After graduation
from Weather Observer School (AFSC25231) at Chanute AFB, IL and a short leave at home in
Tomah,
WI. I took my “new” 1947 Ford from Tomah to Chicago and got on the famous
route 66…drove on my first divided highway, experienced my first toll
booth, drove through the Ozarks, met some really great people and finally
arrived at arrived at Tinker in June of 1960.
I checked in at the orderly room, an old T
series building…facing the orderly room, the supply building was directly
across, the 6th Weather Squadron motor pool was on the left.
Somewhere past the motor pool was the chow hall. The first person I met in the orderly room
was Mr. Stricker CWO W4… I snapped to attention thinking that he was the
commander. After a chuckle I was send to the office at the end of the
building and reported in to Col. Pusin.
I was assigned to the barracks… on the
corner directly across from the gym. I remember going to supply reporting
in to Sgt “Digger” Crowder to get linens etc., then to the post office
etc. (photo’s in barracks)
The next thing I recall is that we “new”
troops were introduced to “South 40”… the introduction sticks in my mind
vividly… we got the honor of unloading a truck load of helium tanks and
racking them. Having been raised in Wisconsin, I hadn’t experienced the
heat, wind and blowing red sand of Oklahoma…nor the abundance of sand
burrs. I quickly found out what a Jamesway was and enjoyed the air
conditioning…in Wisconsin only the restaurants had that! As I recall our
OJT consisted of time at S 40, the training building and lots of details
around the squadron, sorting linen, moving boxes, policing the truck
parking lot. We also got to help assemble the gear for projects that were
scheduled. There was of course ample time for “breaks” at the BX.
I had met a girl at Chanute that was a lot
more serious than I… her dad was a retired General. I discovered that
dependants of general officers could do about anything… when I was summoned
to the flight line to meet her… she had decided to come down for a few
days! She stayed at the Fleet Wood apartments with Bruce Egger and his
wife.
Somewhere during that time frame, I met
Sgt. Clifford T. Jones at S 40. Cliff was forming a team for a short
project to Utah…it was called “Team 8”. I was really interested in
getting out “on project” after spending time at S 40. I also felt a real
need to get as far from Tinker as possible for awhile! This project was
classified, I don’t think we had mail service and damn sure didn’t have
phones.
In a heart beat, I talked to Sgt. Jones and
volunteered for the project. He took me to the orderly room to meet with
Mr. Stricker.. I was assigned to Team 8 by Col. Pusin.
Ed Hermann and I were assigned to our “own”
deuce and half Truck. (photo) By the time we were ready to depart,
that truck shined like Ed’s boots! We became proficient in Rawin… at least
we thought we were… we could fill and launch a balloon at S 40… learned the
techniques for using a reel to launch… and I loved working the winds… in
those days it was anything to stay away from the charts!! (photos)
I recall that we got some OJT at Ravu also… enough for me to be sure that
more excitement awaited “on Project” than stuck at Tinker.
On a Wet muggy morning in August we formed
up our convoy in the motor pool parking lot… to suffer through an
invocation by Col. David C. Barrow. I remember vividly watching the look
on SGT. Jones’ face…decided right then that I NEVER wanted to get on his
wrong side, and I don’t think I ever did! At any rate we finally got on
the road… I believe that we had 5 or 6 trucks and the 5 ton van with the
hydrogen generator and a Jeep.
The first night out we made it to Liberal
Kansas (To be continued)
Operation Horse Stall
Wendover Bombing and Gunnery Range (R 258)
Site Location: Lakeside Test Site, Utah
September 1960
