LTC John Tichenor was the first Commander of the 6th Msl Bn, 52d ADA. He brought quite a list of credentials to that position. He had been the HAWK Project Officer at the Air Defense Board (Board 4) at Fort Bliss, Texas. He knew more than any Battalion Commander should have known about the system and its components. You did not dare try to BS this man on any HAWK related subject.
As the Battalion was forming up prior to the training phase, which began at the first of January 1961, LTC Tichenor headed up Promotion Boards for each NCO in his unit. In this manner, he got to meet and speak with every NCO. He also saw to it that each NCO was assigned to a slot that called for the next higher rank. This meant that there was a potential for promotion for all. He made damn sure that we all knew that, too.
To see LTC Tichenor approaching, you felt impending doom. But after the first year in Germany everybody knew that he was indeed the finest officer they had ever served under. He would visit the Tactical Sites on a random basis on weekends and holidays just to visit with the Manning Crews. He often would join a card game with any and all ranks. He made it a point to say "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year" to each and every member of his command. This made for a busy day because we were scattered from Kitzingen to Wertheim.
One of the most memorable acts of LTC Tichenor was this: Battery A's Annual Service Practice crew returned to Emery Kaserne by bus from Frankfurt at about 2:00AM. We had done something exceptional at ASP but I forget exactly what it was. I think it was a 100% performance with two direct kills. The bus stopped in front of the building that housed our Mess Hall. There was a pretty big crowd waiting there. LTC Tichenor stepped on to the bus, made a short speech and as we got off, shook each man's hand and called him by name. When I stepped off of the bus I was met by my wife (we lived in quarters at Skyline). LTC Tichenor arranged for all of the wives to be there and also arranged for baby sitters where required. We all then went to the Mess Hall for coffee and cake. What a man!
He was an avid sports man. He had played football in his younger days and would describe himself as "Two hundred pounds, low to the ground". His story about boar hunting in a German forest would take him quite a while to tell, but would end with this: "I dropped him in his tracks."
The promotion lists that he had set up were paying off almost from the very beginning. E-5's made E-6, E-6's made E-7 and so on. I had been in the Army nine years and had never personally known anyone to be promoted to E-6 until I made it.
LTC Tichenor became a widower just prior to taking over the Battalion. He had two sons and could have avoided the trip to Germany for compassionate reasons. No way. He hired a housekeeper and brought her along. In 1965 he married an Army nurse in Germany. Many NCOs attended that wedding. Betty is now retired in Scotsdale, Arizona.
LTC Tichenor's replacement, LTC Spitzer, arrived in mid-1964 and LTC Tichenor moved upstairs and became the Executive Officer of the 69th ADA Group. The Group Headquarters was located one floor above the Battalion Headquarters and so he literally was moved upstairs.
By Al Garrett
