The Prodigal Son

Yes, cable splicers, I have found Francis "Frank" A. Mattocks! living in Panama and Costa Rica. Poor guy, I don't know how he manages to get by. We may have to pass the hat for 'poor ole' Frank. Frank is retired and enjoying life with his wife and 2 children. Frank welcomes you to come to Panama anytime....Stop by and catch up on old times.

REMEMBER THE DAYS OF SUMMER

For all of you that were stationed at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, TX, those hot days of Summer meant...No Marching, No PT and... No Swimming Pool either! Remember the Red Flag? We used to run to our barracks front door and look to see what color flag was flapping in what little breeze there was...Green, Yellow or RED! We prayed for RED everyday!!

Lately, the good old RED flag has been flying, due to all of the 100+ degrees of Summer. For those of you that were there in the Fall, Winter or Spring, you don't know what you missed. Thursday was 108 in Wichita Falls; today it's expected to top out at 106...! Ah, yes, the days of Summer.....

HAPPY 4th of JULY!

I hope everybody has a fun and safe Holiday weekend. Remember our soldiers that are fighting for the freedoms we enjoy each and every day. God Bless all of our veterans. Happy 4th of July!

Fishing with Bill Dance

Come on...have a good laugh!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

To all the fathers out there, Happy Father's Day! I hope all of you have a great weekend. Fire up those BBQ grills, don't eat too much. Stay safe....

HAIL IN COLORADO

Bob Cavin in Aurora, CO sent me this picture of the hail he collected in his yard yesterday. Most of the hail was quarter size and larger. He said the trees and flowers took a real beating. The largest I ever saw was softball size and I never want to see that again. You should have seen the cars in the neighborhood and with all the tree limb damage, it looked like a bomb went off! Stay safe....

LIFE

DRUGS

GETTING OLD

BATMAN & ROBIN UNITED

On a recent trip from Wimberley, TX to Lafayette, LA, Tom Finn stopped by Phil Absher's home in Pearland, TX to reunite with his old buddy. These were two of the guys you didn't want to play cards, pool or ping pong with, and expect to win very often! Phil is doing well after surgery and sends greetings to all of you.

WELCOME ABOARD!!

A hearty welcome to James Caldarale from Willingboro, NJ.

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

I hope all of you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. There's nothing like good old BBQ, especially in Texas. We enjoyed BBQ ribs. It was so tender, it just fell off the bone when you picked one up. Along with some beans, cole slaw, potato salad and some good music from back in the day....Man, what else could you ask for? Rain was in the forecast for us in north Texas, but, as usual, the weatherman got it wrong. I pray that everyone made it back home safely. No news to report, so I guess we are all doing fine. PRAY FOR OUR TROOPS! If you have any news, email me and I'll get the word out...See you all on June 26, 2010 in Cheyenne!!

FIVE NEW MEMBERS

With the help of Jim Meadows, we found five new members to the 809th Communications Squadron. Foy Eugene Godwin-GA, David B. Ohler-ID, Jim Hamil-WY, Jim Jacob-WY and Nicholas Kricken-WY. The last three on this list reside in Cheyenne. Welcome to the club! See you all in June 2010!

WILD BILL LAUX

I just talked to Bill Laux's daughter, Terry. Unfortunately, Bill passed away on March 14, 2009. He was being treated for congestive heart problems. I wish I could have found him sooner. Maybe we could have talked to him and had a good laugh about the good old days. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

TRAGEDY

Robert Jarvis, son of Joe Jarvis, was found dead in his Pahrump, NV home. Robert was a gifted web designer. He had requested that all of his organs be donated to save the lives of others. Please pray for the Jarvis family.

NEW MEMBER OF THE FAMILY

My son, Jerry, and his wife, Kristina, gave birth to a 6 lb. 3oz. bouncing, baby boy at 1:52 am May, 5, 2009. Mother and baby, Christopher Asher Mohn, are doing fine!

NEW MUG

I just added a new mug shot of Bill Sheets. Bill was a splicer at FE Warren and Grand Forks AFB. He now resides in Cheyenne, WY. Scroll down and click on Mugshots to view picture.

OUR THOUGHT AND PRAYERS

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Stan Shockley family for the unexpected death of his Mother, Margarite Shockley.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB!

Today, April 22nd, is Bob Wilkie's birthday. A little about Bob....Bob is a long time member of the Calvary Baptist church, family and staff in Joplin, MO. He has a sincere heart for the senior adults and their well being, but that’s not all. Bob also handles the daily financial responsibilities and also heads up a weekly support group for the those dealing with addiction. Bob is married to his wife Caroline, and when they have spare time, they love to getaway to the lake.

WELCOME WOODY

James L. Woods, better known as "Woody" has been located in Huber Heights, OH. He was trained for Inside Plant (362X 1), but was put in Site Comm Bench Check. He worked on the Launch Enabling System for the Atlas missiles, spent most of his career hop scotching between the states and Europe. He spent 24 years in the AF and retired as a SMSGT. After the AF, he worked for LEXIS-NEXIS for seventeen years and is now completely retired enjoying life in the slow lane. Welcome aboard, Woody!

WELCOME WANZER!

I finally located Gerald A. Wanzer, living in Alexandria, VA. He is retired from the AFD, Alexandria Fire Department. You still look good... for an old retired fireman. WELCOME and we'll see you at the reunion next year.

WYOMING HOT TUB PARTY

Now, there's an idea...

ANOTHER "WELCOME ABOARD"

Well, it was a fruitful weekend. I located three more Airmen. I've only been looking for them since January and I had just about given up. Something told me to try one more time. So, I did and I found Kary Hughes, retired from the US Post Office in Stanton, CA, Gerald Wanzer, retired from the Fire Dept. in Alexandria, VA & Bob Wilkie, who is Senior's Pastor at Calvary Baptist church in Joplin, MO. Welcome to the 809th Comm. Sq. (& the 90th Comm. Sq.) Blog. I can't wait until we can all sit down and reminisce about the good old days in Cheyenne, WY. Kary Hughes assured me that he is not an angry man anymore, so there will be no rematches...HA! See Ya There!

UPDATE

Phil Absher had a successful surgery to insert a stint in his left carotid artery.
This artery had 90% blockage. They will do the right artery next which has
50% blockage. Hang in there Phil, we're all pulling for you!

ROAD TRIP

I just got back from a little road trip down to south Texas and I visited with Tom Finn and Wade Aust. Tom and Wade say "Hello" to all of you. We all agreed, "We can't wait until next year!" I talked so much, I got a sore throat. Here's a picture of Tom and Wade....

LATE NIGHT MENU

Here's a look at the menu from the Plains Motor Lodge, a favorite place to stop after a long night of ,uh, partying! Click on Title to view the menu.

Sheppard AFB Exchange - 1963

Here's a 4 page flyer from Sheppard AFB Base Exchange.

Click on the Title above to view the entire flyer.

MYSTERY MAN

Who is this former Airman?

It is not Jack Sparrow!

REEL TO REEL

I'm looking for a reel to reel recorder.
Anybody have one they don't use or want anymore?

UPDATE: PHIL ABSHER

I just talked to Phil. He went into the hospital on Tuesday the 24th. They did an angiography and determined he had 90% blockage in his left carotid artery, 20% blockage on the right carotid artery and about 10% blockage on a heart artery. He thinks he will go back on 4/01/09 to have heart stents put in. Please keep Phil in your prayers.

MORE DISTURBING NEWS

I just found out that Rich Ashton passed away 17 years ago from a heart attack.

GET OUT THE VOTE

809th Communications Squadron Reunion in Cheyenne, WY.

I am contacting a Holiday Inn in Cheyenne, WY. As soon as I get some pricing on rooms, meals, etc. I'll pass them on to everyone.

1. Go to the blog and pick a month you want to have the reunion. You have until May 01, 2009 to change your vote.
2. Let me know how many people will be coming with you.
3. I'm planning a weekend event...Check-in on Friday, all day Saturday & check-out on Sunday morning.

PRAYER REQUEST

Phil Absher recently had an ultrasound on his carotid arteries and they found significant blockage on the left side. He is scheduled to have an angiography on Tuesday the 24th to see just how much blockage and to determine which procedure to use to correct the problem. Phil has asked that we, "send some prayers." I'm sure he will be in all of our thoughts and prayers. God bless you, Abby.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

May those who love us, love us.
And for those who don't love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if he can not turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles,
So we may know them by their limping.
May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are good ships, and there are wood ships, the ships that sail the sea.
But the best ships are friendships, and may they always be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's to you and yours
And to mine and ours.
And if mine and ours
Ever come across to you and yours,
I hope you and yours will do
As much for mine and ours
As mine and ours have done
For you and yours!

A FEW WORDS

Grant me the senility to forget the people
I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones I do,
And the eyesight to tell the difference!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If it doesn't make you smile,
You're doing it wrong!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sing like nobody's listening...
Dance like nobody's watching...
And love like it will never hurt!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A lie has speed...But truth has endurance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEW PHOTOS ADDED

Click on this to see new and previous photos: 809th

FE Warren - USAF drivers license, promotions, other documents

Just found some documents in my records folder. Stumbled across it. It has my vehicle operators license for the Base. Was also just stamped when I went to Goose Bay, Labrador so it applied up there also. Look for various promotion orders for groups or myself. A MAP of Warren that they must have given me. Another picture has the legend for the map. Hank Seamon, Gettysburg, PA

WADE AUST HAS A NEW HARLEY

Wade calls it his new Harley! He's actually working on his 20 acre estate south of San Antonio, TX. Clearing land, building a storage shed and this Spring/Summer he will build a new house/barn. I might just go down and help him out for a week or two. Y'all can come to!!

TRICYCLE

David Watkins and his 2007 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic. Customized into a Tryke by California Sidecar...WOW!

MORE MUGS!

I just put up some new mugshots. Go to MUG SHOTS and see who's new!

NEW PHOTO

Here's a picture of our buddy, Edward "Butch" Ludwig back in 1963. Go to MUG SHOTS to see a picture of him today...

WELCOME GERALD BUSBY

All of the guys have asked about BUSBY...Well, I found him in Arlington, TX. Drop him an email at bruno66@swbell.net

JOE JARVIS

Take a look at Joe's Harley, old and new.

Also, his classic 1957 Ford.

Click on: JOE JARVIS

THE PRANKSTER!

He knew they would be far, far away when the prank would come to full fruition! He took Palmolive Dish liquid and Scope mouthwash and swapped them....pretty neat....both liquids are green. So, halfway from Denver, CO to Granby, CT, our good buddy Oscar Lacafta's wife came down with a bad sore throat. She reached into a bag in the back seat and grabbed the bottle of Scope. A good gargle with Scope would make her throat feel a lot better. She poured a small amount into her mouth and began to gargle....suddenly, bubbles began coming out of her mouth and it didn't even taste like Scope. They pulled the car over and checked the Palmolive bottle....it had mouthwash in it...Somebody had switched them when nobody was looking....Who would've done this????? That's right, Stan Shockley was in their condo...He just hadn't figured on Shorty's wife being the one blowing bubbles....pay back's coming, Stan!!
I just found out this additional info....
At Shorty's condo in Denver, Stan also short-sheeted their bed and put Exlax in their ice cream. Stan, you are in for it!

LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY...

Long ago and far away, in a land that time forgot,
Before the days of Dylan, or the dawn of Camelot.

Ike was in the White House in that land where we were born,
Where navels were for oranges, and Peyton Place was porn.

We learned to gut a muffler, we washed our hair at dawn,
We spread our crinolines to dry in circles on the lawn.

We longed for love and romance, and waited for our Prince,
And Eddie Fisher married Liz, and no one's seen him since.

We danced to 'Little Darlin,' and sang to 'Stagger Lee'
And cried for Buddy Holly in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We fell for Frankie Avalon, Annette was oh, so nice,
And when they made a movie, they never made it twice.

We didn't have a Star Trek Five, or Psycho Two and
Three,Or Rocky-Rambo Twenty in the Land That Made Me, Me.

Miss Kitty had a heart of gold, and Chester had a limp,
And Reagan was a Democrat whose co-star was a chimp.

We had a Mr. Wizard, but not a Mr. T,
Oprah couldn't talk, yet, in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We had our share of heroes, we never thought they'd go,
At least not Bobby Darin, or Marilyn Monroe.

For youth was still eternal, and life was yet to be,
And Elvis was forever in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We'd never seen a rock band Grateful to be Dead,
Airplanes weren't Jefferson, Zeppelins weren't Led.

Beatles lived in gardens then, and Monkees lived in trees,
Madonna was a virgin in the Land That Made Me, Me.

We'd never heard of microwaves, or telephones in cars,
Babies might be bottle-fed, but they weren't grown in jars.

Hardware was a box of nails, and bytes came from a flea,
And rocket ships were fiction in the Land That Made Me, Me.

There were no golden arches, no Perrier to chill,
Fish were not called Wanda, and cats were not called Bill.

And middle-aged was 35 and old was forty-three,
Ancient were our parents in the Land that Made Me, Me.

But all things have a season, or so we've heard them say,
And now instead of Maybelline we swear by Retin-A.

They send us invitations to join AARP,
We've come a long way baby, from the Land That Made Me, Me.

So now we face a brave new world in slightly larger jeans,
And wonder why they're using smaller print in magazines.

And we tell our children's children of the way it used to be,
Long ago and far away in the Land That Made Me, Me.

MEMORY: WE ALL LOSE IT!

As some of you know, one of our good buddies had a stroke several years back and lost most of his memory from his Cheyenne Air Force days. Well, thanks to some emails, pictures on the blog and some conversation with a couple of the guys, Wayne Adams has started to remember some of us and some of his experiences. If you know Wayne, send him an email. Don't get too bummed if he doesn't remember you right off the bat. This is a slow process with no guarantees. Be patient. His email address is adams2wl@cox.net

CAN OPENER, ANYONE?

Man, I remember opening many a can of rations out at a missile site. My personal favorite was Tuna...hard to mess that up! There were some gross ones...Spaghetti and meat sauce was one I always traded for something else. Let me hear from you guys! What was your favorite and worst?

The old P-38...It also has many uses...screwdriver, bottle opener, knife, fingernail cleaner, etc.

SURGERY

Paul "Jeter" Naples, Worcester, NY had major surgery in California recently. Paul had total right shoulder replacement...WOW! Now in therapy, he will get the left shoulder replaced next. Get well soon, Paul!

HAWAII, ALOHA...!

This is a guy we called "ZEKE". The problem is,
after calling him Zeke for so long, nobody could remember his real name. Try and find a person in the USA with only the name ZEKE! Well, Joe Jarvis to the rescue. His name is Francis Miyazaki, from Hawaii. Next problem? I can't find him. It seems he worked for Stater Bros, a West coast grocery chain, as a butcher...later transferring to some place in Oregon. I think I found 79 Miyazaki's in Oregon...none of them are Francis or Frank. I did get a hit on an unlisted phone number in Honolulu, but no address. If this jogs anyone's memories, let me know.

WHO ARE THEY?

This picture was donated by Shorty Lacafta. Nobody could remember their names until I sent it to Johnnie & Barbara Mugg. They emailed me back and gave me the names. Two cuties, Cathy Bronson and Sharon Ackerman. They were friends of a lot of us, back in the day. they both ended up marrying Airmen and still reside in the area....Mystery solved!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

Hey Guys!

Valentine's Day is Saturday!! Don't forget to get your 'Sweeties' something for Valentine's Day.

MEMO

Check the "Still looking For" list. All of these guys served with us in the 809th & 90th COMM SQ. If you know some of them and have any info that would help find them, I would appreciate it.
Don't for get that Valentine's Day is Saturday...Don't forget the ladies, gentlemen.

NEW PHOTOS

When you link to the photos, be sure to use the "Slideshow" feature. You'll see a lot better picture. Click here to see new pictures: NEW PHOTOS sent to us by Oscar "Shorty" Lacafta.

HAPPINESS IN THE SERVICE IS...

ONCE UPON A TIME...

Once upon a time, a long time ago, this lady hosted a Purple Buffalo Party at her residence. It is still referred to as "Remember That Party In Cheyenne?"!!! How could any of you, that attended, forget it. I know I'll never forget it. Thanks to Terry Murphy for bringing some fun and happiness to a bunch of lonely guys, far, far from home. Stan Shockley says he still has the recipe....

RETIREE

Here's a picture of Retired CMSGT Ralph J. Cade, Choctaw, OK with his grand-daughter and great grand-daughter.

WELCOME ABOARD!

A big welcome to John "Juice" Beveridge down in Port Charlotte, FL and Richard I Stern, Jr over in Los Angeles, CA (that's a long way from Chicago). Be sure to share any photos and old military orders with us. We've seen some good ones, so far!

OUR THOUGHTS and PRAYERS...

Leona Cavin, wife of our good friend, Bob Cavin, passed away on January 16, 2009, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born on August 6, 1945, in Sterling, Colorado. She is survived by her husband and best friend, Robert Cavin; daughters Jean Cavin, Carolyn Sestak and husband Scott, and Barbara McDowell and husband Michael; grandchildren Austin, Jacob, and Madelyn Sestak, and Morgan McDowell; brother Ron Kerschner and wife Judy. She was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth and Angelina Kerschner.