September Bandstand Flag
Fredrick Bridges
Frederick Owen Bridges
November 12, 1932 – April 26, 2019
United States Navy
The flag flying over the bandstand during September is in honor of Fred Bridges.
Following graduation from Lacey Consolidated High School in 1950, Fred entered the Navy Reserve Delayed Training Program. After turning 18, he was sworn into active duty on the 24th of December 1950. Upon finishing basic training and Class A School, he was ordered onboard the carrier, the U.S.S. Saipan CVL-48. In August 1942, the carrier was ordered into the Korean War. He served in that area until May 1954. In 1955, Fred received orders to the Frasron 119 Squadron at Sangley Point, the Philippines for a two-year tour. And then received orders to ATU-206 at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL; there he served six months temporary duty with the Blue Angles and also served at Whiting Field, Naval Air Station in NW Florida.
He received orders in 1959 to Heavy Attack Squadron One at N.A.S. Sandford, FL. In 1960, he received Aircrew Flight Training and received his Aircrewman Wings. During the six-year tour with VAH-1, he was deployed on five different carriers including three deployments to the Mediterranean during the Cold War Era, Bay of Pigs in 1961 and, Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. In 1966 he was on board the U.S.S. Independence CVA-62 to Vietnam.
In November 1966, he received orders to Naval Air Tech Training Center in Memphis, TN. He taught Class-A School for two years. While in Memphis, he completed two years of mechanical engineering courses off-campus at Memphis State University. In November 1968, he received orders to the super-carrier, the U.S.S. Enterprise CVAN-65, serving as the Aircraft Dept. Maintenance Chief. From March through October 1970, Fred received temporary additional duty at the Naval Air Facility at Chu Lai, South Vietnam, serving as Aircraft Maintenance Chief. In April 1971, Chief Bridges retired with 22 years of Naval Service.
After retiring from active duty, Fred returned to Oskaloosa and continued to serve in the Naval Reserves for 8 years, attached to the Naval Reserve Center in Des Moines.
He worked at PAMCO for 18 years and then took a job with Mahaska County Soil Conservation. He retired from Mahaska Co. Soil Conservation at age 65. He remained active in retirement by working at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds.
In addition to his distinguished military career, Fred remained active and served as Mahaska County Veteran’s Affairs Commissioner for many years, as an officer with the Fleet Reserve Association, the American Legion, and V.F.W. He was a member of the Honor Guard for over 45 years and Chief Officer in Charge for over 25 years and presented countless flags to families of fallen veterans.
If you are interested in flying the flag of a veteran above the bandstand, contact Shawn Langkamp at Langkamp Funeral Chapel & Crematory at 641-672-2181 or www.langkampfuneralchapel.com Contact Us Link.
