Guestbook

I first went to Orlando AFB Florida in 1955 to work on the TM61A Matador I was assigned to the 11th ,17th, 19th(for a few days). We were mainly assigned to details and card playing in the tents because all of the hangars were being used by the regular guys who were getting ready to go overseas. I then went to Taiwan where I was assigned to a launch crew at Tainan. I returned to Orlando again where I worked on the TM76A, the ATRAN missile. I then was assigned to the TM76B and went to factory school at Baltimore(Middle River)MD. I then alternated between Orlando and Camp Happiness at Cape Canaveral until we got set up to instruct the Launch Crews in training at Orlando. I taught there at Orlando until we were stationed at Camp Happiness again as regular guys. We launched the Mace B (Excalibur) from the Cape. I often wondered where Capt Arthur's hard hat finally rested. From there, I went to Kadena Okinawa with the 498 TMG until I left and retrained the Aircraft Inertial Guidance career field. As we were there in Orlando(crews without missiles) I got to meet a lot of the guys who went overseas. A lot of water has gone over the dam and I often remember people that I met. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, everybody. BTW, I am spending the holidays with my girls in Orlando. I retired from the Air Force in Arkansas after serving in Germany. I saw a lot of remnants of the Matador and MACE-A around Sembach where I lived. I retired from McDonnell Douglas at Titusville Florida where I also saw many remnants of the Matador and MACE. Camp Happiness is now a cruise ship terminal but the memories of the guys and the good living still exist. I live in Pensacola Florida with my wife and cat, still busy making fishing tackle and fishing. I'd like to hear from some of the guys and chat a bit. Charlie Smoote SMSGT USAF(Ret)

Hi everyone especially Jean. I was guidance and remember the trip to Guam. I believe all it must do there is rain there. Our team prepared a bird for one of our other team from Osan. Our C130 lost a engine on the way to Okinawa and we set down at there home and was bused to our destination, then back to the cold. With Christmas coming up I remember Christmas morning 1960 when I wokeup and all I heard was josons talking, I though I was still in the village....Merry Christmas to Jean and all the rest of you guys....Any of you Taiwan guys know the where abouts of Waller, we roomed when we met back at Lowry.

I was in Det 1 at Holloman from 1959 until it was disbanded in 1963. I had orders to go to Sembach, but declined to extend my tour to go. I had only seven months left and after the assignment to Germany I would have had twelve years completed and it would have been too late to make a decision to quit. I loved every minute I was in the USAF and served with the most intelligent and dedicated people I have ever met. It was an educational experience. We were the ones who got to see the fruits of our labor....hopefully a successful launch and recovery. Those were the best of days. James I. Garner (SSgt)

Good to see so many of the original Bitburg B-Bird guys (1962) popping up... Hopefully we'll all get together at the next reunion in Dayton. George

Just to add a comment on the deployment to Guam and Dennis's comments as well. I was the Engine and airframe guy as well as Crane operator and Truck driver, I remember having to take our Missile Launcher to Agana Navy base to hace it degaused, It seems that it was placed near some generators on board the ship enroute to Guam so it became magnetized and the Guidance flux valve or sensor (dont recall the proper name) did not like that,I also remember taping a small toy magnet near the flux valve to counter act the residual magnetism that was left in it,and that did the trick and allowed the gyros to be nulled out. Good old american enginuity........ I also remember living in what used to be Base housing instad of our normal hut that we lived in in Tainan, We all thought we died and went to heaven,... Those were the really good old and would do it all again in .New York Minute . Well enough reminising for now. Dennis are going to attend the reunion in ohio in 2009? Roger St.Germain, Retired old guy...

All I can remember from calls was the following from USAFE: GANGBUSTERS,GANGBUSTERS, THIS IS ACTIVE MOUNTAIN'. This is an assumption that USAFE was Active Mountain and the rest of the Air Force, regardless of unit was Gangbusters. I do remember the calls from USAFE with the weather coordinates and then a pray that the coordinates wouldn't change so we didn't have to do anything and play pinochle. It was some fun times, especially changing a nose or torque exciter and having to stand on that door in freezing weather, especially if you had to run the engines.

Denny, Jim, Lets give Emmy a hand and go find the rest of us!

Just finished a phone conversation with Larry Emerson and it brought back a lot of old memories. Still drinking George Dickel, Dutch. Would like to hear from any of the old poker and pinochle group.

Just wanted to advise everyone of my new e-mail address. Old address was M.butler11540@sbcglobal.net. New address is thebutler@live.com. Keep checking our web-site regarding the 2009 reunion in Dayton, Ohio. We are planning some special events that I'm sure everyone will be most excited about. I know July 2009 sounds like a long way off, but having been involved in the planning of our reunions, I have found time 'flies' and has a way of sneaking up on us. Stay tuned to our web- site folks. Max

Don't remember much, was on the night shift changing out nose cones, just loved to drive them ol'e 6by's and then later we got the internationals to pull the trailers, spent most of the time SCUBA diving or at Karate class's, would like to go back some time to see what the place look's like.

Andy Hernandez found me after these many years and has kept me and others on the mail list. Visiting Dayton for a conference would be ideal setting. Thanks to all that have the will to keep us together and have these events.