* The United States Air Force *
* The United States Air Force *
| A transfer to Randolph AFB, San Antonio, Texas in May of 1953... I was first assigned to the Base Photo Lab, as they were opening a new Reconnaissance Photo Lab to process aerial film and make prints for maps... My task was to order in all the equipment and supplies need to run the new lab... |
|
Here is the 'portrait studio' in the Base photo lab... The only official photography I did in the Base Photo Lab was when the staff threw a party and asked me to take the 'Alert Photographer' assignment for that night so all the others could go.. They brought me a large helping of chicken cacciatore and a few bottles of beer to tide me over... Then an 'Alert' call. Had to go to the flight line to take pics of a minor truck accident... Then a more serious job... The Air Police brought in three suspects in a rape charge and I had to take ID photos and then pics of 'evidence' they brought in... |
| I didn't have any other duties assigned in the Base Photo Lab beside ordering supplies and equipment for the new Recon Photo Lab but they found things for me to do... |
| My temporary office with my Missouri Mule in the Base Photo Lab |
| In the new lab, in an old building, I again had an office and supply room... Third in a row... |
|
Here checking inventory in the walk in cooler we had for storing photo paper and film... The film in 50 foot rolls... And by the way, I was promoted to Staff Sergeant in December of 1953, really uptown living now... And then in June of 1954, advanced to AFSC 23270, Photographic Supervisor, needed to make Tech Sergeant.. |
| Here again we had Camera Repairmen to service the aerial cameras and equipment, Sam working on a 16mm film projector... |
| Sam liked my old Harley motorcycle and bought it and took it home when he left service... |
|
One of the large aerial cameras that were mounted in the RB-29s, used for aerial recon practice... The film reels were motorized and advanced the film continuously, syncronized with the speed of the plane and took a picture 50 feet long... |
| Two of the three civilian camera repair people here, one of the Mexicans that started teaching me Spanish, Senor Cantu on the left here... |
| An Air Show in the big hangar, here we were showing an aerial map made in the Recon lab... |
| Resting at the Ritz... We had new barracks here, two man rooms with closets and drawers... Smaller bathrooms with private stalls and showers... Air Conditioned and really nice... |
|
Randolph was an old permanent base with brick buildings and many recreational features... A fast food restaurant... A riding range, a golf course, three or four swimming pools, several tennis courts, really nice place to be stationed. Here I am on Lake McQueeny where we could use boats and fishing gear... |
| And someone sold me this ratty old Harley 250 Two Stroke, I bought it for $25, I painted it, fixed it up nice... |
| Rode it all over South Texas, then sold it to Sam for $25 when he left for home... |
| And here, I am tearing out for Kansas City? Nope, After an Honorable Discharge on October 16, 1954... I drove home in a new 1954 Plymouth, my first new car... |
~Email Me!~