This is a bit of a sad video for me.  In 1972, I spend 7 months TDY loading and checking weapons on B52s during my TDY there.  Side note but I had the privilege of loading the mines that mined Haiphong Harbor.  The last B52s have left Anderson AFB Guam only to be replaced by the B-1.

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/480447/b-52-end-era

The world is surely changing eh Ron? I remember when the B-52 was called the "last bomber" the US would ever need. Because it was just so much entwined with everything our military did. Kind of like the C-130, venerable, and still in service. Ho hum, life goes on, I'll miss the B-52, I grew up with it in the news since I was just child, it was every where, anyplace a conflict, it was there.

I left a lot of skin in the bomb bay of that beast.

3 minutes ago, Ron Dudelston said:

I left a lot of skin in the bomb bay of that beast.

Hey Ron, when you were in service, how busy was that landing strip, with all what was going on around the world, was it one sorty after another, landing, taking off, landing, taking off, 24/7?

Hey now guys, the BUFFs are still in the air. I'll bet the whole squadron didn't go to Tucson and the Bone Yard. 

My sons live down there and they'll tell me when they're up for Labor Day. The live in the flight path. Then, the whole town is in the flight path.

1 hour ago, John Morris said:

Hey Ron, when you were in service, how busy was that landing strip, with all what was going on around the world, was it one sorty after another, landing, taking off, landing, taking off, 24/7?

24/7 John.   6 planes to a sortie and 7 sorties an hour 24 hours a day.  Anderson has two runways so ATC could stage on one and land on the other.  I was in weapons release most of the time and the taxiways were like an interstate.  You really had to be careful.  All planes headed to Nam.  We worked 12 hour shifts, seven days a week. 

1 hour ago, Gene Howe said:

Hey now guys, the BUFFs are still in the air. I'll bet the whole squadron didn't go to Tucson and the Bone Yard. 

My sons live down there and they'll tell me when they're up for Labor Day. The live in the flight path. Then, the whole town is in the flight path.

Gene, I don't think they had more than a handful there.  I think those were H's so they probably went to Davis Montham or Minot. When I was there in 72 there were hundreds of them on the tarmac.  Oh, one more thing.  Technically, we called them BUFs not BUFFs.  The news media sanitized the acronym by calling then Big Ugly Fat Fellows.  They were Big Ugly (insert expletive here)

2 minutes ago, Ron Dudelston said:

24/7 John.   6 planes to a sortie and 7 sorties an hour 24 hours a day.  Anderson has two runways so ATC could stage on one and land on the other.  I was in weapons release most of the time and the taxiways were like an interstate.  You really had to be careful.  All planes headed to Nam.  We worked 12 hour shifts, seven days a week. 

Awesome, I can see it, and I can hear it, and smell the fuel. I had a very small taste of the activity you described, I was in the Army so I did not live on the runways like you did. But when I was dropped off at Howard AFB in Panama, it was just before Operation Just Cause, and I was sitting on my duffel on the tarmac in the sweltering tropic heat waiting to be picked up, and since it was pre Just Cause, that AFB was busy man, just all get out busy, you could tell something big was about to happen. One after another, coming, going, incredible to see. Thanks for your story Ron, enjoyed it. 

7 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Awesome, I can see it, and I can hear it, and smell the fuel. I had a very small taste of the activity you described, I was in the Army so I did not live on the runways like you did. But when I was dropped off at Howard AFB in Panama, it was just before Operation Just Cause, and I was sitting on my duffel on the tarmac in the sweltering tropic heat waiting to be picked up, and since it was pre Just Cause, that AFB was busy man, just all get out busy, you could tell something big was about to happen. One after another, coming, going, incredible to see. Thanks for your story Ron, enjoyed it. 

Got to tell you a quickie John.  They were trying to force Charlie to the bargaining tables and they were bringing 52's from all over the world to Andersen.  We were ringing out a plane and group of 52's from Plattsburg AFB began to land.  One of them landed, turned off the main runway onto the taxiway and promptly speared a Roach Coach (food truck) with its left wing tip.  It wasn't much of a match and the roach coach lost.  Brought the front wheels four feet off the ground.  Welcome to the war boys.

30 minutes ago, Ron Dudelston said:

Brought the front wheels four feet off the ground.  Welcome to the war boys.

Those roach coaches are never in the right place are they! They just wander and park where they want, and it's always in the way. Bet a lot of coffee went over in that coach!

36 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Those roach coaches are never in the right place are they! They just wander and park where they want, and it's always in the way. Bet a lot of coffee went over in that coach!

I have the feeling that that isn't all that went all over the truck.

When I was in the Air Force, the B 47 was the Air Force power. It was while I was at what was then " Wichita Municilal Airport", then renamed McConnell AFB  that the B 52 began to take over. As I worked on the B47's ,I watched Boeing pilots, from across the runway, testing the B 52's.. When I was discharged in Dec 55, I came home to  see Pease AFB  being built and it became the home for B-52 bombers . Now, the  Air base has been closed and the B 52's are gone. The New Hampshire National Guard now occupies the base, The Air Force  still  utilizes the base at times for unspecified reasons.

2 hours ago, It Was Al B said:

When I was in the Air Force, the B 47 was the Air Force power. It was while I was at what was then " Wichita Municilal Airport", then renamed McConnell AFB  that the B 52 began to take over. As I worked on the B47's ,I watched Boeing pilots, from across the runway, testing the B 52's.. When I was discharged in Dec 55, I came home to  see Pease AFB  being built and it became the home for B-52 bombers . Now, the  Air base has been closed and the B 52's are gone. The New Hampshire National Guard now occupies the base, The Air Force  still  utilizes the base at times for unspecified reasons.

Wonderful memory Al. And a good story to share here. How long were you in service for?

10 hours ago, It Was Al B said:

When I was in the Air Force, the B 47 was the Air Force power. It was while I was at what was then " Wichita Municilal Airport", then renamed McConnell AFB  that the B 52 began to take over. As I worked on the B47's ,I watched Boeing pilots, from across the runway, testing the B 52's.. When I was discharged in Dec 55, I came home to  see Pease AFB  being built and it became the home for B-52 bombers . Now, the  Air base has been closed and the B 52's are gone. The New Hampshire National Guard now occupies the base, The Air Force  still  utilizes the base at times for unspecified reasons.

Al, I know I'm getting old when the planes I worked on are now in city parks.  When I was in Thailand, I took a short TDY to NKP AFB in northern Thailand to work on F4s.  They're all gone.

10 hours ago, Ron Dudelston said:

Al, I know I'm getting old when the planes I worked on are now in city parks.  When I was in Thailand, I took a short TDY to NKP AFB in northern Thailand to work on F4s.  They're all gone

Ron, I was Air Force for 24 years, and most of that time was on the F4D.  I spent two years at Ubon RTAFB, Thailand.  Interesting anecdote, after my first year at Ubon, I PCSed to Florida.  Shortly after getting there, I got an opportunity to return to Ubon on a 45 day manning assistance TDY.  My buddy and I decided request the TDY be converted to a PCS, and I was approved in less than 2 weeks.  Some poor guy back at Florida (Eglin AFB) had to finish our out-processing and ship the rest of our stuff home.  I now work in the USPS near the airport in Wichita, and occasionally smell the fumes from refueling the airplanes there.  A friend of mine here thinks it stinks, but I tell him it brings back many memories of that former life.  Kind of gets in your blood. 

From Anderson to 'Nam and back - that was a long round trip...

Although I was USAF ('70-'74), and on Guam ('73-'74) I was based at the Naval station.  A small detachment doing weather research and typhoon forecasting.

I did enjoy the work and the tropical island.  But, when my time was up I had met my goal which was to get the GI bill and go to school.

That "free" college was the best investment the US taxpayer made in me.  I paid back the cost of school several times over in income taxes!

Cal

Cal, our running joke was that Guam was the only hole above ground.  We used to do the unforgivable there.  Boonie stomp.  That being said,I read that there is a nasty infestation of snakes there now.

 

Tom, I can relate to the smell of JP4.  Takes me back to the flightline every time. 

B52s bombed our perimeter miles away many times. I don't have the words to describe the massive blasts of multiple bombs hitting several miles away. The explosions crackled as the sky lit up with yellow fire as the ground vibrated. It was an experience embedded in my mind. At the time,  my thoughts always went to one thing,( this is not to be meant as funny) there was a very dim red light on the plane that we could see and I prayed that the guys guiding those massive bombs didn't make a mistake. 

 

There was also a benefit for farmers and people who raised animals.......................instant farm pond.

 

Writing this has brought back a lot of memories.

and to be a little closer the ground rolled like waves coming ashore...

Good description Stick, Our artillery shells only weighed 200 lb, With all 16 guns, we fired 8000 rounds when I was there. I calculated the firing data. The collateral damage was massive. :-(