This oil painting was presented as a gift to the 17th TCS Commander, Guy E. Ridgway, upon his assignment to PACAF Stan/Eval (Okinawa) in early 1963. The painting is unsigned, but the artist has been identified as former Firebird Navigator Ken Barker.

The following is an excerpt from a letter that was received on September 15, 1998:

"One bit of missing information I can supply. The C-130D painting, a gift to Guy E. Ridgeway, was painted by me. I was a lieutenant at the time. The squadron wanted a special going away gift for Col. Ridgeway. I agreed to do the painting.

The squadron paid me $75.00 for the painting. I didn't put my name on the front because I didn't want it to be a gift from me, but from all the squadron. I did put information on a card on the back of the painting. That may have gotten lost or framed over.

The title of the work is "490 at Dye 2." I'm glad you have found a way to share the painting. I was afraid that it was lost in someone's attic...."

Ken Barker