User:M.e.houle/sandbox/Forrest Fenn

Forrest Burke Fenn (born August 22, 1930) is a retired American Air Force pilot and former gallery owner (Fenn Galleries, Santa Fe, New Mexico), who launched a treasure hunt in 2010. Fenn owned and excavated San Lazaro Pueblo from 1987 to 199?, and is the author of 10 books, many of which pertain to native art and artifacts.

=Early life=

Fenn was born in Temple, Texas to William Marvin Fenn and Lilly Gay (nee Simpson) Fenn. He had one older brother, William Marvin Fenn Jr. (“Skippy”) and one younger sister, June Gay (Fenn) Heath. Forrest attended public schools in Temple: Lanier Elementary School, Central Junior High School, and Temple High School. Forrest briefly attended Temple Junior College after high school, but did not graduate..

=Air Force Career=

Training and Early Career
Fenn joined the Air Force September 6, 1950, and completed basic training at Shepherd Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, before heading to Radar Mechanics School at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. In 1953 Fenn was accepted into pilot training, which included six-months at Bainbridge Air Base (Bainbridge, GA) and seven months at Laredo Air Force Station (Laredo, TX). At Scott Air Force Base in Belleville, Illinois, Fenn joined the 85th Fighter Interceptor Squad.

Assignments and Roles
In 1955 Fenn moved to Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio to serve as aide-de-camp to Major General Frank H. Robinson, who led crew training. In 1957 Fenn was assigned to the 23rd Fighter Squadron at Bitburg Air Base in Germany. While stationed there, he was occasionally given temporary assignments to Wheelus Air Base in Tripoli, Libya. In 1961 Fenn took a position at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona to teach at the gunnery school under (rank?) Bill Wisner. He served with the 4511th, 4515th, and 4517th (?) Combat Crew Training Squadrons. Then in 1964 Fenn moved his family to Lubbock, Texas where he taught pilot training at Reese Air Force Base.

Vietnam
Major Fenn was stationed at Tuy Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, and flew his first mission January 18, 1968. He worked in the command post, and flew 328 combat missions over the course of his tour. On August 24, 1968 Fenn took enemy fire and could not return to base. He made an emergency landing at Vinh Thuy, in the far south region of Vietnam.

Shot Down in Laos and Rescued
On December 20, 1968, on what was scheduled to be his last mission, Forrest was shot down and spent a night in enemy territory.

Both the Navy and the Air Force had recently lost planes near Tchepone, Laos. Fenn’s mission was to mine Tchepone’s main road, which was part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Fenn, three other fighters, and a forward air controller were scheduled to be on target thirty minutes before sunset. Fenn’s primary ordnance, CBU-34, had to be deployed on two passes, flying straight and level for several seconds each pass at about 500 feet.

Fenn’s F100C took extensive fire from anti-aircraft units: ZPU guns shattered his plexiglass canopy, damaged his nose and aft sections, as well as both drop tanks (containing fuel). The forward air controller radioed that Fenn’s plane was burning.

The attack revealed the enemy’s position to Fenn, who worried they would take out more planes if he quickly left the area. So Fenn circled back once more and marked the target with incendiary bullets.

Fenn punched up through the clouds for his escape, but had the wrong heading for bailout (030 instead of 300), which took him northeast toward the DMZ where he ejected. The next morning Fenn made radio contact, and the Air Service Rescue of Southeast Asia extracted Fenn from the Laotian jungle. They flew west to Nakhon Phanom, Thailand. Fenn was the 1500th airman rescued.

Service Awards
Fenn was awarded three Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, sixteen Air Medals, and a Purple Heart. For the final pass made after his plane was severely damaged (in order to mark the enemy’s location and potentially save American assets), Fenn received the Silver Star.

Return to the states and retirement
Fenn was reunited with his family on Christmas Eve of 1968, and returned to his teaching post at Reese AFB for almost two more years.

In 1970 Fenn turned down a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, retired from the Air Force and returned to civilian life in Lubbock, where he opened a foundry and began casting bronzes.

=Owner of Fenn Galleries= In November, 1972 the Fenns moved to Santa Fe. Initially, Forrest partnered with Rex Arrowsmith, but a few months later Arrowsmith retired, and Fenn Galleries opened their doors.

=Cancer diagnosis=

=San Lazaro Pueblo=

=Treasure hunt=



=Expanded description= If an event that occurred in the life of the subject requires further explanation, elaborate.

=Marriage and children= Fenn married Peggy Jean Proctor Fenn on December 27, 1954. They have two children, Kelly ???, and Zoe ???, and ?? grandchildren.

=Philosophical and/or political views= Wikipedia is not a soapbox for individuals to espouse their views. However, views held by politicians, writers, and others may be summarized in their biography only to the extent those views are covered by reliable sources that are independent of the control of the politician, writer, etc.

=Published works= The African Animals of W. R. Leigh

The Beat of the Drum and the Whoop of the Dance

The Genius of Nicolai Fechin

The Secrets of San Lazaro Pueblo

Teepee Smoke

Historic American Indian Dolls

Seventeen Dollars a Square Inch

The Thrill of The Chase: A Memoir

Too Far to Walk

Once Upon A While

=Honours, decorations, awards and distinctions= (If any)

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