A Worthy Pilot Program
Skyhawk display dedicated to Everett Alvarez
It was a glorious Tuesday morning with the sun shining down on the asphalt and a breeze cooling the air, as military personnel, city staff members, Mayor Martha Flores, Porterville Police and Fire personnel and members of the public gathered under the A4 Skyhawk mounted display at the Porterville Municipal Airport.
The reason for the gathering was to honor Everett Alvarez as the A4 Skyhawk was being dedicated in his name.
Alvarez is a veteran of the Armed Forces who spent eight and a half years as a Prisoner of War in Vietnam. With help from the Lemoore Naval Air Station (Lemoore NAS), the city was able to totally repaint the mounted aircraft to resemble the same jet flown by Alvarez during Vietnam.
Porterville Police Chief Eric Kroutil opened the ceremony by welcoming everyone in attendance, before directing attention to the Porterville Military Academy’s (PMA) Honor Guard. The four cadets that comprised the honor guard presented the colors, and both past and present military personnel in attendance saluted the flag.
Kroutil spoke into the microphone and thanked several people who pushed the rehabilitation of the aircraft along. Among those he thanked were Flores, Council member Virginia Gurolla, former mayor Ron Irish, City Manager John Lollis, Public Works Director Mike Knight, Porterville Fire Chief Dave Lapere, PMA Principal Doug Ihmels and personnel from Lemoore NAS.
Kroutil informed the audience the City has two mounted aircraft displays, the Vietnam War era Huey Medi-vac Helicopter at Veterans Park, and the Douglass A4 Skyhawk at the air
port. The Skyhawk display was a tribute to flight made possible by the Billy Tom Ferguson Memorial Fund and the Porterville Airport Pilots Association. He also expressed the need rehabilitate the static displays.
“We weren’t exactly sure how to rehabilitate these aircraft displays,” said Kroutil. “After conversations with the directors, I talked with (Porterville Police) Sergeant Rick Carillo, who is also a military veteran, and we came up with the idea to contact the Lemoore Naval Air Station for guidance.”
Kroutil explained Master Chief Dave Conduff jumped on board for the project, and began to plan how he and his team would repaint the display.
“What you see here could not have been done without his support and we are truly grateful,” said Kroutil. “Being a Navy veteran myself, I had no doubt that the Navy would come through, but they exceeded my expectations.”
Before he passed the microphone to Flores, Kroutil thanked a list of other people who made great contributions to the project.
Flores began by introducing herself, and stating how important the displays were the the patriotism of Porterville. She then divulged into a little bit of history on the Skyhawk.
“This display was originally dedicated to the city by local Porterville Area Pilots Association, better known as PAPA, in memory of Mr. Billy Tom Ferguson, a local pilot who was killed along with two U.S. Forest Service employees on September 18, 1975, while performing a lightning fire recognizance mission over the Sequoia National Forest,” said Flores.
She then recognized the two aircraft displays in town to honor those who serve and those who have served. She wrapped up her speech by thanking the personnel from Lemoore NAS who made the idea of re-doing the display into a reality.
Next to speak was Conduff, who put together a team of military personnel who headed the repainting of the display.
“This would not have been possible without the candid spirit of our chief petty officers,” said Conduff of his team. “Without their help and dedication this would not have been possible.”
Lemoore NAS Captain Jim Bates took center stage, and introduced the morning’s honoree, Alvarez, and to lead the raising of the American Flag over the mounted jet. Bates explained Alvarez served in the Armed Forces as a Lieutenant Junior Grade. After his A4 Skyhawk was shot down in combat, Alvarez was taken in as a POW for eight and a half years.
“We understand the service and sacrifice of this country, and we understand the service and sacrifice of this gentleman here,” said Bates.
As the flag rose high above the mounted display and swayed in the breeze, a round of applause broke out among the crowd. As the applause died out, Alvarez began speaking into the microphone. He stated he came to the ceremony from the Washington D.C. Area, and is immensely honored by having the display dedicated in his name.
“I’m very honored to have my name up there,” said Alvarez. “But even though it’s my name, I still look at it as a tribute to those who didn’t make it back. If you look at it that way, that would be the most fitting.”