Hi .. looking for Dave Henderson. He was at Fort Lee, Va Nov-Dec of 1959 probably through early 1960. He worked in the SAGA/NORAD building in radar tracking. Building was called the "Block House" and were only AF guys on the Fort Lee Army base. Anyone with information please e mail me. A family matter. Thanks so much

Now on e-Bay, unrelated to me in any way: 1945 WW II RADAR Army Air Force Photo ID Pass, Item number: 330150485128, Army Air Forces Barksdale Field, Louisiana; issued 13 June 1945, Pass no 202, large approx 3x4 inches. Issued to BEN V. BENIGNO, 2nd Lt., Air Corps. Excellent condition. For added provenance, Ben V. Benigno is from Brooklyn, NY. He is the grandfather of actress Danielle Brisebois, who guided her career. She was the child star of "Archie Bunker's Place."

Okay, why were there separate RADAR ID cards? Why was this made?

Yes I do remember "Thule big eye" I found early on that three fingers of of good Sour Mash Whiskey, taken before bed time, helped alleviate the problem.

How well I remember Thule / BEMEWS ,Bks windows were boarded up-still that July sun would get throughout long winters the Phases ,long duty hours during the phase if you were caught on the hill. Fights when tempers got heated,especialy during gambling,bordom, missing family was never a pleasant time. I was especially angry since this was my second remote and i felt I was not the most eligible. The only good that came out of my year ther 65/66 was I was promoted to TSGT,with a return assignment to Adair AFS Oregon

Just saw a thing on the TV news this morning about a malady they're calling "Polar Madness", which causes irratability, etc. in people staying at or near the North or South Poles. Hmmmmm... Anybody remember "Thule Big Eye"? Funny that the "experts" are just now finding out about this.

Hey Gene,
Sounds like a class action suit is in order from all of us grunts. I remember being real irritable at Sparrevohn, AK....lasted 12 months, then I was OK again. :-)
Chuck

Hi, I was stationed at Campion AFS ner Galena, AK from November 1955 until March of 1957. I was reading Art Nicholson's e mail and remembering checking out the skis and toboggans (& nearly breaking my neck). A lot of good memories from there. I would like to hear from anyone who was there.

News story, 7/22/07: RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Just days after Brazil's deadliest plane crash a radar outage over the Amazon spread the country's aviation crisis overseas, spawning ripple-effect delays at a half-dozen U.S. airports. On Sunday North Americans were still feeling the effects of the aviation problems that have been roiling Brazil for nearly a year. "I'm stuck in Miami until Tuesday night," said Lisa White, a geology professor at San Francisco State University whose Friday flight from Miami to Rio was turned back because of the problems in Brazil. The radar failure occurred during the wee hours of Saturday morning, peak travel time between Brazil and the United States. For nearly three hours, air traffic controllers closed Brazilian air space, forcing over 20 international flights to be diverted or canceled. Planes had to return to their points of origin or make unscheduled stops at other airports as far flung as San Juan, Puerto Rico and Santiago, Chile.Two American Airlines planes traveling from Sao Paulo were forced to make unscheduled landings in the jungle city of Manaus and at least four planes were forced to return to Miami. A United Airlines flight from Washington carrying 73 athletes to Rio de Janeiro for the Pan American Games was canceled, forcing the athletes to arrive a day late. The Air Force blamed the radar outage on electrical failure, but also said it was investigating whether sabotage was to blame. The outage came just hours after President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva went on national television to announce new measures to shore-up Brazil's ailing aviation system. Brazilians have been suffering through flight delays and cancellations since September, when a Boeing 737 operated by Gol Airlines crashed over the Amazon rain forest, killing all 154 people aboard. Four air traffic controllers, as well as two U.S. pilots aboard an executive jet that clipped the 737, face criminal charges in connection with that crash. The accident was Brazil's worst air disaster until Tuesday, when an Airbus-320 operated by TAM Airlines slammed into a building outside at Sao Paulo's Congonhas airport, killing 191 people. The Gol crash touched off months of delays and canceled flights in Brazil, as air traffic controllers embarked on a series of work slowdowns to protest precarious conditions in the air. Because Brazil remains one the last countries in Latin America to have the military responsible for civilian flight controllers, striking is paramount to treason. Many in Brazil suspect recent radar outages that have sporadically stalled domestic air travel are actually veiled work stoppages — hence the suspicion of sabotage. Even so, experts say there is also ample reason to believe Saturday's radar outage was simple equipment failure. Congressional hearings after the Gol crash shocked many travelers, revealing Brazil's airports to be seriously underfunded and stretched to the limit.

Visited the Air Force Museum Sat. and found a flier with this web site.
Brings back a lot of memories.
Did a side trip on the way home through Bellefontaine, Ohio.
My old site the 664th is now a vocational school.
a great reuse of the facility.

I was with the 774th AC&WRon(1956-1957). It was one of my favorite postings. A lot of good memories.

I recently acquired a new Goose Air Base patch, one I have never seen before. Anyone interested in viewing it can do so by going to the Melville Air Station website:

http://melvilleairstation.tripod.com/

Bob Caggiano

Now on e-Bay, unrelated to me in any way whatsoever: Hardbound book, “Radar Trouble-Shooter”, subtitle, “The Adventures of Sgt. Wilson of the Air Force,” by Malcolm Stevenson, Item no: 160137534402. This is an ex-library book with several things stamped on the inside and other wear, in fair condition, according to the description.

Googling the name told me it was a children’s book from 1957. Could not find more about it or author in brief research.

Good work on the web site.
Only web site with information on the 644th Richmond AFS

Mike Dmochowski - this one doesn't work any more: dmochowski@drc.com

Please drop me a line. Tony

The Dedication for the 966th AEW&C Squadron Plaque will be 9/7/2007 at 10:00 AM at the Air & Space Museum Wright Patterson AFB OH for more INFO Contact Phillip Szymkovich 503-645-3917 E-Mail philszy@verizon.com or Jim Skelton 903-723-5008 E-Mail trustme5@juno.com.

I served in the U S Army Air Force from June 46 to June 49. I was a Radar Tech MOS 953 and Also a Scope Dope MOS 853. I attended Tech School at Boca Raton, Fla from Sept 46 to April 47. Then was stationed at McDill and worked on the flight line repairing IFF equiptment. WAS sent to Alaska late summer of 47. Was at Elemendorf for several months and then by train to Fairbanks. I was not stationed at Ladd. 625th AC&W had a school set up near the college in Fairbanks onn a hill as it was the highest point.
We worked on a Long Range Radar set that was At the school.Spring of 48 I was sent to a Detachment at Clear Alaska. We lived in some tar paper shacks that was used by the Army Engineers who built a secret air strip that was going to be used to bomb Japan. The strip was never finished because the war ended. It was a gravel runway when I was there.Was on vacation last year a rode the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks and saw the new Radar site, but did't get a good look.
Fall of 48 was sent to another Detatchment at Galena. Quarters a lot better we lived in a hanger. Stayed there untill in April 49 when I returned to the lower 48. I got out and returned to my old home town in Ohio. I have been trying to find out what happened to my old outfit but haven't had much luck. My best guess is that it was combined with another Sqdn.and then retired like me.
I liked working as a scope dope when I worked the plotting board. I liked writing back wards. The Air force changed to blues in 47 but the new uniform never made it to us up North.
Would lke to hear from anyone who was up North and knows anything about the 625th AC&W or what happened to them.
Thanks and take care. Dick Kimmet

Wolfgang Schidler,
Have you tried http://www.prumairs.org/

I was an intercept director at the 666th ACW Squadron in 1954 and 1955. Came from the 84th FIS at Hamilton AFB as a rated crew member(rated as radar observer) flying in F-89B's C's and the F-94 A's, B's and C's.

In 1970, at the request of LOOK magazine's editors, then-Commis-
sioner of Education James Allen [not a relative] reviewed the
Pledge of Allegiance and proposed a slight change which makes it,
in my humble opinion, much more personal--and profound...I carry
a small card with it printed on it and offer it to you for your
reflection:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United States of America
and dedicate myself to the principle
that the Republic for which it stands
shall be in truth:
One Nation, under God, indivisible,
dedicated to liberty and justice for all."

I was impressed then [1970], and still feel Jim got it right...
[Aaron].

Everyone: Here is another periodic reminder that your Online Air Defense Radar Museum is still in need of photographs, past and present, for quite a few sites. The same goes for squadron patches / emblems and for air division / air-defense sector yearbooks. If you are in possession of such memorabilia, please contact us. Thank you very much in advance! -- Tom