F-15 Wendover
Red Flag, Wendover, Utah, July 1983
In July 1983, some of us from my Air National Guard unit went to Wendover AFB, Utah, to provide communications support for a Red Flag exercise. Wendover had a WW2 vintage air base that was used for training exercises. Other than lengthening the runway to accommodate jets, the base hadn't changed much since WW2 and we were put up in 50 person dorms without much climate control.
Wendover is at the west end of the Bonneville Salt Flats were land speed records are set. It is where the Western Pacific and Interstate 80 cross from Utah to Nevada.
I wanted to drive, but our orders said to fly, so our unit and our duffle bags went into a C-130 and we flew from McClellan AFB in Sacramento to Wendover.
The planes flying out of Wendover that summer were F-15s from the 1st Fighter Wing. I didn't have need to know about what the flying part of the exercise was practicing, I just kept some of the comm gear functional.
During the day, the phones we installed were direct dial, but at night, the switchboard went to manual operation to give some of our operators a chance to train. One night I was at the site and the operator said, "Mike, come listen to this!" Now US military phones are subject to monitoring at all times, so there was nothing improper about the operator and I listening in as a guy at Wendover and his wife or girlfriend had phone sex..."Oh, baby, I'm gonna put you to bed horny tonight..." We were busing up.
I brought my bike and intended to ride over the track to see some rail activity, but I think I only made it one afternoon after work before the bike got a flat and I didn't have a repair kit. So instead of being a train nerd, I hung out with everyone else and drank beer.
We did get the chance to go up in a Huey helicopter for a scenic tour of Wendover from the air. I got photos of the UP as well as the base.
Our unit was the 149th Combat Communications Squadron, which was part of the 162nd Combat Comm Group. We had people from several 162nd squadrons at Wendover, so somebody found some coal and we made a 162nd bear at the end of one runway. The bear shows in one of my photos from the Huey
The rest of the photos are of airplains, people and a bit of the scenic delights of Wendover
F-15 Wendover
Red Flag, Wendover, Utah, July 1983
In July 1983, some of us from my Air National Guard unit went to Wendover AFB, Utah, to provide communications support for a Red Flag exercise. Wendover had a WW2 vintage air base that was used for training exercises. Other than lengthening the runway to accommodate jets, the base hadn't changed much since WW2 and we were put up in 50 person dorms without much climate control.
Wendover is at the west end of the Bonneville Salt Flats were land speed records are set. It is where the Western Pacific and Interstate 80 cross from Utah to Nevada.
I wanted to drive, but our orders said to fly, so our unit and our duffle bags went into a C-130 and we flew from McClellan AFB in Sacramento to Wendover.
The planes flying out of Wendover that summer were F-15s from the 1st Fighter Wing. I didn't have need to know about what the flying part of the exercise was practicing, I just kept some of the comm gear functional.
During the day, the phones we installed were direct dial, but at night, the switchboard went to manual operation to give some of our operators a chance to train. One night I was at the site and the operator said, "Mike, come listen to this!" Now US military phones are subject to monitoring at all times, so there was nothing improper about the operator and I listening in as a guy at Wendover and his wife or girlfriend had phone sex..."Oh, baby, I'm gonna put you to bed horny tonight..." We were busing up.
I brought my bike and intended to ride over the track to see some rail activity, but I think I only made it one afternoon after work before the bike got a flat and I didn't have a repair kit. So instead of being a train nerd, I hung out with everyone else and drank beer.
We did get the chance to go up in a Huey helicopter for a scenic tour of Wendover from the air. I got photos of the UP as well as the base.
Our unit was the 149th Combat Communications Squadron, which was part of the 162nd Combat Comm Group. We had people from several 162nd squadrons at Wendover, so somebody found some coal and we made a 162nd bear at the end of one runway. The bear shows in one of my photos from the Huey
The rest of the photos are of airplains, people and a bit of the scenic delights of Wendover