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Green Knights awarded for 100 combat missions

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 3/18/2004

Story by Cpl. Kristen L. Tull

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. (March 18, 2004) -- Three officers from Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 121 were recognized recently for their accomplishments in the F/A-18 Hornet.

Majs. David Stohs and Michael R. Waterman, along with Capt. Michael R. McGahee, received an award from the Boeing Corporation for flying more than 100 combat missions.

According to Stohs, a weapons systems officer, the common denominator amongst all three aviators has been location.

"We were all stationed on the East Coast when Operation Deny Flight (occurred) as well as (during) other operations over Bosnia and on the West Coast after September 11, deploying twice from Miramar over the past two years," said Stohs.

He said the Marines were just doing their job, flying all the missions that were assigned.

"I've had a chance to do exactly what I came into the Marine Corps to do and that was to fly in operational missions as a 'back seater,'" said Stohs. "I feel fortunate to be receiving this award. It was a surprise to all of us."

McGahee, a Hornet pilot, didn't fully understand the significance of the award until a Boeing representative told him he was one of the first pilots to receive this award.

"I'm very honored and lucky enough to be able to get 100 missions. It's all about timing, being in the right place at the right time. I've done nothing more than anyone else, just perfect timing," said McGahee

Being a pilot was a childhood dream for McGahee. He started flying when he was 15 years old in a local airport, worked his way up and eventually flew as a corporate pilot.

"I decided I wanted to do something more, so I joined the Marine Corps and was fortunate enough to get a pilot slot. The rest is history," said McGahee.

McGahee said there are other Marines behind the scenes that also deserve the recognition for this award.

"There's hundreds of Marines that actually deserve all the credit for this. They're the ones that make the airplane fly. They're the ones that keep it together. They're the ones that put the bombs on it. I just happened to be the 'stick actuator,'" said McGahee. "To me, the most impressive thing in this world is a 19 year old who, with some of the most sophisticated equipment in the world, can keep this thing flying, and they know more about it than I do. So that to me is highly respectable, and those are the guys that I look up to."

The recipients were all honored to receive such an award, and when asked what their next goal is, the answer was universal.

"Our most important job is to support the troops on the ground," said Waterman, a weapons systems operator. "I want to always be ready to fly, but hopefully I will never have to fly another combat mission again."