Rhode Island Wing Commanders

Maj Willard M. Fletcher - 1 Dec 1941 to 23 Jul 1942 Lt Col Norris W. Rakestraw - 23 Jul 1942 to 1 Sep 1946 Col Walter P. Jones - 1 Sep 1946 to 15 Sep 1950 Col Edward A. Mercier - 16 Sep 1950 to 6 Dec 1963 Col Neil Pansey - 6 Dec 1963 to 23 Oct 1969 Col Edgar M. Bailey - 24 Oct 1969 to 5 Nov 1977 Lt Col Raymond J. Loynds (Interim) - 5 Nov 1977 to 12 Apr 1978 Col Raymond G. Berger - 12 Apr 1978 to 15 Dec 1989 Col James D. Berry - 15 Dec 1989 to 15 Dec 1993 Col Bryan W. Cooper - 15 Dec 1993 to 28 Sep 1996 Col Jean C. Desmarais - 28 Sep 1996 to 1 Oct 2000 Col Anthony L. Vessella, Jr - 1 Oct 2000 to 1 Oct 2005 Col Augustine Comella - 1 Oct 2005 to 2008 Col Bryan W. Cooper - 2008 to 2011 Col Benjamin F. Emerick - 2011 to Present

Archival Confirmation:
15 Nov 41 Telegram from Willard M. Fletcher indicating willingness to serve 9 Dec 41 Telegram from Willard M. Fletcher accepting asgmt. 17 Dec 41 Willard M. Fletcher was Comdr. (AAF Hist. Studies, No. 19) 1 Aug 42 PO 5. Norris W. Rakestraw, Acting Commander, to Capt. eff 31 Jul 42 Dec 43 Skyways Magazine. Maj. Norris W. Rakestraw was Comdr. 5 Jan 44 Roster. Maj. Norris W. Rakestraw was Comdr. 20 Jun 44 Temp. Duty Orders. Maj. Norris W. Rakestraw was Comdr. 3 Jul 45 Roster. Lt. Col. Norris W. Rakestraw was Comdr. 29 Dec 45 Nat. Hq. list gives Willard M. Fletcher as Comdr. from 12/1/41 to 7/23/42, and Lt. Col. Norris W. Rakestraw as Comdr. from 7/23/42 to date 14 May 46 Wing Commanders' Conf. Minutes. Lt. Col. Norris W. Rakestraw was Comdr. 27 Aug 46 PO 204. Maj. Walter P. Jones to Lt. Col. & Act. Comdr. vice Col. Norris W. Rakestraw relieved eff 1 Sep 46 3 Sep 46 Roster. Lt. Col. Walter P. Jones was Comdr. 10 May 49 NB Minutes. Col. Walter P. Jones was Comdr. 2 Oct 50 NEB Minutes. Approved aptmt. of Lt. Col. Edward A. Mercier as Act. Comdr. vice Col. Walter P. Jones, deceased 28 Mar 51 NEB Minutes. Approved Edward A. Mercier to Col. & Comdr. 12 Oct 63 NB Minutes. Col. Edward A. Mercier was Comdr. 9 Dec 63 PANHQ 102. Col. Neil Pansey was Comdr. (To Col. 6 Dec 63) 13 Oct 69 PANHQ 36. Lt. Col. Edgar M. Bailey; vice Col. Neil Pansey relieved, 24 Oct 69 23 Mar 70 PANHQ 13. Edgar M. Bailey to Col. & Perm. Comdr. eff 21 Mar 70

1 Nov 77 PANHQ 25. Lt. Col. Raymond J. Loynds, vice Col. Edgar M. Bailey reassigned, 5 Nov 77 12 Apr 78 PANHQ 14. Lt. Col. Raymond G. Berger aptd. Int. Comdr. vice Lt. Col. Raymond J. Loynds resigned eff 12 Apr 78 2 Oct 78 PANHQ 44. Raymond G. Berger to Temp. Col. & Comdr. eff 12 Oct 78 4 Dec 78 PANHQ 50. Raymond G. Berger to Perm. Col. eff 2 Dec 78 11 Dec 89 PANHQ 68. Lt. Col. James D. Berry aptd. Int. Comdr. vice Col. Raymond G. Berger eff 15 Dec 89 6 Mar 90 PANHQ 12. James D. Berry to Temp. Col. eff 24 Feb 90 31 May 90 PANHQ 32. James D. Berry to Comdr. eff 15 Jun 90 30 Nov 90 PANHQ 73. Col. James D. Berry reaptd. Comdr. eff 15 Dec 90 2 Dec 91 PANHQ 61. Col. James D. Berry reaptd. Comdr. eff 15 Dec 91 1 Dec 92 PANHQ 75. Col. James D. Berry reaptd. Comdr. eff 15 Dec 92 28 Oct 93 PANHQ 46. Lt. Col. Bryan W. Cooper aptd. Comdr. vice Col. James D. Berry, Temp. Col. eff 15 Dec 93. Col. James D. Berry to Perm. Col. eff 15 Dec 93 19 Nov 93 PANHQ 56. PANHQ 46, 28 Oct 93, is revoked. Lt Col Bryan W. Cooper; vice Col James D. Berry & to Temp. Col, 10 Dec 93. Col James D. Berry to Col, 10 Dec 93 30 Nov 95 PANHQ 74. Col. Bryan W. Cooper reaptd. Comdr. eff Dec 10 95 9 Sep 96 PANHQ 57. Maj. Jean C. Desmarais aptd. Comdr. vice Col. Bryan W. Cooper and to Temp. Col. eff 28 Sep 96. Col. Bryan W. Cooper to Perm. Col. eff 28 Sep 96 15 Sep 2000 PANHQ 51. Lt. Col. Anthony L. Vessella, Jr; vice Col. Jean C. Desmarais, Temp. Col. eff 1 Oct 2000. Col. Jean C. Desmarais to Perm. Col. eff 1 Oct 2000 1 Oct 2001 PANHQ 66 Col Anthony L. Vessella, Jr, completed probationary, 1 Oct 2001 26 Sep 2005 PANHQ 85. Lt. Col. Augustine Comella aptd. Comdr. vice Col. Anthony L. Vessella, Jr, Temp Col, 1 Oct 2005. Col. Anthony L. Vessella, Jr, to Perm. Col, 1 Oct 2005

Researched by Louisa S. Morse, Col, CAP Updated by Mark Hess, Lt Col, CAP (As of 15 Sept 2013)