C-17 loadmasters receive honors at A/TA’s Hall of Fame Walkway

The Airlift Tanker Association honored C-17 Loadmasters at the A/TA Walk of Fame at Scott AFB’s own Mobility Memorial Park. The ceremony honored six individuals, “Pathfinder Loadmasters,” who were inducted in the Airlift/Tanker Association Hall of Fame. These retired Air Force veterans included Chief Master Sgt. William (Bill) M. Cannon, deceased, Chief Master Sgt. Marion (Dave) D. Fincher, Chief Master Sgt. (Mike) M. Welch, Chief Master Sgt. James (Jim) Lis, Chief Master Sgt. Mark A. Smith, and Master Sgt. Theodore (Ted) R. Venturini. Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II, Commander, Air Mobility Command and retired Chief Master Sgt. Mike Kerver, President of the Airlift/Tanker Association, and Capt. Steven Chandler, president of the Scott AFB Huyser Chapter - Airlift/Tanker Association, were also there to help honor these individuals. Their unique backgrounds were critical to ensuring that the one-loadmaster aircrew concept became a reality on the C-17A. This “Band of Loadmasters” group effort resulted in revolutionary design improvements and advancement to America’s airlift capability and set a benchmark for air mobility aircraft for years to come. (U.S. Air Force photos by Senior Airman Erica Fowler and Airman Daniel Garcia)