Here at Springfield oh the 178 Fighter Wing, which was a training wing for Ohio ANG F16 Pilots. They Lost their mission due to BRAC. Through their own initiative, and the help of federal, state, and local politicos. Contracted with the Dutch Government to train their Royal Dutch Air Force Pilots. This prevented the closing of this base, saving many local jobs.

Gary,

Good question!!---Here is an article (2008)confirming the fact. The article also discusses how the NAVY is returning to their previously successful flying NCO (Warrant Officer) program.

http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/200813104312.asp

So, I guess the NYANG's 174th Fighter Squadron at Hancock Field, NY, will change from the "Boys from Syracuse" to the "Bots from Syracuse"??!! :-))

(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Actually, according to news releases, it's the MQ-9 "Reaper" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that is going to the Hancock Field.

Gone will be the physical presence of the F-16 or any other jet planes as we know them. The new Reapers will be flying half-a-world away while being controlled from Syracuse. I wonder if the pilot/controller of these new unmanned vehicles will have a "enlisted technician" by their side as we did "back in the day??" I would imagine somewhere out there Chuck Yeager and many other current and former fighter jocks are shaking their heads in disappointment and disbelief.

Bots from Syracuse indeed. :-) You have to admit that anything that saves a pilots life, can't be all that bad.

Re: PinetreeLine website. Thanks for the info. From what I read over the past few months, I thought someone, or a group of someones, was taking over management of the existing site. Oh well. Lot's of good photos biting the dust.

Same thing happened here at Otis Nat.(Ma.) Guard Base took away F15s and replaced with intel grp. with the UVA it is the thing of future as of now the operators are rated types Fighter jocks will be a minority as far as pilots go

I'm not that old, but weren't there "Flying NCO's" during WW II?

For Tom and Jeff; I stand corrected as to the A/C type. I know that the switch over has been in the works for a few years now. I believe that when first announced it was supposed to be the "Raptor". What ever the name this is a big accpmplishment on all fronts.

Am I wrong, or has The Pinetree Line website been discontinued? I don't see any recent entries.

The Pinetreeline.org website is being discontinued at the end of this calendar year. Read Margaret's recent notices on that website's main page (scroll down) -- she has posted two ****Important Messages****.

stationed at North Truro AFS 1957 thru 1964 again 1966 thru 1972

Hey Jeff Did you know that the ANG's 174th Fighter Sqdn Stationed at Hancock Field, Syracuse NY is scheduled to get the "Raptor" sometime in 2010. They will be the first ANG Sqdn to get these A/C and they will be flown in the Guld from Hancock Field. Right now they are flying the F16s; as of Memorial this year the 174th made their last fly overs and I believe that they made about 30 flights that day.

Went to the AF Academy graduation yesterday. Pray that the 1,046 graduates keep up the traditions of our service and pray for their protection as they disburse in to Harms Way. Wife and I are friends of two of the fine young people that graduated.

Yes Jack they are FINE young people, as a former S/Sgt. one of my proudest moments was when my wife and I put the 2nd LTs. bars on my son, seems like yesterday he is now a retired Lt Col.

If anyone has any information regarding the Jamestown (Ohio) Radar Annex, please drop us a line. Thank you.

Tom

Thanks for the Silos/Google info. Way too pricey though.

Worked Sage at Gunner AFB 1967-1968. Transferred to McGuire AFB NJ Sept 1968.
Foggy on all my dates, but all close
I remember SGT McDonald at Gunner AFB and Stan Helber there also.
I enjoyed the work there and finished up my 4th year at the Pittsburgh AWA station, discharged in May 1969.

I was at the 777th requa california from 65-68 as a power pro guy. The one event I'll always remember is when a russian trawler came into international waters a they put us on red alert. I was posted at the power plant gate with my trusty M-16 . BUTTT NO AMMO ! I could just see a wave of russians coming over the hill and me with no ammo.But it never happened and a few jets came from Kingsley AFB and chased them off.Thats as close as I ever came to combat. But we recieved a Outstanding Unit Award for being on the Ball. How cool is that story? Dale Copeland SSGT?Power pro

Re: The broken links Clive Williams describes below. I have removed these links.

Larry Jackson, have you tried using the "Google" search engine, or others? If so, you'll see a number of old missile silos are for sale. But what's this have to do with air-defense radar history? Just curious.

The purpose of the early warning system was to afford time to warn of incoming and launch retaliatory weapons systems, ey? I presume the fact that old radar sites are for sale fits the same category as old ICBM sites for sale.

My interest in purchasing same would be an inexpensive retirement home. The last one I read about that had been converted to a residence, sold for $300.

That didn't include remodeling.

I applied for retraining in missles in the late 50's, but 30352 was frozen.

Served at the 719th AC&W SQ. from June 1954 to July 1955.Next assignement was the 636th AC&W SQ.Condon Oregon from July 1955 to release in Aug.1957,discharged in 1961.On the 719th site have been in contact with many people who served there but have yet run into any I know.

Anyone.

Are there any old missile silos still for sale?

Gene, Tom....That IS an exquisite video. Thank you!

Hi,

I enjoyed looking at your site. Very interesting
and good to know that the history is being
recorded.

It may be useful for you to know that there were
three bad links and the details follow.

Regards, Clive.
Ex R.A.F. Ground Radar Service Squadron 3.
1950-53(UK)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bad link at: vfe15.htm
http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/vfe/vfe15.htm
SCR-658 Berlin Airlift Radar Antenna - USAF Museum
Has changed to:
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/
and there are a few fact sheets on the SCR-658.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bad link at: framearsr4.html
http://www.rannoch.com/framearsr4.html
Air Route Surveillance Radar (ARSR-4) - Rannoch Corp.
is now: SRA International, Inc.
and is probably not a useful link.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bad link at: index.html
http://members.tripod.com/~edradar/index.html
Ed Bedenko's Radar Information Home Page
It looks like Ed's page/blog is no longer available.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Great site. And I thought I was one of the few that remembered AC&W.

Sunday night "60 Minutes" had an interesting segment on unmanned aircraft---the Predator and, the newest model, the Reaper. The pilots "flying" these unmanned aircraft are located in Nevada, 7000 miles from their active battleground. In 2010, for the first time in its history, the Air Force will purchase more unmanned aircraft than manned aircraft. "Oh the times they are a-changing..."

Next step, the Universal Airman?

I have a limited number of vouchers for a FREE two-night stay in a hotel/casino in Laughlin, Nevada. They are good until September 30. There are NO strings attached to this offer other than some date restrictions. This is NOT a time-share scam. If you would like one of these vouchers, e-mail me your address and I'll drop one in the mail. The vouchers are on a first come, first served basis.

Tomorrow is mothers day,now I know some of us have lost our mother over the years, so a visit to her grave site and don;t forget your wives. Those women that stayed with us during our careers deserve the best Happy Mothers day to all The Mothers.

Today is our 45th wedding anniversary. We spoke to our daughter in France yesterday. They were celebrating a National Holiday. VE DAY.



Hank,

Tell them if they'll owner finance for nothing down, $50 per month, no interest, I'll take it.

I worked a civilian at Clear Air Force station for 7 years a fire security.
And lived in the Fairbanks area for 45 years, currently reside in Veracruz, Mexico.

Anyone interested in purchasing a former ADC radar station? If so, go to http://www.maxrealty.info/commercial/commercial_listings.htm -- scroll down about halfway. The former Hastings AFS, NE (Z-133) is up for sale. Several photos are posted. Two of the old radar towers are still standing, as well as several of the other buildings. The property is being sold off in sections.

Tom and all....The offer for another Radar Station still stands. Havre Air Force Station (778th Radar Sq) has been owned by the Anchor Academy and is being offered for $399,000. The updated link can be found under "Documents" on the Havre AFS page.

I was stationed at Murphey from 1jul61 till 1jul62. I was a special vehicle mechanic. What a great year. I have some great pix of the site and around Fairbanks. Regards Warren