from office of Commander & as National Board member & confirmed appointment of Lloyd R. Hashman on 15 Oct 57 as Acting Comdr to serve in rank of Lt Col 4 Mar 58 NB Minutes - Col Robert M. Jackson was Acting Commander 5 Jul 58 NEB Minutes - Charles F. Howard, eff 11 Mar 58 8 Nov 58 NEB Minutes - Charles F. Howard to Col & Commander 15 Oct 60 NB Minutes - Col Charles F. Howard was Commander 5 May 61 NB Minutes - (Temp) Col Richard D. Law was (Acting) Commander 25 Aug 61 NEC Minutes - Richard D. Law to Col & Commander - 25 Aug 61 2 Oct 61 PANHQ 65 - Lt Col Eugene B. Adams to Acting Commander & Temp Col Vice Col Richard D. Law eff 27 Sep 61 5 Apr 62 PANHQ 17 - Eugene B. Adams; eff 27 Sep 61, and to Col, eff 30 Mar 62 7 May 62 NB Minutes - Col Eugene B. Adams was Commander 8 Dec 62 NEC Minutes - Col Eugene B. Adams may continue to serve in office as Wing Commander until his successor is duly appointed or elected & qualified 22 Mar 63 NEC Minutes - Col Murry C. McComas elected Commander 6 Sep 63 NEC Minutes - Col Arthur R. Putz elected Commander Mar 68 CAP Times - Col Arthur F. Putz, 1967 Wing Commander of Year, became Commander in July 1963 22 Jan 69 PANHQ 2 - Lt Col Frank L. Swaim; Vice Col Arthur F. Putz relieved, 15 Jan 69 28 Mar 69 PANHQ 13 - Frank L. Swaim to Col & Permanent Commander, eff 28 Mar 69 16 Nov 70 PANHQ 55 - Lt Col C. Max Fountain appointed Interim Commander Vice Col Frank L. Swaim relieved eff 11 Nov 70 22 Mar 71 PANHQ 9 - C. Max Fountain to Col & Permanent Commander, eff 20 Mar 71 7 Jul 72 PANHQ 28 - Lt Col Wayne E. Russert appointed Interim Commander Vice Col C. Max Fountain re-assigned eff 1 Jul 72 2 Dec 72 PANHQ 51 - Wayne E. Russert to Col & Permanent Commander, eff 2 Dec 72

2 Oct 73 PANHQ 33 - Lt Col Thomas G. Patton; Vice Col Wayne E. Russert resigned eff 25 Sep 73 1 Dec 73 PANHQ 44 - Thomas G. Patton to Col & Permanent Commander, eff 1 Dec 73 31 Aug 76 PANHQ 32 - Lt Col Roger E. MacDonald; Vice Col Thomas G. Patton reassigned eff 1 Sep 76 7 Mar 77 PANHQ 1 - Roger E. MacDonald to Temporary Col, & Permanent Commander eff 2 Mar 77 6 Mar 78 PANHQ 10 - Roger E. MacDonald to Permanent Col, eff 2 Mar 78 1 Oct 80 PANHQ 34 - Lt Col Henry A. Elgin, Jr; Vice Col Roger E. MacDonald re-assigned eff 1 Oct 80 1 Apr 81 PANHQ 9 - Henry A. Elgin, Jr., to Temp Col & Comdr eff 1 Apr 81 1 Apr 82 PANHQ 6 - Henry A. Elgin, Jr., to Perm Col eff 1 Apr 82 28 Sep 82 PANHQ 35 - Lt Col Harry E. Kouts; Vice Col Henry A. Elgin, Jr, eff 25 Sep 82 8 Mar 83 PANHQ 7 - Harry E. Kouts to Temp Col & Comdr, eff 25 Mar 83 1 Mar 84 PANHQ 8 - Harry E. Kouts to Perm Col eff 25 Mar 84 20 Jan 87 PANHQ 4 - Col Roger E. MacDonald; Vice Col Harry E. Kouts eff 1 Feb 87 31 Jul 87 PANHQ 32 - Roger E. MacDonald to Comdr, eff 1 Aug 87 1 Nov 89 PANHQ 62 - Lt Col James C. Bobick; Vice Col Roger E. MacDonald eff 1 Dec 89 6 Mar 90 PANHQ 12 - James C. Bobick to Temp. Col, eff 24 Feb 90 31 May 90 PANHQ 32 - James C. Bobick to Comdr, eff 1 Jun 90 30 Nov 90 PANHQ 73- Col James C. Bobick re-appointed Comdr, eff 1 Dec 90 2 Dec 91 PANHQ 61 - Col James C. Bobick re-appointed Comdr, eff 1 Dec 91 6 Nov 92 PANHQ 64 - Lt Col Gary H. Tobey appointed Comdr Vice Col James C. Bobick and to Temp Col, eff 1 Dec 92. Col James C. Bobick to Permanent Col, eff 1 Dec 92 2 Dec 93 PANHQ 60 - Col Gary H. Tobey re-appointed Comdr eff 1 Dec 93 30 Nov 95 PANHQ 74 - Col Gary H. Tobey re-appointed Comdr eff 1 Dec 95 20 Feb 96 PANHQ 9 - Lt Col William F. Hines; Vice Col Gary H. Tobey and to Temp Col, eff 17 Feb 96 24 Feb 97 PANHQ 4. Col William F. Hines completion of probationary term and aptd Comdr eff 17 Feb 97 10 Feb 2000 PANHQ 7 - Lt Col John R. Buschmann aptd Comdr Vice Col William F. Hines & to Temp Col, eff 27 Feb 2000. Col William F. Hines to Perm Col, eff 27 Feb 2000 31 Jan 2001 PANHQ 7 - Col John R. Buschmann completion of one year probationary term & aptd Comdr eff 27 Feb 2001 12 Aug 2003 PANHQ 50 - Col Andrew J. Alexa aptd Interim Commander, as additional duty, Vice Col John R. Buschman eff 12 Aug 2003. Col John R. Buschman to Perm Col Eff 12 Aug 2003 5 Apr 2004 PANHQ 20 - Lt Col Donald G. Cortum appointed Comdr Vice Col Andrew J. Alexa & to Temp Col eff 4 Apr 2004 6 Apr 2004 PANHQ 25 - Col Andrew J. Alexa to Permanent Col eff 5 Apr 2004 15 Apr 2005 PANHQ 27 - Col Donald G. Cortum completed one year probationary term & to Comdr, 4 Apr 2005

Researched by Louisa S. Morse, Col, CAP Updated by Mark Hess, Lt Col, CAP (As of 10 Sept 2013)