Check Six – 1965: Royal Guard in Washington DC

Posted on Mar 25, 2019 in 1960's, Check Six

Special Thanks to Michael Guerrero for sending this photograph to Retiree News. His grandfather Howard Guerrero served in the Hawaii Air National Guard.

Family Photograph used by permission

These Hawaii Air National Guard Airmen, members of the Royal Guard were in Washington, D.C. for President Lyndon Johnson’s inauguration. The Royal Guard marked in the Presidential inauguration parade on January 20, 1965.

In the photograph are:

Standing (L-R): Theodore Hussey (Supply), Loui McCabe (150 ACWS), Herbert Panoke (Security Police), Samuel Saffery (Flightline), Howard Guerrero, Sr. (Ground Comm), Leslie Ing (Sheetmetal), George Ah Chong (Engine), Gordon Lum (MG10 (radar)), Harry Awana (Maintenance Control), Senator Hiram Fong, Randall Lum (Weapons)

Kneeling: Larry Keahi (Sheetmetal), Paul Kealoha (Flightline), Calvin Mann (Admin), Richard Puaa (Flightline), Sonny Lee (AGE)

The current Royal Guard were created in 1962, a unit is made up of Hawaii Air National Guardsmen, who are either full Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian ancestry. The Royal Guard is ceremonial unit only and serves the Governor, for official State functions and other public functions, and descendants of the Hawaiian royalty for ceremonial functions.

An earlier Retiree News post on the road Guard at 50 years

Thanks for Randall Lum and Billy Chang who helped identify the airmen in the photograph.


The appearance of external hyperlinks did not constitute endorsement by Retiree News, this included the linked websites, information, products, or services contained therein. Retiree News did not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. Additionally, some of the sites linked to may limit the number of stories you can access without a paid subscription. All links were provided with the intent of meeting the mission of Retiree News.