Follow

• 

  May 8, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  Featured:

  -- TSGT. Jospeh A. Mertes, Organizational Supply Supervisor 71st ARS recently was responsible for the re-enlistment of his entire section. All personnel assigned to Sgt. Mertes decided to try the AF for another six years. Those re-enlisting were (left to right) SS1.t. Robert Dube, A/2c Robert Acosta, TSgt. Joseph Mertes, A/le Charles Cole, and A/SC Charles Perkins. For his part in re-enlisting his shop, Sgt. Mertes received a letter of Commendation from 820th AD Commander General James W. Wilson (photograph included)

  -- Members of the Dow Track Team in training for the track season around New England. Team members are Robert Behr, R. C. Smith, Casiano Estrada, Graham Price, Alva Sebastian, Carl Frisby and Leonard Mack (photograph included)

  -- Bobby J. Setney contributes some news and gossip in a column called "Wing Ding"

• 

  November 13, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- Members of the OJT Administrator Course which graduated last Friday. The classes are conducted by TSgt. Kenneth Balsley, OJT Adntinistrator Supervisor with ATC. A class is graduated every two weeks. Members of this class are (left to right) front row: TSgt. Balsley, instructor, A/1c Ronald Jodon, Kenneth Tauriainen, A/1c William Heffelfinger, SSgt. Joseph Dostie, SSgt. Kenneth Tate, Lt. Guy Bentivenga, presenting officer. Back row (left to right): SSgt. Wayne Jones, SSgt. Ronert McCarthy, TSgt. Archie Fairbrother, MSgt. Joseph Leonard, SSgt. Howard Heino, MSgt. Norbert Warren (photograph)

  -- A/2c Norman S. Saue selects correct aperture opening for his lens and determines proper focus prior to taking picture of a damaged aircraft part (photograph).

  -- A/2c Gene Comeau 4060th Transportation Squadron broke the ice for the squadron's hunters last week by bagging this 150 pound deer. He used a 30-30 rifle and downed his deer in Hampden Maine (photograph).

• 

  November 20, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- Friday, November 20th would have marked the 46th birthday of Lt. James Fredrick Dow, the Air Force officer for whom this base was named . Born in Oakfield, Maine, in 1913 James Dow was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry H. Dow. His father was then superintendent of the Northem Division of the Bangor and Aroostook railroad. Lt. Dow lost his life when two Army Air Force bombers collided a half mile above Queens borough. New York. All 11 men aboard the two planes were killed. This base was named for Lt. James Dow on January 23, 1942 by the US Army Air Corps (photograph of Lt. Dow).

  -- The Dow Taxi Fleet which for the second consecutive month has exceeded the criteria for 100% in the SAC MCS analysis. Directed by SSgt. Maurice Martin and A/2C Larry Burns, the fleet recorded 6,959 taxi runs during October, 1,000 more than is required. At the same time the driver incentive award went to A/2C Terry Rugan for 944 runs while A/2C Gerald Gllver was runner-up with 941 (pretty amazing photograph).

  -- Mrs. Betty M. Cabeen, wife of MSgt. Richard Cabeen, right, Boom Operator on a KC-97 aircraft of the 34lst ARS is checked out on the operation of the boom by her husband. This all occurred last Friday when the wives of the 341st took over their husbands' jobs for one afternoon to better understand their jobs as well as the SAC and AF mission (another great photograph).

• 

  November 25, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- The face of Bangor's Paul Bunyan receives a touch up by Mr. J. Norman Martin of Tom Kane Advertising. The job was recently completed when city officials noticed that the paint had begun to chip and asked Dow to furnish a de-icer to use on the job. The OMS de-icer is operated here by TSgt. Robert E. Dlckens (photograph).

  -- Col. George W. R. Zethren, Wing Commander (far right) pins commendation medals on four Dowmen who were honored at the recent Wing Executive Briefing. Awarded were (left to right) Lt. Col. Willard J. Beahan, Director ot Personnel, Lt. Col. Marion L. Dixon, Comptroller, Major Hyman Mod ledsky, Aircraft Maintenance vfficer with OMS and MSgt. Arnold Heldt, Acting Family Services Officer (photograph).

  -- A view of the construction currently underway on the new school for the Capehart area. Just started, the school will be finished in time for Capehart youngsters to occupy next September at the start of the school year. The last of the Capehart housing units have been inspected, accepted and committed to the new occupants (photograph).

• 

  November 6, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- Second Lieutenant Frederick M. Johnson, Pilot of a T-33 trainer jet which collided with an F-102 Delta Dagger in the Flagstaff area of Maine. Both aircraft involved were based at Ethan Allen AFB, Vermont, and were on routine training missions. Lt. Johnson ejected and fell into the Maine woods where he spent the night hanging in his chute harness from a tree. Lt. Johnson says that from the experience he has learned to respect the equipment and stated that all the ejection equipment works just as he had been instructed (photograph of Lt. Johnson).

  -- A/2C James Wheeler, A/3C Herbert Smith and A/3C Don MacLellan, all of the Dow Fire Department get set for some pre-season basketball practice at Dow's recently opened Gymnasium. One of the finest in SAC, the new building and equipment cost nearly a half million dollars (photograph).

  -- Mr. Carl E. Babcock, civilian employe of the Transportation Squadron, receives a check for $65.00 from squadron commander Major J. W. Woodill for a suggestion to improve refueling equipment. Mr. Babcock suggested that a quick coupling be placed on the refueling stub of trailers, attaching the outer half to the defueler hose as a permanent part of the hose. A locking snapover ring could then be used to join the two pieces together, making a leak and fume proof joint, thereby eliminating any fire hazard (photograph).

• 

  October 16, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- Sgt. Gerald w. Icenogle FMS, Class 59G or the Dow NCO Prep School accepts the class honor award. SSgt. Carl R. Terry, also of FMS, won the same award during graduating exercises for class 59H thereby making morale and esprite in that squadron stand way high (photograph).

  -- The Installations Squadron tag football team, this year's base champions. Members are, standing (left to right) Jack Keith, Wilbur Wright, Salvador Domingues, Glenn Roberson, Don Plamondon, Francis Woody, Robert Meyers, Richard Olson, Edgell Anderson, George Parker. Kneeling (left to right) Wiley Bratcher, Hubert Cannon, Michael Oominsky, George Hoshino, Patrick Gallagher, Galen Creighton, Dean Welts, "Gus" Gustafson, and Don Double (manager) (photograph).

  -- Two new Dental Officers arrived at Dow. These men were Harold H. Gardy and Stanley S. Gold (photographs).

• 

  October 2, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- Dow AFB was the scene this week of the annual NCO Executive and Advisory Council meeting. Members began arriving here last Saturday from all Eighth Air Force Bases. The week was highlighted by the arrival of Major General Walter C. Sweeney, Jr., Commander 8th AF.

  -- Delegates to the council were: MSgt. Stephens, Westover AFB; MSgt. Shoar, MacDill AFB; MSgt. Pollack, Thule AFB; MSgt. Skeritt, Westover AFB; MSgt. Cawvey, Lockbourne; MSgt Holland Turner AFB; SSgt. Varela, Goose Bay AFB; MSgt. Kendall, Loring AFB; SMSgt. Popalis, Hunter AFB; SMSgt. Barrett, Griffiss AFB; MSgt Topoel, Presque lsle AFB; MSgt Kubler, Plattsburgh AFB; MSgt. Metheny, McCoy AFB; SMSgt. Cauthon, Sonderstrom Fjiord AFB; SMSgt. Hancock, Eglin AFB; SMSgt. Wheeler, Hamey AFB; SMSgt. Salon, Westover AFB; SMSgt Neher, Plattsburgh AFB; SMSgt. Leonard, Pease AFB; SMSgt Hufford, Westover APB; SMSgt Wester, Ernest Harmon AFB; MSgt. Streeter, Seymore Johnson APB; SMSgt Martin, Westover AFB. MSgt. Lathrop, Dow AFB; SMSgt. Mayer, Homestead AFB; SMSgt. Sloan, Kindley AFB, SMSgt Boderhammer, SAC HQ Captain Wilkinson, Advisor from Westover AFB (photographs of all men are present).

  -- The annual meeting of the Maine Library Association was held recently in Bangor. At the end of the annual meeting last Friday there. was an open house and tea at the Dow Library. The base provided transportation from the meeting site to the library and return. Pictured above are (l to r) Miss Hazelton, Maine State Librarian; Mrs. Alvin Thiessen, wife of Chief of Reference Service UN; Mr. John McKenna, Librarian, Colby College; Miss Elinor Ferguson, Executive Secretary of Public Library Association, Division of ALA; Mrs. Marian Stubbs, retired Maine State Librarian; Miss Priscilla Dodge, Dow AFB Librarian (photograph).

• 

  October 23, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- Dow's new RAMAC machine prints the daily financial statement of the Base Supply Account as Col. George W. R. Zethren, Wing Commander, and Captain William A. Brazill, Assistant Base Supply Officer look on. The information is stored in RAMAC's "memory drums" and is made available to the Base Supply Officer and th'l Financial Services division. The entire operation is complete in just seven minutes. The same job previously took three people and the facilities of the . base· machine room five days to complete (photograph). RAMAC = Random Access Method of Accounting

  -- Recent births to Dow personnel and spouse included sons born to Mr. & Mrs. Murray Hennigar, Mr. & Mrs. Louis Leville, Mr. & Mrs. Leslie Luther, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Carrigan, Mr. & Mrs. Chester L. Harris, and daughters to Mr. & Mrs. James E. Gettinger, Mr. & Mrs. Richard McKale, and Mr. & Mrs. Rene Poirer.

  -- Miss Pricilla Dogde, Dow Base librarian, attended a conference in Tallahassee, Florida.

• 

  October 30, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- Deputy Wing Commander Colonel Lawson C. Horner, Jr., cuts the ribbon to indicate that Dow's new half million dollar gymnasium is officially open. Standing by are (far left) Major Phillip N. Blanchard, assistant director for Services, Miss Olaire Rangow, Service Club Director (second from right) and Mr. Manual Ferris, Recreation Director (far right). Standing in the background are several Dow airmen waiting to enter the new gym on opening day (photograph).

  -- Screen star Joan Crawford arrived in Bangor last week to participate in the opening of a beverage plant in Brewer Miss Crawford is a director of the beverage company and is known in the company as "the hostess with the mostess" (photograph).

  -- MSgt. Arnold Heldt, acting Family Services Officer for Dow was recently reunited with his 17-year-old son, Butch, after having not seen each other for more than 13 years. After basic training in Texas, Butch came all the way across country from Washington state to Maine by bus for this reunion with his dad. Butch will be stationed here at Dow. They are the only father-son Air Force family on this base (photograph).

• 

  October 9, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- Another member of the Dow chapter of the SAC Aero club to recenclv fly solo was Mrs Ann Mllls. Mrs. Mills is the wife of 1st Lt. Leo T. Mills, an Aircraft Commander with the 71st Refueling Squadron (includes picture).

  -- Fire station personnel who successfully completed their High School GED tests surround TSgt. Newell Hersey (back row, third from left) education NCO for the 4060th Installations Sq. Pictured are, back row (left to right): A/3C Robert Staley, A/2C Junior Patton, A/3C Curtis Peterson. Front row (left to right) SSgt. Frank Walters, A/2C James Johnson, A/2C Patric Kartes and A/ C William Rankin (includes photograph).

  -- Six Dowmen reenlisted. These were: James R. Thrower, Edward C. Niedorowski, William S. Haney, Ezra W. Dougherty, James Eskdale, and Richard A. Petrie.

• 

  September 11, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- A/ 3 C Norman Vogt of the Wing Personnel section seeks information from Mrs. Nellie B. Banton, Bangor-Brewer Travelers Air Society representative. This service is made available to Dow personnel by the Bangor-Brewer United Fund. In 1958 assistance was provided to 177 servicemen and their families (includes photograph of Mrs. Banton and Mr. Vogt).

  -- Major Jules L. Cahan recently arrived at Dow & will serve as the Director of Dental Services (photograph).

  -- A/2C Joel Rudom of Base Police is shown redirecting Mr. Wallace Marshall and family of Orangville, Ontario, who mistook new construction on the base as road construction for Route 2 (photograph).

• 

  September 18, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- Dow Air Force Base will be open to the general public on Saturday, September 19th from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. according to Lt. Col. David G . Bellemere, Project Officer for the Open House.

  Colonel Bellemere stated that all units stationed at Dow will have their aircraft on display including the F-101B Voodoo with the 75th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Unit buildings open for inspection are the Base Chapel, Service Club, NCO Dining Hall Fire Station Electronics Hobby' Shop, one of the new dormitories, and the parachute shop.

  -- The second increment of Capehart Housing will be inspected by the Air Force Acceptance Inspection team on 16 September 1959.

  -- Dig that cat says Donald Ham to sister Kay, who's holding their playful pet at the quarters area. The kids were out enjoying some of the fine September weather and the cat "Tiny Peanuts" just didn't run fast enough. Kay and Donald are the son and daughter of MSgt. and Mrs. Wilbur Ham (includes photograph).

  -- Re-enlisting for six years is A/1C Joseph S. Deason, AACS control tower and GCA controller. Swearing in Airman Deason is Captain Earl R. Tweedie, 1292- 2 AACS Detachment Commander. Before coming to Dow Airman Deason saw overseas duty in the Philippines (photograph).

• 

  September 25, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  The LWO crews pictured above have been chosen to represent Dow at the forthcoming refueling competition. At left is the crew of Captain Eugene Rauniker. (L to r) Capt. Rauniker, Aircraft Commander; Lt. Hermon Raul, Pilot; Lt. Richard Miles, Navigator; MSgt. Alfred Carignan, Flight Engineer and SSgt. Joseph Hachey, Boom Operator. At right is the crew of Captain Joseph Moran. (L to r) standing, Capt. Moran, Aircraft Commander; Lt. Dave West, Navigator; and MSgt. George Lackband. Kneeling, (l to r) Lt. Merrill Green, Pilot and SSgt. Bill Williams, Boom Operator (includes two photographs).

  -- Captain J. W. Henderson, Commander, 4060th Combat Defense Squadron, congratulates A/3C Richard D. Willet, who recently made a perfect score on his three leveI OJT test. This is the first such score in the Combat Defense Squadron since 1952 (photograph).

  -- The men pictured above have just completed a course of instructions on Aircraft Maintenance Technician, for the F101B aircraft. Certificates of completion were presented by Lt. Col. H. I. Hill, Commander, 75th FIS. Classes were conducted by TSgt. Herman Parker and TSgt. William Carmon. Instructors and students are (l to r) first row, TSgt. Carmon, SSgt. Richard Witherly, TSgt. Roger Williams, A/3c Howard Wickland and Colonel Hill. Second row, A/2C Richard Shorey, A/1C Gerald Shay and TSgt. Olin Cody (photograph).

• 

  September 4, 1959

  Dow Air Base Personnel

  -- A/2c Raymond A. Lavigne of the 75th FIS is praised for his quick actions on the scene of a car accident on Outer Hammond Street in Bangor (includes photograph of Mr. Lavigne).

  -- Lieutenant David F. Leas, a navigator in the 71st, tore-up the past mark in the shuttle run by posting a remarkable 41 seconds for the 270 yard run conducted in the Base Gym (photograph of Mr. Leas).

  -- Page One and Two include more details about the application and move-in process for the Capehart apartment units. Includes drawings of various officer quarters at Capehart.

  -- TSgt. Hermit F . Edmunds of Transportation Squadron signs up as the l000th member of the Dow Federal Credit Union (Mr. Edmunds pictured).

  -- Excellent planning and crew coordination enabled the "Four F's" and Lt. Robert Bennett of the 341st ARS to set a new ground refueling record time for the KC-97. The crew, T-30, was one of the many participating in a combat efficiency test conducted out of Ernest Harmon AFB, early in August. Shown standing (l to r) Lt. Josenp Frobisher, navigator. Lt. Robert Furry, pilot, and Lt. Bennett, Aircraft Commander. Kneeling (l tor) A/10 Arvil Frazier, boom operator, and TSgt. Robert Fangman, Engineer. Other crew members not shown are Lt. John Drobat, instructor navigator and Lt. Leighton Mishou, co-pilot (photograph of the crew).

• 

  March 13, 1959

  Dow Air Force Base

  Among the stories/features:

  -- The 71st Air Refueling Squadron announces the upgrading of another crew to combat-ready status (annoucement includes a photograph of Joseph A. Colleran, Warren K. Stewart, Jr., John D. Preiss, James E. Simonds, and Joseph J. Assenza)

  -- Wing Commander, Colonel George W.R. Zethern and Major William William S. Knowles, Flying Safety Officer, are shown examining the Flying Safety trophy won by Dow for December 1958

  -- An advertisement for Hinkley's Pharmarcy at 103 Center Street in Brewer shows us the smiling faces of nine staff members (M. Virgina Moro, Leslie M. Ohmart, Jr., Donald V. Pushor, John E. Burrill, Stewart Whittemore, Muriel Zoll, Gerry Clewley, Janice Garrity, and Barry Twitchell)