498th Tactical Missile Group

Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara directed in early 1962 that the existence of the TM-76B weapons system on Okinawa 
"was not to be publicized in any way."  He directed that the "missile, warhead section, and nose sections be transported to and from the launch sites under a canvas cover."  Fearing political maneuvering and protests from Communist sympathizers on Okinawa and in Japan, the 498th TMG was directed to be identified by initials only.

From the book, The U.S. Air Force Tactical Missiles © 2008, George Mindling and Robert Bolton, Due to be Published Fall, 2008

Launch Squadron Headquarters Sign

Visit the 498th TMG Launch and Maintenance Sites!

"Crew #1 was the first to run up a combat ready missile engine in launch bay #A2 for launch capability testing. All systems were tested up to the depressing of the launch button. Everything worked as specked and the Pentagon “had its moneys worth” well spent. (But what about the latrines?)"

"After completion, all was nominal until the Cuban Missile crisis. Crew briefings grew to be about an hour long.. Crew change over took more time to relay the “info” to the out going shift. The upgrade to DEFCON 2 made every one concerned for the future of the human race. Missile down time for any reason was not authorized, except for missile malfunctions. For every missile down we had to have a F-105 pulled aside and “specially loaded out” to cover our targets. Those pilots did not appreciate being strapped in the cockpit for hours in order to have the same response time as our missiles. Fortunately, there were only a couple of missiles that “malfunctioned” during that time period."

John Bordne (jcbordne@hotmail.com)

I was looking for something on the CGM-13B to decorate the office when I came across your site. It is great, it brings back many great memories. After attending training in Orlando, I served as a Mech 4 on Crew 27, Site 3 from January 1966 to June 1967. I have included a picture of one of the few mementos that survived the years and moves --- a “Turtles” crew patch from my old “498th black hat.”

The advertisement for Orion Beer is very appropriate and speaks to the primary off-duty interest of us “young troops.” Between Orion beer, Instant money and the pawn shops, it a miracle that some of us live to tell the of tour. I had the opportunity to visit the old barracks in 1988. The most significant difference was women residents and the TV lounge was empty on an off payday weekend.

David L. King, CMSGT, (Ret) ( Dlk2161@aol.com)

A TM-76B (CGM-13B) barely clears an overhead power line at the village of Deragawa enroute to a launch site from the missile maintenance area, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa.

Photo coutesy of Chuck Headlee (headlee@abcs.com).

"Nose Pickers" - Kadena, Okinawa

"The speed limit on the island was 30 mph, and only 20 mph if we were hauling a nose section, warhead or bird. Tiedown checks on the return trip from site 3, usually done in front of a grocery store, were frequent. Cold Orion beer was only 35 cents a quart."

Charles Headlee 498th MMS (headlee@abcs.com)

Nose Pickers at work...
A Mace-B nose change

Photo courtesy of Dennis Cralley, Sr. (dcralleysr@cox.net)

The Paris Steam Bath

"I worked MACE Site 3 on rotating shifts along with everyone else. This was four days on day shift, two days off, four on afternoon shift, two days off, four on midnight and four days off."

"At the end of one of these shift rotations we were pretty tired and in need of some grooming. So, on the first day off after the midnight shift, we would go to Gate No.2 street to a barber shop to get a haircut and a massage from a female barber.
They would cut your hair, and rub your back with a hand vibrator. Ah, life was good.
Then it was off the Paris Steam Bath for, what else, a steam bath, and a hot bath, and another massage. These were delivered by, if you were lucky, a cute female. If you weren't so lucky, you got mama-san. Ah, life was good and getting better.

Then it was across the street to the local greasy spoon for a decent meal. The food was hot, cheap, and always better than the chow hall. I followed this routine for the entire 18 months on Okinawa. What I miss to this day though is the massage at the Paris Steam bath. When, if you were lucky, the cute female would walk up and down your back, you could hear every vertebra crack ... geeez that felt good."

Tim Lewinski (timlew@chartermi.net)
Kadena AB Okinawa - MACE Site #3 (Aug 1963- Feb 1965)

This was Launch Crew 33 Site 4 Left to Right: A2C Anger (Site Power) A1C Cousins (Nuclear Weapons) Lt. Richard Mellick (Launch Officer) TSgt Carter (Crew Chief) A2C Larry Johnston (Guidance & Launch) A2C Frank Bender (Airframe& Engine)

Please feel free to share with anyone.
Great Web Page.... Thanks for the memories.

Larry Johnston (ljohnsto@comcast.net)