Fred Quam joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1941, where he witnessed the inception of the North Dakota Air National Guard as a charter member. The centenarian, who is now 107 years old, is the surviving member of the original team.
In recognition of his unwavering commitment and dedication, Quam was recently honored for his service to the North Dakota Air National Guard, also known as the Happy Hooligans. The award was presented to him by Master Sergeant Michael Ohren, who was joined by the esteemed company of Barbara Barton and Colter Pratt, current members of the Happy Hooligans.
Fred Quam thanked the North Dakota Air National Guard for the award
“As a Charter Member 107 — that’s a huge lifespan and a lot of experience that you passed on to a lot of younger Hooligans,” Ohren said while presenting the award. “And now we’re that next generation to carry that on and pass that experience.”
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Quam was honored with the award a few days after he celebrated his 107th birthday, and he was overwhelmed and filled with gratitude for the thoughtfulness of the award organizers. He also expressed his aspirations for the future, sharing his desire to stay alive to cherish the newfound honor he had received. “Well, isn’t that great. I really appreciate that,” the 107-year-old stated. “That was really amazing. I hope I can live another year so I can enjoy it.”
Fred Quam reflects on his time with the North Dakota Air National Guard
Quam also reflected on the endearing moments from his active years of service. Among these cherished memories, he vividly recounted a significant event when the Guard initiated “Operation Hay Lift,” an Initiative that provided a lifeline to the struggling cattle ranchers and farmers in western North Dakota during harsh winter.
“We had the guys that were in (the plane) doing it (dropping the hay) —,” Quam reminisced. ” they had ropes around their belt and tied in there so they didn’t fly out.”