Happy Holidays to all the service men and women serving our country around the world and especially those who I had the pleasure of serving with at the 754th AC/W and 719th AC/W in 1952 and 1953. 50 years ago this Christmas, I was huddled against an oil stove in the quonset mess hall on top of Sparrevohn Mountain burning on one side and freezing on the other while waiting for the `Cat` to bring up Christmas Dinner from lower camp. It was a wild year that I wouldn`t trade the experience for anything. (See 1953 document in the 719th file) I`ve been member of Radomes, Inc. for three years, and find it invaluable. It`s my daily stop on the web. Get a membership now and support Gene and his efforts. You will enjoy all the fond memories you had in the service. Many thanks to Gene McManus and his staff that provides a year around Christmas gift. Contact me for more 1953 Sparrevohn History. Don Higgins

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

719th AC&W Sparrevohn, Alaska 1961-62 7420th Evaluation Squadron Ramstein, Germany 1962-63 603rd AC&W Langerkopf, Germany 1963-64 Radar Maint. Great site.

Merry Christmas and a joyous New Year to all who visit this site. BMEWS,Pinetree Line, Keesler and various stateside Radar Sq.

Below is a story which is something about which we can all only wonder...what if??? PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (Dec. 24) - George E. Elliott Jr., whose unheeded warning about aircraft approaching Pearl Harbor was depicted in history books and movies like `Tora, Tora, Tora,` has died. He was 85. The former Army radar operator detected the incoming Japanese aircraft on Dec. 7, 1941; he issued a warning, which was brushed aside. Nearly an hour later, the enemy planes reached the Navy fleet in the harbor.

All of us old retired scope dopes and tube dusters should stop and give thanks to those who are guarding our freedom. To those of Radar control units standing watch today,alone away from family on xmas day we thank you.Many of us have been away from family during the holiday season and knows how painful it is,but we did our job. May God bless these men and women for their courage. To all of them merry xmas and God bless.

I WAS A RADAR OPERATOR AND INSTRUCTOR WITH THE 552 AEW&C WING, I WAS AT TRUAX FIELD W/SAGE,AT FORTUNE AS/BUIC,AND 412L AT GE AND IN GERMANY. HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Finland, MN. Rockville, IN. Calumet, MI. Unalakleet, AK. Fallon NV. FT. Fisher, NC. Met many great people along the way.

Remember when SAGE radar and NIKE missiles protected American cities from a manned aircraft threat? The more things change ... WASHINGTON (CNN) --Surface-to-air missiles were being deployed around Washington, state troopers were authorized to ride New York area commuter trains, and air travelers encountered more delays -- all results of the heightened terrorism threat alert level. On Sunday, the Department of Homeland Security raised the level from elevated, or yellow, to high, or orange, the second-highest level on the department`s five-color warning system. The move was based mostly on information gleaned from a high volume of `chatter` among suspected terrorists, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said. Ridge warned of possible strikes more devastating than the al Qaeda airliner attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, on New York and Washington, D.C., and told CNN on Monday that airplanes remain terrorists` weapon of choice. `There is a continuous stream of reporting, literally from the last two years, that indicates [terrorists`] preference or desire to use aircraft as a means of attack,` Ridge said on CNN`s `American Morning.” In addition to Washington, anti-aircraft missile batteries may be deployed around New York City, and a senior Pentagon official said `irregular air patrols` had been ordered.

Merry Christmas to all the guys who spent at least one Christmas on some remote mountain top waiting for the Russians to come. A Special Greeting to my former comrades at the 719th AC&W Sq, Sparrevohn, Alaska in 1955, where we ate canned shrimp in tomato sauce on Christmas Eve, washed down with cold beer. I forget the bartender`s name, but he had a routine of opening the can of shrimp, rinsing the contents, then adding the sauce and shaking it up so the shrimp were saturated,and then serving it in the same can.It was the barfood of choice at Sparrevohn. Also, a big thank you to Gene McManus and crew for this web site. I would encourage everyone who reads these notes,to join `Radomes Inc` to support this great web site. Chuck Sunder

758th Radar Sqdn, Neah Bay Wa.1961-1963 859th Radar Sqdn, red Bluff, Ca. 1963-1965 `Drop me an `E-Mail` sometime.

RADOMES IS GREAT! I worked AN/FST-2 and later AN/FSQ-47 maintenance at the 689th - Mt. Hebo AFS 68-72. Five airmen living on the beach in Pacific City, Oregon. What a trip! Just scanned some old pictures of the station, in it`s prime, taken from the fire tower, if anyone is interested. I even have a shot of good friend and member Chet Carter standing by the beach house smoking a cigar! I`m joining soon. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas to everyone and especially the Radomes crew! Here is a wonderful Christmas card for you all: http://holidays.blastcomm.com/ It`s slow to load, but worth the wait!

I served at the 782nd Rockville In. from 56/58. The 743rd Campion Ak. 58/59. The Adair AFS Oregon from 59/60. Discharged Portland Or. Jul 1960.

Radar Maintenance 671st Key West March 66 - June 68 718th Unalakleet June 68 - June 69 116th TCS Portland Or Aug 72 - Oct 88

Some rememberances of Opheim, Montana: I have received a few emails from some of the nice folks who were in Opheim from 1968-1970. Thanks. Some of you remembered my step dad John C. Reeves, radar maintenance. For those of you who do not remember him... he drove a neptune green 1968 Dodge Coronet 440 RT, and then in 69 he bought a HEMI orange 1969 Dodge 440 Superbee SIX PACK, this car had the black fiber glass lift off hood, the big 440 cu. in. with three dueces, quite a ride indeed. He bought it at the Chrysler dealership in Glasgow. They only made 500 of these cars and how one of them wound up on the showroom in Glasgow, Montana is amazing. For those of you who do not remember me I WAS THE PAPER BOY...and folks...I gotta tell ya....the paper boy in Opheim Montana was no easy chore....because.... DRUMROLL..... the paper boy froze his hiney off on MANY A DELIVERY DAY! No easy job indeed!!! I remember the base commander Lt. Colonel Charles Woodford and his daughter Charleen, Frank Church and his lovely daughter Vickie, Parley Hayes, Lt.Sidowski, Airmen Themes, and many of the airman who I played pool with in the rec. room. Hardly anyone of the airmen could beat me at pool because that is about all there was for me to do during the winters months, and I got pretty good at the old nine ball! We watched movies projected on a sheet or a tarp stretched on the wall.....I saw Steve McQueen in `BULLITT` on that sheet...thought it and that 67 Mustang were SO cool. I was only 11-12 years old...:) Well folks, that is all for now, I love this site, I visited the page for the radar station at Hutchinson,Kansas where we were stationed also. I have good memories of the nice people, the base and of this little town, Opheim...it was sad to see the demolition of the base and base housing I used to live in and have such fond memories of...Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you, and many thanks to the contributors and radomes.org

I just ran across the menu for the Christmas day dinner for 1952 at Mt. Tam 666 AC&W. We ate good- even cigars! I left in the fall of `53 lured by the chance to fly on the super connies soon to come to McClellan AFB.

Merry Christmas to all the fine staff and those who bring us this great site. Also to all former members of the great Radar Site at Condon, Oregon. Don`t forget our Reunion in August 2004. Merry Christmas-Happy New Year.

Glad I found this site. Great job. Stationed at 666AC&W Sqd. on Mt.Tam from 1980 untill it was turned over to the FAA in 1983. Also Wallace AFS, Philippines. Currently a in the USAF TARS program.

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and A Great New Year...683nd ADC Sweetwater, Texas `66 to `67.

still looking for a Dan Welch that served with the 683nd ACW at Sweetwater, Texas `67 to 68 or 69...he is from Vallejo, California...anyone knows his whereabouts...please contact me or Mark Staley..(Staley) has posted on this site already...thanks... Pope

I was stationed with the following units. 1.) 762nd AC&W Sqd.in N.Truro, Ma. 1972 to 1974. 2.) 932nd AC&W Sqd. in Rockville, Iceland from 1974 to 1975. 3.) 785th AC&W Sqd. in Finley, ND. 1975 to 1977. 4.) 766th AC&W Sqd. Caswell, Me.

Retired in 1986/27670 Radar Ops

Hi, Was at Murphy Dome (radio - 30454), `75 - `76. Glad not to be there now! Eleanor

Was stationed at Makah AFS (758AC&W) from March 62 -May 64. Have a Squadron emblem that we used for vehicle base entrance. Enlisted was red, officiers was blue. Can send a color copy to you if you wish. Went from Makah SFS to Adair AFS, Ore, but have no info on Adair that I can find. Great website, found it in a book by a local F102 pilot, FAILURE WAS NOT AN OPTION

Just and email address change - ssobien@msn.com

On this Pearl Harbor Day, we pause to remember the 2400 veterans that perished on December 7, 1941...62 years ago. We also honor the highly decorated career of General Kelleher (Dec 6 obituary listed on this site.) One wonders if some of the Pearl Harbor dead, given 95 years like Gen Kelleher, might also have served long and distinguished careers. Although there is no answer, we salute and honor them all for their service to their country.

To all, on December 7, a reminder that where ever we served, we were needed. And, while we served, we had the chance to work with some of the greatest Americans, you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Another outstanding military man has passed on. Please take a moment to read his obituary: The following obituary was published in the Albany(NY) Times Union on 12/6/2003. Gerald C. Kelleher PORT ORANGE, Fla. Brigadier General Gerald C. Kelleher. 95, of Albany, went to Heaven on November 23, 2003. General Kelleher will be interred with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on December 23, 2003. Brigadier General Gerald C. Kelleher was born in Albany on July 8, 1908, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Kelleher. He was a lifelong resident of Albany. He was married for over 60 years to his childhood sweetheart, the late Mary Rose Kelleher. He was also the father of the late Kenneth P. Kelleher; brother of the late Betty Snyder and Virginia Hallock. General Kelleher was schooled at Christian Brothers Academy, RPI and National War College. General Kelleher was Albany`s highest medal award winner and one of the highest award winners in New York State for gallantry in World War II, Korea and the Vietnam War. He is the recipient of a Presidential Citation, Combat Infantry-man`s Badge, two Distinguished Crosses, Silver Star with six clusters, a Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star with (V) device and Purple Heart. He also has been honored with Britain`s second highest award, the Distinguished Service Order for action during the Battle for Standaarbutten, Holland. As Commander of the 414th Infantry Regiment of the 104th Timberwolf Division in Germany and, as a colonel, he led the first United States Infantry forces to engage the Germans in World War II. During the African Campaign, he was captured twice by the famed Afrika Corps and managed to escape both times. He also headed a US Security detail at the Neurenburg Trials. In addition to Britain`s award, he was also awarded France`s Croix de Guerre with Palm, The Russian Order of Suvorou and he is an Honorary Colonel in the 2nd Spahis, a famous French Cavalry unit. In 1981, General Kelleher was hosted by Governor Hugh Carey at the Governors Mansion in Albany. The event was held so that the Governor could pay off a bet that the General and he made in France in March of 1945. A case of beer to the first to reach occupied Cologne. The Governor praised his one-time superior as the finest soldier I have ever met in the uniform of the US Army. General Kelleher commanded an infantry regiment in Europe in World War II and led the 35th Infantry Regiment in 1950 and 1951 in Korea. He also lived and served in Japan as an adviser to the Japanese Army. General Kelleher was a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus, American Legion, Albany Elks and was a member of the Albany Hibernians. Survivors include his wife, Janeatte (Smith) Kelleher of Cohoes; his loving son, Neil C. Kelleher and his wife, Betty of Port Orange; brother to Paul Kelleher and his wife, Mary; sister, Jean Kelleher; daughter-in-law, Jean Ann Kelleher; grandfather to Robert Kelleher (Sheila), James Kelleher (Sherie), William Kelleher (Cindy), Thomas Kelleher (Linda), Gerald Kelleher (Linda), Michael Kelleher (Lynn), Mary Beth West (Rod), Patricia Kelleher-Cole, Kathy Ansel (Zack), Patrick Kelleher (Lisa); also survived by 26 great and great-great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces and nephews. 95 years of an extraordinary life is impossible to capture here. Suffice it to say General Kelleher has earned his eternal peace.

Great sight, my thanks to Jack Sheehan for telling me about it. Brings back great memories. Where is the 6123rd AC&W Sqdn, Pyong-Taek, Korea, I was there Aug 58 till deactivation Aug 59. I believe it was the former 607th AC&W

Merry Christmas to all. Especially those from 666th Mt Tam,,,932nd Rockville,Iceland,,,(64th McClellan.

RETIRED IN `78 AS A 30390 AT ALTUS AFB,OK. BACKGROUND ADC EQUIP AND COMPUTERS. TAUGHT RADAR AT KEESLER ASSIGNED ADC,TAC. WORKED IN R&D AT GRIFFIS,NY, BEFORE GOING TO ALTUS (AFCS)

This is a very good site . I was stationed at 779th Opheim mt. in 1957 went back there in 2002, every thing gone now. Keep up the good work.