Jeff_Liz.ged

!Served a mission in Texas

There were two other children in this family, but they did not live

! Russell bapt. by: Elrod Leany, Milford, Utah; Confirmed 5 Aug 1945 by Carlyle F. Tronning; Deacon 26 June 1949 by George C. Goodwin; Teacher 30 June 1952 by Thurland D. Sly; Priest 19 Aug 1954 by Thurland D. Sly; Elder records misplaced; departed for Gulf States Mission 28 Aug 1957. Released 28 Aug 1959. Patriarchial Blessing 1 Aug 1957 by S. Taylor Farnsworth.

Saints at War Project 26 Mar. 2002 Dept. of Church History and Doctrine

In response to your request for an account of my military experience as an LDS serviceman I submit the following: I was not assigned to the Vietnam War Theater but instead was involved with the Cold War during the same time frame. My assignments were in England, Turkey and Texas. I graduated from BYU and was commissioned an officer through the AFROTC in Dec 1961. I completed USAF pilot training in April 1963 and the first assignment was to the 420th Air Refueling Squadron at RAF Sculthorpe Air Base in England. My new wife Geniel and I had our first child born while there. We were part of a group of three LDS families and our little branch held meetings in the town of Kings Lynn, a one hour drive. We met in a saloon - dance hall and sometimes had to sweep out the beer cans. It was similar to my mission experiences as I would conduct the meeting, lead the singing, administer the sacrament, teach the lesson, etc. Our little branch gave much opportunity for participation. These years were part of the Cold War and not much publicized. I flew KB50J air tanker aircraft to refuel the fighters that were based in Europe to constantly test the response ability of the Soviet Union and the missions were complicated and sometimes tense as relations between the US and USSR were hostile. We would usually be part of a flight of tankers dispatched to the North Sea where we would pick up the fighters and top of their fuel load. They would then fly in mass accompanied by radar reconnaissance planes right up to the Soviet border and then turn around. This forced the Soviets to respond by scrambling interceptors and the radar planes would measure their response. Our tankers would then pick them up on their return and refuel them once again on their trip home. My next assignment was to Incirlik AFB in Turkey where I was assigned to TUSLOG Detatchment 10 - a part of US Air Forces in Europe, but a NATO support mission. Our church situation was much the same. We had 4 families instead of 3 and we met on the base but we were very isolated. Once again the meetings were conducted by the 2 or 3 Priesthood holders. We were visited once in 18 months by a councilor in the French Mission Presidency. (We were in the French mission boundary). There were some instances where the Lord watched over me in my flying. One such instance involved what was called “spoofing”. During the Cold War the USSR was constantly trying to decoy western bloc aircraft across the iron curtain border and shoot them down. They were successful on at least six occasions, especially in the Middle East. These incidents for the most part were never reported and did not make the newscasts but were nevertheless a very real part of the Cold War and lives were lost. We were flying in our C-118 aircraft from Lahore Pakistan across Afghanistan to Teheran Iran. This area had no radionavigational aids and very few terrain features to aid in navigation so we were using mostly the dead reckoning method of compass heading and timing. We eventually began receiving a beacon signal that showed we needed to turn 15 degrees north. Since we were so close to the border I felt strongly that we should maintain our calculated heading for a while longer. We then began receiving (simultaneously) another beacon signal on the same frequency which showed we were on the right course into Teheran. Had we followed the other signal (which we later determined was coming from the USSR shore of the Caspian Sea) we would almost certainly have been shot down. There were other instances where flying in and out of airports in Northern Turkey in mountainous regions and bad weather required skill, good luck and most importantly a “guiding hand”. My wife delivered our second child while in Turkey the first having been born in England. We were able to visit the Holy Land since we were not far away. It was a great experience to spend some time where Bible History was made. We lived near Tarsus where Paul was born and visited many biblical sites in Turkey and surrounding countries of Lebanon, Greece, Israel, Jordan, and Syria. The highlight of these was our time spent in the Holy Land where the Savior Walked. I hope this narrative will serve to support the SAINTS AT WAR PROJECT.

Regards,

Russell M. Sly Capt. USAF

Ensign August 1984 The work of it priesthood Quorms by Joseph B Wirthlin Alan Baczuk was an inactive member of the Auburn (Washington) 1st Ward elders quorum when the quorum leaders and others in the ward took a special interest in helping him to become a better example as a father. Russell Sly and Lawrence Hartley got to know Alan and taught him the importance of exemplary fatherhood and leadership in the home. They told him that training in these things was available in the elders quorum. Alan listened, attended the quorum meetings, and tried to be a better example. His sons later became Eagle Scouts and went on missions. Alan became a stronger father, a Scoutmaster, a stake mission president, and a bishop. He now teaches the importance of exemplary fatherhood to the brethren in his ward.

I remember as a small boy going with my Dad to recently divorced, Alan Baczuk's house while they talked of hunting. Later when Alan and his wife got back together they had a party for him at our house.