Guestbook

Karen Laigaard wrote on May 30, 2015 at 5:48 am

We are looking for Sam Evans who was stationed in Bitburg around 1958/1959.
If anyone knew Sam or knows his whereabouts, please do get in touch.
Sam was born in 1929.

Many thanks.

Bud Coffman wrote on May 17, 2015 at 6:32 pm

I was at OL#1 Koterberg, Oct 1957-Nov 1959. 586th Com & Guide SQ. Got to Hahn many times.
You have a nice website. Too bad we don\'t have one for the guidance guys.

Kenneth White wrote on May 11, 2015 at 9:53 am

I arrived in Bitburg January 1962 and there was snow everywhere and two weeks earlier I was swimming in the ocean at Orlando. I was assigned to a matador site temporarily as the Mace sites were muddy holes in the ground. I served with the Matador crew for about 3 or 4 months and was assigned to the Training Crew for the Mace B with Capt. McAnally , Msgt Forster, Tech Sgt Harvey and others whose names I cannot remember at present. Later the Training Crew was also assigned duties as the Tactical Evaluation Crew that certified new crews for duty. Still later I was assigned to an operational launch crew when new Officers arrived. I stayed with Lt. Huge\'s Crew (pronounced Hugee) until I rotated Stateside in July 1964.

William Bill Knebel wrote on May 8, 2015 at 9:03 pm

I spent my first tour with the 71st TMS from 1962 to 1965. I trained on the Mace B, but when I arrived in Bitburg I was assigned to a Matador Crew as a weapons tech. I worked there for about six months. I then was assigned Temp duty (about a year and a half) as Nuclear Weapons Safety Instructor to the 36th Fighter Wing. I was recalled to the 71st and helped with the acceptance inspections on the Mace B sites.

I returned to the US in 1965 and married in 1966. When I returned with my new wife after our Honeymoon, I was assigned to Bitburg and ordered to train in Florida for Launch Crew training.

I now find myself with the same wife (49 years); four children, seven Grand Children and three Great Grand Children and about thirty pounds heavier.

I still miss the Air Force and the 71st TMS.

Guild Fetridge wrote on April 9, 2015 at 6:11 pm

17th Tactical Missile Squadron at Orlando AFB, 1957; 868th Tactical Missile Squadron, Armament Section, Tainan Air Base, Taiwan 1957 - 1960.

Col Guy Vanderman, Ret. wrote on March 30, 2015 at 10:30 am

Does anyone know what happened to a TSgt Knowle? (SP??) He was a Mace B Guidance and Control Instructor at Orlando circa 1964-65. He was a German that immigrated to the US. He was one heck of an instructor. I saw his name mentioned in an article a long time ago, but never followed up.

Lucin Ball wrote on March 28, 2015 at 10:16 pm

Sembach 60-61
Any of you folks know the Google Earth coordinates for the Mace sites at Hahn and Bitburg?

3/29/2015
Webmaster's comments...
Per Wikipedia (http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Mace), Mace coordinates were as follows:
38th Tactical Missile Wing (TMW) - Sembach Air Base - Germany

822th Tactical Missile Sqn (TMS) - Mehlingen - 49 ° 28' 16.33 "N, 7 ° 50 '55.47" E.
823th TMS - Enkenbach - 49 ° 28' 06.2 "N, 7 ° 53' 53.38" E
887th TMS - Grünstadt - 49º 33' 27.91 "N, 8 ° 08' 5:13" E

586th Tactical Missile Group (TMG) - Hahn Air Base - Germany

89th TMS - Wüschheim - 49 ° 59' 57.9 "N, 7 ° 24' 00.77" E
405th TMS - Kirch Burg - 49 ° 54' 47.7 "N, 7 ° 24' 46.7" E
405th TMS - Hundheim - 50º 02' 38.0 "N, 7 ° 25' 35.9" E
586th Missile Maintenance Sqn (MMS) - Hahn Air Base

585th TMG - Bitburg Air Base - Germany

71st TMS - Rittersdorf - 49 ° 59' 05:59 "N, 6 ° 28' 51.54" E
71st TMS - Idenheim - 49 ° 53' 22:17 "N, 6 ° 33' 27.21" E
71st TMS - Steinborn - 50º 04' 09:54 "N, 6 ° 37' 21:04" E
587th MMS - Oberweis

498th TMG - Kadena AFB - Okinawa - Japan

873rd TMS - Site 1 - Bolo Point
873rd TMS - Site 2 - White Beach
873rd TMS - Site 3 - Kin
874th TMS - Site 4 - Centre Island

58th TMG - Osan Air Base - Korea

310th TMS

Charles James Mills wrote on March 22, 2015 at 5:18 pm

I was stationed in;
Patric Airforce base from ???? To 1954 then transferred to Bitburg Germany until 1957 ( mid year).

I am writing this in behalf of Charles Mills. If there is anyone with information regarding the unit, any type of information, reunions, or people served in unit please forwRd any information. Thankyou and hope for any response.

Paul Davis wrote on March 21, 2015 at 4:29 pm

498 TMG 1969

Gerd Lohr wrote on March 21, 2015 at 2:07 am

just surfing by..... realy nice pictures of Lautzenhausen iam from there, grew up and was living there 46 years. Did not know that the Oberbayern was called Roulette and found out that the name Hillbilly was existing... was born in 1960 so missed a few of the golden years... but remember a bounch of fräuleins working in that places (Ref. George Tkach's Hahn Memories - http://www.tacmissileers.org/photos/member-albums/george-tkachs-hahn-memories/)

David Wood wrote on March 17, 2015 at 7:23 am

71st TMS Bitburg,Germany 1967/1969

Charles Zimmer wrote on March 17, 2015 at 2:53 am

Bitburg 1959-62
A Flight (Steinborn) Crew 1 Guidance Sys Mech
Ran across a group of TAC Missileer hams on 20 meters Sunday.
Would love to hear from any of the Steinborn gang that are still with us!!
73, KG5EN
Charlie

Ben Omran wrote on March 10, 2015 at 1:19 pm

My sincere thanks to all of you who had worked at Wheelus AB during the 50’s and shared their memories with us and posted many valuable photos that brought back the wonderful history of my home town Tripoli.
My special thanks to Mr. Donald G. Rhodd for the wonderful pics of old Tripoli.
Thank you so much Mr. Donald. You can’t imagine how I wish if you had more photos of Tripoli in hand.

With my best wishes.

An old Libyan teacher.

Jim Gill wrote on January 10, 2015 at 1:08 pm

Trained at Lowery and Orlando in 1964 then to Kadena 1965-67 as a Mech. 3 and worked mostly at site 1. Was involuntary extended for three months due to a shortage of Mech. 3s. Was transferred to ATC at Hurlburt Field in Fl. on Bomarc A birds until 1970 and then to SAC at F. E. Warren in Wy. on Minute Man and got out after a year and half. Trained with Steve Beckman, Terry Bennett, and David Lewis, on the Mace and keep in touch and are still close.

David Lewis wrote on December 15, 2014 at 12:50 pm

Was at Cape Canaveral Complex 20 while Launch Crew Training as a Mech 3 on the Mace B at Orlando AFB 1965. At Kadena AB 1965-1967, Assigned to Site 3, but worked at all of the sites occasionally. Then transferred to SAC, Vandenberg AFB, 394th Strategic Missile Squadron, test launching the Minuteman 1967-1968. I rode motorcycles all over Okinawa and really enjoyed my time there - as a single young man.

gordon fisk wrote on December 5, 2014 at 3:31 pm

Complex 20 (mace launch site) was utilized today as one of the camera sites for the Orion launch which was beautiful !

Richard Rick Doyle wrote on November 22, 2014 at 11:07 pm

59-61 Steinborn Controls Tech & StandBoard Team. Later, Minuteman at EllsworthAFB. Was TAC Missileers member previously, now with Steinborn Survivors Group.
Interested in rejoining TAC M., attending next Reunion regardless of location.
Would prefer Boston because am from locally and Cape Cod. Spend much time in Denver, also, so that is also good choice. Also like August for either location.

Would like to rejoin Missileers. Can someone email info to do that? Thanks for your help.

James Allen wrote on November 17, 2014 at 8:56 pm

I was stationed at Sembach 38th TMW 1963-1966 in depot maintenance. I was very active in the base Aero club and got my FAA private pilot license while stationed at Sembach. Lee Garwig was my flying buddy. Rode home at discharge with Larry Kading.

Sue Fitzgerald Harrelson wrote on October 4, 2014 at 7:27 pm

Was wife of Ernest E Fitzgerald, stationed at Bitburg in 62 thru 65

Don Vann wrote on October 4, 2014 at 2:54 pm

I am CMSgt Don Vann,Las Vegas. I was at Osan. All Missileers/Vets are invited to the American Legion Post 8, Las Vegas on Vets Day 2014. Big open house/BBQ,etc. Largest Vets Day Parade west of Miss. Many VIPs including vets orgns like F86 pilots/Korea War. Old WW 2 Vets along with Korea & Vietnam/current War Vets. Make an excuse to come see us in Las Vegas. Best Regards. 10 -4.

bobby stevens wrote on September 2, 2014 at 9:37 pm

tech.4,capt.ridgeway crew

Joe Piacentino wrote on August 29, 2014 at 5:51 pm

Stationed at Kadena AFB 498TMG 1966-1968 Mech 3, most of my time
was spent at Site 3 Kadena Okinawa

James Masters wrote on July 27, 2014 at 3:27 pm

Imagine my surprise to see my "mug shot" in the AFMDC photo book submitted by someone I couldn't recall. served at Holloman AFB on my return from Kadena in 1964. Also in the photo book are a lot of folks I remember and a few young officers who were pilots as well as engineers and are now on our Vietnam Heros wall in DC.

Roger Molenschot wrote on July 27, 2014 at 3:57 am

Dear all,

I am reaching out to you with the hope that someone can advise or guide me to locate people because that would be extremely important for me.

I am looking for a gentleman called Rick, Ricardo or Ricky, he originates from Puerto Rico and was stationed in Bitburg in the period 1962/1963, his age was around 20 years at that time.
Occasionally he went to Eindhoven to a Bar called El Sombrero with a couple of friends. One of his friends was Raymond Hartman. In Eindhoven they spend a lot of time with Koosje van Ras, Annelies and Thea Cools. Both Annelies and Thea relocated to the US and Annelies married with Raymond Hartman.

If one of you knows one of them or would be able to connect me to one of them I would really appreciate that because it is highly important to me.

Thank you very much and I will be looking forward to your responses.

Kind regards,

Roger Molenschot

Kenneth White wrote on July 23, 2014 at 2:19 am

I was assigned to the 71st TMS at Bitburg Germany with duty at Rittersdorf from 1962 to 1964. I got out and went to work for the Phone Factory here in Texas. I spent 32 years at Southwestern Bell before being forcibly retired on disability in 1996 ( couldn't climb anymore so they put me out to pasture ). I really enjoyed my time in Germany and was a proud Missile Troop back in those days. The 71st didn't take any guff from anybody including the Frenchie Combat Troops and their fancy black berets more, than one of which ended up in the wall locker of some of our more adventurous troops.

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