I was SAC late '70s - early '80s. I remember many MITO launches, including one in particular for an exercise or an ORI, just after dawn on a Sunday morning circa 1980. We launched almost every non-alert B-52D and KC-135A we had, and awakened the good citizens of the valley with the unearthly, window rattling howl of one J57 water wagon after another. We figured if we had to be awake at 6 am on a Sunday, everyone in the valley should have to be awake, too. 😄
As a SAC crew chief, These were the very bravest of the bravest. They were sworn to give every last ounce of fuel to the bombers and fighters in the event of War. The KC-135 crews get very little of the recognition they deserve. For them and they knew this going in that it was a suicide mission in the event of a nuclear war..
+Andy Smith Andy let me say I have the most respect for all those who worked on the flightline in the Northern tear. They did remarkable things to get aircraft airborne for on time takeoffs and giving the crews the best airplanes possible. Even the guards have my respect for being out in those conditions 24/7.
Thank you, Andy. I was a KC-135 pilot from 1975-1980 at Dyess AFB, and pulled a lot of alert, as I'm sure you did too. Let me 2nd Ted's comment about the ground crews. The airplanes you gave us were always in great shape, virtually flawless!
Back in the '70s, all airplanes, B-52s and KC-135s went at 15 sec intervals. And by 1978, the interval was reduced to 12 secs for all MITO aircraft. I still remember going 12 secs behind a B-52 in my KC-135, and getting into the B-52's vortices. I had full right aileron and was still rolling left. I was about to start kicking in rudder, but then I flew out of it. Very eye opening!
The first airplane I ever touched was a "new" KC135 at Columbus AFB (on an elementary school field trip in 1959). I was amazed to see a crew member climb up the crew hatch with no ladder installed. I separated at Castle as a tanker training IP knowing these planes will outlive me. These MITO launches were examples of the precision that SAC was known for. When you can smell previous aircraft exhaust on departure, and you know more aircraft are right on your butt, precision builds PRIDE.
Grade A posting. There are very few videos of things like this from back in the day. 40+ Buff and 28 135 (A/R) hard stands, my 1st assignment Castle, Ca. It is a tourist place and local airport now :( :(. We had 2 KLAXAN and one MITO during my time there. All 3 elephant walks were a bone chilling experience. For those who were part of this, you'll understand what I mean by bone chilling.. not knowing. To be on a bomber base and see 90+% of the ramp empty is a surreal experience. My gratitude to my brothers and sister of the military and ALSO to their families for their dedication and support.
I was in the Air Force. Living in a tin can trailer at 3600 East Texas Street just across the fence from the base. I remember this like yesterday. Those air craft flew literally over top of us. It was amazing.
I was an in-flight refueling operator (Boomer) on KC-135 stationed @ Griffiss AFB New York in late seventies. Best job in the Air Force!!! Participated in several Or I'd and deployments.
I didn't know this was even recorded. I was there in 1983. This is the 410th Bombardment Wing. It's funny how many people have no idea about the Cold War.
McConnell, Travis, Carswell, Victoria, Whiteman, Clinton-Sherman. I watched my uncle and others take off from all of these bases in B-36, B-47 and B-52. Never got to see a B-58 up close or hear the takeoff. We watched the aluminum constellation refuel B-36s out of Carswell with KC-97s as they passed over headed North at night. Nobody on the ground could ever really be sure it was a drill or not. One morning the roar at McConnell was louder and deeper than usual. It was about 1968 or '69 and it was an SR-71. We went to the flight line to see it and were met by the air police. Even a Bird Colonel could not pass.
I was at Carswell during Global Shield '83. Our 52's & 135's did the same thing. It was an awesome & humbling sight, because at any time this could have been the "real" thing and not just an exercise! Something that'll live in this ole country boys memory until I die.
B-52H AC, Carswell AFB 1985-90. Another video that shows the professionalism and dedication of the SAC Warrior during the Cold War. Man those crews were on it! Great video, thanks so much for posting.
Thank you for posting Ted. Awesome video. Ahh, yes, back in the day when men were men, and sheep were nervous. I participated in those old fashioned MITO's from 1984-1990 as a B-52 AC at Carswell. Hats off to all you SAC Trained Killers!
When I was stationed at Castle AFB, CA in the late 70s, I saw one of these launches for real. All the B-52s and KC-135s on the base launched -- it was amazing.
@@lobosolitario-j4c ALL of THEM. No plane was left on the Base that day. Funny story about that. When we got brief by the Wing Commander, he explained to everybody what was going to happen and when. I had never seen one before, so on the way back to our building, I asked some of the guys... Is that really going to happen? And they said, "No." I said the Wing Commander said it would happen. And I reminded them that if he says it's going to happen, it will. They still didn't think it would. But it did.
I was at March at the same time, and I was privileged to watch a similar mass launch. Watching this video, while impressive, isn’t capable of matching the sights, sounds and smells of that amazing experience. I second the poster who praised the courage and skills of the crews. They knew what they needed to do and were ready to do it!
My dad was a SAC pilot , he went from the B36 to B52 i was born at Loring AFB Base in 1957 then we moved to Turner AFB base until he retired in 1967 as kids we would watch that stuff at the fence around the runway next to my elementary school.
I was at March at that time. We MITO'ed the entire wing of tankers and bombers just after sunrise one morning during an ORI and probably woke up everyone in the valley who wasn't already awake. I imagined people lying in bed with their windows rattling as they were thinking, "I hope that was the last one. Nope, here comes another. I hope THAT'S the last one. Nope..." over and over and over.
Having served @ Castle AFB, I remember these events personally & UP CLOSE. It wasn't until I had separated & lived up the road in Merced (some 15 miles away) that the 1st time I HEARD the launching aircraft approaching & then to SEE them fly overhead, was when I saw HOW MAJESTIC this is!
I remember taxing out on my final training check flight at Castle in a B-52F, with an absolutely inmpossible fog obscuring my vision. I thought the IP would cancel the flight but no such luck. He told me to line up on the center line of the runway, which I could just barley see by being able to view only one of the centerline markers. Then he told me to put my heading indicator on the runway way heading. I thought: "Oh no! Is he kidding? We're NOT going to try and takeoff in this soup...ARE WE???" Then he said "DON'T let the heading wander off the marker, during takeoff". We put in takeoff power and...YOU BET....I didn't let the heading wonder ONE DEGREE! Amazingly we didn't kill our selves. The first and ONLY time I EVER made a takeoff on a zero visibility runway. (all as a student at Castle!)
I'm glad this never had to be done except in training. Bad enough for the flight crews who knew it was more than likely a one way trip, perhaps worse for those left at the base who knew their remaining lifespan was measured in minutes because a Soviet missile was on its way.
You and others who spent their time outside had a very difficult job and you did it well. So many non-flyers at K.I. that did a wonderful job keeping the mission going.
While I was still stationed at Grand Forks AFB. One Year.we had a Full On Alert Pad Scramble of ALL ALERT PAD A/C. Due to at Least 5 Tornadoes that were in the area. YEAH. That was an interesting Night.
I served at Abilene, Tx Dyess AFB.I was in the 96 BW,96 OMS,tanker branch. I was assigned to acft 62-3528 KC -135 A. A great time in my life,and 22 months of alert duty. Out of 3.5 years there!! SAC was awesome, and I loved it!✌️🤝🎯💪
The wail of B-52 engines is something engrained in me, even though I was pretty young while living there from 85 to 88. I have mixed feelings about the closing of K.I. Sawyer. It was a wonderful community and a great place to live, and it got me loving the north woods and Lake Superior. But it also was a de-escalation from the scary days of the Cold War.
Were you Don's daughter? He was a very good pilot and his article written by the journalist was spot on about the issues with the Cold War. I miss the people at K.I. as we did a lot in a cold environment.
And all of the young wives were a great part of it; the close-ness of the aircrew families was a great part in keeping our morale high during those seemingly endless years of alert duty. None of us would've missed it either. SAC was #1!!
Stationed at Loring from '76 - '80. I was in charge of 2nd shift maintenance on a KC-135 flight simulator. The simulator was inside of a mobile railcar parked just outside the flightline. Whenever the klaxon would scream, the crew in the simulator would come racing out of the cockpit. We would hold all the doors wide open to ensure their speedy exit. They hopped in their blue trucks and went flying down the road. Then we would watch all the controlled chaos on the flightline. We had a great view. It was awe inspiring to watch all those bombers and tankers line up at the runway. We would hold our breath while waiting to see if the planes actually launched. Thankfully, they never did.
All of KISawyer rocked when these things took place. And we choked on fumes for hours afterward. As an SP, we’d be coated in it for the rest of the night. And we’d have to get off our duffs, get out of our trucks and actually WALK the ramp.
Never gets old, saw a couple at Barksdale AFB in JAN/March 1968 when TDY their from Dover AFB on an 24/7 airlift of Cobra gunships and munitions in support of response to TET Offensive in NAM. Was an avionics tech so always out on the flight line. The sound, fuel smell and ground shaking as they all take off MITO is an awesome event. SAC air men liked our new C-141 Starlifter technologies, but look who is still flying in 2020.🇺🇸🗽
This happened at Fairchild AFB on a regular basis, I was usually in the alarm tower in the bomber alert area so I had a commanding view of the 23 end of the runway as the aircraft headed down to the 05 end. Thankfully the reason for this kind of launch was not macho, it was to get all aircraft off the base before it was attacked by nuclear weapons, insuring the SAC force was ready to strike back. We had the B-52G with water injection as well as the KC-135A, got pretty black at the 05 end!
Love the sound of those classic turbojets what a beautiful roar the awesome trails of smoke from water injection is so cool love our wonderful military hats off to SAC they rock
my parents house was 11 miles from GFK AFB...as a kid, I can remember watching the B-52's, KC-135's and later the B-1B's departing the base...plus their flight pattern took them right over our house when they would do take offs and landings both day and night...one question that has always intrigued me over the years...if there ever was a soviet missile attack and all SAC bases were destroyed...where were SAC crews supposed to go had they completed their counter strikes both aircraft and missile crews???
@@arg2411 The aircraft and crew would then fly to a reconstitution base or a forward operating base where deployed maintenance personnels would be waiting
Being bias..SAC was and is the greatest and will always be for me! Crew chief..59-1502 Grand Forks AFB 66-69. Love the smell of the JP-4 and the sweet sound of the engines. Mel
I remember taking the active at Loring on a Global Shield... The BUFFS had gone and I sat in the jump seat in one of the last tankers. Heck of a sight to look down the runway and see nothing but BLACK yet saw everything as normal off to the sides. We were launching into a black hole. Goal was 12 second interval on tankers, 15 for the BUFF. Nothing today compares to SAC. Nothing. Crewed 623501. Loring Led!
crew chief here 135,s Castle 80, to 90 93BMW brings back a lot of memories. I came back here to Atwater Merced area after being gone 25 years. Base is closed of course but I did go out to the flight line and old headquarters bldg. It is like a ghost town feeling....... but if I closed my eyes I could here them rolling down the runway. I still haven't gone into headquarters, its all locked up. But I will. Just an empty bldg. not far from runway and right across from B52 grounds. It kind of hurts going out there now, place is a shell of what it was. I don't think I agree with a federal prison on those grounds but it is employment and this place has been devastated. I rented a house in Merced and once in a while we will get someone flying into castle. Ya run outside and look up and I know its not a bomber or tanker but hard to not look. I had the best years of my life on that base......... best men I ever met........ I loved it all..........
Ruthcondon61@gmail.com Andrew92 : I know how u feel! I left Castle in '77 before moving to SoCal in '82, I lived in Merced too. Even though I still go by there occasionally now, it is a place that holds VERY SPECIAL MEMORIES: the people, the mission, the why...!
Yes, it was close. They put the B-52G behind the H models as they knew they were faster. Ths G did not use water so the tankers caught up to it. After liftoff the tanker told the G not to climb as it was passing it.
I once told a friend who lived near Mather AFB SAC base in the 80s if he saw all the B-52s lifting off, that means there are incoming Soviet missiles. Then they did a MITO exercise and for a moment, it scared the crap out of him. 😅
this is a crazy MITO - glad there is an explanation on that G model. As a kid I would see this when fishing the Au Sable by Sawyer's sister base Wurtsmith in Oscoda. Seem to recall two 52's then a 135 and repeat. great memories, loudest thing i have ever heard. SAC was instrumental in keeping the peace 1950's to when the Wall fell. I am sure the m a r x i s t s running everything now will cancel it too.
Ted, thanks for sharing. Doesn't look like 'safety was paramount.' I was still at KI when the base closed and was allowed to retire then (1995). Mark Jersin, the navigator you tried to train. Thanks for that too.
Anyone who was in SAC in the 50s,60s,70s,80s and worked on the flightline this was not uncommon. Every ORI MITOs meant the inspection was almost over. And I bet anyone who worked those 12-15 plus hour shifts getting the birds ready and bitched and moaned, would get good money to have one more shot at doing it again. Control Red one we have a Buff in the fluff
Great video of great crews, thanks all! Anyone also serve at Kincheloe AFB? Or involved with the CIM-10 BOMARC SAM base W/NW of there as well? I've noticed US Forest Service roads near where they were based, would like to visit sometime if possible.
There was one six-month period back in the mid-60s when every SAC bomb wing launched all their bombers and tankers in a gigantic MITO to begin the annual Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) mission. At Turner AFB, GA we launched all fifteen of our KC-135s first, followed by all fifteen of our B-52Ds. Our crew was #23 in the stream, and the turbulence just after liftoff was incredible, to say the least. Most of the families of the crewdogs got to watch the launch from just outside the perimeter fence. Unfortunately, SAC lost a B-58 from Grissom AFB, IN that was blown off the runway (in the snow/ice) from the blast of the aircraft ahead of him as he turned onto the runway heading. We also lost a KC-97 tanker that crashed on the golf course at Pease AFB, NH and SAC decided to discontinue the ORI MITO launches forever after that six-month period.
GREAT video Ted!!! For those not familiar with MITOs, - Note how the planes "fan out" after takeoff. A MITO "..... is aimed to efficiently send aircraft off as quickly as possible, it does not come without risks. Sending aircraft into the slipstream of another aircraft at such close intervals could cause the plane to jump up and down, possibly causing it to flip over. More than once, aircraft have crashed on takeoff after encountering such turbulence. " SEE: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_Interval_Takeoff
No, because in today’s “better safe than brave” military a MITO looks like a kinda busy day at LAX. We’ll never see 3 rolling at the same time ever again.
Unless my ears are deceiving me, the last two Buffs in the flight to launch (#5 and #6) were G models. The characteristic whine of the TF-33 was absent with those two aircraft. Was the 410th in a transition period in 1983 where they had both G and H models in service at the same time? Or were the G models just visiting from another unit? I know they were an all H model wing at the time the wing was inactivated.
The G was from another base sent to join us. If you look at the following KC-135, you will see it is catching up to the G. By the end of the runway the KC told the G to not climb as it overflew the G. They knew the G needed to be behind the H's but forgot about the following KCs with water. The G was dry.
Global Strike Command has slipped quite a bit from SAC standards. There are some videos of "MITO" takeoffs of the 5th BW at Minot and they are doing anywhere from 30 to 50 second intervals. Little consistency. I did have a question about the above, meant in total respect - I was trying to count the intervals to see how on they were, and they were pretty solid, but it seemed like one H might have been pretty late - around 22 seconds? The camera is moving, you really can't see the moment of liftoff, but it seemed a bit off. Then, I would swear the KC-135s were also at 15 seconds. I sure did see how the first KC-135 almost caught up to that B-52G. That seemed like about an 8-10 second interval! So if someone blew an interval, what then? Thank you for the post. Great.
The standards haven’t slipped. Safety and preservation of our BUFFs is simply higher now. If the risk dictates, we can always go back to 15s or 12s spacing
No, it was one of the best assignments even if you did not like the weather. The maintenance people were the best in my career. Not like the Southern bases where people stayed until retirement and failed to do their job.
I was with the 410th FMS jet shop 1974 to mid 77 good times well run org. was with the 379th from 1980 to 84 not a well run org. glad to have gotten out of there
The 410th was the best of any base I was stationed. We all worked to get the job done. I could count on the maintainers giving me a good aircraft. Thank you.
I was SAC late '70s - early '80s. I remember many MITO launches, including one in particular for an exercise or an ORI, just after dawn on a Sunday morning circa 1980. We launched almost every non-alert B-52D and KC-135A we had, and awakened the good citizens of the valley with the unearthly, window rattling howl of one J57 water wagon after another. We figured if we had to be awake at 6 am on a Sunday, everyone in the valley should have to be awake, too. 😄
Castle?
What is an ORI?
As a SAC crew chief, These were the very bravest of the bravest. They were sworn to give every last ounce of fuel to the bombers and fighters in the event of War. The KC-135 crews get very little of the recognition they deserve. For them and they knew this going in that it was a suicide mission in the event of a nuclear war..
+Andy Smith Andy let me say I have the most respect for all those who worked on the flightline in the Northern tear. They did remarkable things to get aircraft airborne for on time takeoffs and giving the crews the best airplanes possible. Even the guards have my respect for being out in those conditions 24/7.
Thank you, Andy. I was a KC-135 pilot from 1975-1980 at Dyess AFB, and pulled a lot of alert, as I'm sure you did too. Let me 2nd Ted's comment about the ground crews. The airplanes you gave us were always in great shape, virtually flawless!
Back in the '70s, all airplanes, B-52s and KC-135s went at 15 sec intervals. And by 1978, the interval was reduced to 12 secs for all MITO aircraft. I still remember going 12 secs behind a B-52 in my KC-135, and getting into the B-52's vortices. I had full right aileron and was still rolling left. I was about to start kicking in rudder, but then I flew out of it. Very eye opening!
Identified as "code red".
we never got no credit for sitting on the pad
The first airplane I ever touched was a "new" KC135 at Columbus AFB (on an elementary school field trip in 1959). I was amazed to see a crew member climb up the crew hatch with no ladder installed. I separated at Castle as a tanker training IP knowing these planes will outlive me. These MITO launches were examples of the precision that SAC was known for. When you can smell previous aircraft exhaust on departure, and you know more aircraft are right on your butt, precision builds PRIDE.
Grade A posting. There are very few videos of things like this from back in the day. 40+ Buff and 28 135 (A/R) hard stands, my 1st assignment Castle, Ca. It is a tourist place and local airport now :( :(. We had 2 KLAXAN and one MITO during my time there. All 3 elephant walks were a bone chilling experience. For those who were part of this, you'll understand what I mean by bone chilling.. not knowing. To be on a bomber base and see 90+% of the ramp empty is a surreal experience. My gratitude to my brothers and sister of the military and ALSO to their families for their dedication and support.
I was in the Air Force. Living in a tin can trailer at 3600 East Texas Street just across the fence from the base. I remember this like yesterday. Those air craft flew literally over top of us. It was amazing.
Best MITO video I've ever seen.
I was an in-flight refueling operator (Boomer) on KC-135 stationed @ Griffiss AFB New York in late seventies. Best job in the Air Force!!! Participated in several Or I'd and deployments.
I didn't know this was even recorded. I was there in 1983. This is the 410th Bombardment Wing. It's funny how many people have no idea about the Cold War.
You may have known my Dad Jerry Farish then? I was born at K.I. In 84
McConnell, Travis, Carswell, Victoria, Whiteman, Clinton-Sherman. I watched my uncle and others take off from all of these bases in B-36, B-47 and B-52. Never got to see a B-58 up close or hear the takeoff. We watched the aluminum constellation refuel B-36s out of Carswell with KC-97s as they passed over headed North at night. Nobody on the ground could ever really be sure it was a drill or not. One morning the roar at McConnell was louder and deeper than usual. It was about 1968 or '69 and it was an SR-71. We went to the flight line to see it and were met by the air police. Even a Bird Colonel could not pass.
I was too!!. 410 CES. I love KIS!
410 sp squadron
I was at Carswell during Global Shield '83. Our 52's & 135's did the same thing. It was an awesome & humbling sight, because at any time this could have been the "real" thing and not just an exercise! Something that'll live in this ole country boys memory until I die.
I was the crew chief of 62-3515 at KI during that Global Shield MITTO I served from 1981 to 1985 I will never forget my time there.
B-52H AC, Carswell AFB 1985-90. Another video that shows the professionalism and dedication of the SAC Warrior during the Cold War. Man those crews were on it! Great video, thanks so much for posting.
Absolutely. Minuteman/ERCS qualified crewman here, Whiteman AFB (510 SMS/351 SMW) 1983-87. Getting rid of SAC was pure ignorance...
I was maintenance and riding the launch truck that day. Great sight to see. Freedom in the raw...
Thank you for posting Ted. Awesome video. Ahh, yes, back in the day when men were men, and sheep were nervous. I participated in those old fashioned MITO's from 1984-1990 as a B-52 AC at Carswell. Hats off to all you SAC Trained Killers!
Brian Hill I was at Carswell from 81-84 and remember those very well as a jet engine mechanic!
When I was stationed at Castle AFB, CA in the late 70s, I saw one of these launches for real. All the B-52s and KC-135s on the base launched -- it was amazing.
All of them or just the alert aircraft?
@@lobosolitario-j4c ALL of THEM. No plane was left on the Base that day.
Funny story about that. When we got brief by the Wing Commander, he explained to everybody what was going to happen and when. I had never seen one before, so on the way back to our building, I asked some of the guys... Is that really going to happen? And they said, "No." I said the Wing Commander said it would happen. And I reminded them that if he says it's going to happen, it will. They still didn't think it would. But it did.
I was at March at the same time, and I was privileged to watch a similar mass launch. Watching this video, while impressive, isn’t capable of matching the sights, sounds and smells of that amazing experience. I second the poster who praised the courage and skills of the crews. They knew what they needed to do and were ready to do it!
Castle AFB, 93 OMS, 77-81 Bomber Phase docks
My dad was a SAC pilot , he went from the B36 to B52 i was born at Loring AFB Base in 1957 then we moved to Turner AFB base until he retired in 1967 as kids we would watch that stuff at the fence around the runway
next to my elementary school.
I miss the good old days. I saw the same thing at March AFB in the early 1980s. Loud. Loved it.
I was at March at that time. We MITO'ed the entire wing of tankers and bombers just after sunrise one morning during an ORI and probably woke up everyone in the valley who wasn't already awake. I imagined people lying in bed with their windows rattling as they were thinking, "I hope that was the last one. Nope, here comes another. I hope THAT'S the last one. Nope..." over and over and over.
Having served @ Castle AFB, I remember these events personally & UP CLOSE. It wasn't until I had separated & lived up the road in Merced (some 15 miles away) that the 1st time I HEARD the launching aircraft approaching & then to SEE them fly overhead, was when I saw HOW MAJESTIC this is!
I remember taxing out on my final training check flight at Castle in a B-52F, with an absolutely inmpossible fog obscuring my vision. I thought the IP would cancel the flight but no such luck. He told me to line up on the center line of the runway, which I could just barley see by being able to view only one of the centerline markers. Then he told me to put my heading indicator on the runway way heading. I thought: "Oh no! Is he kidding? We're NOT going to try and takeoff in this soup...ARE WE???" Then he said "DON'T let the heading wander off the marker, during takeoff". We put in takeoff power and...YOU BET....I didn't let the heading wonder ONE DEGREE! Amazingly we didn't kill our selves. The first and ONLY time I EVER made a takeoff on a zero visibility runway. (all as a student at Castle!)
I'm glad this never had to be done except in training. Bad enough for the flight crews who knew it was more than likely a one way trip, perhaps worse for those left at the base who knew their remaining lifespan was measured in minutes because a Soviet missile was on its way.
If launched for real the rules would change as there would be no one to come home to, like family.
That my friends....is the sound.....of freedom.
I grew up in this. My family’s tour was: Blytheville, Kadena, Pease, then finally KI. Wrapped it up in ‘83.
I was stationed at Blytheville 1966 1970. With many try tours to utapo Thailand. Alaska. Spain an England loved the kc 135 loved the air force
My dad Jerry Farish was there in ‘81-‘86 was on the Flight Commanders Crew as a Co-pilot on the B52 in this video
nothing like the sound of a screaming J-57 doing a wet take off
TF39s are better
Stationed at KI Sawyer '81-'82; 410th SPS. Six B-52s, six KC-135s, on alert - 24/7/365. LE secured both ends of the runway during alerts. Go SAC !!!!
You and others who spent their time outside had a very difficult job and you did it well. So many non-flyers at K.I. that did a wonderful job keeping the mission going.
Awe inspiring. I love how the cinematographer caught the in-flight phase as the aircraft broke left and right to avoid wake turbulence.
While I was still stationed at Grand Forks AFB. One Year.we had a Full On Alert Pad Scramble of ALL ALERT PAD A/C. Due to at Least 5 Tornadoes that were in the area. YEAH. That was an interesting Night.
I served at Abilene, Tx Dyess AFB.I was in the 96 BW,96 OMS,tanker branch. I was assigned to acft 62-3528 KC -135 A. A great time in my life,and 22 months of alert duty. Out of 3.5 years there!! SAC was awesome, and I loved it!✌️🤝🎯💪
What years were you there? 75-79
@@vertisjohnson219 82-85.
The wail of B-52 engines is something engrained in me, even though I was pretty young while living there from 85 to 88. I have mixed feelings about the closing of K.I. Sawyer. It was a wonderful community and a great place to live, and it got me loving the north woods and Lake Superior. But it also was a de-escalation from the scary days of the Cold War.
Were you Don's daughter? He was a very good pilot and his article written by the journalist was spot on about the issues with the Cold War. I miss the people at K.I. as we did a lot in a cold environment.
And all of the young wives were a great part of it; the close-ness of the aircrew families was a great part in keeping our morale high during those seemingly endless years of alert duty. None of us would've missed it either. SAC was #1!!
Tell me about it. I flew at K.I. from 1973-74. LOVED the place. Went back last year. Very sad.
Remember this well. Being in the last couple birds of a mass mito was always good for an adrenaline rush.
Stationed at Loring from '76 - '80. I was in charge of 2nd shift maintenance on a KC-135 flight simulator. The simulator was inside of a mobile railcar parked just outside the flightline. Whenever the klaxon would scream, the crew in the simulator would come racing out of the cockpit. We would hold all the doors wide open to ensure their speedy exit. They hopped in their blue trucks and went flying down the road. Then we would watch all the controlled chaos on the flightline. We had a great view. It was awe inspiring to watch all those bombers and tankers line up at the runway. We would hold our breath while waiting to see if the planes actually launched. Thankfully, they never did.
Like it was yesterday! Thanks for the memories!!!
I served the nation as an aircraft maintenance professional at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota 1977 to 82.
All of KISawyer rocked when these things took place. And we choked on fumes for hours afterward.
As an SP, we’d be coated in it for the rest of the night. And we’d have to get off our duffs, get out of our trucks and actually WALK the ramp.
Thank you for this video. I served at Castle AFB 79-83. I worked on the B-52g &H models as well.
The sound of freedom. You have to love it!
Never gets old, saw a couple at Barksdale AFB in JAN/March 1968 when TDY their from Dover AFB on an 24/7 airlift of Cobra gunships and munitions in support of response to TET Offensive in NAM. Was an avionics tech so always out on the flight line. The sound, fuel smell and ground shaking as they all take off MITO is an awesome event. SAC air men liked our new C-141 Starlifter technologies, but look who is still flying in 2020.🇺🇸🗽
More impressive to see in person, sight and sound of airpower
Thanks Ted. I caught the end of the cold war. Barksdale 88-93, 71st AREFS KC-135A Boom Operator. Got to participate in one or two of those MITO's.
I was stationed at Barksdale from 85-89. 410CES.
I remember standing at the gap when the B-52's would taxi to the runway. It was amazing.
I used to see this daily while stationed in Guam during the early 80's. SAC was serious and at war 24/7.
This happened at Fairchild AFB on a regular basis, I was usually in the alarm tower in the bomber alert area so I had a commanding view of the 23 end of the runway as the aircraft headed down to the 05 end. Thankfully the reason for this kind of launch was not macho, it was to get all aircraft off the base before it was attacked by nuclear weapons, insuring the SAC force was ready to strike back. We had the B-52G with water injection as well as the KC-135A, got pretty black at the 05 end!
Lived by Barksdale AFB for forty years and when we saw a MITO we know it was training or the end of everything.
Love the sound of those classic turbojets what a beautiful roar the awesome trails of smoke from water injection is so cool love our wonderful military hats off to SAC they rock
I was in UP AT 80 S kI SAWYER WAS THE BASE.Remember swimming in the lake superior and just watching these big birds FLY----
Crazy shit from back in the day! SAC/ACC ‘86-‘92
I was involved in that excersice. While stationed at Grand Forks AFB.
my parents house was 11 miles from GFK AFB...as a kid, I can remember watching the B-52's, KC-135's and later the B-1B's departing the base...plus their flight pattern took them right over our house when they would do take offs and landings both day and night...one question that has always intrigued me over the years...if there ever was a soviet missile attack and all SAC bases were destroyed...where were SAC crews supposed to go had they completed their counter strikes both aircraft and missile crews???
@@arg2411 The aircraft and crew would then fly to a reconstitution base or a forward operating base where deployed maintenance personnels would be waiting
FAIRCHILD
Being bias..SAC was and is the greatest and will always be for me! Crew chief..59-1502 Grand Forks AFB 66-69. Love the smell of the JP-4 and the sweet sound of the engines.
Mel
I remember taking the active at Loring on a Global Shield... The BUFFS had gone and I sat in the jump seat in one of the last tankers. Heck of a sight to look down the runway and see nothing but BLACK yet saw everything as normal off to the sides. We were launching into a black hole. Goal was 12 second interval on tankers, 15 for the BUFF. Nothing today compares to SAC. Nothing. Crewed 623501. Loring Led!
Each B-52 had engines running, with a tanker truck standing by each one keeping their fuel topped off.. didn’t look like practice to me.
Brings back memories when I was at Carswell from 87-91
B-52H AC Carswell AFB, 1985-1990
As we said back in the day, jet noise, the sound of freedom.
crew chief here 135,s Castle 80, to 90 93BMW
brings back a lot of memories.
I came back here to Atwater Merced area after being gone 25 years.
Base is closed of course but I did go out to the flight line and old headquarters bldg.
It is like a ghost town feeling....... but if I closed my eyes I could here them rolling down the runway. I still haven't gone into headquarters, its all locked up.
But I will. Just an empty bldg. not far from runway and right across from B52 grounds.
It kind of hurts going out there now, place is a shell of what it was. I don't think I agree with a federal prison on those grounds but it is employment and this place has been devastated. I rented a house in Merced and once in a while we will get someone flying into castle. Ya run outside and look up and I know its not a bomber or tanker but hard to not look. I had the best years of my life on that base......... best men I ever met........
I loved it all..........
Ruthcondon61@gmail.com Andrew92 : I know how u feel! I left Castle in '77 before moving to SoCal in '82, I lived in Merced too. Even though I still go by there occasionally now, it is a place that holds VERY SPECIAL MEMORIES: the people, the mission, the why...!
big thing back in the day 92BMW I saw mt st helens
J57s water injection hence smoke
the "BALL" was more difficult TF33s had to tap SCV sometimes to get her going lol
cobra ball
Yep remember those alerts well at K I Sawyer, I was there 78-84. I love the UP😊
Probably some smoke still remainds there XD Love th B-52 and the Kc-135!
Nuckleer combat toe to toe with the Rooskies...awesome love the BUFF
Amazing footage dude ❤
The -135s look more like proper Tankers with the Milky Way stripe going through the fuselage.
Dang the old engines were LOUD and just RIP the environment behind them.
I was on the launch truck for the launch that morning... I was a electrician and was stationed there from 82-95 when it closed...
Amazing. That first -135 after that B-52. Feet off his tail!
Yes, it was close. They put the B-52G behind the H models as they knew they were faster. Ths G did not use water so the tankers caught up to it. After liftoff the tanker told the G not to climb as it was passing it.
I was part of this in 1985 at Andersen AFB. The horn blaring across the base.
I once told a friend who lived near Mather AFB SAC base in the 80s if he saw all the B-52s lifting off, that means there are incoming Soviet missiles. Then they did a MITO exercise and for a moment, it scared the crap out of him. 😅
I missed that one. I got there in Oct 83. Stayed until Sep 90., POL.
krr1260 I was born there in 1984. My dad was Jerry Farish
POL!! Painting-Odd jobs and-Landscaping...3902nd ABW, Offutt AFB 1980-83. Strategic Air Command.
@@ronaldrobertson2332 Amen, brudda,Amen!!!
this is a crazy MITO - glad there is an explanation on that G model. As a kid I would see this when fishing the Au Sable by Sawyer's sister base Wurtsmith in Oscoda. Seem to recall two 52's then a 135 and repeat. great memories, loudest thing i have ever heard. SAC was instrumental in keeping the peace 1950's to when the Wall fell. I am sure the m a r x i s t s running everything now will cancel it too.
Here's what was going on at Wurtsmith while this was happening at K.I.: ua-cam.com/video/E2ByHjSpev0/v-deo.html
Ted, thanks for sharing. Doesn't look like 'safety was paramount.' I was still at KI when the base closed and was allowed to retire then (1995).
Mark Jersin, the navigator you tried to train. Thanks for that too.
Mark it was privilege to be your aircraft commander.
Anyone who was in SAC in the 50s,60s,70s,80s and worked on the flightline this was not uncommon. Every ORI MITOs meant the inspection was almost over. And I bet anyone who worked those 12-15 plus hour shifts getting the birds ready and bitched and moaned, would get good money to have one more shot at doing it again. Control Red one we have a Buff in the fluff
Great video of great crews, thanks all! Anyone also serve at Kincheloe AFB? Or involved with the CIM-10 BOMARC SAM base W/NW of there as well? I've noticed US Forest Service roads near where they were based, would like to visit sometime if possible.
Man do I remember these at KI. I left in `80. Was a fuelie on `em...
All the people who supported the B-52 were great at their jobs.
@@ted3020 I was fuel cell..
@@robertrosenheim5081 All part of keeping them flying.
There was one six-month period back in the mid-60s when every SAC bomb wing launched all their bombers and tankers in a gigantic MITO to begin the annual Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) mission. At Turner AFB, GA we launched all fifteen of our KC-135s first, followed by all fifteen of our B-52Ds. Our crew was #23 in the stream, and the turbulence just after liftoff was incredible, to say the least. Most of the families of the crewdogs got to watch the launch from just outside the perimeter fence. Unfortunately, SAC lost a B-58 from Grissom AFB, IN that was blown off the runway (in the snow/ice) from the blast of the aircraft ahead of him as he turned onto the runway heading. We also lost a KC-97 tanker that crashed on the golf course at
Pease AFB, NH and SAC decided to discontinue the ORI MITO launches forever after that six-month period.
Bring back SAC!
For those less informed, the airplanes utilized a water injection system that boosted power, but created a lot of smoke on takeoff only.
Gotta love the J57's even though they were underpowered.
GREAT video Ted!!! For those not familiar with MITOs, - Note how the planes "fan out" after takeoff. A MITO "..... is aimed to efficiently send aircraft off as quickly as possible, it does not come without risks. Sending aircraft into the slipstream of another aircraft at such close intervals could cause the plane to jump up and down, possibly causing it to flip over. More than once, aircraft have crashed on takeoff after encountering such turbulence. " SEE: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_Interval_Takeoff
Now that's a MITO, not some you have seen on here, little gap between the birds.
This is what you show your family when you describe being stationed on a SAC base. In my case, it was Westover AFB, 1966-69.
I remember participating in Mid Winter Global Sheild...42d Bomb Wing LAFB 1980.....quite cold.
19th OMS. Robins AFB. 1980-83. I miss those days.
can you imagine seeing this today on Flightradar24?
No, because in today’s “better safe than brave” military a MITO looks like a kinda busy day at LAX. We’ll never see 3 rolling at the same time ever again.
Thank you, Ted. Making CNY denizens proud.
1983 would have been my first global shield
Unless my ears are deceiving me, the last two Buffs in the flight to launch (#5 and #6) were G models. The characteristic whine of the TF-33 was absent with those two aircraft. Was the 410th in a transition period in 1983 where they had both G and H models in service at the same time? Or were the G models just visiting from another unit? I know they were an all H model wing at the time the wing was inactivated.
The G was from another base sent to join us. If you look at the following KC-135, you will see it is catching up to the G. By the end of the runway the KC told the G to not climb as it overflew the G. They knew the G needed to be behind the H's but forgot about the following KCs with water. The G was dry.
That 3rd bomber was my crew R26
Global Strike Command has slipped quite a bit from SAC standards. There are some videos of "MITO" takeoffs of the 5th BW at Minot and they are doing anywhere from 30 to 50 second intervals. Little consistency.
I did have a question about the above, meant in total respect - I was trying to count the intervals to see how on they were, and they were pretty solid, but it seemed like one H might have been pretty late - around 22 seconds? The camera is moving, you really can't see the moment of liftoff, but it seemed a bit off. Then, I would swear the KC-135s were also at 15 seconds. I sure did see how the first KC-135 almost caught up to that B-52G. That seemed like about an 8-10 second interval!
So if someone blew an interval, what then?
Thank you for the post. Great.
What standards? There aren't any anymore. We need Powers or Lemay back.
The standards haven’t slipped. Safety and preservation of our BUFFs is simply higher now. If the risk dictates, we can always go back to 15s or 12s spacing
2:00 for those interested
Tanks for the gas b52 crew chief
That's a lot of Buffs
Wasn't an assignment to Sawyer the KKIS of Death for an Airman's career?
No, it was one of the best assignments even if you did not like the weather. The maintenance people were the best in my career. Not like the Southern bases where people stayed until retirement and failed to do their job.
Ahhh. Those were the days when everything made sense.
Tanker KC-135 Grand Forks AFB
ACFT 59-1502. Crew chief..
I served in SAC 75/79 security police Minot AFB 5th SPS and 91st MSS
4:05 Wait a minute...
Is this a B-52G in a B-52H Bombing Wing?
I remember an exercise at Minot AFB where we "deployed" to the corrosion dock across the street and pretended we were in Texas.
So many smoke 😯
SAC owned the skies with TAC!
The screaming B52 sounds nice.
I was there in 1972. Sad that the base closed down.
I ended up at Thule in Global Shield 83. Out of Wurtsmith.
I was with the 410th FMS jet shop 1974 to mid 77 good times well run org. was with the 379th from 1980 to 84 not a well run org. glad to have gotten out of there
The 410th was the best of any base I was stationed. We all worked to get the job done. I could count on the maintainers giving me a good aircraft. Thank you.
The most brutal concept of
Was at offutt for that one
K.I. Sawyer
Peacekeeper 1986-1997.
4 minutes to get 16 aircraft off the ground
Launching from the alert pad as a crew chief
I was there from 1980-81 in the weather unit.
I hope we are still doing these! The threats from a united russia and a super energized china have NEVER been greater!