71st FTW honors retired chief

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Amanda Mills
  • Public Affairs
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  Team Vance gathered with the family and friends of a retired chief master sergeant Feb. 10 to honor his memory with the dedication of Black Avenue in the new family housing area.
William Black retired in May 1979 after more than 26 years of service and came to Vance in August 1980 as a member of the contractor Northrop Grumman, Inc., where he worked until his death in September 2000.
The ceremony began with a welcome to Chief Black's widow, Freda; sons Billy and Butch; daughter Patricia; grandson Christopher and granddaughter Toi, among the other dignitaries and guests.
"For many of us, we fondly remember the individual for which this road is being dedicated; for others, this is just another road providing access to a new part of the installation," said Bob Farrell, 71st Flying Training Wing public affairs chief of community relations and ceremony emcee. "It certainly does that, but its significance is in whom it honors - Chief Master Sgt. William R. Black."
Chief Master Sgt. Jim Suttles, 71st FTW command chief, expressed some of the spirit
Chief Black possessed as a top-ranked enlisted member.
"As we gather here today to dedicate this street, let me say a few words about the chief, and to those who knew him would all agree, these are words and principles that Chief Black lived by," Chief Suttles said. "Chief master sergeants are individually to be regarded as people ... whose word is their bond, who put character above wealth ... who are larger than their vocations, who will not lose their individuality in a crowd, who do not hesitate to take chances ... who will make no compromise with wrong, whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires and interests, who are true to their friends through good report and evil report, in adversity as well as in prosperity ... who are not ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular, and who can say 'no' with emphasis although the rest of the world says 'yes.' Just as these words endured in the personal and professional life of Chief Master Sgt. William Black, this street will endure in our military community."
Mr. Farrell knew Chief Black personally and also spoke about him.
"Chief Bill Black was a personal friend of mine and to many of you as well," Mr. Farrell said. "To those of you who did not have the pleasure of knowing him, he would have been your friend too."
Mr. Farrell, also a retired chief master sergeant, gave a brief history of Mr. Black's assignments and awards, including his award of the Bronze Star medal, which he earned while assigned as the operations and maintenance superintendent to the 56th Civil Engineering Squadron at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in 1971.
"Although he was singled out for award of the Bronze Star, I'm sure that if he were here today, he would tell you that the recognition he was most proud of were his three Air Force Outstanding Unit awards," Mr. Farrell said. "Chief Black was a team player. He never said no to a reasonable request and he never asked his people to do anything he wouldn't do. After retirement, Chief Black came to Vance Air Force Base in August 1980 ... assuming the role of chief of operations in civil engineering. In this capacity, he was THE person to contact to get things accomplished. From wing commanders to the youngest airman, Chief Black had one thing on his agenda - to support Vance AFB and its people to the best of his ability.
"Once in a while, a person steps up and makes a lasting impression on people. Such was Chief Bill Black. He was a chief's chief, always putting others before himself. I know that as the former senior enlisted adviser of the 71st Flying Training Wing, I called on the chief on numerous occasions to provide advice and assistance. He was my mentor. And, although he had one of the busiest schedules on the base, he always made time for everyone, regardless of rank or position."
Chief Black was also recognized at the ceremony in letters from former wing commanders Brig. Gen. Doug Raaberg and retired Col. Crusher Craigie.
Ernie Currier, the mayor of Enid, then proclaimed Feb. 10, 2006, as "William R. Black Day," before Col. Bryan Benson, 71st FTW commander, remembered Chief Black.
"I graduated 21 student pilots this morning, and now I get to talk to the Black family and the public about a great American," Colonel Benson said. "It was striking for me, driving up and meeting (his family and) his granddaughter, who is wearing the same uniform her grandfather wore. It's a great honor she pays to him, wearing that same uniform. Of all the things that have been done to pay tributes to people in the past, none are more fitting than this."
Mr. Farrell then closed the ceremony with the Black family's thanks.
"To all who were a part of making this ceremony happen, thank you," he said on their behalf. "We may be biased, but we hope this base stays open so the street remains. We called him Stone Face, because if he smiled we thought it would break his face. But we know he's smiling from ear to ear for what you've done for him. Again, our family thanks you."