CHARLESTON

TOUGH WINTER

If the winter where you are was as tough as Maine’s, we can truly sympathize. As you may have seen on TV, the snowfall in Caribou (Aroostook County) was, at last tally in March, 185 inches. Then more came after that.

People are worried about the price of gasoline but the people in the northern states are concerned about heating oil which is higher than gasoline even in the off-season.

This newsletter should have been out sooner, but Pauline’s computer ate up everything and refused to give it back. Before the next newsletter, would you please send Pauline more stories or memories to include?

REUNION WEEKEND COMING SOON

July 18, 19, 20, 2008

The Plans

Friday, July 18

4pm to 10pm – Hospitality Room -- Captain’s Room at Ramada Inn, Odlin Road, Bangor, available to drop in, relax, meet and greet old friends and new. There will be complimentary snacks of cheese, crackers, and fruit, and a cash bar. Ramada’s nightclub opens at 8:30 pm. Friday is Variety Night. Saturday night Dance Party $3.00 cover.

Saturday, July 19

NOTE THE CHANGE IN TIME OF DAY!

11:00am to 4:00pm - Spectacular Events Center, 395 Griffin Road, located near the entrance to the Air National Guard. We will have the tastefully decorated Madison Ballroom. This will be our time to socialize, catch up with family doings, and see more “Hill People”. A 60-inch TV with VCR player will be available for our use if you have tapes to share during the afternoon.

Buffet Banquet will follow: See the menu on the enclosed registration sheet.

After the meal, there will be a time to share updates, memories of times on The Hill, and remember those who have passed on. Each person is asked to bring a small door prize, perhaps something related to your home state.

Business: We will need to decide what to do with memorabilia of the base and any monies that may be left if interest in the reunions wane or inability to attend over-takes us all. Let’s be sure we come to a decision at this reunion. Two suggestions for repositories for the memorabilia are Charleston Historical Society and Maine Aviation Museum.

Saturday evening 6pm to 10pm – Hospitality Room will be open to get together if you wish.

Saturday and Sunday, Maine Aviation Museum which focuses on military aviation in Maine will be open Sat. 10-4 and Sun noon-4. The museum is located on Maine Avenue at the former Dow AFB Missile Assembly building.

RAMADA INN

Ramada Inn’s usual fees for guest rooms this summer are: $119/single; $129/2 people; $10 for each additional person. However, for our Reunion, Ramada Inn has voluntarily offered us a special room rate of $109 for one to four person occupancy. Reservation number for Bangor’s Ramada Inn is 207-947-6961. Check in time begins at 2 pm. To get the special rate, just mention that you are with Charleston Air Force Station Reunion group when you make your reservations. There is no requirement that you stay at Ramada.

COMMANDER’S ARMED FORCES DAY MESSAGE 1974

On the occasion of this Armed Forces Day, 18 May 1974, I would like to say thanks to the dedicated “space defenders” at the various remote reaches of our SLBM System. The theme chosen for 1974 Armed Forces Day is: “American forces, vigilant, vital, volunteer” and could well have been lifted from a description of you. In this ‘short-fuse’ system that we are making work better than it has ever performed before, vigilance is paramount and a way of life with each one. There can be no doubt of the vital role it plays in confirming the last minute lift-off of missiles smuggled close to our shores and only a few vital minutes from their targets, nor of your role in making sure all is in readiness should the SLBM System be called upon to provide the warning and credence General Clay has stated he relies upon you for; and certainly it has to be a role that only a volunteer would fill adequately 00 day after long day, under the pressure of a system in a bind to prove itself; a system fraught with difficulties and challenges.

You, each and every one of you including your families, I salute for carrying on in the proudest tradition of the United States Armed Services in a most difficult role. You are serving your nation proudly and under trying conditions. You have proven your mettle. More importantly, you are providing your country with a creditable national warning system. Now let’s proudly tell our story in the far flung communities in which you serve so that the “home folks” can find pride and comfort in the knowledge that people like you are manning the front lines of Aerospace Warning.

JACK L. KROUT, Colonel, USAF

Commander

BILLY YARBER

Just a quick note to update you about life here in the most Southern part of Mississippi. Our daughter, Karen, passed away on the 16^th of Feb 2005. She had breast cancer and it went into 15 different bones, then in her liver. Once it hit the liver, she only lasted 3 months. She fought the big “C” for 4 ½ years. She left a husband of 12 years, two sons – one was 7, the other was 5. Karen was 41 years old.

Three months and 2 days after Karen’s death, I came home from work and found Bill dead. He passed away May 18, 2005. He really had a lot of problems coping with Karen’s death. She was a Daddy’s Girl. Am lucky to have the 5 boys and 3 are nearby.

I’m sorry so sorry to learn of the deaths of Ted Robinson, Woody Breedlove (he worked for Bill at the Radar Site, Bill and Woody talked on the phone, and we e-mailed one another), Greg. I know your heart is breaking, Pauline, because I’ve been there and done that a couple of times. I didn’t know Lee Hatch, but it doesn’t mean that I

don’t care, because I feel for anyone that has lost a loved one.

I’m still working at the Jackson-George County Library System. I am manager of Technical Services and catalog books. Tech Services does all the work before you see a book on the shelf in your library – we order, receive, mark the books for one of the 8 branches, catalog books and all non-print materials (such as DVD’s, Books on Tape, Kits for Kids, Videos) then send them to processing where they are covered, stamped with a due date and barcode placed on it and a spine label is made. We keep very busy during our 7.5 hour day.

Thanks for sending the newsletter.

Kathleen (Kathy) Yarber

1229 Parktown Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564-5811

ARN SHEIN

Mary Lou Shein emailed that husband Arn died this past year 2007. Arn was stationed at CAFS during the early 1950’s and wrote Charleston AFS happenings for publication in the Piscataquis Observer and for USAF publications as well. All his life he had written for various circulars and wrote articles for magazines including Guidepost.

COL WILLIAM WILLHELMI

I received word that Col William Willhelmi died. He was the Commander of the 14^th Missile Warning Squadron, Detachment 6 (SLBM). I took command from him when he retired.

Jack L. Krout

LATEST ON THE WEB GUEST BOOK

Joe L. Burrows

Joe.burrows@sbcglobal.net

2 yrs at CAFS Radar Maintanence

Resides Claremore, OK

Stephen Caudle

Stephen.Caudle@earthlink.net

1969-Dec 1970 Radar Maintenance

Resides Niceville, FL

An/FSS-7 MW Radar, Univac 1218 Maintenance

Bob and Carol Head