Page 5 - Aerotech News and Review, March 5, 2021

GEORGE AFB, from 4
ing used; from F-51s, F-86s, F-100s and the High Desert meant to me. I came to who make it all happen. Looking back,
F-104s, the list was constantly evolv- respect it over time, along with its lega- it was four years of my life that I would
ing. The birds of my generation were cy of what it had done to provide for this not trade for anything. I didn’t do any-
the F-4s and F-105s, which showed up nation. My time at George contributed thing heroic during my Air Force days,
en masse during my time in service. greatly to my understanding of how the but I will just say I sure got to see how
One thing that really stands out in my business end of the Air Force gets things heroes earn that title.
mind was that George was the home done and the amazing men and women Until next Time Bob out …
of an alert squadron under the control
of the West Coast Air Defense com- One day I
mand, which had been there for many was passing
years. Many times during my years by late in
there, we would hear that wail of a horn the evening
and the
and these slick F-106 beauties would silence was
bolt out of those alert hangars and blast interrupted
down the runway, to be lost in the hori- with a wind
zon in just a few minutes. Looking back, gust and
it was pretty scary stuff, as those birds Air Force photograph the clanging
were packing some very lethal weapons George Air Force Base, circa 1962. of the clips
to confront unwanted “guests,” shall we on an old
flag pole at
say, from across the seas. were keeping things together with safety Looking back and seeing the sad headquarters
George was a great assignment if you wire and duct tape. But I did find, many shape but also the resurgence of the base that is now
liked nonstop air action, as every day times, when I was out on the flight line that was once called George AFB, I find abandoned.
formations of fighters kept the skies full GCA or RSU sites, that I enjoyed see- myself, on occasion, stopping in to see Everyday
of departing and returning aircraft. We ing the business end of Uncle Sam’s Air if I can find anything left from my time for decades
even had the German air force there, do- Force in action. there, let alone the World War II years. revile and
ing training in their F-4s with their olive Working on the base, I was always A few things still remain, but not much. retreat
sounded and
drab and gray paint jobs. We learned aware of the history I was walking in One thing I find sad is all the warbirds the flag was
pretty fast that, if you were ever work- and around. Many of those old buildings that used to surround the headquarters raised and
ing in their facility, it was a good idea were holdovers from World War II and buildings are all gone. I hope they fared lowered as
not to fall prey to the Germans and their many of those F-4s and F-105s I helped better than other aspects of the base. In we came to
foosball table, like so many other war- to support had made many trips over a way, I feel a bit for the good general attention.
riors — as they made pretty quick work North Vietnam. In fact, the F-105G at for whom the base was named. Now, Those days
of the unknowing Airmen and scored a Joe Davies Air Park in Palmdale is one just like him, his namesake base is just are long gone
few bucks while they were at it! of those birds I would see lighting up its a memory that over time will fade like and this old
flagpole will
Again, George was a pretty good as- afterburner on a regular basis. Also note the last note of “Taps.” now just fade
signment. I won’t say it was a perfect that the tail number on that old bird was So there you have my take on those away with the
place, since in the late 1970s the mili- seen in many photos as it was chasing orders I got back in Texas, and what an memories.
T:9.5"
tary was not getting much love and we SAM sites in North Vietnam. assignment to a Tactical Fighter base in Photograph by Bob Alvis

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