I retired back in early 2007 and have since been spending a little time reconnecting with old friends.

I was stationed at Blaine AFS 1966-8 and again in 1971-2 as well as Monkey Mtn, Dong Ha, Saigon and Quang Tri in 1969-70 followed by Caswell AFS 1970-1 before finishing out my tour back in Blaine.

I'd like to hear from anyone who remembers me at any of those assignments.

Howard "Woody" Woodard

I noticed on the Radomes 921st roster that there are several that are not listed on the www.pinetreeline.org 921st roster. would be nice to see everyone on both rosters.Possibly put together a reunion?

Plank holder?

Not a plank holder, but I do have a piece of keel block from launch of CG-47, the first AEGIS Cruiser.

Looking for a little help researching some Radar equipment for an story in the PA&S museum paper. We have a Indicator OD-20/FSS7 and a Control-Monitor OK-93/FSS7 at the museum and I'm trying to find out some facts about the equipment. They are out of the FSS7 at McDill when they closed it and were AVCO equipment. Any help would be appriciated. Thanks

Plank holder at Tatalina AFS (F-10). Arrived there Oct. 1951-Nov 52 First 3 months we lived in tents- at that time there were just 36 of us. Moved into the barracks just before Christmas. I worked as a station powerman also work in the PX and once and awhile for the civilian contractors.Suppose to be a 1 year tour but was extended a few weeks. I do have some pictures taken while I was there and pictures of the bear cubs we raised. Also Gold mining in Ophia. Had a great time.

Larry: waiting for a possible recall to active duty in USAF?? it sounds like you never left. LOL

You never know when you might be called to help intercept a meteor.

I just receiveed a copy of Radar Circuit Analysis, 1951, reprint Oct 1959, US Government Printing Office, price (then) $3.25 . I paid more than that. I bought it online.

What do I intend to do with it? Study. You never know when you're going to be recalled to active duty, like in the movies, to save the world by repairing a TPS-1D, ey?

It has the signature of T. McDonald inside the front cover. No rank or serial number. If you're out there Mack, you can't have it.

I also recently purchased a copy of The Airmans Handbook. Again 1951. No name inside. I lost mine somewhere.

This is not the one I lost, because it doesn't have J****, inked in. I always marked everything as they taught us in basic, beginning with my brogands. Remember that?

In 1958 I was scheduled to transfer from 685TH, Las Cruces, NM to somewhere in Turkey. Instead that assignment was changed to 612TH at Ajo, AZ. In 1960 I was being reassigned to a Texas Tower, but I don't remember which one. Instead, that assignment was changed to the 922ND, Fox Harbor, Labrador.

John Tianen's comments below about TT-4 are most interesting, especially when one considers what might have been if certain events had been timed differently. It reminds me of another story. When I lived in northern Virginia, I became acquainted with Col-r SJ Shaffran who resided nearby, and who once had an assignment to TT-4 as its new Commander replacing Capt. Phelan. According to SJ, he arrived at Otis AFB on a Sunday, and was scheduled to be flown by helicopter out to TT-4 the next day to spend a few days with the out-going Commander before assuming command. It was that very night that TT-4 was lost in the storm! What a difference one day made, both for then-Capt Shaffran and for Capt. Phelan. SJ told me that the TT-4 tragedy and his close call still haunt him to this very day. And it's a story that I will not soon forget.

Very interesting footage of TT-4. Here's an interesting related story. One of my brothers recently remarried. When talking to his new wife, the conversation turned to my military career. I told her I worked in radar and she told me that her father had also worked in that field. Come to find out, her father was a civilian employee of Burroughs (I think) and spent time on all of the Texas Towers, including TT-4. I had an interesting phone conversation with her father and he confirmed what she had told me. He said that he left TT-4 about three weeks before it was lost. I got him to sign the guestbook for TT-4.

For those of you in the Sacramento area we have started a Sacramento Area Radar Vets Club for those of any military service. We had our first meeting in Jan at the Aerospace Museum at the former McClellan AFB. We will meet the third Thursday of each month.

Our next meeting is this Thursday, the 19th of Feb at 12 noon. The place is the VFW Post 4647 at 3300 U Street, Antelope, CA; which is just north of McClellan AFB just off Watt Ave to the left.

Lunch is usually available during the week day there and if not we have a Hometown Buffet just down the street.

We look forward to seeing you there. Wives are welcome to attend. For more details please email. If you happen to be traveling in the area you are most welcome to join us.

Anyone interested in viewing the video, "Doomed Tower at Sea," the History Channel's documentary about Texas Tower No. 4 (TT-4), go to http://deepexplorers.com/?page_id=30 and scroll down to where it says, "Push the play button to watch the video. Run time 23 minutes."

I was stationed at St. Albans AFS, with the 764th AC&W sq. and at
the 794th AC&W Sq. in Cape Newenham Ak.

I was very intrigued when I found your site. My Dad and our family was stationed at Mt. Laguna Air Force Station from 1978-1979. Even though I was in elementary school, I recognized many of the features displayed in the photographs on the site. It was nice to be able to re-live that part of my life and I applaud all those who served at this facility. Despite its remote location, the Air Force did an excellent job at maintaining a high quality of life and the people who served there contributed much to the families on the station and the country. Thanks again.

Great site! I served at the 676th Radar Squadron, Antigo AFS, Wisconsin in 1975 to 1976. 27630, Height Finder and Search Radar operator (AN/FPS UPA-35 no less).

Cheers!
Randy

I am looking for a retired CMSGT Robert (Bob) Staten who I worked for at the 679th AC&W sqd in Jacksonville Fla 1976- 1980. Any information on him wouold be appreciated.

McAfee no longer has a program suitable for Windows ME.

Actually, Larry, it's the other way around -- it is Windows ME that is not suitable for ... anything! My PC ran Windows ME when I first bought it several years ago. I had so many problems with that dog! I finally upgraded to Windows XP, and it's been smooth sailing ever since. A word to the wise ....

Everyone get ready---in 9 to 12 months, Microsoft is expected to release their new operating system---Windows 7. I'm hoping that their PR efforts will be better than with Windows Vista whereas most complaints about Vista were from happy XP users who never purchased or evaluated Vista.

RE: Windows. For those of you with some tech savvy, take one of your old PCs, and load up one of the Linux implementations. Although the Radomes work computer is Windows XP, my day-to-day business computer is running Ubuntu Linux (true 64bit dual processor support), gets updated daily - when I say so, is supported by literally thousands of people around the world, and oh, by the way is FREE! (if you download it). It does take some technical knowledge to get running, but a Windows user wouldn't have any problem running it. You can run Windows in a virtual machine, which I do for the apps that must use Windows. Most applications are free, and I've become a believer. (Pass the Kool-Aid, please). My Radomes computer and my current laptop will be the last Windows machines I ever own.

The Coast Guard aircraft at Keesler were Grumman SA-16 (or HU-16). This amphibious twin-radial-engined aircraft was known as the Albatros. (The Grumman-manufactured Widgeon was a small amphib, with seating for about 5 people, and the Grumman Goose was an amphib sized in between the Widgeon and the Albatros. I doubt either of these two models were ever used by the military.)

I recall being in my bunk at night, in the Triangle, and seeing these SA-16's takeoff to the south, with the flame from each underside exhaust stack quite visible. They were extremely noisy on takeoff.

My room was on the third floor of a barracks in the Triangle, immediately across the street from the railroad track. Between the noise of the train (unbelievable noise, transmitted by the water-soaked ground) and the noise of the SA-16s (obscene, unbelievable racket) and the occasional jet (less noisy than the train or the SA-16s, but still too loud to carry on a conversation), I early on developed the habit of sleeping on my stomach with my pillow over my head. It was two or three years after I left Keesler that I finally started to sleep with the pillow beneath my head as most normal people do.

Okay. I'm sorry I mentioned it. We're going to upgrade to Apple one of these days. Right now we just eat one for breakfast each morning.

I think the Coast Guard also used The Republic Seabee, known as The Smidgeon, or Smidgeon Tater.

It had a pusher prop engine that was mounted atop the fuselage.

It took off backwards, so it didn't make any noise. However, it stayed wet because of all the prop wash, or so I heard.

4 1/2 minutes of what? I'm always afraid of viruses at weird web sites.

Larry Jackson.... If you buy good anti-virus software and install it in your PC, it can warn you if a website you are about to visit is potentially dangerous. I use McAfee which has a site advisor feature that displays a warning if a site I am about to visit has any potential problems. As for eliminating "phishing", buy and install some anti-spam software. My internet service provider (Earthlink) has outstanding spam-blocking software that is included as part of my subscription fee. The web site that Jack Kerr refers to is safe to visit and carries a patriotic message.

I've been getting a lot of phishing email lately. This morning one was waiting for me, supposedly from the IRS, directing me toward a website. The bait was a refund amount, and the text was in big red letters. The IRS doesn't communicate by email re this info. I reported it to phishing@irs.gov .

I periodically get phishing emails supposedly from Bank of America. They're easy for mre to spot, because I don't have an account with them.

I also get them supposedly from Pay Pal, ebay, MSN, Lagos, etc. The list goes on and seems to be growing.

Am I the only victim out here, or have any of the rest of you been blessed by their visitations?

Well worth a watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFw1PgZfOg4

Jack---you're right. Well worth the 4 1/2 minutes!!

Okay. Shooting golf balls at AT6 Cadet Pilots? Is that nice? Or, as Onslo would say, "Oh, nice!"

Thanks to all of you bright and knowledgeable folk who came up with the Gruman Albatross. I entered that in MSN search and voila, about a million websites came up with an endless stream of info. Apparently a lot of people out there who have fond memories of same.

Any stories about the USAF Air Sea Rescue Unit stationed at the East end of Biloxi?

I was stationed at Murphy Dome AFS AK from 8/1976 to 8/1977.

I'm referring to the crash boat station.