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Judy Wilson
22 March 2013
My father T/Sgt Harry Wilson can be seen in several pictures you have posted on your web site. One with a weather balloon at Kapingamaragi and the other he is third from the right on the bottom row Rongerick 1956. I am sorry say he passed away in 1974 from cancer. I sent a copy of his obituary to your web site but I see from your notice you were having trouble with e-mails I was very excited to find the pictures and thank you for posting them. My brother and I were very young while dad was stationed at Tinker so to learn about his time there was very interesting. Thank you so much for this piece of history and your service. Judy Wilson
Billy
Pruett
16 January 2011
Great site. I served with Fred Nitchie from Jan '82 until July '85. We worked with Chief Larry Scoggins, MSgt Sam Simmons, Jimmy Tynes, Dave Beets, A.J. Sandbothe, and many others whose names unfortunately escape me at the moment. Easily some of the best times of my Air Force Career. I also have some old pics I could forward. Most of these are from BAMM projects at Roswell and Corpus; as well as some from Europe. Fair skies and following winds, Billy D. Pruett, MD, Col (s), USAF, MC , SFS, RAM '12
Ron Wavrin
23 September 2010
My name is Ron Wavrin and I was in the 2060th Mobile from May 1950 to Feb 1956, later the 6th. Mobile. Went on Project Cannonball to White Sands N. Mex in July 50 and then to Castle AFB in Calif. in nov 50. Went to Nev testsite in July 51 with Bill Throgmorton, Red Brow, and Capt. Bogavitch was in charge. Went on special assignment to Recife, Brazil in Mar. 1953 with Russ Bergen and G. Voneski, and WO Bob Ridenour. I was in Brazil for nearly 3 yrs. I went thru radiosonde school with member Ken Zinke. Saw his picture on the website. Also read obits on Ridenour, Eugene Patin, Jackie Vanmetre , I worked with all. Was married in Tinker base chapel and my oldest son was born in the base hospital. Ron Wavrin...
Gilala Dunning
10 June 2010
Hi, My name is Gilala Dunning! I was born in Kapingamarangi! And moved to Nukuoro when I was 4 years old! Got married when I was 21 years old! Came to America with my husband when I was 23 years old! So I was looking for some of Kapingamarangi’s history. Then found your wonderful site. So learned a lot of what you had wrote in your website.
Harold R. Wainscott
24 March 2010
Hi, My name is Harold Wainscott. I just found your site. For several years I had a site called The Wetokian. Keith Whittle kept it up and going for many of us from IVY MIKE days (1952). He took it down a couple years ago. I was also on Eniwetok during HARDTACK (1958). Involved with one of the first attempts to forecast tropical weather using computer modeling. Witnessed all of the test shots in and around the atoll and some at Bikini. Enjoy your site. Thanks, Harold R. Wainscott
LeRoy Haske
1 February 2010
My name is LeRoy Haske and I want to tell you how thrilled and excited I was to find your excellent website. For over 50 years I have been reminiscing about my experiences while working at the Pacific Proving Grounds atomic bomb test site in 1956 qnd 1957, but I never had much information and no pictures to fulfill my thoughts. Now I have. I was a civilian employee stationed on Parry Island adjacent to Eniwetok working for the company that provided the construction support at the bomb sites and the facilities for the Air Force weather stations. During Operation Redwing my duties as a mechanic were to assist the maintenance personnel at the stations with the maintenance and repair of the electric generating units. During that time I made numerous trips to each of the stations on Kusaie [Kosrae], Rongerik, Kapingamarangi and Tarawa. Many times I traveled with Lt. Col Pusin [then Major Pusin I believe] and he arranged my flights with the flight crews. Most of the trips were one or two days in length but I did get to stay for a week on Tarawa to repair a unit and on Kusaie for a week while the station medic treated an ear infection that I developed. He didn't want to fly me out and I am grateful for his decision. I had never been associated with Air Force personnel before but I was familiar with military living conditions. Barracks, mess halls, latrines, etc having spent three and one half years in the 95th Infantry Division in World War II including a year overseas during the fighting in France and Germany, and I want to say that the friendliness and hospitality shown by the station crews were greatly appreciated. I know this is a little late, but I want to thank the station crews, the website and anyone else I met during this time of my life for another memorable experience. I am sorry to say that I do not remember the names and faces of people I met, probably many who are no longer with us, but at the age of 88, I guess that's normal. LeRoy Haske
Thomas Rule
15 February 2010
CMsgt Thomas Rule (Ret 1969) - Damn - has it been that long - Went to Tinker first in 1947 for weather school - returned in 1950 with maintenance SOS - after that many years on sites stateside and Pacific tests - was Operation Sergeant many years with Major Powell as Operations Officer and Col Barney as CO. Participated in "Tornado Alley" from its inception. WO Gann, Ridenour and McKinder promoted to WO1 from TSgt status. Had a great career but nothing equaled my many jobs, etc. with 6th Weather. We were all young. Moving around was an adventure. Tarawa, Eniwetok, Guam. Ponapei, etc etc etc. All over the US. Ended my service at Scott with Hq, Air Weather Service. I recently celebrated my 80th. Any of you old farts I knew still around? Our equipment maintenance was W3 Bob Ridenour (formerly TSgt before Warrant status). TSgt George Rainville was NCOIC for a good many years. Col Pusin was a Lt Col. We lent him our freezer when I was on project (atomic in Pacific). Wife spent a goodly amount of time by herself. I did take her to a small town of Baker, Calif during the Nevada tests. Temperatures were above 110 during the day. I don't think she will ever forgive me. We were there around 6 months. With GMD and associated equipment. I was a recently promoted TSgt at the time. About the only travel is in response to hunger or medical requirements. Closest town of any size is Terre Haute, Ind. Doubt if Oklahoma could be reached by auto. Who knows though. I did see my picture with the support group during another 6 month project in the Pacific. I was unable to identify the young guy. Wife confirms that it was I during our younger years. Believe it was on Eniwetok. Those were the days.We still had dreams of things to come. Now we dream of those things that have happened. Your site had me & Momma looking through site pictures from atomic testing in the Pacific. This was in early 1950. We were on a Loran (Coast Guard) site on Bikati Island (Gilbert Islands). How we got there and what we did and how we did it is almost an impossibility. All of the names escape me but living with the US Navy on LST 259 for 3 months was something else. I was awarded an honorary 3d class Boatswain rating. I even wore the insignia on my one piece fatigues. Could go on with the story but won't. I have noted several names in your Obit of career men. I saw a lot of guys come and go in my asgmt to 2060th & the 6th. I can, today, see Don Garnett sitting at his desk typing Special Orders for some to go on project - promotions, etc. He even typed orders for his promotion to TSgt. Col Barney enjoyed watching him discovering his name on the promotion list. Will leave you with an observation about Col Barney (who should have been Brigadier General of Air Weather Service). When I was Operations Sgt he came to my desk and said "I see 2 and 1/2 ton vehicles and jeeps, etc that are filthy and lack proper attention. So - I want all gas cans painted red so people will know who the vehicles belong to". I called and talked to the WO in charge of the Motor Pool (his name escapes me) and passed the order on. He thought I was nuts. About an hour later the Colonel came back and asked if the painting had begun. "Yes sir" I replied. Then he took off to the motor pool. The WO knew "the old man" was not much of a jester and he had gone to the BX and gotten a can of light red and dark red and painted a can using the two basic colors. Col Barney told him he preferred the "dark" red and would have an 0630 inspection of the fleet of vehicles the next morning. Almost end of story. All of the troops at the pool, any person in the offices, and many weather men spent that night painting those ******* cans. Next morning he (Barney) walked around every vehicle - said nothing - got in his jeep and asked the WO "how come you missed my jeep?" Get the Colonel a red can - now. He drove away. Hell - most of us would have tried to paint the whole damn vehicle IF he had wanted it that way. He was a great Commander. Those before him and after were in his dust. I might add that red cans continued on our clean and waxed vehicles including the first 5 ton van manufactured at Douglas aircraft at Tinker. Those were the days or have I already said that? Thanks again for your efforts. Tom Rule
Robert Angell
10 January 2010
I just found this website this morning. As a member of the 6th Weather Sq. from 1950-'53, I was surprised and delighted that this association exists. The 6th Weather Sq. provided all the upper air weather for all the nuclear tests at Yucca and Frenchman's Flats from 1950 - '53 and the Eniwetok nuclear test during the same years. I do not find any mention of these on the website and the Nevada tests on the site are overprinted on previous text so it is not readable. I hope this can be fixed. I will send in my membership application this weekend and try to find some photos but they are very rare because cameras were not allowed. Seemed strange to us because the press was allowed in on one of the tests and photographed everything except the interior of he control point which included the weather station. I was in turn, a weather observer, rawinsonde operator, and weather equipment technician. I joined my unit at Tinker in early summer, 1950, and soon we were on our way to Nevada where I spent the rest of the Korean War hanks to a "Q" clearance. Is there anyone in the group from that period? Robert Angell
Francis Flesch
10 January 2010
Was looking at the pictures in your 2009 reunion and see a couple familiar names – Fred Cummings who I was stationed with at Elmendorf AFB back in 73-76, and also Ken Brown who I believe was stationed at Castle AFB back in77-78 period. The name Charles Hewitt is familiar also, might have known him either from Beale AFB back in the mid 60’s or Duluth IA in the late 60’s. Tell Ken Brown to drop an email to me, okay. Fran Flesch
Fred Nitchie
1 September 2009
Wow, great site! I served with 6th Wea Sq. Mob from Jan 82 thru to the
move to Hulburt Field Fla. (Ft Walton beach) in 85. Served
many a season with Les Showell then with NSSL, Sad to see some former members
have passed especially Roger Black and Mr Beauchamp, they were my first
introduction into meteorology when I arrived. Now that I look back on it
some of the best times in my life were spent serving some 505 TDY days as a
member of 6th Wea. Sq. I should be able to add to your pictorial
collection in the future, but for now.. Fair Skies and Following Winds.
Fred Nitchie
Alen V. "Vic" Voorhees, Jr.
10 April 2009
Greetings to All - and Replying to Ron Guglielmino
What a great big rush to find this site. I too, was in the 6th Mob.
My experience pretty much paralleled that of Ron Guglielmino except that
mine lasted from early 1965 through 1969. I also, was in that first
class of Rocketsonders beginning in 1965 under the godfather of rocketsonde,
Ernie Fisher. Much of my early, formative years in the USAF were due
to Ernie Fisher. His determination that I would go to Greenland was
why I never made it to SEA. I even had orders to go to Thailand with
two great friends - Sam Simmons and Ken Friesen. They went and I
didn't and for whatever reason we were never as close again when they came
back to 6th WS. I swear guys, I had no control over the situation. But
my recollection of a true mentor is of TSgt Archie Luck. He led me,
and others on missions to Thule (be nice to the ice!) and to Ft Sherman,
Panama Canal Zone. I was never quite sure of the global mission at
Thule. But in Panama we were part of joint operations (with the Army)
shooting those 4 inch solid fuel Arcas rockets from an old artillery site.
If memory serves there was talk of a sea level canal to take the place of
the original. The story was, it was to have been dug using nuclear blasts
across the isthmus. I guess it never came to pass. One of the best
years of my service career and probably in my life was the year I spent at
Eniwetok Atoll (1968-1969) in support of the ICBM shots out of Vandenberg.
Great memories of Japanese fishing ball searches, snorkeling for killer
clams among sharks, mountainball tourneys, watching movies outside in the
rain, mysteriously showing up at the passenger terminal whenever the
"Freedom Bird" would show up with women onboard because of bad weather at
Johnson Island. Great times. I think we shot Arcas and Loki
rockets there. One even got lodged to the launch tube and we had to
- hmmm... I actually don't remember what we did. But it was a
horrifying feeling. I still have my pocket rocket and the senior one, as
well. I was also on a short term trip to Victoria, Texas. We released
balloons, as I recall to measure only wind. The idea being that
depending on what our data showed jet aircraft would fly by and dump some
kind of dust that would collect on a network of some sort of rotor devices
attached to fence posts. I think the dust was supposed to be
equivalent to fallout. But what I remember most was that we would
attach red wind balloons with lighting devices inside and send them up
several hundred feet on tether lines just about dusk. I believe there
were rumors of UFOs from some local citizens. I left the MOB in Dec 1969 for
life as a Hurricane Hunter with the 53rd Wea Recon Sq, Ramey AFB, PR.
We left there in mid 1973 and shortly thereafter I was commissioned as 1st
Lt and retired 11/01/1984. My memories and experiences of life in that
Tinker based mobile environment have served me well over the years..
Best of everything to all.
Best regards, Vic Voorhees
Ronald Guglielmino
31 December 2008 Dear Gerry:
I am just overwhelmed by your site! I
was in the Mob from 1/65-4/68 and was priviledged to be one of the first
assigned to the Rocketsonde section. Stumbled onto your site while
cleaning up my hard disk over the holidays. Our senior enlisted was
CMGST Ernest Fisher, the man responsible for our section's existence. A
real articulate leader! He knew Generals at the AWS (and probably the
Pentagon). I also remember CMGST Bob Epps who wasn't on the Rocketsonde unit
but provided us a lot of leadership at the squadron level, and was a great
guy. MSGT Earl Barker, MGST Tony Luck and TSGT Dick Hathaway were also
part of our unit leadership. Haven't looked at the site thoroughly but
had to communicate with you on the great job you've done. I was the lead
Ballistician on the first Rocketsonde deployment with Fisher to Thule,
Greenland in Spring '65. Also launched in Panama, Canal Zone in support of the
President's Interoceanic Canal Commission (to see if we could widen the Canal
with a series of small nuclear devices), at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. in support
of a new series of weather rockets, at Eglin AFB, Fla. on several occasions to
support Gemini launches at the Cape and Gulf test range rocket launches, at
Colorado Springs (to brief NORAD and the 4th Wx Wing on Rocketsonde), and best
of all, to a small coastal town 20 miles south of San Francisco in summer +
fall of '67 (the summer of Love), to set up a new launch site at a government
radar facility. Oh, my, the memories of that!!!! I was among the first 6th Wx
Rocketsonde group to be awarded the AF Missile Badge, and was fortunate to be
the first in our unit to participate in 100 launches. I still have a copy of
the order awarding several of us that Missile Badge. And I'll forever be
grateful to Ernie Fisher for arranging that and for getting my Viet Nam TDY
and Korea PCS transfer orders cancelled. Wherever you are, Ernie, God
Bless! I'm now in Kansas City and haven't traveled to OKC for several years,
but plan on attending the next reunion if possible.
Sincerely, Ronald Guglielmino
P.S. Do the Delwood Apts. in Del City still exist?
Alex Finta My name is Alex Finta who worked with then Major Tom Utley who
was your commander in 1987. Anyone know his whereabouts? Thanks Richard L.
Mitchell
Dan Washuk
Greetings from Tucson, AZ, I was in the 6th
weather squadron from 1972 through 1975. Stationed at Tinker AFB. I was a
weather equipment repairman and worked mostly on the GMD one's and two's. I
stumbled upon this web site one day and was surprised to see my old friend
Larry Flohaug's name. It's been a long time Larry, hope you are doing
well...........Dan Washuk
Stephen B. Gladish Tony Cooke
Larry D. Flohaug
Chester W. Brown
Brian Connolly
Jonathan
Les Showell
Ray Keesler
I was stationed at Grand Bahama Aux AFB in
1953-54. I was a member of the 6th Wea. Sqdn attached there. We did weather runs
for the missile shoots from the cape. Any news on what ever happened to Grand
Bahama AFB?...Ray P. Keesler S/Sgt, USAF....1950-54
Robert A. D'Alfonso
Jerry Williams AST
7/Cayuga County Joys
Gene Young
Stephen B. Gladish
Bill Swanson
Sherry Moore Eggleston
Dave Weiner
Don Nissen, SMSgt Ret
John Addesa
Carl L. Phipps
Greg Engel
James L Shilling
Sabrina Roberts (Dees)
Gordon & Barbara McCann Bob Edwards
A/1C Leo Cigale Billy Davis
David K. Wright
Site is looking good. Hope to see all of you at the next reunion
Hi Gerry, the web site is great. You've done an outatanding job.
I don't have the password for "members only". I hope I'm a member.
Plese send to me and thanks! John Lassiter
Often wondered what Happened to 2060th MWS - stumbled on you site while cruising the net. Was a membet of the 2060 th MWS for 12-31-1998 to Jult 1951.. Sit is great - brought back memories, By the way, I was a "weather observor - MOS 25521 - I think)
Gerry,
Thanks for constructing this web site, and in such a short timeframe. Your creativity shines through in the way you put the site together. All our members should be very proud of our site as am I.
You exceeded all my expectations on this project and I salute you for a magnificant job well done.
For lack of a stronger word to express our gratitude, I simply say THANKS!
Hi Gerry,
Great site!
Hey, Gerry! What a fantastic job you've done! I love the website. I've just spent the past hour plus browsing. I'm so glad we had that chat at the reunion about this, and that you were 'willing and able' to do it. You are obviously the right one for the job! Thanks so much, and God bless...
Tom |
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