To beat the Walter Winchell's son horse one more time. From a reliable source, my Mother. When I found I was heading to Keesler, MAMA said you
know Walter Winchell's son died from an infected blister her got from Marching in bad boots. Just goes to show the power of the "URBAN LEGEND"

I remember a wing parade in '65. A saturday morning. I think some Major General was retiring. We were supposed to have saturday off and we were very unhappy. Additionally, and contrary to most Keesler stories, it was cold (for Mississippi) low to mid 40's with high humidity. For some reason orders for the uniform for the parade were not clear. Summer blues... no winter blues... no summer blues with winter overcoat... NO, NO overcoats... gloves... no just glove liners... and on and on. The General was late. We waited in formation behind the chow hall (triangle area 3402nd) then as said by someone before marched out into the grass on the west side of the flight line, got our shoes wet and the bottom 6 inches of our pants wet. We stood out there for what seemed like forever and then marched in review. Again, as said before, adter marching for a ways after the review we were dismissed. I often wondered just what it looked like from the reviewing stand to see all those flights march in in nice orderly fashion, form up and then pass in review only to be dismissed and take off back to the barracks, or airman's club, like a batch of wild indians.

Keesler uniforms again. I'm sure many of us remember the uniform for the "Sets" prtion of school in the hangers was fatigues with low quarter shoes. Something about the low quarters being easier on the tile floors.

Ref: Wing Parade.

I really was there when someone was awarded the medal for the better filing system. Problem is, I never found out what the new filing system was, is?

I also remember the strange uniform mixtures. Speaking of which, one of the things I missed about Keesler, was the base laundry. I transferred out and discovered to my dismay that the 685th in Las Cruces, NM, had no base laundry. We did have a washer and dryer in each barracks, but you had to put a coin in the slot.

Ajo, AZ

I looked on a recent map and something was missing. The northern half of Ajo was actually called Gibson, when I was there, but it's no longer on the map.

I also remember our Operations Officer doing bubble checks with a C47, while getting in his required flying time. A few of us once went, by C47, to an Air Force R&R camp near Flagstaff for a couple of days. Same pilot.

Steve Richardson - Your coordinates (est.) are very close to the DYE-2 DEW Line radar station (Ice Cap 1), which is at Latitude: 66-29-30 N, Longitude: 046-18-19 W. Slowly being buried under the ice cap. There are a number of photos to be found on our DYE-2 pages. Use the RADAR SITES link on the left side, and put dye-2 in the Site ID field. Click Search and you'll get a link showing a summary of the info we have. Thanks much for letting us know you saw it.

Left Sampson in a blizzard got to keesler still in our Blues this was 1st apr.54 unpacked our sun tan uniforms never worn and out of a duffle bag(NICE!) could not get to the tailors quick enough to have shirts fitted, BIG mistake six months later and many Beers(3.2) we couldn!t get into them, also what a joy to get out of those 1 pc. bags we had as fatiques and run to BX for 2 pc. fatiques. "A" shift at Scope Dope school guard duty at base stockade what a joy, big reason to pass course because if not you were going to end up at Keesler forever in the Air Police, food service or supply, I would have gone down to the beach by the lighthouse a drowned myself.

Correction: I've been advised Walter Winchell's son "committed suicide......1968". I checked the source and this is correct. Apparently, I've been the victim of an old soldiers tale, probably picked up during my first tour at Keesler. I wonder if I've ever been wrong about anything else? JUST KIDDING!

I'd say surviving a hurricane at Keesler is a miracle. Biloxi has been devastated many times by same.

RE: Keesler AFB. Does anyone remember being in a Wing Parade. The entire compliment of troops would march to the flightline and form up in flights, squadrons, groups, troops and wing. (Or somwthing like that) 30,000 troops, or so, covered the grass just west of the runway. The reviewing stand was on the ramp, in front of the hangars. The 3392nd was always about two thirds of the way down the mass of troops. First, everyone was called to attention by the base commander, or some big wig. It reminded me of an old Navy movie. The command is given, then repeated by a dozen people, before anything is actually done. Anyway, he would yell Wing, then this was repeated down through the channels, group, troop, squadron, flight,..........TenShun! Then we were put at ease, instructed to pay "attention to orders", then various things were read and medals were awarded. I particularly enjoyed standing there in the August sun, while Airman so and so received the Commendation Medal for having designed a filing system superior to the Dewey Decimal system. Then we were again called to attention and put at parade rest. Then the command to Pass In Review, was given. The Band came to attention, began playing and marched onto the runway, turned south, then east, then north and when it passed by the reviewing stand it turned right again, halted, did an about face, now facing east beside the reviewing stand. Meanwhile, after the band pulled onto the runway the first squadron was called to attention and they began following the band. Squadron after squadron, flight after flight, and man after man. These troops continued marching past the reviewing stand, then after after a long distance, they were dismissed. They may as well have marched us straight to the Airmans Club, because after all this time, at least three hours, we were dying of thirst. Remember?

Re: Ted Clark. I also was stationed at the 633rd and apparently knew you as I was on the same TDY to Incirlik. I was a "scope dope" SSgt and remember that long flight on the C-47 stopping first at Ankara then on to Incirlik. Another troop with us was Clarence Romes. We lived in the same apartment building downtown Tripoli.

Yeah, Larry, I remember the Wing Parade all too well. I wasn't there in August, but it got hotter than the hinges of hell and humidity around 110% whenever we did it. Must have been June of 1957 or thereabouts. I left in July. Guys were passing out all over the place. I don't remember the occasion, or whether they just did this once every few months so we'd all have the fun.

I remember a large parade sometime in 1962. Uniform of the day was starched 505s and spit-shined shoes. We had to stand in ranks for an inspection before marching. Once everyone got dressed in their 505s, no one dared sit down or bend over because it would wrinkle the uniform. Before the inspection, we were marched though a grassy field that ruined everyone's spit shine. The uniforms got sweaty and wrinkled and we had to send them off to the laundry after one brief use. As for the shoes, they were spit shined again and placed under the bunk along with the other sets of "display" shoes.

Speaking of uniforms at Keesler. Does anybody remember the strange uniform mixtures we sometimes had to wear during the winter months? We would stand around the barracks until the uniform of the day was declared and then off we would go. The worst case I can remember is fatigues with Blue Overcoat. Of course we did not march for the review after class. Thi was in the 55/56 timeframe.

Gene,
I've been reviewing the info pertaining to the 633rd AC&W Squadron, Wheelus AB, Libya and I noticed some of the Radar Equipment for this unit was not identified. Anyway, during my tour of duty, 1957-1958, the unit had the following equipment: AN/MPS-7, AN/MPS-14, AN/TPS-1D and AN/TPS-10. Later in the year, the Air Force moved in a replacement for the AN/MPS-7 and this was the AN/GPS-4, an upgrade to the AN/MPS-7. The main visual difference was the removal of the electronic equipment mounted on the antenna. You can see the difference by comparing the pictures of this unit ca 1957 vs ca 1959.

Hi, I am a pilot with Northwest Airlines. Today I was flying back from Dusseldorf, Germany. Our track took us very far North, above N066 degrees, over Greenland. The weather today was absolutely spectactular today with completely clear skies.

At about N66 27.5 W046 17.0. we observed a black object protruding from the ice field below. From 36,000 feet I could not tell you how high it was sticking up but it was definitely above the ice field. Now the ice around it was completely featureless and there were now mountains anywhere near our position. This thing was sticking up from the ice out in the middle of the ice field and, literally, in the middle of nowhere. It was black or dark and appeared to have 3 globes. One globe was large and then 2 smaller on either side of the large globe. Was this a remote automated defense radar site? Neatest thing I have ever seen and really had us trying to figure out what we were looking at.

Steve Richardson
clouddancer@msn.com

Was anyone else at Keesler, in 1965, interviewed for the Secret Service? I was jerked out of class one day by an officer, and led to an unused class room with about 8 or 10 other students, already seated. None of them knew what was going on either. Two guys entered the room, dressed in black suits, ties, and sun glasses. One stood near the black board, the other sat down at the desk up front. The guy up front introduced himself as an agent of the Secret Service, and then introduced his partner. Don't remember their names. The agent explained that the Warren Commission had determined that the Secret Service needed to be at least doubled after JFK was assanated in '63, and we were on their list of candidates for the presidential communications equipment staff (ie. voice and data communications, including the Football, for PROTUS). We would be given $500.00 a month clothing allowance, receive our Air Force pay, put up in an appartment in D.C. and train during the day at the Secret Service facility. We would be expected to attend a local college at night to obtain a degree in law enforcement. It all sounded super sweet to me! The agent explained that not all of us would make the final cut, then asked if anyone wanted to leave at this time. No one's hand went up. He welcomed us all to the Secret Service and said they would see us in D.C. after our graduation from Keesler. He instructed his partner to pass out some paper work for us to fill out before we went back to class. As I was filling out the paper work the agent at the desk said, "Oh, by the way, everyone here will be twenty one years of age by August, 1967, right? (The graduation date from Secret Service training) I replied, "Sir, I won't be 21 until October of 1967." I was promptly thanked and excused, not to mention heart broken.
When I returned to the 3392nd. that day, one of the guys that was in my class room asked me why I was pulled out of class. I told him I was interviewed for the Secret Service. He split a gut laughing, and said, "Yeah, right!" A few days later almost every one at the 3392nd. school squadron that walked past me would sing a couple of lines of Johnny Rivers hit song "Secret Agent Man" and then laugh. I didn't speak of it again for years, after the ridicule I faced at Keesler. Now that I am older, the ridicule should'nt be so bad, so I recently told my family. Now, every so often, they will hum a few bars of Secret Agent Man, and giggle. Should have kept my mouth shut!
Sure would be nice if someone out there could verify the story, or tell me how to substantiate it.

Mike

Why don't you just email your message here to the Secret Service, and ask them to confirm? They have a website, as does the CIA, the TSA, etc., and they have Contact Us options.

How many have seen the movie Biloxi Blues? It reminds me that Walter Winchell's son was stationed there during WW2, and died there from food poisoning. He used to close his radio broadcast with the following. "If your son is in the military, write to him. If he's at Keesler, pray for him."

I'm to young to remember that, being 10 years old when the war ended..

RE: Open Bay Barracks at Keesler AFB>

I went through SAGE School at Keesler AFB May thru Oct.1960 we lived in two story Open Bay barracks right by the Hosp. there on Keesler.
I was assigned the 3404 Student Squadron, we pulled one solid week of KP there before starting Tech. School. There was a Hurricaine went through the area. They boarded up the barracks and we rode out the Hurricaine in our barracks.

G. Wickert

Yes, I watch The Weather Channel, and I watched their segment on Dunkirk. This was May 1940, more than a year and a half before the U.S. entered WW2. Rescuing 300,000 British and allied troops from the beaches at Dunkirk, France, across the English Channel, where they were surrounded by the Germans, gave Churchill the rallying point he needed to mobolize the defense of England, against the nazi's. Roosevelt immediately brought the U.S. to his aid, by furnishing massive amounts of war equipment, foodstuffs, etc. To do so, we had to set ourselves on a wartime production schedule. This literally saved our ass when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. We had the necessary war production facilities to supply almost immediate response, in both theaters of operation. So I ask you. Did the British radar play a role at Dunkirk????????

I finished my Basic Training at Keesler as did most of the people I encountered there. After school, we had two hours per day that could be anything from marching, to classroom instruction, to PT. It seemed to go on forever. We were also eligible for KP during the same time. I started basic in early September and didn't finish it until January. I guess the Air Force had their reasons for doing it that way. Maybe they needed to get troops through tech school faster. We had a few troops in our squadron that went through a different training program. Instead of going through the full 30332 program, they completed the basic electronics portion of the program and were then sent directly to a field assignment. Their "sets" training would take the form of OJT. I sometimes wonder how it affected their career. Those of us who completed the full course, left Keesler with two stripes and a 3 level. In my own case, I had my 5 level within the next year. Those guys in the accelerated program left Keesler with 1 stripe and not even a three level. I can only assume that it took them much longer to achieve a higher skill level and the accompanying higher rank

My 1953 basic trainig was a nine week at Sampson AFB, NY, promoted to A/3C, then off to Keesler for Fudamentals and Sets.

July 57 5 weeks at Lackland 3702 BMTSq then to Keesler a month of detail KP about two days a week. Put first coat of wax on the floor of hospital before its opening. Then 3380, 3383, 3391st Trng Sq all old wooden barracks. First six weeks of school had basic training from 0500 till 1100 daily and then fundamental electronics 1200-1800. First 3 weeks had mandatory study period 1930-2100. During that 3 weeks found out I could sleep standing up. After the basic finished we got to sleep later.

I arrive Lackland AFB Jun 1955 to begin Basic Mil. Tng. with the 3704th BMT Squadron, Flight 580. Finished BMT and promoted to A/3C prior to transfer to Keesler AFB for Electronic training. Arrived Keesler AFB 27 Sep 55, initially assigned to 3383rd Processing Squadron prior to beginning of formal training. Assigned to Basic Electronic training and transferred to 3402nd Student Squadron (2 story, WW II type wooden barracks. Upon completion of Fundaments, I was transferred to the 3388th Student Squadron for Sets in March 1956. It was at this juncture of my Keesler assignment in which we bagan to experience the two-tier training concept, with the arrival of AB airmen who finished their BMT while jointly beginning basic electronic fundamentals. Departed KAFB May 1956, heading for my first duty assignment. Just wondering if there may be some Radar Veterans who may have shared this same time frame with me.

The 629th AC&W Squadron, Udine AS, Italy was inactivated in 1957 with its' equipment, the AN/MPS-7 & AN/MPS-14, being shipped to Incirlik AB, Turkey in the fall of 1957. While assigned to the 633rd AC&W Squadron, Wheelus AB, Libya, a large group of officers and airmen were sent TDY to Incirlik AB to operate and maintain this equipment during some tention between Turkey and one of its' neighboring country's in the fall of 1957. Later, during my next assignment to the 727th AC&W Squadron, Myrtle Beach AFB, SC, we were briefed on a TDY trip by our sister site, 728th AC&W Squadron, Shaw AFB, to the same Turkey location and were maintaining and operating this equpment during the spring/summer of 1958.

Larry: in '56, most basic trainees went only thru "First Phase" at their training base - 4 weeks. Then shipped out to Tech School. Their basic training was finished at Tech School. I managed to do all 12 weeks of basic (or whatever the whole deal was - can't remember), and then went to Tech School. I started Pre-GIC at Lackland after 1st phase, heading for TI school. Then I washed out after just a short time because I was too young. Man, am I glad! But it was nice in Pre-GIC: considered permanent party, no details, 6:00 am-4:00 pm training day, etc. What a shock to go back to reality after that.

larry, the california basic site was parks afb near san francisco.

Served at McChord AFB, Tacoma,WA in 635th AC&W from Jan.1951
Thru Sept.1954

More to my msg of 2-16 below. When I joined in 53 there were three basic traing bases with their lovable TI's. Sampson AFB, NY, Lackland AFB, TX and somewhere in California. I didn't know basic was available at Keesler.

I was watching the Match Play Championship in Tucson, until I got on the computer. They did a beautiful shot of Mount Lemmon, with a little snow on top. I also heard a B2 bomber crashed, but missed the details.

Our modern-day BMEWS counterparts played a role in the satellite shot. From the Air Force Assn "Daily Report" 2/22/2008:

USAF Played Big Role in Satellite Shot: Air Force personnel and expertise as well as its space-monitoring assets contributed much to the US military's successful intercept of a doomed American intelligence satellite on Feb. 20, USAF's top space general said Thursday (see above). "Air Force Space Command and our space surveillance network and our space situational awareness and our ability to understand the space environment were all critical and significant players in that activity," Gen. Robert Kehler, commander of Air Force Space Command told an audience at AFA's Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando. Speaking after his presentation to reporters, Kehler elaborated, saying AFSPC's space-surveillance assets were in use for weeks prior to the shootdown mission to help plan it and will continue to monitor the remains of the satellite for weeks to come. "Maintenance of the catalog [of on-orbit objects], doing collision avoidance and then the analytical capability that we could bring from various parts of Air Force Space Command were all used here in a substantial way," he said. "Air Force ground- and space-based sensors presented to US Strategic Command were part of the sensor network and played a big role, both in tracking the target ahead of time, giving precise target location ahead of time, and then in monitoring both the launch and the impact and then the post-[shot] debris assessment."

-Michael C. Sirak

In addition to my role with this website (Radomes, Inc.), I am also still a working stiff who just happens to work at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ, where the Standard Missile 3 [SM-3] interceptor is made (as well as the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle [EKV], part of our Ground-based Midcourse Defense [GMD] missile-defense system). As you have read by now, SM-3 was used to destroy that defunct spy satellite using hit-to-kill technology. What I really want to underscore, though, is what Gene said below. Radar is, and always will be, a major part of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System -- incoming missiles have to be detected and tracked before any interceptor can engage. Our 'PAVE PAWS' radars such as those at Beale AFB and Clear AFS play a major role in the BMDS detection and tracking process. In Missile Defense Agency [MDA] circles, those radars are referred to as Upgraded Early-Warning Sensors, or UEWS. Anyway, radar is now -- and will always be -- a major player in this arena. Any successful intercept begins with radar and other sensors.

Wow to all involved in the intercept!

Back in my day in Las Cruces, I used to hang out at The Amador Hotel's Pinto Bar, as did others, a few tech reps and Professor Brown, Dean of Electrical Engineering at New Mexico A & M, now New Mexico State. He showed us an early transistor radio, about the size of two cigarette packs side by side. This was 1956, and that was small then. He also told us he had AF Tech Manuals in the school library, for all the equipment we were using at the site. The Amador Hotel is (WAS?) unique, in that it's rooms had girls names, instead of room numbers. The story is, travelling salesmen were always getting into trouble, if someone found they had reserved Rosita for the night. :-)

Ref my 2-16 entry re basic at Sampson. Flight 2843 was the first 60 man flight in some time. Previous flights were 30 men each. I think this was because of the building tensions around the world.

Dining Halls. FYI I love SOS. Honest!

Mike The Head of T&O at the 3392nd, when I was there in 55 was T/Sgt Haude. He made M/Sgt while I was there. I was awaiting orders to ship to 685th, Las Cruces, NM.

I was at Keesler from 12-64 to 9-65 in the 3402nd on the north point of the triangle. And, the barracks still were no air conditioned. We were the last squadron marching across the flight line to class. Basic electronics on B-shift and Sets/off-site on C-shift. Boy was I glad to be on C-shift during the summer. This northern boy did not take to the heat well. I remember the mini-BX in the 3383rd. Don't remember Embassy Club but I do remember Falstaff and some kind of malt liquor -- both awful stuff unless you had a real "thirst." Then it all went down well. Anyone remember Pearls outside gate 7 on Pass Road. The day I left Keesler I had to go drag Dave Adams out of there so we could drive home. It was his car but I drove all the way to Central New York while he slept. Had to feel sorry for him though as he was on his way Kotzebue and I was on my way to MacDill (Tampa). BTW anyone remember old Dave? I never heard from him again.

My son visited Keesler a year or two ago, after Katrina. He said they had a museum open in one of the old barracks. He's a ex volunteer firefighter and an EMT, so his equivalents at the base fire department escorted and/or directed him on a self tour of the base. He did say everyone was pretty busy. Of course, he'd never seen it before, so he wouldn't recognize any "changes". I do remember cigarettes at the BX were $0.15 per pack.

Gary Jacobs, entry 2-17-2008. I note by choosing Air Defense Radar Equipment above, then clicking on Manual Ops Equipment, you can find some intercept computers and, slide rules, etc. Boy! One step up from signal flags, ey?

Gene & Tom....I love "Radar Through the Ages" by Varian. I remember reading those fantastic ads in "Electronics" magazine when I was working at Hazeltine in the 60s & 70s. Wish I could see more of them.

Okay, so it was the US Navy---but, BINGO. A direct hit at approx 150 miles above the earth to destroy a malfunctioning spy satellite. The satellite was destroyed not by the missile exploding, but by a direct hit. Kudos to the Navy from a bunch of guys who remember radar systems that were a little less accurate "back in the day."

Served in the Colo. ANG, 33rd Air Division HQ at Cherry Hill, Okla., and finally at Turkey Hill, Ill., the 798th AC&W Squadron in 1950-51. Our base in Illinois was so secret the Air Police on the gate at Scott AFB knew nothing about it. However, a cab driver did. Enjoyed the Circus Room at the Hotel Belleville listening to a quartet of musicians jam Maple Leaf Rag and other songs of the times.

Re: Keesler. Since we've started the subject, I was in the 3388th when I attended in 1956-57. One side of the sqdn was for basic trainees, the other was for those of us who completed basic before coming to Keesler (me, e.g.). This was in the old WW-II wooden barracks on the southeast side of the base. "A" shift for both BE & sets. I revisited in 1984 when my son was going thru the program (A-10 electronics) and the old barracks was still standing then. This was a big surprise, because most were gone.

For Larry Jackson - re: switching radar to avoid jamming. We did the same thing with FPS-3 & FPS-8 at Minot "back in the day". Same deal, SAC got all nervous & jerky because we weren't playing "fair". Tough noogies, we splashed a lot of'em right thru thier jamming.

Gene...At Havre, we did a similar act with our FPS-3 & FPS-8, except that we kept both running. With the FPS-8 running at 3X the power of the FPS-3, the AJ efforts were focused on the higher-powered FPS-8, leaving the FPS-3 free to track the "hostiles".

I really enjoy Radomes, Inc. I am considering joining the organization.I need to find out the whats, whos hows, etc.

Another survivor of the 3392nd here, Feb 65 to Oct 65. Herk Randall, do you remember the head T. I. of the 3392nd, the ever loveable TSGT Gonzales? What a sweetheart. He used to carry two complete freshly pressed uniforms to work with him every day. You could hear him yelling at his troops passing in review, two blocks away. We really loved that guy. Do you remember Betsy? After she blew through, we were all amazed, upon returning from the shelter of the hangers, that the old wooden barracks were still standing. And did you ever hear any of the jam sessions in one of the barracks in the old 3392nd? I think the guy’s name was Bonellie, or something like that. He had an electric accordion with a vacuum tube amp that he could make sound like a whole band. And how about the edition Man’s Illustrated magazine that wrote an exposé of how the prostitutes in Biloxi were ripping off the guys from the base. The Sheriff confiscated them all from the local stores before most of the guys could get a hold of a copy. Ahh, those were the days!
Hey, does any body know where I could get a map of Keesler as it was in 1965? I looked at some older satellite photos, and am trying to figure out where the buildings were located when I was there, especially the 3392nd. I e-mailed Keesler, but I guess they are still pretty busy with the clean up and all. I wonder when they might be up to having another Air Show. I’d like to get back down there again, it’s only been forty years. I hear things have changed drastically, and that it’s closed to the public.

Larry Jackson..How weird. I was at Keesler from Feb 65 till Dec 65. I was in the 3392 student Sq. in the wooden barracks just down the street from the NCO club. But at that time it was the 3410 Tech Training Group. And the concrete barracks were still the Triangle area. I drove through Keesler right after Katrina. What a change.

Ref. Msg. from Larry Jackson and Herk Randall. I was also in the 3392 Student Sqd. from Jun. 1956 to Jan. 1957 in the old wooden buildings. Then off to the 602nd AC&W at Giebelstadt, DE and back to Keesler in Aug. 58 . In 3380th Maint, Sqd. assigned to the Annex off of Pass Rd. where I worked for SGT C. Bowels until March 1960. From there to Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. and on to Bendix Fld. Eng. Corp. for 30 + yrs. on Air Force, Navy, and NASA contracts
Would like to hear from anyone who remembers me.

Wow! It's amazing how many of us are still around from the 3392nd. When I went back for TDY training. I was A/1C, and they made me a barracks chief for a newly formed barracks. Two men from each of the other barracks, and their barracks chief got to select the departees. When I got back from class, there was an inspection report tacked to mydoor. In larger red letters, the First Sgt had written. I delayed that, by checking my mail first , and lo and behold...There was a set of orders from my duty squadron in Ajo, AZ promoting me to S/Sgt. I moved to the Student NCO Barracks, second barracks on the right. I still pity the man who replaced me as barracks chief. :-)

correction. Sentence should have read...on my door, signed by the First Sgt., and he had written in large red letters, "See Me!".

Tora! Tora! Tora! Remember the radar station on top the mountain in the National Park, manned by two men? Was that a TPS-1D? We had one at the 685th in Las Cruces, NM. It looked similar. I know the four or five components were each transportable by two men, or so they taught us. Also, we had a training computer in a gray box about 2x2 4. It generated mock attack and intercepts and displayed them on our scopes. What was that? We used to tick off SAC, when they'd come at us with jamming runs. We left the MPS-7 running at 5 RPM, but we also left the TPS-1D running at 5 RPM. We turned the transmitter on for 1/4 of a sweep, then turned it off for a full sweep, then back on for another 1/4 sweep, then off again. Each minute we'd get a full sweep, but they never intercepted our frequency. This wasn't my idea, but it worked. We had no problem tracking them. SAC made us quit, because "It wasn't fair."

Havre-ites!

Many thanks to Gene for posting the sales offer regarding Anchor Academy (Havre AFS). At the Havre page, look for Documents. The site is posted for $599,000. Anyone got pockets? I did not know if Gene would post this as it is a “commercial offering”. I visited the site in September, only to find it padlocked, guarded by 4 good-looking horses (some of my photos are posted as “Recent Photos”).

Regarding Keesler, I was at the 3394th (1960-61) in the Triangle, which is now radically changed. Gone are all the squadron buildings, save for one in the S/W corner. Likewise, after Katrina, the Main Base is undergoing major changes. In short, Keesler does not resemble what it was in the ‘60s, or the ‘90s for that matter.

Larry Jackson: The ''Pearl Harbor'' radar was type SCR-270. One is on display at the Historical Electronics Museum near Baltimore, MD. We have a little information about the SCR-270 radar on our ''Radar Equipment'' page.

James Warrick, RE 1-31 entry. I shipped out of McGuire in August of 60. Does that mean I'm radioactive and doomed? :-(

I spent my Keesler days (1961 and 1962)in the 3383rd which was in the southeast corner of the triangle. Those of us in the triangle area felt lucky because our barracks were modern compared to the old wooden WWII barracks still in use on the main part of the base. I was on the "A" shift when I started tech school, moved on to "B" shift for the sets portion and then on to "C" shift for the last few weeks. "C" shift was best; no getting up at 4:00 AM and marching across a cold and dark flight line like the "A" shift. Since we went to school at night, I recall we were exempt from most of the chicken-sh*t details that we had to put up with on the other shifts. In those days, the barracks had no A/C so they could be uncomfortable for sleeping in the warmer months. We slept on top of the bed in our shorts and tee shirts. We had a mini-BX in the 3383rd so we could conveniently buy beer and snacks. They sold an especially bad and cheap rot-gut beer called Embassy Club. As I recall, you could buy three quarts for a buck. It was putrid stuff but to us 18 year olds, it was like nectar from the gods.....

John-------------Embassy Club!!!! How could any of us ever forget the champagne of beer in 61! Almost brought a tear to my eye.
Billy Brooks, 3385th (main base, old barracks}, , AC&W Radar Maint, Keesler, July 61-July-62.

Great to see so much activity in the Guestbook.
Anyone out there from duty on the Connies at McClellan or from 666th at Mt Tam, Ca, in late 50ms? Iceland 1957?

Now on e-Bay, unrelated to me in any way: 1951 Air Force R-1 Radar Aid Computer, Item no.: 290206438673; looks like a plastic circular slide rule. I think I've heard of these, but might be mistaken. Perhaps the radar group mind knows of this item. I don't.

Speaking of New York, I took basic training at Sampson AFB, Geneva, NY, Flight 2843, September 53 to December 53, then transferred to Keesler for electronics and sets, 3392nd Student Squadron, 3400th Tech Training (Group, Troop, Wing, ????)This was in the old two story wooden barracks area. The concrete barracks across the flight line were brand new, and referred to as the triangle area. I also worked in the T&O Office.

As I continue to peruse these pages, I discover things new to me. The 34th Air Division, 1958 was swallowed by the 28th Air Division by 1960. (685th Las Cruces, NM and 612th Ajo, AZ)

What was the name and number of the AC&W Sq, on top of Mount Lemon, near Tucson, AZ? I don't see it listed?

FYI: 612th, Ajo, AZ. When I was there, 58-60, the Power Plant contained four White 250KW Diesels. They didn't have a dummy load, so the tech rep and operators made one from a 55 gallon drum full of insulating oil, and a roll of heavy gauge ground wire. (The bare stuff)

Larry Jackson: Try ''Mount Lemmon AFS'' (note that there are 2 ''m''s in ''Lemmon''). That will work. By the way, the assigned AC&W squadron / Radar Squadron (SAGE) was the 684th. This former radar site is now an observatory operated by the University of Arizona and several other universities. On clear days, I can see one of the telescope domes from my back window. -- Tom

RE: SAGE COMPLEX Buildings at the Old Hancock Field, Syracuse NY. The buildings themselves have been taken over by a Civilian Firm who is using them for storage as of 2008. The old Base Gym is now a distribution center for a Drug store chain. The area North of the SAGE Building now has three New Business buildings there. All the Barracks, old Manual CC.Theator and HQTRs building have been leveled and removed.

G. Wickert

Regarding SAGE DC disposition. The PANY (Port Authority of New York/New Jersey) recently acquired Stewart Airport (Stewart AFB) & has plams to demo the SAGE Direction Center for a new passemger terminal. HankB

Re Hank Brand's comments below about the old SAGE DC blockhouse at the former Stewart AFB. Those plans have been going around for several years now. There has been similar talk about the former SAGE DC/CC blockhouses at Hancock Field / Syracuse IAP. We're hoping neither demolition takes place ... but, I guess that would be ''progress'' for you. Hank, please keep us posted as to further updates. Thanks. -- Tom

Hello, all,

I am seeking anyone who was assigned to the 801st Radar Squadron at Malmstrom's SAGE building in 1967. My dad, SMSgt. Robert E. Hastings, worked at SAGE at the time, as the Supply NCOIC, and provided materiel support for the squadron. But he is gone now, and I have a few questions for anyone who worked there at the time.

Thanks much,
Robert L. Hastings

Tom, All
As you may remember I have relocated to the Northwest. I was on McChord AFB today. They were placing an F-16 on display next to the F-4 and the FPS-26 Antenna in front of the old SAGE building which is still the NW air defense sector. There was a pretty good size crowd watching as they had some very heavy equipment lifting it into place. As I understand it, the 26 antenna is the one that was at Makah (Neah Bay) when I was there in the early 70's.

FYI Larry Jackson, The large diamond shaped antenna you refer to is called a RHOMBIC antenna, it is a broad band directional antenna

RE: 685th AC&W, Las Cruces, NM. 1955-58. Radar equipment was the TPS-1D, TPS-10D, MPS-7, FPS-6A, MARK10 IFF. Site designation M95 implies the equipment was mobile. Nothing was mobile, except the NCO Club, which was housed in the scavenged operations tent that came with the radar equipment. I was the squadron electronic test equipment inspector. My job was to once a week gather up all test equipment that needed calibration and/or repairs and take it to White Sands Proving Ground, to their calibration lab. No, I did not meet Werner Von Braun, but I was invited to "C" station launch pad, and from their bunker witnessed the launch of a Nike Hercules. I also scrounged some "found on post" radio equipment equipment from their communications section, enabling our HAM radio operator, A/1C Robert W. Meitzen, 30332B, personal call signal K5FIZ, to set up and activate our own MARS station. Where are you Bob? You're not on the roster? Also I didn't see these names on the roster, all radar maint techs. Lowell E. Futch, Allen B. Rice. The late M/Sgt Charles E. Gates was our section chief. We stay in touch with his family. Back to the radio story. While tuning it up around midnight one night, before going on the air for the first time, we heard a station on Eniwetok Atoll calling any station in the Las Cruces, NM area. I begged him to answer them and finally he did, albeit begrudgingly. They immediately called back and asked if we had a phone patch. We didn't, but we did relay messages to wives and familys that night for at least two hours. For some reason, White Sands MARS Station couldn't reach them. He stopped tuning up. We installed a phone patch, and White Sands sent some trucks, com personnel, four really tall wooden poles, and they installed a huge antenna for our MARS station. I only know the antenna was a big diamond shape.

612th AC&W, Ajo, AZ, 1958-60, radar equipment was the FPS-20A, FPS-6D (D?), MARK10 IFF, GPA-23 computer, and I think the FPS-14 gap filler. This site was designated TM-181, meaning temporary mobile. This was a rock solid installation. The story told me was that Congress allowed just so many P-sites (Permanent) and no more. Mobile, then temporary mobile, was a way of getting around this limitation. Ain't science wunnerful?

By popular demand, we have now added Canadian radar stations that were originally or continuously USAF manned (Pinetree Line and 64th Air Division). All you veterans who were once stationed at any of those sites may now populate the respective 'Site Rosters' with your personal assignment information.

I was stationed at the 615th AC&W radar site in Prum, Germany from 1958 - 1960. I was a radar maint. airman 1st class. I was transfered to the 602nd AC&W site in Giebelstadt, Germany in 1960 leaving there in 1961. My wife and I are visiting family in Olzheim, Germany in June of this year (2008).
I really enjoyed this web site.
Thanks

In reply to an email yesterday from T. Page, I advised that I designed the Squadron Emblem for the 612th AC&W Squadron, in Ajo, AZ. The emblem is a bit busy by any standards. This was a brand new site, and everything needed doing. The CO was ordered by HQ, 34th Aird Division, to start a "Squadron Beautification Project", and they suggested he implemant contests with a cash prize, toward that goal. I loved that idea, so I entered the grounds landscaping contest, and the squadron emblem contest, winning both. I submitted some color pencil drawings of the squadron area, showing all the cacti relocated in neat little rows and winding pathways around the barracks and other main buildings. In the center of the squadron area I located a huge rock garden with the squadron emblem as it's central theme. Shortly thereafter, I went TDY to Keesler to attend an upgrade course on the FPS-20. I was there ten weeks, and while there, received orders that I had been promoted to S/Sgt. Being TDY probably saved my life. The squadron wasn't yet operational so everyone there had plenty of free time. Guess what they had to do with that free time? Hint. It had to do with relocating several hundred cacti, etc. When I returned after ten weeks, I discovered I was not the winner of the favorite son medal. Oh well. Dr. Lamb. Is that the kind of material you're looking for? :)

served at murphy dome acw (744th) 2-66 thru 2-67. Colonel Tidwell was the commander.

I am Colonel(Ret) Michael Lamb and started my AF career as an enlisted computer and radar technician serving at Charleston AFS, Mt Hebo AFS and Cambria AFS. I left that duty to enter AECP and earned my electrical engineering degree in 1983 and then worked through the ranks --from AB to TSgt and then 2Lt to Colonel retiring last year after 36 years.

I am staring work on a third PhD program; this one will be in History. I have proposed a dissertation topic on “Air Force Radar Squadrons: Life and History.” I have thought naming the final product possibly "R*A*D*S*" as RADS was our acronym for radar squadron.

I would like to include stories from old radar squadron troops that manned these stations. I proposed breaking the work into three time frames: 1950-1960, 1960-1970, and 1970-1980 (when most sites were eventually closed).

I am looking for both funny and serious anecdotes and stories from those days and I know there are a lot out there. These will add to telling the history and story of what radar squadron duty was truly like.

There should be a book or such about radar duty, what it was like to work there, what it was like to live there, and what we did for the nation during those timeframes. We were there before ICBMs and space, guarding the nation in sometimes remote locations even in CONUS! We went through tube technology to transistors to several generations of integrated circuits. We worked 24/7, we scrambled aircraft, we tracked aircraft, we did war games, we repaired systems, and we cannibalized parts and did what we needed to do to maintain green time.

You can send these to me at:

Dr. Michael W. Lamb, Sr.
9A Officers Road
San Pedro, CA 90731

Or send electronically to: mlamb_sr@hotmail.com

Any help would be appreciated!

Mike

USAF, 30352B, S/Sgt P1, 1953-61, Keesler,53-55, Las Cruces, NM, 685th AC&W, 55-58, Ajo, AZ, 58-60, Fox Harbor & Cartwright, Labrador, Canada, 60-61, 922nd AC&W. Turning age 73 this year, hopefully. :)

For Phillip Rogers: We chose not to duplicate the efforts of Ren L'Cuyer and the Pinetree Line web site (www.pinetreeline.org). We have a couple of the US/RCAF sites in our database, which had U.S. roots, though.

Re Philp (TAFF) Rogers' post below. Yes, we are limited to U.S.-manned sites. Separate sites cover the Canadian sites; see http://www.pinetreeline.org/, http://www.lswilson.ca/mcl.htm, and http://www.lswilson.ca/dewline.htm. These are also linked from our menu on the left; scroll down and click on ''Pine Tree Line,'' ''Mid-Canada Line,'' and/or ''Canadian DEW Line,'' respectively.

I believe that 8 of the 44 Pinetree Line sites were completely manned by USAF military--4 each on the 2 coasts. Cartwright AS, where I served, was one of those. The Pinetree Line site does cover those 8 radar sites, but since they were USAF-manned do they qualify for coverage here in Radomes?

Also, although Ren's wife does keep up the web site, I don't think she has the ability to keep up with much new material; for example, I don't think there have been very many (if any) pictures posted since Len's death. The message facility appears to be still functional, though.

I forgot to mention--anyone interested in seeing pictures of Cartwright, Labrador and the former radar site can find mine here: http://travel.webshots.com/album/547974558aQkAPZ .

I forgot to mention, the Ajo, AZ, AFS was the 612th AC&W Squadron. The page for this AFS says it was activated in 1959, but I arrived as part of the initial crew on Feb 12, 1958. We were housed in the local hotel in Ajo for a week or so, until the barracks were opened. The site was still under construction, and none of the radar or communications equipment was installed. There were three 40 man barracks, two for enlisted men andone for NCO's and Officers. The barracks were made of concrete block, air conditioned, thank God, had private rooms, 3/4 size hollwood beds with inner spring mattresses, and closets. We still shared a latrine on each floor.My previous site had quonset huts with plastic windows and evaporative coolers. This was a decided improvement! I made S/Sgt while stationed here. I spent the first ninety days helping the supply section set up the electronics section of their facility, and then we started changing all Air Force Stock Numbers to Federal Stock Numbers. We had more than 50,000 items to change, all in a Cardex filing system. The GSA was also beginning its' operation about the same time. That's when the gray vehicles with black lettering began to appear. I could write a book, ey. How many of us have said that and how many times?

Confirming David Casteels comments. The 922nd at Cartwright Labrador and her gap fillers were all manned by USAF personnel. The compliment, as I remember, was between 200-300 men. The techreps were Canadian Marconi Company and Bendix. Headquarters was at Goose Bay which was a SAC Base. At least that's where we got our supplies. I've twice emailed Ms Ren regarding making a small donation, but no reply.

Your site is very interesting but limited to USAF sites, What about the sites that US/Canadian service men and women manned jointly over the yrs?

Looking for any information about IFF (articles, CDC's, photos, manuals etc) for a research project. If you have any questions feel free to contact me at genehellickson@mobileradar.org
Thanks

I was looking up some information on the CPS-6 radar (on this web site) and saw that 85 freight cars were required for transporting that model. WOW!!!! It was either a monster of a radar set or the 85 freight cars is in error. For a radar designed in the 1940s, that number (85) seems awfully high. Any comments???

Re Gary Jacobs' post below re the upper limit for AN/FPS-26 radar height detection. This is one piece of information we do not have on our equipment listing, so I contacted one of my old AFETS techs (Mr. Bob Godsey, rg107@bellsouth.net) from my Fort Fisher AFS days. Bob earlier worked for Avco, the company that designed and manufactured the AN/FPS-26 height-finder radar (and also the AN/FSS-7 SLBM radar). Per Bob's recollection, the upper altitude limit of the AN/FPS-26 radar was 100,000 feet. Hope this helps. -- Tom

I just found radomes.org yesterday. Googled "air defense command" while just killing time/resting from working on my taxes. AMAZING site. I have been "killing time" on it since then (probably 10 hours total clock time).

I was stationed at MacDill from Oct. 65 to Sept. 68 working on the FPS-26 and it's initial conversion to an FSS-7. I was part of the crew that cut off the old rubber radom, removed the height finder antenna, and installed the new antenna. After that task was completed I was moved to the squadron (660th RS) maintenance control center amd worked for MSGT Brown (JD?).

As I remember the max height for the 26 was 100,00 feet. Of course that was at some distance away because the antenna did not tilt back very far.

Again... GREAT site. I will be stending more time on it and trying to contact old acquaintances.

By the way... is there a way to search the data base. I am most interested in trying locate some of the guys I went through tech school at Keesler with.

Hey guys,love what you are doing here.Would love to get in touch with some of the guys I was with at 649th radar squadron,Bedford air force station,va.I was there from oct. 1959 thru may 1963.

Now on e-Bay unrelated to me in any way: 781ST Radar Sq (SAGE) Patch; Item no.: 230218496775.

Also, the entries below got me thinking, and trying to remember, as a former 26A heightfinder type: What was the upper limit for height detection? My apolgies if the answer is: Find it easily on our equipment listing or some such.

Was at Ft Fisher from March 1963 till November of 1965 I believe is when I departed.
Civil Engineers,Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.
Retired from Air Force Oct 1982