Rescue Story #4

In September 1964, I was assigned to Headquarters, Western Air Rescue
Center, as Personnel Specialist.....

....On the Job Training – after failing to meet International Morse Code requirements as a ground radio operator student.

   

Western Air Rescue Center was administrative control over flight safety, aircraft
maintenance, personnel administration and training for 13 Air Rescue Detachments,
located in the Western United States. We had no aircraft.

Each Detachment had 3 or 4 Officers who were the pilots of the HH-34B Kaman Husky
Firefighting / Rescue helicopters (referred to as "Pedro" in Viet Nam.) There were
a dozen or so enlisted mechanics and support personnel.

Here in the Northwest, we had Detachment 9 at Portland International Airport,
Detachment 5 at McChord AFB, and Detachment 4 at Paine Field.

We had about 35 personnel, from the CO down to administrative clerks. In addition,
we had an Officer and airman assigned to the Rescue Coordination Center which was
manned 24/7, coordinating search and rescue efforts both military AND civilian -
from lost hikers to missing flights – in the eleven western states. Alaska came
under us, but had its own rescue coordination center.

I had an Officer in Charge, and a Senior Master Sergeant as my immediate supervisor.
Between the three of us, we managed the Officer and Airman records and training
within our building and administrative support for the detachments, who had a
specialist clerk. Each quarter, a team of us would travel to the detachments for me
to do record reviews, our Safety Officer to conduct check rides, and our Maintenance
Officer to check aircraft records. I really enjoyed those trips, because I
invariably got a helicopter ride!

Across the parking lot from us was the 41st Air Rescue Squadron. They had three or
four Grumman SA-16 amphibians. The only connection between us was a commonality to
umbrella Air Rescue Service, which was under Military Airlift Command. The eight or
nine of us single guys shared dormitory space with them.

Hamilton being an Air Defense Command base referred to us as “tenant” organizations,
left to our own devices, while respecting our hosts rules and regulations. They
processed our paychecks, and of course we had normal access to support facilities.

I lost a good buddy - "Pits" Pitsenbarger, killed in action in 1966.

I did my four and returned to civilian life in 1967. Over the years I’d swing by if
I was in the Bay Area on business trips, but when I saw the decay setting in, I
chose to remember Hamilton AFB as it was when I was stationed there. Although the
“Mythbusters” return from time to time!

It is difficult to see the photos of what was once hailed as the “Garden Spot” of
the US Air Force. The magnificent white buildings, with palm trees, red tile roofs
and lush grass! And air operations going on day and night, during the time period I
was there, the awesome Phantom F4C, and a C-124 contingent next to us.

Robert McDonald

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