Jim Scanlon (deceased)
Senior Staff 
FORUM CHAPLAIN
Commander South Texas outpost of the County Sligo Squadron
Currently: Offline
Posts: 5,075 
Location:
Joined: July 2007
Retired: USAF
NBA: Spurs
NFL: Niners
MLB: Giants
NHL: Penguins
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Dec 22, 2013 8:50:14 GMT 9
On Saturday, 6 January 1962, that is nearly 52 years ago, I went to the Orderly Room of the 32nd CAMRON, at Minot Air Force Base, after driving to the base in a driving snow storm and below Zero temperature, in my Yellow 1951 Nash Ambassador.
The CQ had the official incoming sign-in form, which I signed, and left copies of my orders.
He also figured out where I could find a bed for the weekend.
On Monday morning, I made my way back to the Orderly Room to begin the process of signing in to Minot AFB, and the 32nd CAMRON.
Lt. Col. Joe Roberts was the Commander, but can't remember who the Shirt was.
The 32nd CAMRON took care of the F-106s the 5th FIS flew.
When I finally got to the squadron's maintenance hanger, it was the first time I had laid eyes on an F-106, other than seeing them flying in the local area.
I transferred from Nellis AFB, where I was a crew chief on F-105Ds.
Taking a look at the Six, while in the warm hanger, I was impressed.
I worked on the Deuce at The Goose, and saw right away how much different the Six was.
Col. Joe was not a flying commander, but a non-rated officer.
He was the first commander at Minot AFB, as a Major, and the project officer for the building of the base.
CWO-4 Richard “Dirty Dick” Dalton actually ran the squadron, as he was the Maintenance Officer.
I was sent to the local FTD School on the Six, and then turned loose, as the crew chief of B Model 58-0901.
One day, later that Spring, 901 was being used to give Run-up and Taxi License Checks to ground crew members.
All the ones on the list were done, and the pilot doing the checks, the Chief of Maintenance and Chief Test Pilot, asked me if I wanted to give it a go.
He asked if I had ever had a license before.
I showed him my Form 35, with my still valid F-105 Run-up and Taxi License listed, and off we went.
That license came in very handy of the rest of my time at Minot.
Later that year, Lt. Col. Jacksal M. Broughton became 5th FIS Commander, the 32nd CAMRON was disbanded and all the people transferred to the 5th.
At that time MAFB also changed, from an ADC base, with SAC as tenant, to a SAC base with ADC as tenant.
Shortly after we were all in the 5th, I was assigned to the Phase Docks, where I stayed until 1966, when I was assigned to Maintenance Control.
I stayed at MAFB until 2 February 1967, when I left for Ubon, Thailand.
During the 5 years I was on the Six, I saw lots of changes in the Six and lots of changes in the Air Force.
I consider my time at MAFB to be the best assignment I ever had, even with all the changes that took place.
Several factors enter in.
We had an excellent group of NCOs, Warrant Officers and Officers in the maintenace end of the squadron, as well as some excellent pilots.
Mr. Dalton was an unbelievable Maintenance Officer, even though he often had the personality of a wounded Lynx.
He knew the Six and was willing to share his knowledge with the rest of us.
We also had Don St. Pierre as our Convair Tech Rep, who was a great help to all of us.
Jack Broughton was somewhat of a Martinet, but he looked out for his troops and did all he could to promote high moral and efficiency.
During his tenure, we went from a second rate squadron to one of the very best in ADC.
We also, during that time, were privileged to have Lt. Col. Richard Chandler as our Chief of Maintenance.
I know of no pilot who knew more about the Six than Col. C., and he taught me, and others, things no school or book could teach.
I tried to go back to Minot from Ubon, but the door was closed, as I had already spent 5 years there.
Same story when I applied to go back from DaNang.
I spent one-fourth of my Air Force career in or with the 5th FIS, and am a better man for it.
I also learned that the “Love-Hate” relationship with the Six leaned far more to the “Love” side, as it was a marvelous flying machine.
“The Ultimate Interceptor”.
Jim Too
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Post by pat perry on Jan 5, 2014 10:14:03 GMT 9
This from Doug Barbier - Pat P.
Going through Jack Broughtons "Rupert Red Two" and have correlated a couple of early 5th FIS F-106 losses. BTW - in the book, he ignores a LOT of interesting things that were happening at MIB back then - like Carl Osborne (mentioned in the book & later Thud Mig-killer and 171st FIS Air Force Advisor) practicing gun passes at 65,000' on the early U-2 detachment that was stationed up there to see if MIGs could possibly shoot the Dragon Lady down and the U-birds that had the 5th FIS Squadron patch decals applied to their tails when they were supposedly under night & day guarded lock down, etc.... anyhow:
59-013 lost on 3 Oct 1963. Capt Wayne Wendt (FCF pilot) was coming back from an FCF on a bird that had just come back from depot, pitched out, tower told him that his nav lights werent on, and the bird kept rolling & impacted the ground. Broughton went out to repeat the exercise & nearly augured in himself. Accident board did not decide if it was spatial disorientation (30 minutes after sunset) or FOD / Flight control problems.
59-017 Lost 19 Dec 1963. Pilot Bill Richardson, Flight CC. Had high pressure pneumatic bottle explode when the armament bay doors opened while on a pass against a squadron T-bird. Jet lost power, electrics & hydraulics. Unable to eject. 13th Pilot in a row killed by the CV "B" seat & that is what caused Broughton to ground his squadron, complain to ADC CC and rake CV over the coals during a meeting at the Mobile Air Materiel Depot. After that meeting, a new ejection seat was "top priority" for the Six fleet
There are a couple more in there that I might be able to sort out as well.
BTW- Carl was the pilot of 59-111 when he bailed out of it over the Pacific Ocean in Oct 65. They had the Weber seats by then & I remember him saying that he floated around in his raft for an hour or two before he got picked up. Cannot remember what caused the crash though..... After he retired, he went out to Idaho & became a farmer - just in time for Mt. St. Helens to erupt and cover his farm with several inches of ash. Dont know if he is still around, but sure would like to get back in touch with him.
Doug
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Jim Scanlon (deceased)
Senior Staff
FORUM CHAPLAIN
Commander South Texas outpost of the County Sligo Squadron
Currently: Offline
Posts: 5,075
Location:
Joined: July 2007
Retired: USAF
NBA: Spurs
NFL: Niners
MLB: Giants
NHL: Penguins
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Jan 5, 2014 10:28:55 GMT 9
Pat, the loss of 013 was on base, as the story stated.
The loss of 017 took place Southwest of Bismark, near Flasher, ND.
The seat came out, but only to the horizontal position, and that was it.
Broughton did try to duplicate the crash of 013, with a chase pilot and lots of troops on the ramp watching.
He came alarmingly close to augering in.
Don't know why he left out the U-2 story.
The book also relates how he ended up being summoned to Washington, and met with a number of people, including JFK.
That was after he began complaining about the rocket seat, before 017, and before JFK went to Texas.
The picture in the book of Broughton with JFK shows him in his flight suit, as he was summoned to Washington immediately.
He jumped in a bird and left.
He probably filed his flight plan from the ramp.
Interesting man.
Interesting times.
Jim Too
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Jim Scanlon (deceased)
Senior Staff
FORUM CHAPLAIN
Commander South Texas outpost of the County Sligo Squadron
Currently: Offline
Posts: 5,075
Location:
Joined: July 2007
Retired: USAF
NBA: Spurs
NFL: Niners
MLB: Giants
NHL: Penguins
|
Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Apr 16, 2015 7:00:57 GMT 9
Those who were stationed at Minot AFB will be interested in this story.
Eloise Ogden, wife of former 5th FIS Crew Chief, Bernie Pellenwessel, seems to be the reporter putting this story together.
She has written a number of stories about the base, and the 5th FIS.
If you choose to send a story to the MND, at the address in the post, be sure to get it in by the deadline, 31 May.
Jim Too
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The Minot Daily News
60 Years of Minot Air Force Base
Your No. 1 base story
The Minot Daily News will be doing a special publication this summer in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the ground breaking for Minot Air Force Base.
If you have served, worked or as a family member lived at Minot AFB, we would like to hear from you with your No. 1 Minot AFB story. Include the year or years you were at the base and the unit in which you served or worked.
Those currently at the base are also welcome to submit a story and photo.
If you have a photo of yourself at Minot AFB, please include it with your story. If you do not have a photo from that time but have a present-day photo of yourself, please include it with the story.
The city and state where you presently live should be included with the information submitted.
Stories and photos can be emailed to minotafbspecial@minotdailynews.com. Any questions, send them to the email address.
The deadline for the stories and photos is May 31.
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