Det. 1, 11th RBS Sqadron 1955-1958

Comments: Would love to hear from anyone stationed at Denver Bomb Plot..

Keywords: Denver Bomb Plot

Detachment 13 RBS Group

Comments: I am looking for others whe served in the Detachment. I have a bunch of pictures to send to anyone interested, and would like to get more pix to add to the collection.

Keywords: Detachment 13 Radar Bomb Scoring Group, Threaure Island, San Francisco

Det 22 Korea 1951

Comments: Will be 75 in July, would like to hear from anyone who served with Det 22

Keywords: Doug, MSGT Little,Lissey, bombed ourselves, Imjin River bridge washout

Looking For 1950-1956 3903 RBS Airmen

Comments:

Keywords: I just found this site and thought it might be nice to hear from some others who were at the detachments where I was stationed. A brief history of my travels and some of the airmen I was with. I was in this unit from 1950 to 1956.

After Radar School at Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Miss. I was assigned to 3903 RBS Sqdn Hdqts, Carswell AFB, Ft. Worth, Texas. Then I was assigned to the following RBS detachments:

Det. D  Fort George Wright, Spokane, Wash. This was an old Army/Cavalry post on the banks of the Spokane River. There was a small footbridge over the river to an amusement park in the city. It was a nice place to be stationed 1950 to 1951. Some personnel there were Lt. John Jones, C.O., Nelson Vaughn, William Morris & Adams.

Det. 12  McClellan AFB, Sacramento, Calif. This was previously Det. D & moved here from Spokane, Wash. It was located at a radio site about 4 miles S.E. of the base near Fair Oaks, in farms and orchards. I was stationed here about 1951 to 1952. Some personnel there were Capt. Wallace Fry, C.O., WOJG William Johnson, 1st Sgt. Sadler, Nelson Vaughn, William Morris, Horvath, Burdick, Wallace & Fox. It was from here that several detachments were marshalled that went to Korea.

Det. 8  Cheli Air Material Depot, Maywood, Calif. This was a new unit assembled at 3903 RBS Hdqts, Carswell AFB. We drove the equipment from Carswell to Los Angeles with stops in El Paso, Texas, Lordsburg, N. Mex., Tucson, Ariz. And a few other places along the way. Cheli AMD was an equipment purchasing depot in S.W. Los Angeles near Huntington Park. Some personnel there were Capt. Adam Wiley, C.O., Lt. A. Beard, 1st Sgt. John Tanner, M/Sgt. Truman E. Brians, Roger Murray, Clarence Barr, Norman Reynolds, Raymond Lemieux. A.J. Ingraham, Chuck Elliott & Roy Givens. Notable events were when Capt. Wiley and his wife were making ice cream after Saturday Dress Parades & Inspections and the recuced rates at RAMS football games at The Coliseum. Hot spots  The Tropics in Maywood and Lous Shanty in Bell. This was also a great place to be stationed.

Det. 23  Heston Aerodrome, Heston, Middlesex, England. We were located in West London near Hounslow. Heston was Londons airport before Heathrow which was nearby. Heston was an RAF field during WWII. The last year I was here our detachment was moved from Heston out to the Fairey Aviation Plant which was in Langley. Langley was near Slough, Buckinghamshire. While in Heston I lived on The Crossways and while at Langley I lived in Wraybury on the Thames River across from the large Home Park Fields of Windsor Castle. I was here from 1953 to 1956. Some personnel there were Maj. John F. Hopkins, C.O., Capt. Adam Wiley later C.O., Lt. Donald K. Lee, Capt. Ahab, M/Sgt. Truman E. Brians, Donald Brister, Robert Heim, Pete Huff, Wally Kruger (previously there), Mark Hampton, Chuck Elliott, Ray Lemieux, Anthony Hopkins, John Corbin, Roy Givens & Osteen. There was also another fine officer who kept the book No Time For Sergeants on his desk. Notable events were Air Vice Marshall A. McKee, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force visited our site one night to observe the RAF Blind Bombing Competition. Hot spots  the Heston Bar at the aerodrome with Jim the bartender; a club on the Great West Road and a pub on the Cranford High Street.

I flew home to McGuire AFB in New Jersey and was discharged in 1956 at Manhattan Beach Air Force Station on Long Island. I came home to my familys fruit farm in Spencerport, Western New York State. I still reside here at 777 Gillett Road, Rochester, N.Y. 14624.

My current email address

Comments: Am 75 and counting............. Anyone out there?

Keywords: Denver Bomb Plot, Cheli Bomb Plot, Glasgow Bomb Plot, Richmond Bomb Plot, Marrakech Bomb Plot, Hill Army Depot, RBS Express Supervisor for several locations. Drone Control Site Supv (ADC) Tyndall AFB 3 years (William Tell Fighter Competition Judge), AFETR assigment with APOLLO Program, Supv of six airborne electronics crews.

looking for phoenix az. guys or wivesfrom50s

Comments: hi i would like to hear from anyone who was detached to phoenix az. in the late 40s or the early 50s i worked at the hotel coffee shop where some of the guys lived, since there was no barricks.i worked there after school and later married one of the guys.he is deseased, and we were divorced long before. i have so many good memories of so many of them and thier wives at basketball games ect. i remember one guy, very tall who could hold a basketball in each hand. this kid came into the cafe one day and ask if we would fry up a rabbit he had caught.my boss said o.k.go ahead and fix it for him, but he drew the line when he came in the nent day with a lemon he'd pick off a tree wanted me to make him some lemonade :}

Keywords:

Radar Bomb Scoring

Comments: Interested in friends and comments about these Detachments.

Keywords:

Site Designators

Comments: All,

I'm trying to find the locations/Detachment Letters of the early fixed sites. Anyone who has information on the site below please "E"mail me.

I think this is correct? 3903rd DETS D, F, G, H, J, and M probably existed, although this is just a theory. These are the letter designator sites we have identified and I think they are all 3903rd sites:

DET A, Lowry AFB (Denver), CO – DET B, Carswell AFB, TX – DET B, Eglin AFB, FL – DET C, Pyongyang, North Korea - DET E, existed but don't know location - DET I, Stockton (Ordnance Depot, moved to Charlotte in 1950), CA – DET I, Charlotte, NC (First Charlotte site moved to Houston) - DET I, Houston, TX (Later redesignated DET 4, 10th RBS) - DET K, Pyongyang, North Korea - DET L, Phoenix, AZ (Later redesignated DET 3, 11th RBS)– DET N, Pusan, South Korea - DET ?, Mather AFB, CA -

These sites had to have a letter designator at sometime in their existance. They were original sites that existed into the RBS SQ era when Detachments had a number designator:

Omaha, NE (Later became DET 3 10th RBS Site) – Los Angeles (Cheli AFB, Maywood), CA - Later became DET 8 3903rd in 1950s, then 3903rd RBS 11th SQ, DET 2, moved to Wall, SD -

We do have the original sites that were probably absorbed in the 3903rd if they stil existed at the time. They may have had a letter designator.

Kansas City, MO – Fort Worth, Texas - Denver CO - Chicago, IL – Albuquerque, NM –

I also know that these sites existed but don't know what the designator was. I think these were 11th RBS. Does anyone know?

DET ? (in the RBS squadron era) Anderson AFB, Guam, - DET ? Spokane, WA – DET ? San Francisco, CA – DET ? Astoria, OR -

-Ray-

Keywords: 3903rd RBS.

RBS Commander

Comments: Major Bennett was my uncle and responsible for my having spent 30 great years in the USAF. He was stationed at Mac Dill AFB, Florida with an RBS unit in 1947 when he helped me signed up. I visited him in 1950 when he had an RBS unit in a factory in Houston, Texas. I went to Kunson, Korea after that visit. I was told he was in Korea just after that but was unable to locate him. After retirement he became a minister and lived in Florida. I would just like to know more about his military career.

Keywords: Looking for someone who knew Major Beasley Woodrow Bennett RBS Commander

Photos

Comments: While working at General Dynamics 15 years ago I was given a set of photos of an RBS train by Dale Bentrup. I do not know who originally took the photos, but it appears that the train is parked in the Mississippi / Arkansas Delta in the winter, (Flat as a table top, no pine trees and no leaves on the trees.) Does anyone have any insight on this? Still have the photos.

Keywords: RBS photo

Hear From You?

Comments: I came after Korea but may have served with some of you folks.

Would love to hear from you.

1 May 70 - 1 May 74

Jim Cooper

Keywords: statesboro, matagorda, cedar key,udorn, linebacker, quinter, park, presque isle, ashland, wellington, altus, hollis

Where is Lt. Robert F(?) Schaller

Comments: I am looking for 2nd Lt. Robert F.(?) Schaller who was in our outfit from about '52 th '53. He had been recalled during the Korean conflict and did encourage a number of us to return to college "if we ever wanted to amount to anything" and for his advice and encouragement I and several others are very grateful! Lt. Schaller made 1 Lt shortly after he left us. Thanks for any leads. Regards, Jack C. Cain

Keywords: Detachment 13, 3903 RBS Group, Treasure Is. SFO, CA

3903 RBS, Treas Island, SF 1948-52

Comments: Chief Phillip Martin was assigned to this unit from 1948-1952. The unit was commanded by a Major Posey. Chief Martin is trying to contact anyone who was in the unit during that period. I will gather and pass any information on to him.

Keywords: "Chief" Phillip Martin, Maj. Posey, 3903 RBS, Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA 1948 - 1952

Omaha Bomb Plot 1957 to 1959

Comments:

Keywords: Also trained on the Redstone and Jupiter Missles at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Anyone else out there that was there?

My Memories of the unit

Comments: My service in the 3903 RBS squadron started in April 1949 at Carswell AFB.I had completed airborne radar schools at Kessler AFB and was assigned to Detachment 'B' at Carswell.

Major Templeton was the squadron CO and CWO Cox was the XO. Lt. Schow was the Det B CO. Other members of Det B were: M/Sgt Lester Abernathy, M/Sgt Milton Signoff, Joe Harrison, Clyde Keys, John Donaldson, Willie Williamson, Anthony Gavio and those whose names have left me.

RBS personnel were quartered in the old BOQ's on the lake and we ate and pulled KP in the base hosptal mess hall.

Det B had an out of the ordinary assignment in the fall of 1949 when we went TDY to EGLIN AFB in Florida. We moved our SCR-584 and RC-294 and other vehicles in a convoy to the Sandy Mountain Bomb Range at Eglin.

The mission if I remember correctly was to track bombers making some kind of experimental approaches to assure that the bombs would fall on the bomb range. Capt. Roger Cuddeback was the CO at that time.

Det. N was organized in June/July 1950 to stablish an RBS site in Puerto Rico.

My personal situation was that I took a short discharge on July 14 and re-enlisted in the morning of July 15 in order to meet the requirement of having three years of service time remaining for the Puerto Rico assignment.

I was married in the afternoon of the 15th (still married to the same wonderful woman)on the 18th (?) we were told to prepare to go to McClellan AFB at Sacramento, Ca. We flew to McClellan that night in the squadron's B-26 with Major Templeton as the pilot.

During the six weeks or so that we were at McClellan, the detachment was fully manned with 2 officers and 15 enlisted men. The roster included Captain Hansen(CO), WO Carnel,M/Sgt Abernathy, M/Sgt Little, Sgt Thistle, Sgt Jordan, Sgt Sharpe, Sgt Marlin, Pvt Bergstrom, Sgt Hunter, S/Sgt Hussey, Cpl Brister, Cpl Peal, Cpl Forester, Cpl Hale, S/Sgt Grammond and Cpl Wikler (me).

Our equipment,SCR-584, RC-294, radio truck, generators, supply van and all of the miscellaneous were checked out. We moved to Camp Stoneman at Pittsburg, CA and did all the final preparations for departure to Korea.

We left Camp Stoneman early September via a ferry boat to the Oakland army base where we boarded the USS General W.A.Mann. In addtion to the three RBS detachments, there were over 2000 thousand troops from the 3rd Armored Division(?).

We slept in hammocks stacked 4 high; stood up to eat our meals and waited in line to use the latrine,showers or just about anything else on the ship.

The trip took about 2 weeks and was basically uneventful. We docked at the port of Moji(?) on northern Kyushu where the Army troops disembarked. The RBS people stayed aboard for 2-3 more days and cleaned the ship while we sailed to Yokohoma.

The food got a lot better on that trip. We stayed at Johnson AFB for a short time waiting for transportation to Korea. We flew to Korea in old C-46's and pitched our tents on a hill overlooking Pusan harbour. I never expected to use my shelter half but we did and fortunatly, the weather was favorable. Can't remember the time-frame, but we moved into a school, maybe Pusan University, while awaiting the arrival of our equipment.

In the Nov/Dec time-frame, personnel from the 3 detachments,C,K,and N with 2 sets of equipment moved north to Sinanju.

I'm not sure of the mission in addtition to the close support aspects but it may have also had something to do with taking out the bridges over the Yalu River. The Chinese entry and the 8th Army retreat took the RBS units back to the south, either the Taejon or Taegu area.

The three detachments in essence regrouped. Det N which became Det 22(Hillbilly) was assigned to the Army I Corp on the western front; Det(?)was central and Det 5 was last. Actual operations for Hillbilly began in Jan 1951 see the attachment). We moved to various sites as the front moved north thru Taegu, Taejon, Chonan, Osan, Suwon, Yongdong-Po, and north of Seoul.

The Chinese offensive moved south re-taking Seoul; we moved south also, back to Suwon, I think and than north again to Yongdong-Po.

One of the memorable targets at that time was the Korean capital building which the Chinese were using as a headquarters; reports back talked of a successful strike. In Yongdong-Po we occupied a house that was housing for Army dependents before the war started; it was basically a roof over our head.

I think we moved across the Imjin River in the July 1951 time-frame and established our site.

This site was not very far north of the bridge which washed out while we were on the wrong side.

My memory is vague regarding other movements and sites but this was the last site for the original 17 members of Det 22 before we started our trip home.

We were in Seoul for a short time before going to Japan where we turned in our grubby fatigues, khaki's, OD's and personal equipment and we were issued our blues. The trip out of Japan was aboard an Air Force DC-4 with flight attendents and the seats facing the rear of the plane.

We had an over night stay at Shemya AFB in the Aleutian Islands and another overnight at Elmendorf AFB before going to McCord AFB(?) in ashington.

Some additional thoughts:In addition to the B-29's and B-26's,any aircraft, Air Force, Navy or Marine was a customer; all they had to do was tell us what kind of ordinance they carried and where we could look for them.

We directed P-51's, F4U's(Corsair), F-80's and on a few occassions, a C-47 that dropped flares on enemy covoys and troops so that the B-26's could follow-up with their forward firing machine guns.

Reports from the aircraft, at times, described secondary explosions. Ground observers reported enemy casualities and facility damage. If nothing else, there was a pyschological impact of bombs falling when the B-29's could not be seen or heard at night and in bad weather.

During the first few months of 1951, we were our own perimeter guards. This usually meant one man with his M-1 carbine patrolling the perimeter; kind of scary in after thought. At some point, a squad of ROK troops were assigned to guard us.

Another incident of note is that on one of our moves, the SCR-584 slipped off of a muddy road and laid down on it's side. Army engineers got it back up on it's wheels and we moved on. When we set up and power was applied, everything came up OK and we were operational.

A few of our guys, Grammond, Sharpe and Thistle, were resorceful and creative and managed to aquire a field range/oven and various cooking equipment and utensils. As a result, we fed ourselves with food provided by the Army supply.

I Corps recognized the accomplishments of the original 17 members of Det 22 by awarding the the Bronze Star Medal. Det 22 also was awarded an Air Force Unit Citation, the Korean Service Medal with 4 battle stars, the UN Service Medal and the ROK Presidential Unit Citation.

After going back to school at Kessler, I was assigned to the RBS detachment at the Charlotte, N.C. airport until my discharge in July, 1953.

Again from a personal perspective, I certainly did not want to go to Korea but in reflecting back; it was rewarding experience. I went there as a 20 year old boy and came home as 21 year old man.

All of the above is my best recollection at this time. If I am wrong on places, dates and events, I would like to hear from you.

Keywords: Ted, this is some of my recollections of my service in the 3903 RBS squadron.

The attachment is an article from the 'Daily Bullseye', an I Corps publication dated Sunday, 11 March 1951.

Ed Note; Attachment and recollections will be converted to a web page for Norm.

1st CEVG Group on Yahoo

Comments: There is a site on yahoo for people who served in CEVG or the Units prior to CEVG. Email me and I will get you an invite. We discuss issues and old times there quite a bit. Over 6,000 messages since Jan 1999

Keywords: Ed Smith, Harlin Miller, Bill Stepp, Tom Ekstrom, Carl Copeland, Trice Miller, John Ringland, Bill Wilson

3903rd RBS to 1st RBSGP

Comments: Was assigned to 3933rd RBS, March Field, later sent to Carswell to Headquarter 3903rd RBS Group, Later 1st RBS Group commanded by Lt Col (then Colonel Otis Parks) assiged as Senior Historian, worked with MSGT John Justice, LtCol Hickey, roommate was SSgt Bill Overley - went as first cadre to USAF Military Academy;, SSgt Dave Chapman. Anybody still out there?

Keywords:

Looking for any information on the Winslow Radar Bomb Scoring Site in Arizona

Comments: I am seeking any information on the the Winslow Radar Bomb Scoring Site. In particular, I need to know where it was located and when it was active. However, any information would be appreciated.

Keywords:

Trying to replace my RBS & CEG patches that have been long lost

Comments: I would like to find some of the unit patches to put in a framed display. Anyone knowing where I could find any of the unit patches, please let me know.

Keywords: I was stationed at Matagorda Island beginning in 1968, then went to Korea at the end of 68 and the first part of 69. After that, I was in Mobridge SD(1969) for a Train tour, then Viet Nam at OL-24 Hue Phu-Bi in 1970.

Det. 12, 10th RBS Sq

Comments: Ironwood and Bayshore, Michigan (1963-66). I remember "Buzz" Knight, Larry Fox, Chicago Nike, "Chuck" Berry, Major (LtC) Wilson, LtC Joe King, Sgt Huff, RBS Express (Oklahoma, Kansas and MO)& "A4C Boxcar".

Heard there was a reunion in Charlevoix, MI not long ago.

Keywords:

DET 3 RBS STATESBORO 72-75

Comments: Hey, whatever happen to det 3 1stCEG, statesboro Georgia? I loved operating the old mps 9 radar. went to NKP '73 and also site at ubon. Mission recorder during mission in august '73. Forgot how we scored the bombplot.

Keywords: names i remember: LT Col Dannucher, Airmen: Weller, Guyton, Como, Mitchell, Mann, Bender, webb, Sgt Sherman, Wright, Murphy, Morgan

WOW -- AT LAST!!! FINALLY!!! HOORAY!!!

Comments: Hi, everyone. I FINALLY found a site that may allow the Radar-Heads to get together. Let's see.... Lackland AFB for basic in 1949, then Keesler AFB for Radar Maintenance, and held over for Autotrack (SCR-584) Radar Maintenance upon graduation. 30333? Went to Korea late 1950 on the USNS GENERAL STUART S. HEINSELMAN (sp?) out of Oakland. Helluva rough, bumpy trip, almost sank the ship in a 4-day storm. Compartment F4, the roughest, most-forward compartment on the waterline with 100+ sad,sick souls. I remember the ship's captain sending the message throughout the holds that the ship had been redlined at a 45-degree roll, but we had just rolled 55 degrees and were still afloat. Scared tho. People falling out of their tiered bunks, getting hurt on the slippery, steel decks. Sick, dirty, smelly.

My memory is almost completely blocked, guys. Are you like me? I can only remember bits and pieces, and no names. I CAN, however, remember vividly the night we bombed ourselves. As usual, we had been controlling B-29s and B-26s every night and daytime during bad weather when they could not see their own targets. We were pretty good, with great feedback from the pilots and high percentages of secondary explosions, and only two friendly-fire reports (due entirely to old, or bad coordinates from JOC); one on Turkish troops, and one on UK troops. JOC had reported back to us that we had >90% success rates. HQ (5th AF?) had sent us an MSQ-1 autotrack radar to replace our old SCR-584. I seem to remember that it was a highly modified SCR-584 with a MSQ-1 Plotting Van. Only problem was that they had misplaced all of the TO's that should have been sent with the new system. Our CO delayed setting up the MSQ as long as possible, waiting for the documentation to catch up with the equipment. Unfortunately, HQ got tired of waiting and ordered us to prepare the system for use. So we set it up, connected all the cables, and, by trial and error, learned to operate the radar. Most of it was identical to the 584, but with enhanced tracking and range mods. We finally got it hooked up and operating with the Tracking Van and could actually track aircraft. Pretty good, too. Better sensitivity than the old 584. We learned how to operate the analog/digital computers in the TrackVan, how to enter and position our geodetic coordinates, and how to enter and offset the target coordinates. After appealing one more time to delay operations, we were ordered to use the new system for a drop. I had just rotated off the radar and Kepler (HAH!!!! Just remembered my first name!) had taken over the J-Scan to track the very first op with the new system. I was sitting in the Comm Van, writing a letter to my girlfriend (still my wife) and listening to the Controller/Pilot exchanges. The B-29 callsign was TOPHAT 9,and we were HILLBILLY (?). I heard the pilot relay the 'Bomb's Away' and then I heard the scream of bombs falling and felt the shake of the blasts . I remember thinking that it sounded exactly like the movies I had seen and that there was no question about what it was. The explosions were visceral and deep in the gut and your whole system reacted to the message that you were going to die. I can remember opening the door while the bombs were still exploding, and remember nothing else until the silence of the last bomb. I have to smile every time I remember it. I had opened the door, crawled out of the Comm Van and crawled underneath the van. When the bombs stopped, I crawled out from underneath and then noticed that, in deep, wet mud, I was not muddy. I must have hung by fingers and toes to the undercarriage of the van.

We were lucky. Very lucky. The bombs went right through the center of the compound and killed no one. The interverlometer setting was right on the money. We measured blasts 600 yds before and 600 yds after the center of our compound. Compensation for winds, altitude, speed, weather and bomb-type were accurate also. Two 500# bombs were duds. One in the middle of our fuel/ammo dump, and one in the center of the mess tent. I can remember the WP Anti-Personnel bombs most. They were nasty but only hurt 2 of our Army guards who tried to brush the WP off their bunks. We lost a lot of STUFF, but no personnel. Radar and Track Vans were damaged, but the parts supply was OK so we were on the air in only 2 days following the bombing.

LOTS of memories starting ot come back, but slowly, over time. I can remember that we figured out what the problem was. On the SCR-584, the +-X and +-Y Target Coordinates were entered into the Analog Target Computer and left in. Our position was noted and the targets positon was plotted on the overlay map. The target was offset from our location. On the MSQ-1, we operated in the same manner, but later learned that we should have entered the target coordinates into the new digital/analog computer, AND THEN 'ZEROED' THEM OUT AGAIN. The computer would remember the offset and track accordingly. Unfortunately, we did not know that without the TO's. By leaving them in, like the 584, we effectively located the target's position over the top of ourselves. Worked well, we were right on.

A lot of ugly is starting to come back now. Haven't thought of them for a long time. I sure would like to hear from some of you who went through some of the same things.

Don Benson caller4u@aol.com (831) 726-7053

Keywords: TOPHAT (B29 callsign), RBS, SCR-584, MSQ-1 (MISCUE), "HOTEL HILTON", ASBESTOS UMBRELLA, BOMBING OURSELVES, BEDCHECK CHARLIE, SNIPER SCHOOL,

Detachment 1 11th RBS Squadron, Denver,CO

Comments: I was stationed in Denver, CO from 1952-1956. I would like to contact any fellow RBSmen stationed with me at that time, especially James A. Harris from NJ, Joseph J. Mucciaccio from NY, and Martin Apolazan from Detroit, MI. I hope you're still alive!

Keywords:

RBS 1966 to 1970

Comments: Would love to hear from guys I was stationed with at these locatioons from 1967 to 1970

Keywords: Stationed in Ellisvill, Miss., Wellsville Mo., Matagorda Island, Tx., Hue Phu-Bi, Viet Nam OL-24