TSgt Bob Ranck Passed Thursday, January 26 2017

CHICOPEE – Robert E. “Bob” Ranck, 82, of the Fairview section of Chicopee, took “His Final Flight Home” on Thursday, January 26, 2017. He passed into Eternal Life at his home surrounded by the care and comfort of his loving family and his wonderful caregivers. He was born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania on November 20, 1934, a beloved son of the late Robert E. and Dorothy V. (Gray) Ranck. 
He was raised in Coatesville and was a graduate of Coatesville High School. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1953 and proudly served his country during the Korean War and received the National Defense Service Medal. He later re-enlisted and traveled throughout the United States while in the military.   In 1957, he was stationed at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee and, in 1963, he ended his active duty status while he was stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. 
He eventually settled in the Fairview section of Chicopee and enlisted in the United States Air Force Reserves at Westover where he was employed as a Radio Radar Technician for the Department of Defense. 
He retired in 1984 after a long career in the Air Force with the rank of Technical Sergeant. 
He remained true to his Air Force family, participating in a long battle to gain recognition of claims brought on behalf of aircrews and maintainers who flew and worked on post-Vietnam C-123K Agent Orange “spray birds” after it was discovered that these men and women were being diagnosed with Agent Orange diseases. After years of administrative battles and litigation, the Department of Veterans Affairs conceded the legitimacy of these claims and opened its system of medical care and other benefits to suffering veterans.
Active in his Catholic faith, he was a communicant of Saint Anne Church in Chicopee. During his younger years, Bob formed a band called the Music Makers where he was a drummer. In his later years, he met monthly with his friends who were known as “The Geezers” from Westover Air Reserve Base. Above all, Robert was a quiet man who loved spending time with his family and his wonderful friends.
He leaves his beloved wife and best friend, Elinor M. (Paul) Ranck. They were married on April 19, 1958 at Saint Anne Church in Chicopee and were blessed with over 58 years of happiness together. 

Lt Col Ed Kosakoski Passed Friday, July 22

My former commanding officer and best man at my wedding has died.

Lieut. Col. Ed Kosakowski passed away Friday evening after a long battle with Alzheimer's and other ailments. Ingrid called with the sad news. Arrangements thus far are for services to be on August 1 including graveside military honors. I will post more here as I get news.

Ed's long service to the country began as an army private. He advanced to master sergeant and then joined the Air Force.  He was eventually commissioned as a Medical Service Corps officer. Ed's civilian career was as a pharmacist followed by civil service as an air reserve technician. His last assignment was as commander of the 74th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Westover Air Force Base Massachusetts.

There are a great number of Air Force officers grateful to "Colonel K" for his influence on our careers. So many squadron NCOs were commissioned under his leadership that we jokingly called his efforts "Colonel K's OCS."

Ed married Ingrid and they had one son, Eddie Junior. Both Eddie Junior and Ingrid showed their lasting love for Ed in caring for him during these last difficult years.

Ed happened to be the first C-123 veteran awarded VA benefits in mid 2015 once our battle to win Agent Orange benefits finally succeeded.

God bless the family.

Memorial Day 2015 for C-123 Veterans and Our Families

Our family honors and mourns Brigadier General John W. Carter, Captain John Carter Jr, Chief Warrant Officer Henry Carter Sr, Lieutenant Colonel Jessie W. Britt, Master Sergeant George Gadbois, Specialist Walter Rogers, Major Cliff Turcotte, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Bailey, Master Sergeant Robert Boyd, Brigadier General Mike Walker, Acting Sergeant John Carne Sr, Major John Carne Jr, Colonel Warner Jones, Airman Maleine Adams, LtCol Pam Cluwe, Colonel Lou Pascovitz, Sergeant First Class Willy Chiquina, Lieutenant Colonel Tim Olmsted, Master Sergeant Mike Lieb, Master Sergeant William Schindler and Senior Master Sergeant Ed Galvin.

 I felt like this little fellow when I was handed my father's flag.