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Descendants of Bobby Franklin Brewer




Generation No. 1


1. BOBBY FRANKLIN5 BREWER (LEEBURN HERBERT WHITEHORSE4, LEWIS3, ISOM2, WILLIS B.1) was born April 03, 1932 in Campton, Wolfe, Kentucky, USA. He married DOROTHY BERNICE GUINN May 05, 1951 in Flora, Illinois, USA.

Notes for BOBBY FRANKLIN BREWER:
HISTORY OF THE BREWER CLAN

My earliest memories are of a house nearer the creek in the camp ground than the one we later built higher up on the hill where Grand Pa Manning later lived. I recall when I was very young having pneumonia and being sick in this large house, believe it had 2 stories. Swift Creek flooded and there was water in the 1st floor. We vacated the premises and believe not long afterwards the house was torn down and replaced with the one we lived in further up the hill . That is the only recollection I have of the 2 story house near the creek. The new house that was further up the hill had a big dining room with a long table, maybe it had benches to sit on. Remember Dad removing everything from the table one time when he was under the weather with one fell swoop of his hand. He might have grabbed the table cloth. You entered the house through the kitchen and to the right was the front room, which was also Mom and Dads bedroom, through that room to the left was our bedroom. When Grand Pa Manning lived there he had a pedal Organ in the back of the room and Oma and Daisy had their bedroom there. There might have been a front porch. I am not sure. While we lived there Dad worked for the County delivering what was referred to as "Commodities", was graham flour and canned grapefruit sections and other food stuff given to the needy. One of the points of delivery was the old Calaboose school, Dad allowed me to go with him on occasion. This would have been in the late 1930s. I had been to the Calaboose school previously with Mr Dewitt Taylor a school teacher that taught me to read and write prior to entering public school. He lived in a house next to ours closer to town. That house was later torn down. In later years we lived across the creek from the Taylor family. Mr Dewitt Taylor had another house near us but higher up the hill toward the cliff. Have fond memories of the four of us, playing in the woods behind the house. While we lived there Goldie visited us. Bing played with us in the woods . One of our favorite places was near the falls across from the pump station operated by Mr Mullins. Mom would send us out to gather fresh greens. We, at that time were experts in living off the land. Many different greens were collected and Mom would go through the greens and pick out any that weren't safe to eat. She seldom had to throw any out because she had taught us well. Fresh greens were a summer delicacy. Greens, potatoes, beans and corn bread were a super meal. On Sunday Mom would send us out to get a chicken for dinner. This meant go pick the fattest old hen and wring or cut off its head, remove all the feathers and bring to Mom. She was an expert at cutting up a chicken. This old hen became Sunday dinner along with dumplings home made, mashed potatoes and some more greens and probably fresh vine ripened tomatoes and cucumbers. We were very poor but always went to bed with a full stomach. In all my youth never recall ever being hungry..... These are fleeting memories I have had since you and I started discussing our past. I don't remember Malaga, maybe later I will. I remember the 2-3 bullies that ganged up on me and of my younger brother Lee cleaning their plow with his wicked left hook. Don't remember who they were, maybe we became friends. I often stopped and played with D.C.(David Crockett)Miller. I remember spending many night at his house. Believe he had a younger sister. His Dad was tongue tied, his Mom was always nice to me. D.C. had a female cousin that often visited them and played with us. I am trying to remember her name, don't recall where she lived. Swopes Bus Stop, Restaurant, Drug Store, Soda Fountain, Book Store and all around notions Store was a favorite place when a little change was available to purchase a Captain Marvel comic book and a fudgecicle for probably $0.15. Milk Shakes in the metal container were good there also, probably cost $0.25, in the late 1930s. Most any Saturday in the summertime around the Court House in Campton you would find a watermelon vendor selling slices for $0.10 each. We really enjoyed having a slice under the shade trees around the Court House. During this period I don't recall their being a restaurant in town. Remember stores being on 3 corners and the Bus Station on the 4th. Catrons, Roses, Swopes Bus Station and ? . Don't remember the name of the store on the side where Juniors pool room was. Used to buy Bologna, Cheese and crackers for $0.10 and lunch from the meat counter. Just told the proprietor "give me a dimes worth, sir, of Bologna, cheese and crackers" Believe their was a Hotel next to the store across from the Bus Station. Maybe there was a rooming house across Swift Creek from the Bus Station. I remember making the trip to Quillens Chapel to visit Grand Pa manning and his wife at the time. Oma and Daisy lived with them and his wifes' kids. As I remember the situation Daisy and Oma were more or less indentured servants to the lady. Our mother told me that the wife poisoned Grand Pa and he almost died. That is all I remember. When you are in Texas, ask Aunt Oma what she remembers. Believe Grand Pa move to the Campground after he left her bringing Oma and Daisy with him. Probably was in the early 40s. Daisy is 4 years older than I and Oma is 6 years older than I......No new thoughts to add............BEASLEY FARM by Bobby

Lived there when I left home in late 1949, probably December. Believe we moved there from the run down shack with the uneven floors off the Georgrtown Pike near the Old Motel that we lived in for a while, we went to Lin Lee school while at the Motel and the run down house. Probably was 1948. While we lived at the Beasley Farm I worked and didn't go to school. I did go to Bryan Station in the 9th grade and a little of the 10 at Lin Lee and Lafayette. Probably Lee and Jim went to Bryan Station and switched busses at Russell Cave. I can remember doing the same switching busses at Russell Cave and riding to Lafayette for a brief period. I think we lived on the Far away Farm then. Because I remember an incident where I and some neighbor boys got put off the school bus for taking turnips from the Janitors garden at Russell Cave school and eating the turnips on the bus. The Janitor didn't care as I recall, but the bus driver had warned us, the next time , we did, and he did. Had to walk home..Probably got in trouble with Mom. I would have been 15-16 then, the year was 1947 0r 48. But back to to the Beasley Farm. Yes Brother,I remember the spring vividly. Kept our milk cool and provide us cool clear drinking water. The spring was down the hill and to the left and not to far from the creek where we fished and swam. While there I bought for $50 a 1932 model A Ford with rumble seat. I signed it over to Mom while in Basic Training in 1950. While at the Beasley Farm I worked for Beasley, Mr Moore and the Penn Brothers. Most of my wages went to care for all of us. Mom helped to rat hole $100 for me so I could make my break. Couldn't have done it without her. I loved her dearly. She knew where I was because she had asked Aunt Goldie if I could stay with her a little while. Bob Goodpastor, her then husband knew the AF recruiter in Weatherford, the rest is history.....Back to the Beasley Farm.....Ran around with the Moore boys, mostly Bill and Wiley. Ed was a loner. He married Betty Stewart who lived across the creek and up the hill from us. Next door to the Massey Family. We played with the Stewarts and Masseys. Della Massey was my age. Went to the skating rink in Lexington, Ben Ali theater on Limestone I think, Joyland Park and I believe the swimming pool at Castlewood. Also went swimming in the creek near our house but further down where it was dammed up. Some of us were there one time when a boy drowned. We tried to dive and find him but to no avail, he was found the next day I think. Probably 1948 or 49. I don't remember Tommy Kidwell but do remember some boy riding a motorized bicycle to the house to visit one of us. My first Sports Coat given to me by Mrs Moore. Bill Moore had a lot of western pocket novels. He allowed me to borrow them. While living on the Beasley farm I remember buying a single shot 22 rifle for $10 and an electric AM Radio( must have had electricity on the Beasley farm)Payed for the radio at $.050 each week. While working for the Penn Brothers I got one foot run over by a tobacco setter. The Penn Brothers paid for my trip to the Doctor and even visited me at home while I was getting well. Looking back they were worried about a law suit, knowing Dad I wonder why he didn't sue....My memories of the Beasley Farm are mostly good except when Dad was on one of his 3-4 day hangover, get well, keep quiet, ask no questions, routine, which I saw many, many times in my youth...Mom , bless her heart, was always looking after us and without her no telling what would have happened to us. Most likely behind bars instead of Retired Military. Not bad for a group of Kentucky back woods boys, 3 of 5 Brothers elected to make a career of the Air Force and all excelled in their chosen Career fields and all 3 retired as Senior NCOs. Other than weed, plant, worm, cut, hang and strip the tobacco, bale and store hay and shear sheep( I was the power for the hand cranked sheep shearing machine for Mr Beasley) and have fun when we could and we did. About covers the hi lights of my memories of the Beasley Farm on Mt Horeb Pike.

FAR AWAY FARM HOME OF MAN O' WAR

Believe we lived on the Far Away Farm in 1947. Man O' War died that year according to my Encyclopedia Americana and was bought by Mr Samuel D. Riddle from Mr August Belmont in 1918. Made him an old horse. He sure was a beautiful "BIG RED" was his nickname as I remember. You would have attended Russell Cave school because I rode the same bus and transferred to one to go to Lafayette. Will have to ask Lee to clear up who went where then. Could have been 3 different schools. We probably saw some of Big Reds offspring while there. Maybe they were in the barn that Dad watched. Some later year while visiting I took Dorothy by there and took pictures of the statue.

SAUNDERS FARM ( Registered Jerseys)

The Saunders Farm was a grade "A" dairy, milk in the bottle straight from the cow to the customer. Dad did the milking, feeding, cleaning and bottling. We helped before and after school. We went to Bryan Station School. I was in the 9th. I rode a horse drawn cultivator to till the corn. Mr. Saunders had a silo and the corn was used to fill it. There were two Saunders kids. The girl was a bit wild....While there I took a trip with some of the cattle to Bowling Green to a Fair I think. The cattle were judged. I was in the FFA and got credit at school for going. We lived on the road that to the left went to the old Richmond road and to the right to the Bryan Station School. The Saunders entrance was from the Richmond Road side and was a long driveway.Ther was a store not to far from their driveway and toward Richmond. I had a Western Flyer Bicycle and have ridden it all the way to the river toward Richmond. It is a long way down the hill to the river at the bridge. I think of that ride every time I go cross the bridge to Richmond. While back at the dairy I often helped Dad run the cream separator. Dad got the milk and cream ready for the delivery man to deliver door to door. We had to check each cows' teat with litmus paper each day for mastitis. If in doubt after the milk was in the mixer just add a little chlorine. That was learned at the other dairy where the bulk plant used the smell test to accept or reject. As I remember the road coming onto town was on main street by Henry Clay High School. This of course was way before the Circle Road Project. Not certain about the Athens place unless it was the 2 story house with the rotten egg smelling water. Don't think we lived there very long.**********I left home from the Beasley Farm in December 49************I don't remember being snowed in, maybe I was gone------------------------Dorothy and I visited Campton while you lived in the house up from the jail while Lee was getting well. From here on I am married and have been in the USAF since Feb 1950.








Notes for DOROTHY BERNICE GUINN:
--------------CONTINUATION FROM BOBBY'S PAGE OF OUR LIFE TOGETHER-------------


SCOTT AFB, ILLINOIS

After basic training assigned to Scott AFB, Illinois to attend Radio Mechanic School. Started school and Labor day weekend 1950 had a car wreck between Flora and Clay City Illinois enroute to see family. Was in the Flora Hospital for 9 days. Had a broken back, fractured head and pelvis and multiple contusions and abrasions. Taken to Scott AFB hospital for treatment. Remained there till I could walk and bend over and touch my toes. Was there for 84 days. Mom and Dad visited me while I was there. Gave Dad money to get home on. Was a PFC at that time. Got out of the Hospital and completed school. During this time Dorothy and I were going steady and were married May 5, 1951 in Flora, Illinois. Her Sister Geneva and Brother In Law stood up for us. I then went to Instructor Training School at Scott. Upon completion I taught Basic Transmitter and Antenna Theory to students. This was part of the course that I had just completed. Dorothy and I lived in Belleville on North Illinois Street in a cold water flat with an out door privy until we moved to the Wherry Housing Project on Base. Brenda was born in the Base Hospital on Aug 4, 1952 while we lived at Wherry. When she was 3 months old I got orders for an assignment to Japan. Spent a year in Japan and returned to Scott AFB and re enlisted there. Got my old teaching job back and we moved back into Wherry Housing. I was promoted to SSGT in April 1953. I taught in the same phase that I had the year before. I became shift leader and later did a tour as Student Counselor. David was born in the same hospital that I had been in and that Brenda was born in on the 6th of June 1955. We received orders for Webb AFB, Texas. Visited Jim and Marie who were stationed at Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma en route to our new assignment. Dorothy got sick while we were at Jim and Maries. We took her to the Base Hospital and she was diagnosed with Gall stones. We proceeded on to Big Spring Texas where the Base is located and found a house and then to see the Flight Surgeon. Dorothy was operated on as soon as they could coordinate with a specialist from down town. Oma and Clyde lived in Weatherford and they kept our small children till Dorothy was out of the Hospital..........Will continue the Military Saga next time, starting with duty at Webb AFB, Texas.

BACK UP TO JUNE 1955 AT SCOTT AFB ILLINOIS

David born 6 June 1955 at Scott AFB Hospital. Mom and Herbert came to visit us that summer....probably July or August. We lived in Wherry housing on Base. We had a two bedroom downstairs apartment. We took them to the St. Louis zoo. Dorothy prepared fried chicken and potato salad for our picnic lunch at the zoo. Believe they stayed a couple of weeks. You would have been in Basic Training at Sampson at that time. Next will be our assignment to Webb AFB, Texas........

6161ST COMMUNICATIONS SQUADRON YOKOTA AFB, JAPAN Nov 52..Jan 54

Troop ship from Camp Stoneman California to Yokohama, Japan. Took 11 days on the troop ship. Many of my fellow travelers got sea sick. I had been told to keep your stomach full and you would be alright. I ate every meal offered and kept my pockets full of small boxes of cereal. If I thought I might become sick I ate. Never got sick. Had Thanksgiving dinner aboard ship. Train ride to Tachikawa and bus to Yokota. Reported in and was assigned to the Transmitter site on the Flight Line with all the long wire antennas, were a few Yagi also and some whose names I forget. The building was surrounded by sand bags. We had an emergency generator close by that was surrounded by bags also. I was number two in command of the site as a 3 striper. Think we were called Buck Sgt in those days. The site contained all the heavy Point to Point Transmitters for the base. Believe we were under the 8th AF. Headquarters was near the flag pole. My barracks was near the chow hall. At first I was in a double bunk in the community portion, when I made SSGT in April 1953 I got to share a room with 2 other SSGT. At the time I made SSGT I became NCOIC of the site. Remember we had one circuit to Okinawa. Don't remember the others. Some of the equipment was BC-610, BC-339 and I think BC-639. Equipment types are pretty vague. Could tell how well they were tuned by the color of the Anodes. The tubes were very large. Probably 10 KW or better. Would look out and count the B-29 taking off for a run on our enemies at that time and count them coming back in. Seldom were the same number. Could see large holes in the wings at times. My OIC Lieutenant Alexander and his wife took me to Tokyo once. I went to Mt. Fuji once on the train. The SSGT that took my place had his wife there. I visited with them in base housing often. He went to OCS and Dorothy and I spent the night with them at Scott on our next assignment when we were heading for Webb AFB, Texas. Jack was a 1st Lieutenant then. The tour is over, get another boat ride to California, take my discharge. Plane ride to St Louis Missouri, meet Dorothy and Brenda. Dorothy has been working while I was away and has bought us a 1953 Bel Air Chevrolet. We drive around a bit and visit some friends at wherry housing at Scott AFB and decide to make the service a career. Went to Base Personnel and re enlisted and got my old teaching job back and we moved back into Wherry Housing. I taught in the same phase that I had the year before. I became shift leader and later did a tour as Student Counselor. David was born in the same hospital that I had been in and that Brenda was born in on the 6th of June 1955. We received orders for Webb AFB, Texas. Visited Jim and Marie who were stationed at Ardmore AFB, Oklahoma en route to our new assignment. Dorothy got sick while we were at Jim and Maries. We took her to the Base Hospital and she was diagnosed with Gall stones. We proceeded on to Big Spring Texas where the Base is located and found a house and then to see the Flight Surgeon. Dorothy was operated on as soon as they could coordinate with a specialist from down town. Oma and Clyde lived in Weatherford and they kept our small children till Dorothy was out of the Hospital.......................................
Now back to the present

WEBB AFB, BIG SPRING, TEXAS......Shortest tour in my career..March..Dec 1956

SSGT Brewer was assigned to the 3560th Fld Maint Sqdn as Ground Comm Maint Supv.. Responsible for the maintenance of the two way radios in the Hospital Ambulances and their fixed station and the Air Police Vehicle 2 way radios and their fixed station. Also maintained the airborne Equipment in the Mobile Control towers operated by student Pilots. The plane used for training was the T33. Had a part time job while there with Big Spring Hardware repairing radios, amplifiers and T.V. sets. While there Dorothy had her gall bladder removed. She had had an attack while we were visiting Jim and Marie at Ardmore, Oklahoma. We took her to the Base Hospital on Emergency sick call and they made the correct diagnosis and told her to see the Flight Surgeon real soon at our new base, which we did. While she was in the Hospital the kids, Brenda 4 and David 18 months, were kept by Aunt Oma. We visited them in Weatherford often, they never came to see us. Roy was about 8 or 9 then. Received PCS orders for the 1936th AACS Squadron Lajes Field Azores.....

THE CONTINUING SAGA OF SSGT BREWER GOING TO THE AZORES

Was assigned to the 1936th AACS Squadron on the island of Terceira one of 9 islands in the North Atlantic belonging to Portugal. Angra do Heroismo is the largest town on the island with a population of around 12,000. You could and we did drive around the island in one day (max speed of 30 mph). I was work center supervisor in the Nav Aids Section. We maintained the control tower Console, Ground to Air Communications, both UHF and VHF, two low Frequency long range beacons(LK and DK), VHF and UHF direction finders. We had in the Squadron the long haul HF Communications also. I did a tour in the Maintenance Office as NCOIC, was a MSGT slot that nobody wanted. It helped me to make TSGT, which I did in December of 1957. I learned to use the Theodolite, which I borrowed from the local Weather Squadron, so that I could do local flight checks of our DF and Radar equipment. I would coordinate with Base Ops and get one of the local C-47 pilots to help me by being the flight check aircraft. We were always ready for the official Flight Check when they visited us. Dorothy and the kids and I lived just outside the main gate at 210 Juncal near the town of Pria. The town was about a mile from the base on the Atlantic Ocean. The Island was small. The planes came in over Pria and took off over a cliff on the opposite side. If you didn't get enough lift you were in the ocean. My beacons were near the cliffs. The control tower had a commanding view of the whole runway. We had a small Naval Detachment there to support the P2V. One time I was asked to work on a transmitter on board a Oil Tanker at anchor in the Pria harbor. Was interesting. Dorothy and Kids and I swam in the Ocean , The Americans had their own private beach area. For entertainment we fished. The place where Dorothy and I fished most often was put off limits after we left. It was a bunch of huge volcanic rocks right next to the ocean. When the water was rough we would get wet. Some people weren't careful and fell in and drowned. We had picnics all over the Island. Had one movie theater on Base, The NCO Club had a pretty good restaurant. I belonged to the NCO Club Trap Team. The Officers Club had one also. We fired at the clay pigeons off the side of one of the taxi ways towards the ocean over a high cliff. Shooting trap got to know lots of people. Probably met some of the local Pilots there. Had no trouble getting help to do my Local Flight Checks. We had one International meet with the Portuguese while there. Another favorite pastime was hunting wild pigeons. Would ask the local farmer for permission to shoot them. They always gave permission because the Pigeons ate their crops. There were 4 of us that hunted together for the 2 years we were there. We gave the pigeons to the local folk to eat. We had a full time Maid. We treated her like one of the Family. She was 18 when we first hired her. Brenda was in Kindergarten and taught Fernanda to write her name. Most local Portuguese were illiterate. She took a shower the first thing when she came to work each morning. She washed and ironed her clothes along with ours. We had electricity but it wasn't real reliable. It was supplied by a generator that supplied power to the small area in which we and maybe 50 other families lived. Our bill depended on what it cost to operate. We had an AFRS TV station on Base. Came on about 4to 5 in the afternoon and was on till about midnight. Every thing was recorded except a couple of programs put on by the NCOIC of the station. Was entertainment. Our TV was a black and white 19'' with a smaller picture due to the low voltage from our generator. TVs were registered and you couldn't sell to the Portuguese. We took a 1950 Chevrolet over and sold it to another GI when we left. Bought gasoline on the base, probably was $.25 per gallon. Our kids played with our land lords kids who lived next door. Both Brenda and David were speaking Portuguese pretty good. And of course Fernanda was with them many hours every day. If she baby sat at night it cost us $.10 an hour. Dorothy treated her real good. When we ate she sat down with us and ate. Dorothy gave her things, clothes, food, e t c . She cried for a week or more when she knew we were leaving. Promoted to TSGT December 1957 while at Lajes............We made our own entertainment. Played cards, had picnics, went to all the parks on the island, swam in the ocean, fished, just rode around some weekends taking a picnic lunch and just stop and eat and look around. There wasn't any problem with the local people that I recall. No robberies, hold ups e t c . At that time we didn't have anything for people to take. We had an adequate commissary and BX. Don't think we bought any food on the local economy. Most everything was brought in by air. Got our mail in my Squadron Headquarters building which was right next to Base Operations.

--------------- BREWER at Norton AFB, California Dec 1958..Nov 1961-------------------

We flew from Lajes Field to Maguire AFB, New Jersey via MATS C-121. Dorothys Dad was in the Hospital in Flora very sick. We hurriedly went to New York City and bought a used Ford Crown Victoria and drove home non stop. We went to the hospital and saw her Father. We believe he recognized us, he passed away that evening. We stayed in Flora for the funeral and then headed for California, had to get a house and get Brenda back in school. Reported into the 5th Comm Const Sqdn. and found a house on Fairfax Drive near the back gate and near the little town of Loma Linda, is a 7th Day Adventist Town.We rented from the man who was the Gardener for the Loma Linda hospital. His name was Angel. Treated us real good. Three Military families lived across the street from us, we were on a dead end. There were Sgts Alvarado, Piez and Hetzler and families. All the kids
played well together and us adults got along as service people always do. We went to Disney Land, Knotts Berry Farm and Sanrtas Village while there. Big Bear was not far from where we lived. Dorothys Brother in Laws Niece was married to a Navy guy and was stationed at the Marine Base at Camp Pendleton near Oceanside. We visited with them several times. He worked in the Base Hospital. We also went to the San Diego Zoo. My Military duties were......Volunteered to be a member of a newly formed start up San Bernardino GEEIA Region at Mira Loma AFS, a few miles away towards Los Angeles. There were about 6 or 7 of us headed up by a Captain Gilfillan. I was a 30474 and was a Quality Control Inspector From Jan 15, 1959 to 14 Aug 1959 when we disbanded. We inspected ANG units and Squadron Level functions. Remember going to the 244th ANG unit at Portland Oregon. Have a letter from them somewhere. After we disbanded was assigned to the same unit I had left which had been renamed the 2869th GEEIA Squadron. My main assignment was to maintain the current and projected status of all schemes assigned to the organization. Was chosen several time as Team Chief of install or tear down of Electronic Facilities. Did a lot of Radar Site tear down along the California, Arizona Mexico Border. Most were Gap Filler Radar Sites....A few were near Ajo, Tecate, Covered Wells, and Yuma Arizona. Did some antenna removal from 90 ft. poles at Mt. Laguna AFS, California. Winslow Arizona was another Radar site, just off old route 66. Got a few pieces of petrified wood there. Don't remember what happened to the wood, Made a trip outside Salt Lake City, Utah to a Radar Site. Winnemucca, Nevada was another assignment. This was my job for 3 years. Often drove many, many miles to be home Friday and Saturday night and rush back to the site on Sunday. My last large job was at Shafter AFS, California near Bakersfield. School was out so rented a small apartment and Dorothy and kids joined me for a couple of weeks. The job was to install and check out to SAGE specifications a complete GATR site. (Ground/Air Transmitter-Receiver Site) Went into a new block building with tiled floors. Had a screen room, TELCO pane, power and bathroom and open spaces. We installed the Single channel UHF transmitters and receivers along with their companion Modulators and Multi-Couplers into Mt-686 19" racks. Did all the cabling required via overhead cable troughs. The facility was remotely controlled from the SAGE (Semi Automatic Ground Environment) building at Norton AFB. I was the only member familiar with the equipment. We were told anybody can read a blue print and install. So my crew consisted of other career fields than 304xx. So I had to see that everything was installed properly but had to tune and align all
equipment to meet SAGE peaking requirements myself. Wasn't as hard as it sounds. You know once you know how to tune a transmitter(T-282) you can do it pretty fast. Takes a little longer to align a Receiver(R-361). The Multi-Couplers(CU-547) were pretty easy to work with. Had worked on the identical equipment at Lajes Field on my previous assignment. To sell the job had to provide all Red lined as installed drawings and pass SAGE peaking checkout performed by inspectors (civilians) from SAGE Headquarters in Rome New York. The equipment met or exceeded their requirements. On to the next job.....While at Norton I attended the Senior NCO Academy at McClellan AFB, California at Sacramento. This was our longest stay in one place , 3 years. That was the hi lights of our three years at Norton in the 2869th GEEIA Sqdn. We enjoyed our neighbors and went to some nice Mexican restaurants in San Bernardino. Dorothy took care of the flowers at the little church we attended there, The Christian and Missionary Alliance. Our land lord kept us with lots of flower plants. So every Sunday Dorothy would take fresh flowers to Church. We bought a new 1959 Edsel while there and will ship it to Casablanca, Morocco. More next time on the continuing saga of the travels of the Brewer clan. MOROCCO IS NEXT.

--------TSGT BREWER ASSIGNED TO 1975 AACS SIDI SLIMANE MOROCCO---------

Sidi Slimane is about 100 miles from Casablanca, about 50 miles from Rabat the capitol city and close to Kenitra where the summer palace is and where Port Lyautey, Naval base was located then. Dorothy and kids joined me there as soon as our base housing was available. We had a 3 bedroom duplex near the main entrance to the base. We swam in the Mediterranean Ocean, went on picnics between the base and Fes...Mcnez area. We often on Saturday would go to the Naval BX at Port Lyautey. We always thought they had better stuff than we did. The main food that was lacking was beef. Our commissary got meat but the meat cutters prepared it wrong I suppose. Every chance we got would get someone going to Gibraltar to bring us back some good beef. I got to go once. The base flew a C-47 to Gibraltar about once a month. After landing go to the meat market, order yours and whoever had asked you to shop for them. The meat market would deliver the meat to the plane just prior to departure. We then ate really good for a while. Our refrigerator wasn't very large. We played pinochle with a Tech Rep and a SSGT that worked for me about once a week. Dorothy and I were partners and we 9 out of 10 times beat them. They said if it wasn't for the cakes Dorothy made they wouldn't come back. Ha Ha. We went to local leather shops and typical tourist shops a lot. Never ate out. The moroccans left their meat hanging out until it sold. Only one time did we eat out and that was at a private home, the maid next door was a man who lived in a nearby village with his wife and small baby. We were invited to his house one weekend. We accepted. They served cous cous with fresh lamb that was butchered yesterday. It was delicious. The whole village turned out to meet us. We were treated as royalty. The head man in the village was called Big Mo, he was the janitor in the Communications building where I worked and he liked me. We had to go visit with he and his family along with the Moroccan we were visiting. Mint tea is the prime drink. One cup is mandatory, two cups if you are asked and more than that you are somebody. We had more than two. It is very sweet. They use real sugar in a large brick, take a hammer and break off a piece. Depends on how large a chunk comes off how sweet it is. The man of the house makes the tea and it is quite a ceremony. We were treated great. Was invited to attend a wedding of the brother of the man we were visiting but they closed the base and we had to leave before the wedding occurred. We really wanted to go. Our kids had a great time. The people were Moslem, but while we were there the women didn't wear veils because we were special guests. We took our polaroid camera and took lots of pictures, we asked permission first. We had to share the pictures with some of the people. We were escorted in and out of the village. We were driving our 1959 Edsel at the time. I was the NCOIC, of the Nav Aids Maintenance Section, included the Control Tower, a couple of off base sites,VOR, all Air to Gnd Comm and the AFRS Radio station. We weren't allowed to play Ahab the Arab over the radio. We broadcast Church Services on Sunday morning. I spent a lot of time in the tower observing the coming and going of the REFLEX crews. They bought most of the good stuff from the BX. Dorothy stood in line to purchase our Telefunken Stereo, which we still have...............More about Morocco in the next
message.

----------------------------TSGT BREWER still at SIDI SLIMANE---------------------------------

We had some of our site booby trapped with tear gas. They were set off often. The locals were after our ground planes that were made of copper. Cars were jacked up in front of their homes and the tires and wheels removed by the night people. Allah is a day person so if a Moslem steals from an infidel after dark Allah can't see the incident, so it never happened. We were fortunate that our house was in sight of the main gate which was manned 24 hours each day. Sidi Slimane was a SAC Base. We had a slow pitch softball team. A Major I worked for and I managed the team. We weren't very good but had a lot of fun. Our kids got to ride a camel the first week they were in Morocco. They flew into Casablanca at Noussauer AFB. I borrowed the Commanders staff car and picked her and the kids and another family from our Squadron. The staff car was a station wagon. Our kids started school that year in California, school in Illinois waiting on port call and finished the year in Morocco. The floors in our house were Trrrazo. We didn't have a maid because we hired one through the Base employment office. She had Syphillis, we immediately got rid of her and didn't trust the system so didn't hire another. We had a Moroccan gardener that took care of our yard and garbage. He went through the garbage and took everything that could have been edible or used in some way. One time Dorothy made cinnamon rolls with flour from the commissary. The flour had weevil in it. When the rolls started to rise the little critters tried to get out. She promptly put them in the garbage. The gardener took them home and fed them to his kids.The only item we have left from Morocco is a camel saddle. Think each kid has something in leather with their name on it. We had lots of purses but they wore out. Has been 25 years. While at Sidi I implemented AFM 66-1. It was in use when I retired in 1971. Probably still in use. One day I was taking Dorothy and the kids for a ride off base to show her where my sites were located. As we were nearing the VOR site she saw this large field of red flowers, she told me to stop and dig some up and plant them in front of our house on base. Honey, I said, those are Opium poppies. Needless to say we left them alone. We got the word that the base was closing and was given the opportunity to stay overseas. We got France. We got our household belongings packed and shipped and loaded up the 1959 Edsel with our clothes, a cooler and some maps along with a plastic 5 gallon container for emergency gasoline. Looking back that wasn't to bright but we were young and foolish. We had gas coupons through the BX good at any ESSO station. The coupons were in multiples of 5 liters. Filled up the car tank first and used the plastic container to hold the rest of the next 5 liter coupon. No change was given. We drove from Sidi Slimane to Tangier and took the ferry across to Gibraltar on Day 1. Spent the night in a hotel in Gibraltar night 1. Will continue the saga of day 2 tomorrow. Our tour in France may turn in to several episodes. We saw as much of the Countries as we could. The kids really enjoyed all the places we went. Early on when we got to France we bought a 9x9 tent, camp stove, lantern and cooler and 4 sleeping bags. We were ready because at that time there was no problem camping.

------------------ DAY 2 at GIBRALTAR FOR THE BREWER FAMILY-------------------------

Had breakfast at the hotel in Gibraltar and decided that we wanted to see as much of the rock in one day as we could. Hired a taxi to take us around, the streets were too narrow and crooked for our big Edsel. Didn't cost that much as I remember and the taxi driver was very obliging. We saw the monkeys that are
allowed to run loose on the rock, drove to a high point and saw many submarines, including Russian in the pens below, could see Tangier where we had been before. Drove around and observed how the people lived. Took about 4 hours to do this. Paid the taxi driver and then just walked through the shop area where I had been one time before when I came there in a C-47 on a T-Bone steak shopping tour, from Morocco. Dorothy bought some pleated dresses. I got a calendar watch and the kids had a ball. Had dinner at the hotel, up early on day 3 and headed for Spain. Crossed the border at Algeciras and headed for Madrid. We had friends stationed there and spent several days with them. Went to Torrejon AFB, where they lived in Base housing. Had worked with him at Norton AFB, California. They took us to the Bull fights that weekend. David thought that was the greatest, they kill the Bull. The carcass is donated to local orphanages. It is quite interesting to see the routines they go through. There probably were 10 Bulls that afternoon. We went through the Plaza Major a large tourist shopping area in Madris and did the usual shopping. Bought the Last Supper bronze framed picture that Mom had there. Packed up and headed through the Pyrenees for France. Going through Switzerland I tore low gear out of our transmission. Reported in to Toul Rosieres AFB and our house wasn't ready so we were put up in 2 rooms at the BOQ with many, many other families in the same condition. Took about 6 weeks to get housing. Cooking wasn't allowed in the BOQ. So, guess what, we bought a hot plate and electric skillet, there was a refrigerator in one room, and proceeded to cook. Everyone else did it. Had a small charcoal grill and used it outside on the ground to cook meat. We were on the second floor. School is over until September. This is late June 1963. The countries we visited that I remember are, Gibraltar, Spain,Switzerland,Germany,Austria,Belgium,Holland,France,Monaco,Italy, and Luxembourg. Bought a 1964 Volkswagen Bug in Verdun France as soon as we got settled, waiting on the repair of our transmission. Finally got our 3 bedroom house, was located next to an open area that all the kids used as a play ground. The housing area was 6 miles off base near the town of Liverdun. No phones, no TV. TSGT Allen lived across the street and had French TV. His wife was Italian and understood French. We swapped dinners with them and a French couple that they had met while renting on the economy. The French couple would cook at the Allens house when it was their turn to cook. Was lots of fun and lots of good eating. Allen worked for me in Work Load Control and took over when we shipped out. There was a French Bakery on the way to the housing area. I often stopped and got a still warm loaf of French Bread on my way home. Went good with anything, cheese and maybe a bottle of French wine. We had the Telefunken stereo and listened to AFRS radio for the news and music. I was assigned to the 2nd Mobile Communications Group. We were tasked with supplying rapid response Communications anywhere we were needed. Often shipped in mobile vans in C-130s. I wasn't big on traveling, so volunteered to take over Workload Control due to having AFM 66-1 training. My offer was accepted and I set up the section with TSgt Allen as my assistant and an A1C as Clerk. This was my job for the next two Years. We maintained status and location of all teams and they were quite diverse and locations you would know about depending on the world situation at the time. Each deployment was treated as a work center and I turned in all documents to the local base Data Processing Center for key punching. Even learned how to read the cards. After a bit it became routine. Only went on short TDYs to train our Detachments in proper use of AFM 66-1. Dorothy went with me once to one of our Detachments in France. We stayed at the BOQ and ate at the NCO club. Friends kept our kids at Toul. One other TDY will mention was to Scott AFB, Illinois to my AFCS Headquarters having to do with AFM 66-1. While my meeting was going on the Airmen promotion Board was going on. Dorothys Sister and Brother in Law lived 80 miles away so on the weekend they came and got me. Got to spend the weekend with family in Flora, Illinois. While back at Toul Rosieres my Commander Colonel Washer decided he would be a nice informative Commander and go to my house(he knew I was in the States)and advise my wife that her husband had been selected for promotion to MSGT. Naturally when she saw him coming up the walkway she thought, Bobs plane crashed or something terrible has happened, That is the way it usually happens in the movies. So, she knew of my promotion before I did and she told me before he did. Not a word was said at Headquarters.

More About DOROTHY BERNICE GUINN:
Fact 1: December 12, 1997, Died---Spokane, Washington

      Children of BOBBY BREWER and DOROTHY GUINN are:
  i.   BRENDA SUE6 BREWER, b. August 04, 1952, Scott AFB, Illinois; m. WILLIAM DAVID LECKIE, July 06, 1991, SPOKANE, Washington.
  Notes for BRENDA SUE BREWER:
-----------------CONTINUATION FROM DOROTHY'S PAGE OF OUR LIFE------------------

Naturally I was very pleased. I had volunteered to go to 9 level school to give myself a better chance for promotion. My promotion was effective 1 December 1964. We have another year to go at Toul Rosieres so think I will send this portion and continue later today on the next episode........

--------------Greetings from 333 Toulaire ( our address in government housing---------

I have returned from TDY to the states and found out I will soon be a MSGT. I was really happy. Thought that I was definitely a Permanent TSGT. We always enjoyed our free time. Did our best to always take the kids somewhere every weekend. We took a 2 week leave and went to Rome , Italy. Saw the Vatican City and as much as we could in 14 days. We camped on the beach and rode the subway to the main part of Rome. The subway started out above ground out near the ocean where we camped. We stayed in commercial camp grounds all over Europe with no problem. We spent a day at Pisa. Walked all the way to the top of the leaning tower of Pisa, it really leans. Camp Darby is there so we used the BX and Commissary to stock up. Got some more gasoline coupons also. Stopped and rode the water taxi in Venice and enjoyed the Architecture. Bought some souvenirs every where we went. Stopped at Monaco and took pictures of Rainers palace. Camped one night on the French Rivera on a mountain top. Easter weekend of 1964 we went to Holland with a neighbor couple and their kids. We visited Ann Franks home in Amsterdam and went to see the beautiful tulip fields at Harlem. You may have seen the picture of President Kennedy of growing flowers. It was near Harlem in the Hague, I took pictures of the scene. It was so realistic on a sloped portion of this yard facing the main highway. Harlem is the tulip capitol of The Netherlands. We camped near the beach outside Amsterdam, it was cool in our 9x9 tent. We rode the water taxi there also. Is the main mode of transportation. Other excursions were to the Nuts Museum at Bastogne. Luxembourg was close to Toul. Had friends that were stationed with us in the Azores that were at Chatteroux AFB, France. We visited back and forth several times. They came to see us here in Spokane last year. They live in Dover, Delaware. Visited a high school friend of Dorothys at Heidelberg, Germany. He was in the Army. I applied for me and family to visit Berlin. Received the proper paperwork and started making arrangements to go. Found out that due to my clearance, the only way I could go was by troop train. Couldn't get reservations. So I didn't get to see Berlin. But Dorothy and a neighbor lady who was German born went on an American Express Travel Tour. I baby sat our kids. She took lots of pictures. She got to go through check point Charlie into East Berlin, saw the Brandenberg Gate and lots of sad blank looking faces. In later years while at Perrin AFB, Texas David volunteered his Mother to speak to his 5th grade class about Berlin. She had me do it, I got permission from the Base Information Services Office to use the slides and talk to the kids. Everything went over great, (Dorothy had briefed me well) a whole auditorium of 5th graders at Piner Junior High, Sherman, Texas. Back to France, We camped with another neighbor who spoke and dressed like a local off duty. His Mother was French. We went with he and his family to Normandy Beach one weekend. Saw all the Beaches that made History in WWII. We bowled on a mixed league with our bridge partners and I bowled on a mens league with guys I worked with. We were in the Bowling Alley the evening the world was notified of the death of President Kennedy. Had applied to go to the 9 level school at Keesler AFB, Miss. Notified I was accepted and would start school in August of 1965. We played bridge with several people from Toul. Some I worked with others just friends. One was a plain clothes Government Man. Went to Paris to visit a Tech Rep that Dorothy and I played Pinochle with in Morocco. He had gotten married. He and his Wife, Dorothy and I went to the Follies. Got the tickets through Special Services. Was a fabulous show with just a touch of nudity. Walked through the Arch of Triumph and around the Eiffel Tower. We were in and around Paris several times. Was about 100 miles to Toul Rosieres. Work in the 2nd Mobile Comm Group was routine by now. We were well known and did what we were suppose to do. Like you I learned early never let the big boys observe you doing any physical labor. Delegate or delegate. We are now looking forward to our year of schooling at Keesler. Brenda is in the 6th grade and her class was selected to go to MT. Blanc to attend the Classe de Niege(school in the snow). We scraped up the required funds and off she went with her class mates. She had a ball. Think she took one bath in 2 weeks. The first thing after she got home Dorothy sent her to the Bathroom with soap and towel. They went to class for half day and played in the snow the other half. Now kids pay thousands of dollars to do something like that. Believe she was 11 when she went to Mt. Blanc. David played Little League Baseball, he was always the smallest kid in the group. At this time Brenda is growing tall....................We had the Edsel shipped back at Government expense and picked it up at Maguire AFB, New Jersey. We drove the 1964 Volkswagen to Frankfurt, Germany to catch our flight to the States and had a commercial Company deliver the Volkswagen to Bremerhaven Germany to be shipped to Mobile Alabama. We picked it up after getting set up at Biloxi, before I started school..................It is 1415 local and I have told the hi lights of our stay at Toul Rosieres AFB, France........Next time I will be a student at Keesler AFB,
Miss............

------------------This will be a short one. Will call it getting from A to B.----------------------

In August 1965 left Toul Rosieres AFB in France and drove our 1964 Volkswagen Beetle to the Military Airport at Frankfort Germany. Had a commercial firm take the car to Bremerhaven Germany and ship it to Mobile Alabama. We flew to Maguire AFB, New Jersey and picked up our 1959 Edsel and went to our friends SMSGT and Mrs McGhee who were stationed there. We had been with them in the Azores and in France. We visited for a couple of days and went to Flora Illinois to visit Dorothys Brother and Sisters. Then to Kentucky to visit Mom and Dad, I think Jim and Marie were there. Not sure of the rest of the family. We will have to ask the rest where were you in August of 1965? Then to Bunker Hill to visit with Brother Billy Denzel and family...........Then we head out to Keesler AFB, Biloxi Mississippi to rent a place to live.................More adventures of the traveling Brewers next episode......local time is 2015.....
Looking to the south and waving...Thinking of you both...B&D

-------------MSGT BREWER GOES TO 9 LEVEL SCHOOL AT KEESLER-----------------

Saying goodbye to France we get into our Volkswagen ( had already shipped the Edsel) and head for Frankfort Military Airport. Had commercial firm deliver the car to Bremerhave Germany to be shipped to Mobile Alabama. Flew from Frankfort Germany to Maguire AFB, New Jersey. Picked up the Edsel and visited there with SMSgt and Mrs McGhee who were stationed there. We had been together at Lajes Field and France. We then probably went to Flora Illinois to visit Dorothys Family. Then to Lexington to visit Mom and Dad, on Devonia Street I believe. I think Jim and Marie and Family were there also. Will need to coordinate times with the rest of the families to verify some of these happenings. From Lexington went to Bunker Hill to Visit with Brother Billy Denzel and family. We left his house and headed for Keesler AFB, to attend 48 weeks of Advanced Electronic and Supervisory training. Arrived in Biloxi and checked into the Student Squadron I was assigned to and briefed on processing in. Rented a trailer to live in because the wait for base housing was to long. My only duties were to attend school for 6 hours 5 days a week. Being a Senior NCO I wasn't required to march to school, just be there on time. Started school late August 1965 and the first was an accelerated course in Math from 1+1=2 through Trigonometry and beyond. Quite a range for a Kentucky born lad. Boolean Algebra came later in the classified phase. There were many different phase and Equipment Types taught. Only had trouble with one 3 week block. Attended extra study hall to catch up. After that wasn't to bad. I graduated so must have gotten something out of it. While there I took the Supervisory Examination, a requirement for being promoted to the next Grade. I made a passing grade, we were not given a score, just that we passed. While we lived in the trailer along came Hurricane BETSY. We were advised to go to the school building on Base, they were of cement block construction. We grabbed some blankets and snacks and went to the base. Spent the night. The trailer was not damaged. Most damage was down along the beach area toward Gulfport. We later rented a 3 bedroom house on Peters Avenue from the Vanloons who lived next door. They were very nice neighbors and landlord. The house was near the back gate to Keesler and we remained there until I graduated. We went fishing off the Ocean Springs bridge for Dungeness crab and fish. We met a couple named Nolan. He ran the photo concession on base. He and I coached Little League so our sons could play ball. They had a Chris Craft boat and we went boating and camping with them. David learned to ski behind their boat the first time he tried, up the back bay behind the base. I hunted Squirrel and wild pig on the State hunting Preserve with TSgt Hank Grube a fellow student and MSgt Herbert Gillis an instructor in the 9 level school. The 3 of us were stationed together in Morocco. Dorothys Brother Donald and wife and 3 daughters visited us. Her Sister Geneva and husband and son Wayne visited us. We took them crabbing from the Ocean Springs bridge. We caught a bunch and Wayne wanted Aunt Dorothy to cook them. Of course you know how crabs are cooked. One jumped out of the pot and scampered around on the floor. That ruined the desire for crab eating!!!!! The 48 weeks of schooling was soon over. The latter phases were very easy because they were from the real world, no theory involved. Like the documentation phase for instance dealt with plant in place drawings. My GEEIA experience came to play, I Aced that phase. Had some old drawings from the job I did at Shafter, gave them to my instructor for show and tell. The majority of the students were young, very smart,TSgt ,some college, under 30 years old. I didn't meet any of these requirements. We had traded our Edsel and Volkswagen in on a 1966 Galaxie 500, with Air conditioning, big 390 engine, the works. We had our furniture packed and shipped and saying our good byes to friends. We are now loading up our new Ford and heading for the 4780th
AB Group at Perrin AFB, Texas, Near Sherman and Denison, Texas about 70 miles from Dallas.

---MSGT BREWER , 9 LEVEL GRADUATE, ASSIGNED TO PERRIN AFB TEXAS---

Was assigned to the 4780th AB GP, working in the Base Communications
Section. Was responsible for the Wing Headquarters Command Post Communications(UHF Multi and Single Channel), Base Public Address System, Crypto Maintenance, and Family Housing CCTV. Every house in the housing area had a TV drop. We retransmitted the nearby stations using tube type equipment with in line amplifiers sharing the power poles. Was enjoyed by all. The Command Post of course was the most important. During alerts and inspections we had to be at the Command post just in case. My boss was the Base Communications Officer. He was Crypto Custodian and I was Alternate. Was on two man team, my partner was the Base Commander. We supported the local off Base AC&W Squadron. Dorothy getting bored being home all day alone applies for a Civil Service job and gets it. She is now a telephone operator working on the switch board that is located in the Base Communications Building. I had to be careful, her boss and I reported to the same person, because occasionally I was in charge in the absence of the Base Communications Officer. At Perrin the Senior NCOs performed the OD duties, Drew the duty many times. We had an off Base Recreational area on Lake Texoma, had similar duty there on occasion. CMSgt Lawrence Winkler and I used to fish in Lake Texoma. His wife and Dorothy worked together. He, wife Gen and daughter Gail visited us here before I retired in 1970. Gen was here about 4 years ago and is coming later this year. We became close friends. He is now deceased, we saw his wife last year at her daughters house in Salmon, Idaho. Salmon is a days drive from Spokane. Gen and Larry moved to Colorado Springs after Perrin closed. She still lives there, we stopped and visited her on the way home from our last trip home 2 years ago. Gen retired from Civil Services a few years ago. Before Larry passed away one
weekend we met at Yellowstone Park and enjoyed the weekend together. Gens daughter Gail and husband Steve work for the Bureau of Land Management in Salmon, Idaho. They have 3 kids. AGAIN while at Perrin we visited Oma and Clyde but they never returned the visit. We enjoyed stopping at the Farmers market in Weatherford, we liked the paper shell pecans. We enjoyed the Mexican food in a restaurant in Oklahoma near Lake Texoma, was just a few miles from our house in Denison. Rented a house in Denison first, took base housing second and moved to Sherman when I got PCS orders. I worked part time running the Base 6 Lane Bowling Lanes. Didn't pay much but gave me something to do, especially with Dorothy working and both kids usually at the teen club. I bowled on the Squadron Team and Dorothy and I helped with the kids league on Saturday by keeping the records. Early in 1968 the E8 selection list came out. The Base Commander called me and 2 other to his office and congratulated us for making the list. My line number came up 1 August 1968. Being that I was filling a E7 slot I was reported overage and in April 1969 received PCS orders. In April 1969 Brenda was a Junior and David was in the 8th grade. We were off the school bus route so I bought them a 1969 Maverick. Brenda had been to Drivers Education and had her Texas License. She took herself and her brother to school and other places. They lived in the house in Sherman while I was in Turkey. Dorothy worked as a phone operator till sometime in late 69 she was RIFed. My PCS orders read report to Athens Greece....................Perrin AFB was closed not long afterwards, This is the third place we have been assigned that was closed, Perrin, Sidi Slimane and Toul Rosieres.

-----------------SMSGT BREWER ASSIGNED TO SITE IN GREECE------------------------

Received PCS orders to the 2140-12 Comm Det, remote site in Greece. Went to Keesler 15 Jan..25 Feb 1969 to attend 3AZR 30450-5(FRC-39) course. This was one of the Tropo sets that I was to supervise the maintenance of in Greece. I complete the course and come back to Sherman and spend the Month of March with my family, can't go anywhere both kids are in school. Dorothy took me to Dallas to catch flight TW 840 to Athens, Greece. Reportd in to the Squadron Headquarters at Athens to process in before going to the isolated Detachment out in never never land. Found out I was being re assigned to TUSLOG Det 6-1 out of Ankara, Turkey. Went to Base Operations and got on the next C-54 Air Evac to Esenboga Airport Ankara, Turkey. Was met by a MSgt Billy Boen, we had been stationed together previously. He helped me check in to TUSLOG Det 170 the CBPO for the area in downtown Ankara. Processed in and found out I was to be the Maintenance Superintendent of Det 6-1 at Elmadag atop a 8000 foot mountain. Was picked up by personnel of Det 6-1 and transported the 20 miles over rough gravel road past the garbage dump and up in to never never land to the top of the world with the 100 foot wire mesh bill board antennas pointing to the Troposphere. Had several shooting in different directions. Welcome to ELMADAG TUSLOG Det 6-1. We lived in a 3 story rectangular building containing our living quarters, dining hall, mail room, recreation area and whatever else we needed for health and welfare. Our Power Plant was a few feet from the barracks and the Radio equipment a few yards farther on. In winter we followed a rope to get to work. Couldn't see very far with the blowing snow. There were about 75 of us on site and one female dog as our mascot, named TROPO. We were self supporting, had our own power plant, water well and sewage treatment plant, which occasionally we by passed over the mountain, especially in below zero weather. We had two outstanding Military cooks and several Turkish day workers for the dining hall. Our food was outstanding. Do not recall any complaints concerning the food or its preparation. We naturally had Turkish workers to care for the up keep of the barracks and grounds We were on the movie circuit and received a couple a week. We paid the operator to show the movies. No TV, but had AFRS Radio and we picked up UPS and other networks over TTY. We were a major link in the 486L System for Europe. Captain Joseph Alexander was the Site Commander. I was the Maintenance Superintendent and CMSgt Bidgood was the Operations Super. I had two outstanding MSGTs to take care of the Maintenance of the Tropo Equipment and a SSgt to care for the TTY equipment. There were many technicians assigned around the clock to care for everything. I recall having about 40 men in my group. One of the largest problems on a remote site is boredom. So the Commander and I started a site beautification project involving everyone on site. It took us several months to complete, but with the help of one of my two MSgt Crew Chiefs we were always able to field a crew each evening and some weekends after Dinner. We leveled off the area near the Barracks that was near a bluff with a long drop, made a barbecue pit and a fish pond with fountain and running water using an old washing machine pump, some hose a lot of rock and cement. The Captain was right there with his trowel. He personally did all the masonry work. He had worked his way through College as a brick mason. Most everyone worked hard except the CMSgt in Operations. He was much older and wasn't to keen on what we were doing but kept out of our way. The saying was don't mess with Brewers boys. Mine were the biggest and meanest . My main man MSGT Al Kuhner always saw that there was plenty of volunteer laborers. No one was ever abused. They might have been used. The Turkish Government gave us several hundred small trees to plant, which we did. We used all the heavy equipment we could borrow or whatever from CE. MSgt Kuhner could operate anything that ran, such as D8 caterpillars and dump trucks. We got to be well known by Hq Personnel. After we had the site looking the way we wanted it we had an open house with come if you were invited. The Commanding General , his wife and our downtown Headquarters Commander and wife and a select roster of others came up on a Sunday to a barbecue. The main course was Filet Mignon grilled over our newly manufactured barbecue pit by , Guess who....you are right....I was the duly elected Chef of the occasion. Our site chief cook took care of the rest of the food and believe you me a good time was had by all. A lot of work was required to get to this point but in my mind it was worth it. We got a big write up in the local AF newspaper, I still have a copy. I got an outstanding APR, the site got the AFOUA and was a nice feather in the cap of the young Commander. Of course I gave all the credit to my men. Have only met one of the persons stationed there since. He was NCOIC of CE and retired here in Spokane. Taking long hikes around the mountain side was one way of working off steam. We had one USO troupe while there. Christmas of 1969 I got to go home to Sherman, Texas on a charter flight from Ankara to New York. Then flew to Dallas and Dorothy picked me up an was able to spend almost a month with my little Family over Christmas. Hated to leave but duty calls. Got back to Elmadag and found our site mascot, TROPO the dog had died. They had her examined by the Veterinarian and she was diagnosed with Rabies. The Base Medical Personnel showed us the gruesome movies of actual scenes of people that had rabies, needless to say most everyone on site agreed to take the shots, all 14 in the stomach, Yes folks I took the shots...Let the family know after my tour was over and I was home. The dog had her shots, guess they aren't perfect. No one died as a result of the shots or lack of. Time passes and I get PCS orders for Burns AFS, Oregon and then changed to the 823rd Radar Squadron at Spokane International Airport with duty at Mica Peak near Freeman, Washington. Leaving Elmadag Turkey was a sad evening. The evening prior to anyone departure our theme song, "The Green Green Grass of Home", was played many times. The morning of departure the cook made me steak and eggs as a send off. One of my MSgts and one from Operations drove me to the Esenboga Airport and said farewell and my time will be here soon. My two MSgt crew chiefs, Nightingale and Kuhner were two of the sharpest Technician/Supervisor I had the privilege of working with in my career. Will meet one more at Mica Peak, MSgt Joe Mooneyham. ......... My next journey will be to Spokane Washington..........






  ii.   DAVID MARK BREWER, b. June 06, 1955, Scott AFB, Illinois.
  Notes for DAVID MARK BREWER:
----------------CONTINUATION FROM BRENDA'S PAGE OF OUR LIFE----------------------

SMSGT BREWER ASSIGNED TO THE 823rd RADAR SQ, SIAP SPOKANE, WA

April 1970 I fly from Ankara, Turkey to New York and then to Dallas. Dorothy picks me up at Dallas in our 1966 Galaxie 500. A very enjoyable drive from Dallas to Sherman. Visited with family and friends for a few days and packed up the Maverick and drove to Spokane, Wa. Brenda is a Senior and David is a Freshman with a couple of Month of school left this year. So we want them both to finish out the school year in Texas. An uneventful drive from Sherman to
Spokane. Reported in and found my new duty station to be at Mica Peak near Freeman Washington on the highest mountain nearby, almost a mile high. It isn't as high as Mt. Spokane. Has an FAA Search Radar and two AF surveillance and height finding Radars. My duties were to be NCOIC of the whole site and Maintenance Superintendent of the GATR site. The radio site was identical to the ones I had installed while in GEEIA at Norton AFB. I used my knowledge of
the equipment to streamline the routines and get a write up in the 25th Air Divisions magazinefor my recommendations. It was a way to check the sensitivity of all Multi-Couplers and Receivers using a Signal Generator and a spare antenna. Enabled the technician to do the checks from one location, a time saving method and very reliable. I used this method to pass SAGE peaking on the GATR sites while in GEEIA. The duty wasn't bad, made daily trips to the mountain in a 28 passenger bus. We lived in Base Housing at Geiger Field where the 823rd Radar Squadron was located. Could walk to the motor pool where we kept the bus. The crews stayed on the mountain for 3 days on and 3 days off, had a small barracks there. Had to maintain a room in the barracks at Geiger Field also . We had a small dining hall on the mountain and a cook was part of the crew. Had a nice large dining hall at Geiger Field. Dorothy and the kids and I had Thanksgiving dinner there. The winter was pretty harsh at Mica Peak, snow removal was a 24 hour job for CE. Kept the snow plow going around the clock. Had to watch out for snow mobiles. Decided that I was tired of being a world traveler. Couldn't take Dorothy with me to the 486L sites in Europe, With the experience in Turkey I was tagged for future more of the same assignments. Had one chance to go to the Pentagon. Captain Alexander, my Site Commander in Turkey was assigned to the Pentagon and called me and wanted to know if I
would come and work for him again. I really considered it and called him back and declined and retired instead. I don't regret retiring. We had bought the house in Millwood as soon as we decided to Retire. Retired 1 September 1971. Went to work for a TV Company 3 days later. Had trouble with our VA loan because I was unemployed. Went to work and the loan was approved..Stayed with the TV company for about a year. Worked for a nice young couple. We visited back and forth and played cards often. His son now lives in the house down the street that his Dad bought shortly after we bought ours. Went to work for Keytronic one of the largest keyboard manufacturers in the world. At the time in July 73 when I started with them they were pretty small. They are located in the Spokane Industrial Park . Spent 21 years with them and took a voluntary lay off so I could retire. Went on Social Security in June of 1994..A few comments concerning the kids...David graduated from High School at West Valley High in 1973. Brenda is Branch Manager of Great Western Savings and Loan. She later quits Great Western and goes to work for Washington Mutual Bank. She is presently an Officer of the Bank and is number 2 in command. A lady is in charge. David works for Friese Furniture Manufacturing Co. as an upholsterer. He is still single and has his own home about 3..4 miles from us. Brenda is married to William D. Leckie and they live in the Northwest part of town. Bill Leckie works for a plumbing and heating, air conditioning Company. We see the family often. Try to have dinners together as often as possible From here on we will have to decide what else we want to include.

--------------------------------------Civilian Life-----------------------------------------------------------

Retired from the USAF on September 1, 1971 and went to work 3 days later for Sutherland TV. Was a small shop employing myself and Mr Bernie Harris the bench Tech. They also sold Paint. The front of the store was run by the wife of the owner. They were a young couple. He had served a stint in the Navy and invested his money in the TV/Paint store. I ran service calls, worked on sets in the shop, installed antennas, sold paint, general work around any TV repair
establishment. Became good friends with the owners. We played pinochle with them and often Dorothy and I would dine out with them. They bought a house on our street shortly after we did. Their son lives there now. After a year or so of meeting the public I decided this type work wasn't for me. Started looking for a different type job. Found an opening at Keytronic Corporation, one of the largest keyboard manufacturers in the world, located in Industrial park 5 miles from home.(Located at Trent and Sullivan in the valley). The first Monday of July 1973 I started work as a bench Technician for Keytronic. Dorothy had already taken a job as Receptionist for 3 Doctors close to home. She worked her way up to Office Manager. Made life a little easier with two incomes. She worked for them for 8 years and quit as soon as my salary was adequate to provide the things we needed. My pay at Sutherland was minimal and the new job at Keytronic gave me an immediate raise and benefits. After working at Keytronic for about 3 months I was asked to be a Lead Technician. In those days a Lead also maintained a work bench and supervised the rest of the crew. Later the Lead only supervised, which made more sense. I was Lead on Night shift for a while and was asked to come to day shift and replace the Day shift Lead who had been promoted to Supervisor. I accepted and remained there for a year or so. My group received the stuffed PCBs less key tops and enclosures. We determined that the assembly was built and operated to meet design specifications. We repaired all defective boards. Had a full time re work person. My technicians just found the trouble, didn't have to un solder the bad part. We ran a FTP(Factory Test Procedure)on each and every keyboard, and there were many types. A few of the types were for Compaq, IBM, Reuters, RCA, Sycor, 4 Phase, Hughes and many more. In my 21 years there we produced probably 3,000 different type keyboards. After all troubles were found the key tops were attached and the assembly was tested again. In the early years the customer did their own enclosures. This changed in the 1980s when most every keyboard included an enclosure with cable. I was pretty proficient in keyboard repair by now and found an opening in the Engineering Department as an Applications Engineer. I kept this job under a dozen or more Managers for the next 16 years. Application Engineering was a big name for Product Costing. A prospective customer would send us a specification for their new keyboard. I would read the specification and turn it into a cost to produce along with a schematic of the keyboard, BOM and cost of each item. I would coordinate my design with an Electrical and Mechanical Engineer to be sure it would work. In later years we used the 8048, 8049, 8051 microprocessors. In the early years was mostly TTL. I would design the logic necessary to talk to the Microprocessor and the Electrical Engineer would agree that he could or could not write the code to meet the customer specifications. Once we had the electrical and mechanical issues ironed out I would make a BOM and cost it out based on existing Data bases or if brand new on quotes from vendors. I wrote the first quoting program for the Corporation one weekend at the lake. My boss, the Director of Engineering, said get one ready. I coordinated with the Director of Data Processing and asked what was available. He told me we had a spread sheet as part of the HP 3000 main frame computer. All this is very new to me. Took the book with me to the lake and came up with a rudimentary spreadsheet that would calculate the cost to produce a keyboard based on standard inputs, such as number and sizes of key tops, cost of electronic parts, size of PCB and etc. The program was "Dollar Flow". I still have the manual that I read to write my first spreadsheet. I later convinced my boss to purchase a desktop computer and Lotus 1-2-3 to do our cost quoting. He finally agreed and I got my first Desktop an IBM with 256K of memory. Real fast found that was inadequate, added memory and a Hard Card for storage. As time passed and new people were involved with quoting we got more sophisticated computers. I was using a 386 with lots of memory and storage capacity on a network when I retired. We had AUTOCAD, ORCAD and several other drawing packages. I primarily used SMART which is an integrated package like WORKS. I had to write an extensive report with each new quote, outlining what we could and could not do to meet the customer specifications. The flow of work was .....Sales received the request for quote, request for quote sent to me, logged in and given priority based on due date and desires of the powers to be, I would read the customer specifications and do a schematic of what I thought was necessary to fulfill the customer requirements, get price quotes on all new parts required through our Purchasing Department, were new colors required, get color matches for new plastics, get quotes on costs to do new enclosure molding, and any other requirement that had a cost associated with it, do a spreadsheet on cost to produce and a narrative of the customer specification line by line. Would get an Electrical Engineer and a Mechanical Engineer to review my comments and schematic. Then would get QC to review for any special requirements, finally had Accounting review for cost data. Returned completed quote to the Sales person that requested it. This could
have taken 7..10 days to produce. Sales presents quote to customer. Some times customer would visit Keytronic and we would sit down and discuss cost and methods. I was accustomed to meeting customers and being in high level meetings with Vice Presidents and often with our CEO. Toward the end of 1993 it was getting pretty rough. I have been chastised for a penny error. We often dealt with quoting a million keyboards. So the opportunity presented itself in January of 1994 for me to take a voluntary layoff. I took it and applied for Social Security. The layoff allowed me to receive severance pay and unemployment. The rest is history. Dorothy and I took a 3 month vacation and traveled to Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas and Colorado. We drove our 1993 Ford 4X4 pickup and camper. After my unemployment pay was exhausted I decided I didn't want to go back to work. So we are finally retired. Go to our lake house as often as we can and enjoy the rest of our life.



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