My first full fledged alert was to be had at my "new" home, November-01. November was located some 15 to 20 miles east of Lewistown, yet in actuality closer to Grass Range. Like most trips to the 490th's sites, time was an ever present factor. In order to reach November-01, you simply took US Hwy 87 from Great Falls/Malmstrom and just kept driving.
As customary in the crew hierarchy, the deputy usually did the driving. I recalled that T.J. and I had well passed Charlie-01 near Standford when I asked, "How much farther?" T.J. merely smiled and replied, "Man, were not even out of the 10th's squadron area, we've not yet entered the 490th's."
Nearing Hilger, we pulled into Eddie's corner for a cup of coffee. Eddie's corner was, and still is, the unofficial boundary separating the 10th SMS and the 490th SMS. In actuality, the 10th's Echo Flight crews still continued on to Lewistown, then traversed north towards Winifred to reach E-01. From Eddies Corner, one could continue on Hwy 87 and eventually reach November Flight, or turn north at Lewistown and head for Oscar Flight with O-01 located on the outskirts of Roy. Take the road south from Eddie's Corner and one reached the Lima and Kilo 490th's sites.
Upon reaching Lewistown, I asked T.J., "Are we almost there?" Again, a smile and T.J. said, "Just 10 to 15 more miles to go."
Finally we arrived at November-01 Launch Control Facility, closer to Grass Range than Lewistown. Approximate driving time from Malmstrom 3 hours! I would make this trip religiously to November for the next year. I swear that even today, I could drive this route in my sleep with no appreciable problem at all.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Hi Tim, I found your blog while searching for information on the CMPG Mod. I was in ILCS class 64. Malmstrom and the 10 SMS from 85-89. We have a Facebook Page setup with 89 members to date. Please let me know if you are on FB so I can send you an invite. Hopefully, this message finds you.
I forgot, please email me at dakotanardi@gmail.com with your FB info.
I don't have a Face Book page, but I'll send you an email.
Hi Tim,
Fun site to read! I found you through RR's site! I have a pal who was the youngest Titan II crew commander at that time.
I'm also a crew dog -and SAC trained killer- but from the aviation side where I flew KC-135 Tankers at Pease AFB in New Hampshire from 1974 to 1979. Alert status was a strange way of life. As we pulled 7 day hard alert one week in three it meant that my 4 and 1/2 years had me living in the facility for more than a year. Between alert tours we flew every other day and often on long missions...not good on families when your are not at home 2/3 of the time. I saw no combat beyond that Cold War readiness.
Bryan Daum
Byran,
Glad that you found the site fun and interesting. Granted I need to post more here but my main blog has kept me busy. I will post more stories of my time on crew.
It's also great to hear from former SAC Crew Dogs both missile and aircraft. I think that we all have good stories to tell.
BTW, missile crews averaged about 8 to 9 24 hour alerts per month. Of course we had training thrown in during the other days. I too had tabulated that I spent approximately one year underground over my four and a half years at Malmstrom.
Tim
Post a Comment