38th TMW US TACTICAL MISSILES









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U.S. Air Force
Tactical Missiles 1949-1969
The Pioneers
Book Available Now

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36th TFW Patch

Bitburg Air Base,
Germany

  City of Bitburg Crest


585thTMG Patch

Matador TM-61A

1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron

Matador TM-61C

585th Tactical Missile Group

 

Mace TM-76B (CGM-13B)

71st Tactical Missile Sq
587th Missile Maintenance Sq



A photo scrapbook of the TM-61C Matador and TM-76B  MACE " B" Tactical Missiles at Bitburg Air Base, Germany and of Special Links to the City of Bitburg and to the Host 36th Tactical Fighter Wing.



1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron

The 1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron

The 1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron, equipped with the B-61A Matador, was assigned to the 36th Fighter Bomber Wing, Bitburg Air Base, Germany, on 31 March 1954, making it the first operational U.S. missile unit.

The 36th Fighter Bomber Wing was renamed 36th Fighter Day Wing (no change of station) a year later on 14 Mar 1955, and the 1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron was renamed to the 1st Tactical Missile Squadron at that time. The B-61A Matador was renumbered to the TM-61A Matador.

The 1st Tactical Missile Squadron was detached from the 36th FDW, no change of station, and assigned to the newly formed 7382nd Pilotless Bomber Group headquartered at Hahn Air Base, on February 1, 1956. The 7382nd was later renamed to the 7382nd Guided Missile Group, and later still renamed 7382nd Tactical Missile Group.  

The 7382nd Tactical Missile Group was inactivated on 15 Sept 1956, and the 1st Tactical Missile Squadron was reassigned to the newly formed 585th Tactical Missile Group, Bitburg Air Base, as part of the newly formed 701st Tactical Missile Wing, headquarted at Hahn AB.  The unit converted from the TM-61A to the TM-61C during that time.



Welcome to Bitburg

Welcome to the 36th FBW, March 1954, courtesy of George Craig, (george8898@hotmail.com) 1st Pilotless Bomber Squadron

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U.S. Air Force Tactical Missiles

Now Available On Line at
Amazon.com and Lulu.com!

By the Editors of this Website!

Beyond the Web Page... The only book devoted exclusively to the Matador and Mace Tactical Missiles. The book reveals the story from the initial idea that became the first U.S. pilotless bomber, through the politically troubled development of the ever evolving deployment methods of the Matador and Mace Tactical Missiles. It covers the Units, Groups, Squadrons and Wing that fielded the missiles. From the United States test sites, Europe, Asia and North Africa nothing is omitted. All phases of the application of these two missiles by the U.S. Air Force (and West German Luftwaffe) are included, from the first tentative launches of the XSSM-A-1 Matador in January 1949, to the tense alert duty of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the final launch of a MQM13A in May of 1977. The maintenance, logistics and launch, the men, equipment and tactics are all there.



Support independent publishing - buy this book on Lulu.

"Bob, George, I finished your book 2 days after I received it. Couldn't put it down. It was incredible reading and incredibly detailed information."

Kent Washburn (KWASH55@aol.com) Mace B, Kadena, Okinawa


"George and Bob. I want you both to know how much I enjoyed reading and how much I admire and appreciate what you have accomplished in developing and publishing "The Pioneers". It is truly an outstanding piece of work, reflecting the time and effort required to produce it, but is also a formidable contribution to our military history. I mentioned in some earlier correspondence that I was a little disappointed in the relatively small amount of information regarding the Operating Location/Guidance Sites but you largely made up for it with this magnificent book."

Dale Lake (daleflake@yahoo.com) 601st Tactical Control Squadron, 38th TMW, Hamm, Germany


"I just finished your book, The Pioneers, et al. Please accept my "job well done!" Not only is it informative, but it's very readable. I'd also like to complement you on how well you footnoted it. You have shown that a scholarly work can be both instructive and enjoyable."

Michael Roof (lavinaschnur@hotmail.com) SGM USA (Ret.)

USAF Tactical Missiles - Book Cover

ISBN 978-0-557-00029-6


"Very good work with great detail."

Col. Charlie Simpson, USAF, Retired
Executive Director
Association of Air Force Missileers



"George, the book arrived on Tuesday while I was off to France. Of course, I quickly read the chapter about �Germany's quiet step into the realm of nuclear armament.� You know, this is still a widely ignored fact over here...
...For me it is fascinating to see what the picture really was in the 1950s and 1960s as opposed to what the official communication of the time wanted people to believe. A fascinating book shedding some light on the early days of tactical nuclear missiles as well as the political background that even today is still largely hidden behind the propaganda of the time. Can�t wait to read the rest of it."

Burkhard Domke
Harsefeld, Germany


Support independent publishing - buy this book on Lulu.

Available Now!, Click Here to Order
"U.S. Tactical Missiles 1949-1969 The Pioneers"

"I have your excellent book on USAF tactical missiles. I actually witnessed the decommissioning of the Maces at W�scheim back in 1966."

Paul Offen
Talitha, Tye Common Road
Billericay
Essex CM12 9PX
UK


"I just wanted to drop you a line and tell you how much I enjoyed the book that you and Bob wrote. The history was of particluar interest to me and my brother who was a history Professor at the University of Wisconsin. He also thought the book was well written, and he now knows what his little brother, (me), did while in Germany for three years."

George Joseph Snyder (gjsnyder@lanset.com)
71st TMS, Steinborn, Germany


"...by the way, I read your book, it was great, thanks for writing it."

Hack Hunton (hack@sstelco.com) Mace B, Kadena, Okinawa

US Air Force Tactical Missiles �2008 - George Mindling and Robert Bolton

Inspired by the 38th TMW Website, George Mindling and Robert Bolton co-authored US Air Force Tactical Missiles 1949 - 1969: The Pioneers �2008, the story of America's first operational missiles, from the Matador to the Mace, from Taiwan, Korea, and Okinawa to Germany, including Lowry, Orlando, Holloman, Santa Rosa Island at Eglin, and even Camp Happiness!

Dieses Buch ist ein Muss f�r alle, die im Rahmen ihres Dienstes bei der U.S. Air Force mit den fr�hen Marschflugk�rpern zu tun hatten, aber auch f�r deutsche Milit�rarch�ologen, die in der Eifel, im Hunsr�ck oder im Pf�lzer Wald schon �ber r�tselhafte Hinterlassenschaften gestolpert sind. Nach mehr als 40 Jahren wird endlich eine F�lle von Fakten, Informationen und Geschichten zu den zwischen 1954 und 1969 in Deutschland stationierten, mit Automwaffen ausger�steten amerikanischen Matador und Mace auf den Tisch gelegt. Ausf�hrlich und lebendig erz�hlen George Mindling und Bob Bolton von den jungen Missilemen, die im M�rz 1954 erstmals in Bitburg ankamen - noch ganz gr�n im Gesicht, weil auf dem Atlantik schwerer Sturm geherrscht hatte. Von den T-33-Flugzeugen, die aus �bungsgr�nden so taten, als w�ren sie Matador-Flugk�rper, �ber die Startstellungen hinweg in Richtung deutsch-deutsche Grenze donnerten und sich von der Gegenseite nur nicht erwischen lassen durften. Oder von der Kuba-Krise, als die US Air Force Europe auf DEFCON 3 ging und an die Mechaniker in Bitburg Munition f�r ihre Karabiner ausgegeben wurde.

Augenzeugen sagen dazu: "Wir h�tten die V�gel auf jeden Fall innerhalb von 15 Minuten in der Luft haben m�ssen!" Es ist lebendige Milit�rgeschichte, die nun nicht der Vergessenheit anheimf�llt, sondern jedermann zug�nglich wird - auch f�r die ortsans�ssige Bev�lkerung, die heute endlich erf�hrt, was sich damals in ihrer Nachbarschaft zugetragen hat. Den beiden Autoren geb�hrt der Dank.

Klaus Stark   (klaus_stark@t-online.de)
Berlin, Germany



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The 1st TMS was inactivated and replaced by the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron 18 Jun 1958, reporting to the 585th Tactical Missile Group, 38th Tactical Missile Wing, which was activated the same day at Hahn Air Base, Germany, replacing the inactivated 701st TMW.

On 1 September 1959, Sembach became USAFE's primary missile base when the 38th Tactical Missile Wing headquarters moved from Hahn Air Base to Sembach Air Base. The three Tactical Missile Groups assigned as part of the 38th TMW in 1958 continued with their assignments: the 587th TMG at Sembach, the 586th TMG at Hahn AB, and the 585th TMG at Bitburg AB. The 585th TMG consisted of the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron, the 585th Missile Maintenance Squadron, and the 585th Support Squadron.

The 585th Tactical Missile Group was inactivated 25 Sept 1962, also deactivating the last TM-61C Matador, and the 71st TMS was assigned directly to the 38th Tactical Missile Wing, Sembach AB, while the 585th Missile Maintenance Squadron became Detachment 3, 38th Missile Maintenance Squadron (36th TFW SO A-694 24 Sept 1962). 1 July 1964, all personnel in Det 3, 38th MMS were transferred to the 587th Missile Maintenace Squadron (36th TFW SO A-912 17 June 1964)

The 587th Missile Maintenance Squadron was merged into the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron 1 Oct 65 (36th TFW SO AA-84 29 September 1965).

38th TMW was inactivated 25 September 1966, and the 71st TMS became part of the host 36th Tactical Fighter Wing. The 71st TMS, a combined launch and maintenance squadron, remained on duty for almost three more years with the CGM-13 B Mace as part of the host 36th Tactical Fighter Wing.

The 71st TMS was inactivated and all personnel transferred to the 36th Combat Support Group 30 April 1969 (36th TFW SO P-109 3 April 1969). The CGM-13B (TM-76B) Mace was also inactivated, the last US Air Force tactical missile in Europe at that time, marking 15 years of continuous combat service in NATO for the US Air Force tactical missiles.

The CGM-13B Mace continued in operational service with the 498th Tactical Missile Group at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, until September, 1969.


The Missile Monument

Photo taken in 1968 by George Kovach  (gfkgdk@aol.com)

The Missile Monument located in front of the Base Library and Education Office
The Monument was dedicated to the first Matador crews in Germany

The Monument was an exact representation of the original Missile Badge. the famed "Pocket Rocket." The Badge was designed by Col. Fred W. Vetter, Jr., commander of the 585th Tactical Missile Group.



"I particularly would like to see the photos of the "Missle Monument", which I am told has now been removed and destroyed. I have a two foot high model of it here. We brought the aluminum all the way from Tripoli after one of our annual missle shoots into the desert using the TM-61C. That meant driving over almost six hundred miles of desert to the target area, collecting the pieces of birds previously fired, and hauling them back to Bitburg ---

George Ingersol, cmdr of the 71st TMS, and a great guy -- the only West Pointer in Group, was the hero of that exercise. A S/Sgt Henry (Hank) Kreuger, and one hell of an artist, clown and truly nice guy, drew the final layout of the monument, set the dimensions, specs., etc. I'm darned if I can recall who the caster of the missile badge was, but the mason contractor who did the erection was the same German firm that helped build the three skeet/trap ranges we put in on the East end of Bitburg, and ended up with the contract for the B cells you helped wire.

Oh my, what a big affair it was to dedicate the thing! The marble that faced the obelisque was hauled in from Italy in an old C-47.
My recollection is that we did this around 1959".

Brig. Gen. Fred W. Vetter, Jr., USAF, ret.    



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Visit the Missile Monument at Bitburg  



The Marble Missile Monument was moved from Bitburg sometime in the late 1980's or early 1990's. It's new location has been a mystery that is still being unraveled. However, it appears the skeleton of the monument, stripped of the marble and the badge may have been located at W�scheim, now called Pydna. The story and photo are in the above link.


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Matador show Bird at Bitburg

The TM-61C Matador Show Bird at Bitburg, 1957
Matador photo courtesy of Paul Yadon (eatarn84029@yahoo.com)

Family day at B-pad Rittersdorf
585th Tactical Missile Group, Bitburg Air Base, Germany, 1957


Matador at B-PAD

"... I don't remember any of the people, these pictures are from Paul Yadon. This was "B" pad in the early days of '56 or '57. I remember the show bird when I got there. This was the show pad at that time and later when Col. Vetter took over he got the funds to get us out of the mud. They painted two missiles sky blue and we used them at all three pads when there was a show to put on."

Matador at B-PAD



"We were cute! Red beret, red scarfs, bloused boots with white shoe laces. At first, the fighter Sq people would make fun of us when we came on base with our dress uniform . They would try to speak French to us ! some of the guys would not wear it unless they had to."

Matador at
B-PAD
Matador at
B-PAD

"We were the the first missile people to wear the Missile Badge in the Air Force at that time. Hopefully everyone knows that Col. Fred W. Vetter was the designer ot the Missile badge, and the Matador and Mace people owe him a lot for the upgrades he did for them in the beginning. I know, I was there !!..."

   Roy Mathis   ingroy@aol.com

Matador at
B-PAD

Matador photos submitted by Paul Yadon (eatarn84029@yahoo.com)


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Mahl-ish! - The Perils of Traveling to Libya with Tech Reps



A popular restaurant on the way to MSA

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Housing Area Gate

Bitburg Air Base - Summer of 1961
The Housing Area gate
Photo courtesy of Ed Cole

(LMCENC@aol.com)
Photo of the NCO club - Missile Monument

Bitburg Air Base, Feb 1962
The view from the 585th MMS - 71st TMS barracks, looking past the NCO club and the 525th FIS barracks toward the Missile Monument on a typical winter day. The Base Library is behind the Monument, the service club and AFEX Snack Bar are just down the hill.

The Missile Monument, dedicated to the first 38TMW TM-61C Matador crews and detailed earlier on this page, is visible on the corner.




NCO Club pen knife

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"We were laying on our bunks as there was only room for two chairs in our small, 4th floor room, smoking and watching the snow blow between the barracks in the eerie street light. It had been snowing for several days without let up. Driving off base was dangerous as the snow was so high it covered the tops of the white kilometer markers on the most of the open highways. Another miserable night to be outside when the CQ runner stuck his head in the door and said, "Steinborn is snowed in! We're looking for volunteers to go up and shovel snow so the launch crews can get some rest. Any takers?"

We all agreed it was the thing to do as we pulled on our thermal underwear and fatigues. We wore combat boots with bloused pants and the newly issued parkas. We knew we might be there a few days, so shaving kits and tooth brushes got stuck into the parka pockets along with extra socks.

We formed up between the barracks in the dimly lit street with the snow swirling between the buildings and waited for the 6-byes with chains that were to take us up to the Matador launch site in the Eifel mountains. There were twenty or so volunteers standing at rest in the silence, smoking and lightly joking about being dumber than doorknobs for volunteering for anything. Soon, a 6-By in chains lumbered up out of the dark and pulled alongside the barracks across the street. The canvas flaps were pulled back and the tailgate slammed down, but we remained in formation. We stood in the softly blowing snow and waited, but we didn't know why.

Soon, a beautiful Facel Vega, a French bodied Chrylser, pulled up in the Staff Car parking slot and out got our Group Commander, in uniform. He had driven up from the American housing area in Trier, some twenty miles away.

Col. Fred W. Vetter, Jr., Commander, 585th Tactical Missile Group, moved down the ranks one by one, personally shaking hands and thanking every volunteer that night. He made an impression on our astonished group that midnight in the snow, and I'm sure he is remembered by all who ever served under his command."

George Mindling  (myakka@embarqmail.com)


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Denny Young, AGE

A2C Ira (Denny) Young, AGE, (left) models the Alert Uniform of the Day of the 585th Missile Maintenance Squadron, including the baby blue faux leather cap (naugahyde) with matching blue alert scarf and blue nametags with yellow lettering, 1962.

Len Calkins models the alert inspection uniform

The colors used previously by the 585th MMS included orange hats, scarves, and nametags with black lettering. The colors were switched as the Mace replaced the Matador in the squadron.

A2C Len Calkins, GSC, (right) in full alert regalia, including Jim Larimer's famous "coffee ground" helmet. During most alerts, crews wore the gas masks strapped upside down to the outside of the left leg to keep it out of the way as they scrambled around test equipment, launchers, airframes and trailers.

On September 24, 1962, the unit was renumbered as Detachment 3, 38th Missile Maintenance Squadron. Two years later, on 1 July 1964, the unit was renumbered to the 587th MMS, reverting back to standard USAF fatique uniform.

The colors used by the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron were red caps, name tags and scarves. The Tactical Missile Squadrons were comprised of the Missile launch crews. The 71st never swerved from the red caps.

Photos courtesy of Ira Young (ira@irayoung.com) and Len Calkins (lcalkins002@cfl.rr.com)

Combat Scarf

Combat alert scarf of the 587th MMS, available for purchase at the orderly room.
Scarf courtesy of Jim Larimer, GSC (jalarimer@gmail.com)



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The 585th Tactical Missile Group was inactivated 25 September 1962 as the last TM-61C Matador Missiles in Europe were inactivated with the closure of "A" Pad at Steinborn, "B" pad at Rittersdorf, and "C" Pad at Idenheim. The Matadors had been in constant alert duty at Bitburg for eight years with the 1st and 71st Tactical Missile Squadrons. The 71st Tactical Missile Squadron, outfitted with the Martin-Marietta TM-76B Mace since early 1962, was attached directly to the 38th TMW, while the 585th Missile Maintenance Squadron became Detachment 3, 38th Missile Maintenance Squadron (36th TFW SO A-694 24 Sept 1962). The first model "B" Mace went operational at the new Rittersdorf Hard Site, renumbered 38th TMW Site 7, June 27, 1964.

On 1 July 1964, all personnel in Det 3, 38th MMS were transferred to the 587th Missile Maintenace Squadron (36th TFW SO A-912 17 June 1964)

The 587th Missile Maintenance Squadron was merged into the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron 1 Oct 65 (36th TFW SO AA-84 29 September 1965). The 71st TMS, a combined launch and maintenance squadron, remained on duty for almost three more years with the CGM-13 B Mace as part of the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing. . The TM-76B, renumbered to CGM-13B, was inactivated in USAFE as well, but remained in service in PACAF with the 498th TMG at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa.

 

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C-124 on the Ramp, 1964

A C-124 Globemaster sits on the apron behind the base chapel.
Photo from the roof of the AP barracks by Ed Cole

(LMCENC@aol.com)

Left: Armed Forces Day Open House, 1964. A display TM76B Mace on a launcher/transporter provides a good vantage point to watch the airshow.

Mace at Open House 1964

The base chapel at the end of the street, and the main mess hall on the right.
Photo taken from the top floor end bay of the
585thMMS/71TMS barracks before the base was camoflaged

Mess Hall


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"Sometime after conversion to the Mace began (by the 38th TMW at Bitburg), I arrived at the 36th in October 1962 as a new 2nd LT and was assigned to the 36th CAMRON as Assistant OIC of the flightline, having responsibility for all the squadron's F-105s. We had a severe personnel shortage, with usually a ratio of less than one crew chief per bird on the Frag. Due to slippage in the construction of the new launch facilities, the 38th had a lot of people with no visible means of support. There was a joint meeting of the two Wings and my section wound up with a group of missile maintenance folks. Every day for almost a year I had an augmentation force to assist in preflight, launch, recovery, and line maintenance on the Thuds. Some days I had more missile folks working than Thud folks."

"There was many a Thud driver who, not knowing what had transpired, climbed into his F-105D, was assisted by the ground crew, taxied out, received a "High Ball," and went his way without knowing that the whole operation had been carried out by 38th TMW maintenance personnel. When some stick shakers questioned the use of the missile personnel, we just pointed out that the only significant difference between the Mace and the Thud was one had a live pilot and one had a mechanical pilot and the airframe really didn't care which was in control. We really missed the missile folks as they drifted away a few at a time as the 38th gradually came on line.

"My hat is off to a great bunch of folks who more than once saved the day. My best personal wishes and a belated thank you to all the folks of the 38th TMW/71st TMS who gave a helping hand to a very young and inexperienced 2nd LT maintenance officer."

- Al Mikutis, Member of the Association of Air Force Missileers (AAFM), in the December 1998 AAFM Newsletter (Volume 6, Number 4), Page 6

Special Thanks to the late Dave Gurtner for including the above passage on his excellent web site "The Thuds at Bitburg"

CGM-13B & F-105D

CGM-13B Mace and F-105D at Bitburg Air Base Open House, 1966
36th TFW photo courtesy of Wayne Douglas, 71st TMS, (lwd2856@aol.com)


Octoberfest Mug

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A Mace B at the Air Show A Mace B at the Air Show A Mace B at the Air Show

Photos courtesy of CW Lewis (cwlewis@prodigy.net)


Mace B at Bitburg Open House, 1963

A TM-76B Mace (58-1416) of the 71st Tactical Missile Squadron on display at Bitburg Air Base during Open House, Armed Forces Day, May 11, 1963. A1C Glen Curl, E&A, left, and A2C Gerry King, MEMS,center, wearing the sinister looking raincoat. The missile, with an empty nose section, is devoid of markings except for the tail number and the ever present US Air Force red turbine warning stripe always found on the aft section of all US Air Force jet-powered vehicles. The inertial guidance system which required constant gyro heater power was removed from the nose section for all static displays. The missiles were renumbered later in the year to CGM-13C and redesignated again the following year to CGM-13B, their final designation.

Photo courtesy of George Mindling (myakka@embarqmail.com)


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36th TFW Pamphlet

Welcome Pamphlet

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A LCSC 60 feet under ground

A Launch Command and Status Console (LCSC), in a Launch Control Center, 60 feet underground in one of the "hardened" launch sites.

Photo courtesy of George F. Kovach (GFKGDK@aol.com)



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A1C Jack Warner

USAF Photo
A typical LCSC

"My favorite story about the MACE "B" and Bitburg took place after the 38th TMW had been disbanded and the 71st TMS was officially part of the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing.

I was the chief of Missile Standboard as a 1st/LT and the wing was about to undergo an ORI. USAFE had sent down 2 Captains that had been in the MACE "A" at either Hahn or Sembach. They had never been in a MACE B site, much less underground.

When they arrived on base they came to my office, introduced themselves, and then asked how my standboard crew "certified" the 71st TMS crews. I explained the process and then they asked me to select 4 crews to run through the procedures. Naturally, I selected the 4 best crews in the 71st. Then they asked me to take them and the crews out to a site to be evaluated. I took them out to Idenheim and they thought the weather cover building over the stairs were the Launch Control Centers. Never having been underground, they were a little apprehensive about going down.

They asked our standboard crew to "evaluate" the 4 crews. We ran them through standard EWO and right out of the book emergency procedures. Then the evaluators asked me how the crews had performed. Naturally, they had done an "outstanding" job. The evaluators then asked me to write up a report and this appeared word for word in the Wing ORI and the 71st received an Outstanding Evaluation.
Will wonders never cease!"

Gill Goering, Col, USAF (retired)
1st Lieutenant at the time   (GillG@aol.com)


Site 8, Idenheim, in 1966. Awaiting arrival of USAFE inspection team. Note: armed guard above launch bays.
Site 8, Idenheim, April 2005


36th TFW photo courtesy of Wayne Douglas, 71st TMS, (lwd2856@aol.com)


The abandoned Idenheim Site in April, 2005.
Photos from Eric Zeppenfeld (info@bfw-vanhoffs.de)
Site 8, Idenheim, April 2005

A photo tour the remnants of Site 8, April 2005,
Photos from Eric Zeppenfeld (info@bfw-vanhoffs.de)


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"I was on a launch crew from 1963-66 at the Rittersdorf site... sure remember all those 12hr shifts... and all the pinochle games.

I was maintenance and paired with the Nuke guy....we found out how to get Armed Monitor Unsafe in our checks... So if we got a new launch commander we would hook it in for his experience and see how he handled it.

Remember when we got there they had the launch crank away from launch buttons. Said it was so it took two people to launch. Well we had on tall lanky guy on one of the crews... he showed them that he could crank the pwr gen with his foot and hit the launch buttons. They had to change locations."

Thanks for the memories
Robert Bimbi - was A1C (rbim@peoplepc.com)



 Lt. Gen. Richard Mattern Montgomery, Vice-Cmdr USAFE

USAFE Launch Bay Inspection, Idenheim, 1966. Lt. Gen. Richard Mattern Montgomery, Vice-Cmdr USAFE with Lt. Col Joseph Smejkal, 71st TMS Commander and other USAFE Staff officers.
36th TFW photo courtesy of Wayne Douglas, 71st TMS, (lwd2856@aol.com)



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Take a tour of Bitburg Air Base after it's separation from active duty!
The New Dance Bar - The Chapel

A photo tour of BAB in the summer of 2000,
by Roland Fogt (Rf2401@aol.com)




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Soviet War Mission License Plate - USAEUR

Security and the Missile Sites

"A little history of the K-9 Section. The 36th AP's had their dogs and the 585th Missile Sq. had their dogs, all housed in the same kennel. When I got to Bitburg in March 1961, the 36th took care of the Zulu area, the 500 bomb storage area and the uploaded F-105's on the hardstand and the rear outside perimeter of the base. The 585th took care of the Matador sites and new Mace sites.

Shortly thereafter, the 585th came over to the 36th as one group and we shared the duty of all areas. The reason no one would know the kennel area is that we only worked the dogs from dark till dawn. The areas we went to were unoccupied. We did put on demos for the public, but they were the dogs that were extremely obedient. The more vicious ones, such as my dog Pete, were kept away from everyone."

Ed Cole, K-9 Handler, 36th AP Squadron  (LMCENC@aol.com)

Ed Cole and Pete 2

Ed Cole and Pete "2"

(LMCENC@aol.com)

Guard Dog "Pete"

Pete "2"

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Rheinland Pfalz Home Page

 
Map                        by Expedia.com Travel
link


More Bitburg and the Missile People Links!

585th MMSQ patch

There are many fond memories of Bitburg and of the Eifel. Many of us met our wives here, and there were more children born at the 36TFW Hospital at Bitburg Air Base than there are inhabitants of Bitburg! 


Check for youself at the City of Bitburg's Homepage

Bitburg OnLine


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WebMaster Checks his Retirement

George's Personal Scrap Book




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This page is in no way sponsored or endorsed by the United States Air Force.
Opinions and views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Department of the Air Force.

Killroy was here

Web Page Design and Development by
George Mindling - Port Charlotte, Florida

�George Mindling - 2003-2006 All Rights Reserved