Thank you for your beautiful site, Tarek, I was a young boy; my father, a Captain in the US Air Force, stationed at Wheelus Air Force base at the end of the 50's While there, my father, a doctor, saved the life of the beloved nephew of King Idris the 1st and only King of Libya and also gave US President Dwight Eisenhower a full physical. King Idris threw a special dinner party to honor my father and gave him a beautiful solid gold watch inscribed in Arabic with his thanks. My dad passed in 2006 (my mom in 2003) so they are not with us anymore, but they would have loved to have seen this beautiful tribute to the wonderful people of Libya.
I grew up in Tripoli this video is reminding me of the times I spent on Base and made many friends and learned how to speak Ameringlish. I was studying British English...great video I was little then
I lived in Tripoli from 63-66 with my Air Force family. We did not take many pictures- so this video really brings back alot of good memories. Thank you!!! Mark Kinder, son of Edward
I loved the show..Thanks so much. My Dad and family were there from 1963-1966. We lived in GerogiaPopuli the first year, last two years on base, across from the Medeteriian Snack Bar. I loved Libya...despite the smell..Beautiful country....Wish I could go back just for kicks. Thanks AGAIN for a great SHOW!
I was stationed there (in weather) from 68-70 when "Chappie" James was Base Commander. I still have my "zippo" lighter with the stamp "Wheelus AB Libya". We helped to close it down when Khadafi told the Americans to get out. There were some anxious moments for a while. Thanks for a great trip down memory lane.
dancersdad Lived there as a dependent 69-70. I now have my Dad's zippo lighter with the same stamp. We used the huge antenna base in the base housing area for second base. By the way, the field was entirely made of loose sand. Walking to the Med about a 1/2 mile was a great memory. I remember Friday nights spent watching the squadron football games when Col. James once got on the PA and demanded whoever was in charge of the concession stands to restock the beer coolers! We left in Jun of 70 and caravaned our way to Rhein Main Air Base.
My first leg of an assignment to Turkey, 1957 this is my vid - I stayed at Tripoli for 3 weeks awaiting a flight to Turkey. I have pics of a guy who was at Wheelus who followed his colonel to Turkey. The colonel actually drove his car to southern Turkey - 1957 or 58 I think I will find them and get them online. Thanks for a nice vid. The rendition of the national anthem was the best!
My Dad was stationed in Lybia from 1965-1970. I lived there with my parents and 2 Sisters and 1 Brother Loved it. My Dad was in the Field Maintenance Sq. MSGT Revels. I am posting because my dad passed away on August 28th, 2012. I am looking for memories.
We lived there from 1961 to 1964. I was fairly young but roamed around a lot it seemed. At the end we lived in a house by the Sea and before that we lived off base in some sand stone housing or whatever. We could walk out the back door and go straight to the Mediterranean. My brother tells me it was about 600ft to the sea. Used to climb some trees near the base exchange I think it was. Played in what I thought was an abandoned fort. I have some good memories there.
My dad was stationed at Wheelus 1955-1958. I still have some of the same brochures you show in this video! I was pretty young, but still, this really brought back memories. Thank you!
Thanks for the tip. I will have to pull the reel back out this weekend and look closer at the aircraft. I also have a reel that was taken at the 1963 gratuation at the Air Force Academy. It has some great footage of JFK in "the car" from just a few yards away.
My father was stationed in both Benghazi and Tripoli between 1960 - 62 with the British Army installing and maintaining communication and signalling stations.He took the whole family wife and 3 Boys (myself included)We went to school there and on weekends used to go to a place called Picolo Beach where the US airforce guys from wheelus base used to R And R.Always having beach barbecues and very amenable to the locals.My mother met King Idris several times during evening get together soires at the sargeants mess.Its changed in a big way since those days.
I was stationed at Wheelus from Feb 59 - Feb 1961. I was in the 7272 CAMS. I get pulled back to visit the base every so often. It was a big part of my early years.
I was stationed at Wheelus with the 7272nd A&E Sq. from Aug '66 - Dec '67. Temperature was 114 degrees the day I arrived. Worked at the missile bldg, bomb dump & drove a tractor - trailer rig hauling muntions to the base. Good memories & good friends there - lots of hard & hot work, too. Still in touch w/ MSgt Bill Lott, Bomb Dump NCOIC - wish I knew what became of everyone else...
Hello, I found this video and sended the link to a journalist who visited the base many years ago. He wrote back: "Hello! Thanks a lot, young man, for an nostalgian reunion with Wheelus and the different types, F-86 Sabre, F-100 Super Sabre, F-102 Delta Dagger a.s.o.. Fantastisk, hvad man kan finde på nettet. Well done! Hr. Tess."
As a 17 year old English boy I was spending the summer of 1958 in Tripoli as the guest of my school friend Steven whos father was a major in the Royal engineers. We met up with a girl who's name was Joanne Hanson. Her father, Captain Hanson, was based at Wheelus field and we boys were invited there on more than one occasion. A sixty year old memory which I still recall with great pleasure. We were made so welcome and believe you me the food was sooooo much better than the British NAAFI!!
I was born @ Wheelus in 1962. Dad was stationed @ San Vito in Brindisi, Italy. Mom had to fly to Wheelus to have me because they had no maternaty section @ San Vito @ that time.
I was born at 7272 USAF Hospital on Wheelus Airbase in June 1967. My father was a civil engineer working in Misrata. Because of the Arab/Israeli 6 day way in June '67 there was a curfew and when my mother went into labour she was rushed to the Airbase to give birth, despite my parents being civilians. The attending doctor was James E. Dahleman, Capt USAF, MC and the Registrar was D.F. Quackenbush, Capt USAF, MSC.
My dad, Ed Good, worked for the PX in Tripoli in the 50's. Not sure of the years but somewhere between 1955 and 1958 or 59. In between I think we went back to Britain for a bit, as well as Turkey, my sister was born in 1957 in Izmir. I was very young but I have some very clear memories of a restaurant we frequented and which I loved called The Mirage, I've written a bit about it on my blog goo.gl/49SiBp I also remember going to a Halloween party on the base in a big hangar and watching outdoor movies on the beach - I can still smell the frying donuts that came from a little truck cafe - decades before the popular food trucks we now take for granted, eh? I wonder if Ms. Saunders father and mine would have known each other? My dad died in 1992, my mother in 2012 so it's too late to ask them. Thanks for posting this, even though I was a small child, I treasure the memories I do have from that time period.
My dad was stationed at Wheelus in the late 50's. I spent a lot of time going through all his pictures and making scrapbooks for him. If there was anyone stationed there during that time it would be great to hear from you
My twin sister and I were born at WAFB September of 1959. We moved to the States after dad was killed in a scuba accident in the Mediterranean Sea on Christmas Day, 1960.
My time frame is 66 to the base closure including one evac. We lived off base the first time and in the trailers back from spain (evac) My dad was a flight engineer on C130 air sea rescue. His name was roberston and i rememebr a frined of his Hall. We actually had horse and rode on the beach, thanks for the memory lane trip, coupled with sat views in google earth
I am so happy to read and hear your stories. I am also pleased to have managed to bring some good memories of old times in Tripoli and Libya to you all. Keep it up
As a young Brit of 17 years I believe I was introduced to your father in July of 1958 by a Captain Hanson. I was a guest of an English major at the time who had connections at Wheelus field. The food at Wheelus was incredibly wonderful. Greetings from Nottingham England!
Hey, granskare, your time in Lybia parallels my own (56-59) with a year in Izmir, Turkey (57, I think - I was just a kid) My Dad was a civilian contractor with AFEX.
If your video is indeed from 1957, then it is not a performance by the Thunderbirds, but rather the USAFE Skyblazers. The original Thunderbird team had two former Skyblazer pilots on it, and their paint schemes have always looked a lot like Skyblazer paints. If you could post that video, it would be fantastic. There is almost no remaining footage of the Skyblazers in their F-100s, which they flew from 1956-61.
I was there numerous times from 1959 to 1963. We were based in France and flew there during the Berlin Crisis. We (USAF) had a gunnery range there where my team set up and operated remotee Weather support. Winds, barometric pressures, winds aloft, surface temps etc.. It was fun but we had no beer, booze or broads...(smile). 22 years of Military service and that wa only one of over 3 dozen places we were deployed to. Easy going.
I have some 1957 8mm taken at Wheelus that I bought at an Estate Sale. It includes a performance by the Thunderbirds flying F-100's and A visit by then VP Richard Nixon. It also has lots of footage of a drive down Tripoli Streets including a mud brick Shell Station. It may be a while but I will post it when I get it converded to a digital format.
I was stationed at Wheelus air base from Sept. 1965 thru Dec. 26., 1967. i was attached to the 7272 group. I was an airman first class in charge of refueling maint. Two of the fellows that I worked with where Pete Brewer and Tom Clapp. Also one Libya by the name of Freg..
I was at Wheelus May 1961 - Dec. 1962. Worked at Accounting & Finance office Fulltime and at the radio-TV station part-time on weekends (aka Chuck Adams).
CastleMr40 In March of 61 our ship the USS Fiske arrived in Tripoli for a 3-4 day visit and during that time we became friends with some of the airmen there. One morning about 8 of us crowded into a 55 Chevy and drove around the perimeter of the base and on the back side of a hanger, and about a quarter mile or so away was a Mig 17 I believe that a defector flew in with. Does anyone have any info where it came from and what happened to the pilot?
This was a great video. It brought back lots of good memories of libya. My Dad was stationed at Wheelus from 1965 to 1968. My brothers and I would ride the bus to the stadium theater a couple times a day. Then to the snack bar. Those were the days! And the beaches were beautiful. Doris
Dear all, A friend of mine is a Libyan meteorologist working on a research paper about the historical weather station in Wheelus Air Base in Tripoli. He is seeking to connect with Wheelus USAF weather officer forecaster Mr. Griffith Morgan or any other staff. Does anyone of you know him or have a contact to him? Please let me know
I was stationed there 1960-1961. Fire Department Crash Rescue. Spent the most of my time at the bombing/gunnery range at El Uotia. Have some fond memories of the place. Belonged to the Wheels AFB gun club. I took some 8m movies and if I ever get them digitized I'll put them up.
My dad was there, just before it was shut down. He was a fighter pilot for the USAF. He saw Gaddafi's "castle." I can't believe we let that tinpot take over this place like that. But, then again, the place had served it's purpose, and all. Apparently, we were to leave anyways, before the coup.
Doris and Carmeletta, Thanks for sharing your memories! Have you joined us at the Wheelus Ex- Students Association Website and Facebook? We share stories and pictures, as well as have reunions every three years. You may even know some of them!!
I was stationed at Wheelus but detatched to Berka3 in Benghazi 1955 to 1956.It was supposed to be a 12 month hardship tour but ended up close to 16 mo. because of lack of replacements. The first 14 mo. we lived in tents but they built concrete barracks later. It was scarey because I don't think we had more than 40 personel and could be over run by the Lybians very easily.After a long boat ride over,the 28 hour flight home was a dream but in the 100's when I left Wheelus and 40;s at McGuire when we landed. Overall the tour was not that bad considering..
Served at Wheelus from September 1956 to April 1958. 7272 Air Police. In and around the day I first landed, France and England bombed the Suez and I was on Red Alert duty the 1st 30 days on base. I was not able to go to the barracks in those 30 days, spending that time in a half-track patrolling the North perimeter wall. Some who were angry blew up a gas main near the base and did some damage to the base library. 2 Arab guards employed by the U. S. were murdered (throats cut) on east side bomb dump. After that bit of turmoil, things settled down and the rest of the tour was delightful and interesting. (Especially at the Green Lantern for this 18 year old.)
+Jack Lawrence: My father was at Wheelus about that same time. He was in the 34th RSM. His name was John "Jack" Herb. I've recently been trying to find connections to his time in the service.
I have some 8mm of the Nixon visit in 57(?). Taken within feet of Nixon. Picked up the film at an estate sale. One day I will get it transferred to digital format and post it.
Carmelletta! Have you seen our website and facebook pages? Wheelus Ex-Students Association and former websites/facebook, of the Wheelus Elementary school, Wheelus High School sites as well.If you haven't already, Do join us in the sharings and memories, you may just find some folks you knew from those years! I met some of them this last May at the Reunion in Albuquerque! Perhaps you were there?
If any of you want to contact others of whom were there during these years, you may join us at the Wheelus Ex Students Association Website and Facebook! We are children of many of your former colleagues or even peers! Noted some of you were born there!!
Went TDY many times to here from 1966 to 1969 from 36TFW with F4D # 66647. Was there the day the US was kicked out we had 2hrs to get on a C124 to get back to Bitburg.
Thank you for your beautiful site, Tarek, I was a young boy; my father, a Captain in the US Air Force, stationed at Wheelus Air Force base at the end of the 50's While there, my father, a doctor, saved the life of the beloved nephew of King Idris the 1st and only King of Libya and also gave US President Dwight Eisenhower a full physical.
King Idris threw a special dinner party to honor my father and gave him a beautiful solid gold watch inscribed in Arabic with his thanks.
My dad passed in 2006 (my mom in 2003) so they are not with us anymore, but they would have loved to have seen this beautiful tribute to the wonderful people of Libya.
Welcome walker
RINGRAZIO TAREK ALWAN PER IL VIDEO MI RIPORTA INDIETRO DI 50 ANNI QUANDO VIVEVO A TRIPOLI HO JIA BILADI
My birthplace, Wheelus AFB. Someday I hope to be able to visit Libya. Thanks for the great video.
I grew up in Tripoli this video is reminding me of the times I spent on Base and made many friends and learned how to speak Ameringlish. I was studying British English...great video I was little then
I lived in Tripoli from 63-66 with my Air Force family. We did not take many pictures- so this video really brings back alot of good memories. Thank you!!!
Mark Kinder, son of Edward
I loved the show..Thanks so much. My Dad and family were there from 1963-1966. We lived in GerogiaPopuli the first year, last two years on base, across from the Medeteriian Snack Bar. I loved Libya...despite the smell..Beautiful country....Wish I could go back just for kicks.
Thanks AGAIN for a great SHOW!
Great video. I was stationed at Wheelus from 1969 to 1970 when they closed it down. Great memories.
I was stationed there (in weather) from 68-70 when "Chappie" James was Base Commander. I still have my "zippo" lighter with the stamp "Wheelus AB Libya". We helped to close it down when Khadafi told the Americans to get out. There were some anxious moments for a while. Thanks for a great trip down memory lane.
dancersdad Lived there as a dependent 69-70. I now have my Dad's zippo lighter with the same stamp. We used the huge antenna base in the base housing area for second base. By the way, the field was entirely made of loose sand. Walking to the Med about a 1/2 mile was a great memory. I remember Friday nights spent watching the squadron football games when Col. James once got on the PA and demanded whoever was in charge of the concession stands to restock the beer coolers! We left in Jun of 70 and caravaned our way to Rhein Main Air Base.
My first leg of an assignment to Turkey, 1957
this is my vid - I stayed at Tripoli for 3 weeks awaiting a flight to Turkey. I have pics of a guy who was at Wheelus who followed his colonel to Turkey. The colonel actually drove his car to southern Turkey - 1957 or 58 I think I will find them and get them online.
Thanks for a nice vid. The rendition of the national anthem was the best!
granskare u
I lived there from 1963-1966- I was in 3rd grade-6th grade. My mom ran the Base pool. I had a great time living there as a child.
My Dad was stationed in Lybia from 1965-1970. I lived there with my parents and 2 Sisters and 1 Brother Loved it. My Dad was in the Field Maintenance Sq. MSGT Revels. I am posting because my dad passed away on August 28th, 2012. I am looking for memories.
We lived there from 1961 to 1964. I was fairly young but roamed around a lot it seemed. At the end we lived in a house by the Sea and before that we lived off base in some sand stone housing or whatever. We could walk out the back door and go straight to the Mediterranean. My brother tells me it was about 600ft to the sea. Used to climb some trees near the base exchange I think it was. Played in what I thought was an abandoned fort. I have some good memories there.
My dad was stationed at Wheelus 1955-1958. I still have some of the same brochures you show in this video! I was pretty young, but still, this really brought back memories. Thank you!
Thanks for the tip. I will have to pull the reel back out this weekend and look closer at the aircraft. I also have a reel that was taken at the 1963 gratuation at the Air Force Academy. It has some great footage of JFK in "the car" from just a few yards away.
My father was stationed in both Benghazi and Tripoli between 1960 - 62 with the British Army installing and maintaining communication and signalling stations.He took the whole family wife and 3 Boys (myself included)We went to school there and on weekends used to go to a place called Picolo Beach where the US airforce guys from wheelus base used to R And R.Always having beach barbecues and very amenable to the locals.My mother met King Idris several times during evening get together soires at the sargeants mess.Its changed in a big way since those days.
I was stationed at Wheelus from Feb 59 - Feb 1961. I was in the 7272 CAMS. I get pulled back to visit the base every so often. It was a big part of my early years.
I was stationed at Wheelus with the 7272nd A&E Sq. from Aug '66 - Dec '67. Temperature was 114 degrees the day I arrived. Worked at the missile bldg, bomb dump & drove a tractor - trailer rig hauling muntions to the base. Good memories & good friends there - lots of hard & hot work, too. Still in touch w/ MSgt Bill Lott, Bomb Dump NCOIC - wish I knew what became of everyone else...
Tripoli, sei rimasta nei nostri cuori ❤️
Hello, I found this video and sended the link to a journalist who visited the base many years ago. He wrote back: "Hello!
Thanks a lot, young man, for an nostalgian reunion with Wheelus and the different types, F-86 Sabre, F-100 Super Sabre, F-102 Delta Dagger a.s.o.. Fantastisk, hvad man kan finde på nettet. Well done! Hr. Tess."
As a 17 year old English boy I was spending the summer of 1958 in Tripoli as the guest of my school friend Steven whos father was a major in the Royal engineers. We met up with a girl who's name was Joanne Hanson. Her father, Captain Hanson, was based at Wheelus field and we boys were invited there on more than one occasion. A sixty year old memory which I still recall with great pleasure. We were made so welcome and believe you me the food was sooooo much better than the British NAAFI!!
I was born @ Wheelus in 1962. Dad was stationed @ San Vito in Brindisi, Italy. Mom had to fly to Wheelus to have me because they had no maternaty section @ San Vito @ that time.
I was born at 7272 USAF Hospital on Wheelus Airbase in June 1967.
My father was a civil engineer working in Misrata. Because of the Arab/Israeli 6 day way in June '67 there was a curfew and when my mother went into labour she was rushed to the Airbase to give birth, despite my parents being civilians.
The attending doctor was James E. Dahleman, Capt USAF, MC and the Registrar was D.F. Quackenbush, Capt USAF, MSC.
Caro Sean, il mio primo figlio nacque a Tripoli il 20 luglio del 67,in quel periodo a mezza notte scattava il copri fuoco .
Thanks! I was born at the base hospital in 1956. My parents still have some of the brochures shown here. Fascinating!
My dad, Ed Good, worked for the PX in Tripoli in the 50's. Not sure of the years but somewhere between 1955 and 1958 or 59. In between I think we went back to Britain for a bit, as well as Turkey, my sister was born in 1957 in Izmir.
I was very young but I have some very clear memories of a restaurant we frequented and which I loved called The Mirage, I've written a bit about it on my blog goo.gl/49SiBp
I also remember going to a Halloween party on the base in a big hangar and watching outdoor movies on the beach - I can still smell the frying donuts that came from a little truck cafe - decades before the popular food trucks we now take for granted, eh? I wonder if Ms. Saunders father and mine would have known each other? My dad died in 1992, my mother in 2012 so it's too late to ask them. Thanks for posting this, even though I was a small child, I treasure the memories I do have from that time period.
My dad was stationed at Wheelus in the late 50's. I spent a lot of time going through all his pictures and making scrapbooks for him. If there was anyone stationed there during that time it would be great to hear from you
Thanks for the video. Was stationed there 1967 to late 1968.
Libya is very nice place, unfortunately we don't have luck to be in good situation during the time, we need good President
My twin sister and I were born at WAFB September of 1959. We moved to the States after dad was killed in a scuba accident in the Mediterranean Sea on Christmas Day, 1960.
My time frame is 66 to the base closure including one evac. We lived off base the first time and in the trailers back from spain (evac) My dad was a flight engineer on C130 air sea rescue. His name was roberston and i rememebr a frined of his Hall. We actually had horse and rode on the beach, thanks for the memory lane trip, coupled with sat views in google earth
I am so happy to read and hear your stories. I am also pleased to have managed to bring some good memories of old times in Tripoli and Libya to you all.
Keep it up
My family and I were stationed there from 1956 to end of 1958. Our father, Col Jack W. Saunders was the base commander then. Many fond memories.
As a young Brit of 17 years I believe I was introduced to your father in July of 1958 by a Captain Hanson. I was a guest of an English major at the time who had connections at Wheelus field. The food at Wheelus was incredibly wonderful. Greetings from Nottingham England!
Hey, granskare, your time in Lybia parallels my own (56-59) with a year in Izmir, Turkey (57, I think - I was just a kid) My Dad was a civilian contractor with AFEX.
If your video is indeed from 1957, then it is not a performance by the Thunderbirds, but rather the USAFE Skyblazers. The original Thunderbird team had two former Skyblazer pilots on it, and their paint schemes have always looked a lot like Skyblazer paints. If you could post that video, it would be fantastic. There is almost no remaining footage of the Skyblazers in their F-100s, which they flew from 1956-61.
I was there numerous times from 1959 to 1963. We were based in France and flew there during the Berlin Crisis.
We (USAF) had a gunnery range there where my team set up and operated remotee Weather support.
Winds, barometric pressures, winds aloft, surface temps etc.. It was fun but we had no beer, booze or broads...(smile).
22 years of Military service and that wa only one of over 3 dozen places we were deployed to. Easy going.
I was born @ WAFB but left when I was two; I appreciate being able to see it
Today its callèd Metiga airport, isn`t it?
Yes
I have some 1957 8mm taken at Wheelus that I bought at an Estate Sale. It includes a performance by the Thunderbirds flying F-100's and A visit by then VP Richard Nixon. It also has lots of footage of a drive down Tripoli Streets including a mud brick Shell Station. It may be a while but I will post it when I get it converded to a digital format.
I only wish I could see it again. I suppose I'm luckier than most to have seen it at all. Thank you for rekindling the memory.
I was stationed at Wheelus air base from Sept. 1965 thru Dec. 26., 1967. i was attached to the 7272 group. I was an airman first class in charge of refueling maint. Two of the fellows that I worked with where Pete Brewer and Tom Clapp. Also one Libya by the name of Freg..
I was at Wheelus May 1961 - Dec. 1962. Worked at Accounting & Finance office Fulltime and at the radio-TV station part-time on weekends (aka Chuck Adams).
CastleMr40 In March of 61 our ship the USS Fiske arrived in Tripoli for a 3-4 day visit and during that time we became friends with some of the airmen there. One morning about 8 of us crowded into a 55 Chevy and drove around the perimeter of the base and on the back side of a hanger, and about a quarter mile or so away was a Mig 17 I believe that a defector flew in with. Does anyone have any info where it came from and what happened to the pilot?
I had not heard that story. But I believe it.
I was at wheelus Hospital from March off 63, till Nov 64.
A2c, James Miller
Had 9 TDYs from Bent waters UK. Worked on F4Cs from 66 to 68. A/C electrician. Jim Karales
This was a great video. It brought back lots of good memories of libya.
My Dad was stationed at Wheelus from 1965 to 1968.
My brothers and I would ride the bus to the stadium theater a couple times a day.
Then to the snack bar. Those were the days! And the beaches were beautiful.
Doris
Dear all,
A friend of mine is a Libyan meteorologist working on a research paper about the historical weather station in Wheelus Air Base in Tripoli.
He is seeking to connect with Wheelus USAF weather officer forecaster Mr. Griffith Morgan or any other staff.
Does anyone of you know him or have a contact to him?
Please let me know
I was stationed there 1960-1961. Fire Department Crash Rescue. Spent the most of my time at the bombing/gunnery range at El Uotia. Have some fond memories of the place. Belonged to the Wheels AFB gun club. I took some 8m movies and if I ever get them digitized I'll put them up.
My dad was there, just before it was shut down. He was a fighter pilot for the USAF. He saw Gaddafi's "castle." I can't believe we let that tinpot take over this place like that. But, then again, the place had served it's purpose, and all. Apparently, we were to leave anyways, before the coup.
Your the tinpot. Gadaffi did not have a place. That was the former kings palace that likes to lick his imperialist masters boots.
Doris and Carmeletta, Thanks for sharing your memories! Have you joined us at the Wheelus Ex- Students Association Website and Facebook? We share stories and pictures, as well as have reunions every three years. You may even know some of them!!
I was stationed at Wheelus but detatched to Berka3 in Benghazi 1955 to 1956.It was supposed to be a 12 month hardship tour but ended up close to 16 mo. because of lack of replacements. The first 14 mo. we lived in tents but they built concrete barracks later. It was scarey because I don't think we had more than 40 personel and could be over run by the Lybians very easily.After a long boat ride over,the 28 hour flight home was a dream but in the 100's when I left Wheelus and 40;s at McGuire when we landed. Overall the tour was not that bad considering..
Served at Wheelus from September 1956 to April 1958. 7272 Air Police. In and around the day I first landed, France and England bombed the Suez and I was on Red Alert duty the 1st 30 days on base. I was not able to go to the barracks in those 30 days, spending that time in a half-track patrolling the North perimeter wall. Some who were angry blew up a gas main near the base and did some damage to the base library. 2 Arab guards employed by the U. S. were murdered (throats cut) on east side bomb dump.
After that bit of turmoil, things settled down and the rest of the tour was delightful and interesting. (Especially at the Green Lantern for this 18 year old.)
+Jack Lawrence: My father was at Wheelus about that same time. He was in the 34th RSM. His name was John "Jack" Herb. I've recently been trying to find connections to his time in the service.
Interesting, I was in the 1615SS 1961-1963. Broght back memories.
Tony Gilligan
Very interesting, thanks.
I have some 8mm of the Nixon visit in 57(?). Taken within feet of Nixon. Picked up the film at an estate sale. One day I will get it transferred to digital format and post it.
Did you be able to do that? If you did please contact me
My dad stationed there at the same time.
Carmelletta! Have you seen our website and facebook pages? Wheelus Ex-Students Association and former websites/facebook, of the Wheelus Elementary school, Wheelus High School sites as well.If you haven't already, Do join us in the sharings and memories, you may just find some folks you knew from those years! I met some of them this last May at the Reunion in Albuquerque! Perhaps you were there?
If any of you want to contact others of whom were there during these years, you may join us at the Wheelus Ex Students Association Website and Facebook! We are children of many of your former colleagues or even peers! Noted some of you were born there!!
I was born there Febuary 1967
Went TDY many times to here from 1966 to 1969 from 36TFW with F4D # 66647.
Was there the day the US was kicked out we had 2hrs to get on a C124 to get back to Bitburg.
My father's name was james colfer. He was married to doris. With 4 kids.
My last name is wheelus