bhenry
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Duluth
Dec 1, 2007 23:49:41 GMT 9
Post by bhenry on Dec 1, 2007 23:49:41 GMT 9
Hi everyone, Just signed on today. I was wondering if anyone has any info on the "black bear on the fence" incident at Duluth IAP in the early 1960s. I work at the former AFB site in Duluth. I am also wondering why the Air Force decided to move the 87th from Duluth to K.I. Sawyer in the early 70s. -Forgive my stupidity if these are dumb questions...I'm just an ignorant navy vet.
Bh
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Duluth
Dec 2, 2007 1:07:00 GMT 9
Post by lindel on Dec 2, 2007 1:07:00 GMT 9
One of my brothers was at Duluth in the 60's. If I remember the next time I talk to him, I'll ask.
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Duluth
Dec 2, 2007 3:41:04 GMT 9
Post by daoleguy A.J. Hoehn (deceased) on Dec 2, 2007 3:41:04 GMT 9
Bherny, welcome! I was only at Loring and The Griff, dealt with Moose at Loring. Never heard the "Bear" story. I am sure one of the troops here knows more. I did hear something a while back about country music star Troy Lee Gentry shooting a penned black bear there. BTW, had to say this. I really respect an honest Sailor! AJ :yellowbeer:
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bhenry
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Duluth
Dec 2, 2007 4:18:09 GMT 9
Post by bhenry on Dec 2, 2007 4:18:09 GMT 9
The bear incident happened during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Apparently a black bear set off some kind of alarms and nearly started World War III. I was just wondering if someone knew the "meat and potatoes" of the incident, and where exactly it happened at the base.
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Bullhunter
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Duluth
Dec 2, 2007 5:19:17 GMT 9
Post by Bullhunter on Dec 2, 2007 5:19:17 GMT 9
While I was at Griffiss AFB in the SAC unit the security fence had sensors on it and under it. We had nuke loaded B-52's on EWO Alert. Now and then the security forces would respond to an intruder alarm. Always turned out to be a deer, raccoon, stray dog, or a large crow. I can't see that a bear turning an alarm into something that would cause a big major fuss. Has to be more to it.
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sixerviper
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Duluth
Dec 2, 2007 9:25:23 GMT 9
Post by sixerviper on Dec 2, 2007 9:25:23 GMT 9
I was at Duluth when the 87th moved from there to KI Sawyer. The MnANG 148th FIS was flying F-102s at the time and the 62d FIS at KI was flying F-101Bs. When this all went down, the 62nd deactivated, gave their Voodoos to the 148th, and the 148th sent their deuces to the boneyard. The 87th then moved lock, stock, and barrel to KI, leaving behind a small cadre of T-33s and a T-29 to be used by the HQ people at 23rd Air Division. I was the chief cook and head bottle-washer in the support unit's instrument shop and stayed at DLH. Bummer. I got into a pissing contest with the SMSgt Chief of Maintenance in that piddly little unit and he screwed me--all the way to Minot AFB and the 5FIS. Thanks, SMSgt Edward J. Smrcka for "screwing" me and getting me out of that awful unit and into a good one!!. You "screwed" me out of going to Vietenam, too! <grin> Of course, at that time I was just a feckless young three-striper who didn't know how to keep his mouth shut and probably deserved that "screwing" I got, but that's another story... However, you can see from my avatar that I identify much more with Minot than Duluth.
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bhenry
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Duluth
Dec 3, 2007 3:14:24 GMT 9
Post by bhenry on Dec 3, 2007 3:14:24 GMT 9
SixerViper One of those F-101Bs is on static display in Proctor, Mn if you remember where that is. Thanks for the info on the 87th. I assume the base stayed open for another 12 years or so because of the SAGE defense system? The 148th is fighting to keep its flying mission right now...seems the BRAC commission doesn't want F-16s...Col. Boyd must be rolling over in his grave about now.
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docwatson
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Duluth
Dec 5, 2007 3:06:28 GMT 9
Post by docwatson on Dec 5, 2007 3:06:28 GMT 9
I beleive this is the F-101B in Proctor MN. My son in law was on the team that gave her a good refinish a couple years back. He has since left Duluth and is now at Buckley.
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rich256
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Duluth
Dec 19, 2007 13:51:16 GMT 9
Post by rich256 on Dec 19, 2007 13:51:16 GMT 9
I was MA-1 Tech Rep at Duluth in 60-61 era. Must have just missed the Black Bear. I got back to Los Angeles just as the Cuban Crisis started. Remember that clear as we were studying if an interceptor firing a GAR-9 missile could take out a big missile coming up out of Cuba.
One of the Hughes guys shot a bear in his back yard up there in the '59-'60 era. I had them raid my garbage cans. A Bull Moose came through the yard one day. Scared the hell out of my wife.
I was at the ADF at Buckley from 72-92. Sill live in Aurora.
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sixerviper
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Duluth
Jan 5, 2008 13:13:58 GMT 9
Post by sixerviper on Jan 5, 2008 13:13:58 GMT 9
bhenry--I feel your pain, bud (damn, I hate using that Clinton phrase!). I just watched my Air Guard unit (Virginia) give up its F-16s and move from Richmond to Langley AFB and become an associate F-22 unit with the 1st FW. They own no jets; they fly and maintain the active-unit jets. I'm glad I retired in 2005. There is a news item over on the F-16 website that says Duluth is slated to give up its block 25s for block 40s in 2013. You can see that website at www.f-16.net . BTW, that is one awesome one-oh-wonder picture!
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bhenry
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Duluth
Mar 18, 2008 7:26:13 GMT 9
Post by bhenry on Mar 18, 2008 7:26:13 GMT 9
I hear that Duluth is now a "finalist" for the F-35. Perhaps there's hope anyway. If any of you want to see your old bases, check out mapslive.com. Satellite images, a bit dated, but interesting to see anyhow... A little info on the bear incident. I found a website and here is a cut and paste from it: 6) October 25, 1962- Cuban Missile Crisis: Intruder in Duluth At around midnight on October 25, a guard at the Duluth Sector Direction Center saw a figure climbing the security fence. He shot at it, and activated the "sabotage alarm." This automatically set off sabotage alarms at all bases in the area. At Volk Field, Wisconsin, the alarm was wrongly wired, and the Klaxon sounded which ordered nuclear armed F-106A interceptors to take off. The pilots knew there would be no practice alert drills while DEFCON 3 was in force, and they believed World War III had started. Immediate communication with Duluth showed there was an error. By this time aircraft were starting down the runway. A car raced from command center and successfully signaled the aircraft to stop. The original intruder was a bear. Here is a link to that website: www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-weapons/issues/accidents/20-mishaps-maybe-caused-nuclear-war.htm
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bhenry
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Duluth
Mar 18, 2008 8:14:15 GMT 9
Post by bhenry on Mar 18, 2008 8:14:15 GMT 9
Almost forgot-docwatson, that is the F-101 I was referring to. If I hear the story correctly, The tail markings are those of a 148th FIG F-101 that crashed and the pilot was killed in the 1970s. Sixerviper, I see they just retired the F-117 also, perhaps the USAF is going the way of the dinosaur? A terrible thought.
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sixerviper
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Duluth
Mar 20, 2008 10:42:08 GMT 9
Post by sixerviper on Mar 20, 2008 10:42:08 GMT 9
bhenry--I guess that depends on who gets elected this November. Who knows--maybe the whole military will go away and we can blame it on the vast right-wing conspiracy...
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Tom Rivers
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Duluth
Apr 10, 2008 4:39:05 GMT 9
Post by Tom Rivers on Apr 10, 2008 4:39:05 GMT 9
Hi,
I was at Duluth from Jan. 1960 to Sept. 1963. During the Cuban Missile Crisis I was an F-106 crew chief, of a/c 095. The squadron of a/c was deployed to various A/F Bases and municipal airports, my a/c was at Volk Field. There were only a few left in Duluth, 8 in the alert shelter and maybe 2 in maintenance.
DEFCON 2 was the alert status and we were told there would be no practice scrambles.
I was assigned to one of the alert a/c and worked the 6pm to 6am night shift. The 8 alert birds were fully armed, including nuclear weapons.
When the Klaxon horn sounded one night all pilots and crew chiefs ran for their a/c. I remember thinking this is nuclear war and prayed that this was some kind of a mistake. My a/c was the first one out of the barn and piloted by Capt. Hardt. The other 7 followed down the taxi strip toward runway #9 and I kept saying to myself, turn around, turn around. When Capt. Hardt taxied onto the runway I could hear the RPM's increase and thought, oh no. But then I saw that the afterburner didn't come on and he was taxing down the runway to return to the shelter. Thank God.
The a/c were ordered back to the barn via radio, there was no chase car involved.
A day or so later I heard through the grapevine that a black bear was in the POL area and that someone was to alert the Air Police but some how the scramble horn alert was sounded.
If the fighters had taken off, that would not have started WWIII.
I honestly enjoyed the almost 4 years that I spent at Duluth and all the airmen that I worked with in the 11 FIS.
Tom Rivers
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Duluth
Apr 10, 2008 8:30:46 GMT 9
Post by Mark O on Apr 10, 2008 8:30:46 GMT 9
I honestly enjoyed the almost 4 years that I spent at Duluth and all the airmen that I worked with in the 11 FIS. Tom Rivers Hi Tom and welcome to Pat's World! Excellent story and thank you very much for your service. Don't be a stranger around here! I always love coming here to read and contribute. Lot's of great guys here! Mark
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Lee Nellist
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Duluth
Apr 11, 2008 3:51:05 GMT 9
Post by Lee Nellist on Apr 11, 2008 3:51:05 GMT 9
We are just as proud of our F106 as we were the day we finished her and rolled her out for the dedication. When we walk by it is sometimes unreal that we were able to accomplish what we did. I see the pictures were taken April 4th, 2008. Thge snow really sets her off.
Lee
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bhenry
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Duluth
Apr 13, 2008 19:51:19 GMT 9
Post by bhenry on Apr 13, 2008 19:51:19 GMT 9
Tom, thanks for the info on the black bear. Its kind of an urban legend up here for the few people who know and talk about it. Very much appreciated.
Bhenry navy vet in Duluth
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sixerviper
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Duluth
Apr 14, 2008 11:43:53 GMT 9
Post by sixerviper on Apr 14, 2008 11:43:53 GMT 9
I think it's really, really cool that one of my Minot jets (56-0461) was restored and painted up as one of my Duluth jets (57-0231) and is on display at KI Sawyer.
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deuel
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Duluth
Apr 23, 2008 10:01:12 GMT 9
Post by deuel on Apr 23, 2008 10:01:12 GMT 9
I was in the 319th '60-63. We played some 30th Airdiv CHADS war games that involved some of us going to recover our birds at Duluth..I remember it was damned cold, the guys in the 11th were great and we all got quite messed up in town after the 'war' was over! I thought Bunker Hill was cold until I spent a few winter days in Duluth!
deuel
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sixerviper
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Duluth
Apr 23, 2008 12:03:41 GMT 9
Post by sixerviper on Apr 23, 2008 12:03:41 GMT 9
You ain't seen nuthin' yet! Spend a winter at Minot. You ain't been cold 'till you've been Minot cold!
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