Whiteman AFB, (SAC) Missouri Apr '63-June'65

Minuteman 1

I'll never forget that day my missile school class was interrupted. The instructor told us President Kennedy had been assassinated. We sat in silence waiting on orders of what to do. The base was transitioning  from bombers to Minuteman missiles. As I reflect back I don't think we were operational. I remember SAC going on alert but the most we could do was standby. A very long day.        

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My commander in CE was to be the first Civil Engineer killed in Vietnam. His memory lived on in my career field, Power Production.        

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Wing Commander was very upset with CE(Civil Engineers), He called a special Commander's Call and announced, " I'll make a deal with you folks, you keep your vehicles off my runway and I'll keep my airplanes off your roads." We complied.

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Boeing contract employee obtained a very small amount of solid fuel used to fuel the Minuteman. Took sample home and placed in ash tray. Apparently he struck said sample with some object. Burned hole through ash tray, table it was on, floor it was on and coming to rest in the basement where it fizzled out. Powerful stuff.

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Kind of memorable, I made A1C (E4), a little more money and a helluva lot more responsibility. Had been celebrating Passover quite frequently.

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A LF (Launch Facility) had about a 20 ton concrete sliding door over the silo the missile was in. When launching, the door would rapidly slide off and travel a far distance. Heard rumor one was in direct line with a nearby farm house. Unhappy citizenry to say the least.

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LF's had outer and inner zone security. The right key would get you through outer zone, however, a very short time frame to break inner zone and go through keys and codes. I was slow; spread eagled on a 12 foot high chain link fence for 2 hours waiting to be authenticated. In the winter.

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SAC was losing influence, Air Force wanted me in the Philippines to organization supporting Vietnam.

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Said goodbye to B47s. They went to boneyard soon after leaving Whiteman. Never dropped a bomb in hostilities.