Ken Moss joined the US Army in 1962 and was sent to Fort Ord, CA then on to Fort Belvoir, VA to engineering school ending up at Fort Hood, TX, where he joined the 2nd Armored Division. Ken received the Meritorious Service Award for outstanding performance during Operation Desert Strike, and the Presidential Unit Citation for Operation Big Lift just before leaving the Army.

In August 1966, Ken joined the Air Force and was sent to Bitburg, Germany, joining the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing and received a Certificate for Outstanding Performance for the Personnel & Material Evacuation/Demolition of Weelis, Libya, North Africa. This resulted in a Certificate of Appreciation from then President Nixon. Ken ended his Air Force career at Ellsworth AFB with the 821st Strategic Air Command Transportation Squadron.

In April 1977 Ken joined the Navy attending OSVET Training (Naval Indoctrination Training for other service veterans) in Sand Diego. In May he took his wife and year old daughter Laura with him to San Diego where he was assigned to the USS Tripoli LPH-10 as an Aviation electrician. Ken received the Sailor of the Year Award for outstanding performance and attention to detail. While in the Navy he attended the US Naval Training Center in Memphis and became an instructor earning a letter of appreciation for installation and programming in the new training and main computer. From Memphis he was sent to VA-97, Naval Air Station Lemoore, and CA. and there he received a Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Performance during the Iran Hostage situation while assigned to the USS Coral Sea. He also received the Navy Expeditionary Medal at that time. Ken was assigned to Naval Station Rota, Spain first in the Organizational Maintenance Department - Quality Assurance for helicopters, C-12, Beach Craft, A-7/F-14/F-18 and all transient aircraft. He then transferred to VQ-2 in Rota as Senior Logistics Team Leader and Maintenance Team Leader for A-3 and P-3 aircraft. During this time he was aboard the USS America during the Libyan Conflict receiving the Meritorious Service Award and the Arm Forces Expeditionary for action in Libya. While TDY aboard the USS Saratoga he taught CPR/First Aid classes for the American Red Cross, certifying over 500 shipboard personnel. He became a qualified Instructor Trainer Educator for the American Red Cross. Ken and his family spent nearly eight years in Rota, Spain.

Ken retired to the Naval Reserve from Norfolk, VA where he was the Petty Officer in charge of the Drug Intervention Program and Special Equipment for Aircraft maintenance.

Ken and his wife Sandi now live in Rapid City where they and their daughter actively work for the veterans. By the time his daughter Laura was 10 years old he had been gone 8 years of her life. Laura was married last fall and lives here with her husband Nathan Sorey. Ken is a Life Member of the NCOA, the Fleet Reserve and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is also a member of the Disabled American Veterans and the American Legion and an active member of the Veterans Coordination Commission of the Black Hills having served as Chairman and currently serving as Parliamentarian. Ken is on the Board of Directors for the City Wide Safe Halloween Carnival and has been involved with them for 10 years. He is Senior Commander of Rushmore Post #1273 of the VFW. He is an active volunteer with the VA Health Care, working every Monday morning at the Rapid City Clinic and filling in wherever he is needed during the week. In April 2001 Ken received the Directors Commendation from the Director of the VA Black Hills Health Care Systems for saving the life of a fellow veteran during a volunteer recognition banquet in Rapid City.

Upon return from Viet Nam, John returned to the Aeronautical Systems Division of the Air Force Systems Command at Wright-Patterson, where he continued as a Research & Development Engineer in the Short Range Attack Missile Systems Program. He retired in the rank of Colonel on April 30, 1970 and moved his family back to Rapid City. He founded Silver Wings Aviation, Inc. and operated a flying school, air taxi and air ambulance service in addition to professional pilot service in 1987 at the Rapid City Regional Airport. John has the Flight Ratings and more than 15,500 hours of flying time.

John Welch is a registered professional engineer in Ohio and South Dakota. He is a member of the South Dakota and the National Society of Professional Engineers, a member of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association and other professional organizations. John is a Charter and Life Member of the Air Force Association, a life member of the DAV, Knights of Columbus, Retired Officers Association, Daedalians and Eighth Air Force Historical Society, the 457th Bomb Group Association, in addition to being a long time member of the 28th Wing Association and the Rapid City Rotary Club.

John accompanied his wife Alberta, a USAF Civil Service employee, to Germany for a three-year tour at Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base for the Air Force. He taught courses for Embry-Riddle Air University, both at Geilenkirchen and at Ellsworth AFB. He also was one of the original authors of Van Sickle's Modern Airmanship, and edited its Fifth through Seventh Editions. John is editor, publisher, writer of Dead Engine Kids, a diary of his B-17 crew's combat tour, and RB-36 Days at Rapid City, Flight Instructor's Pocket Companion and several magazine articles.