I started my career in the old Terrier missile battalion - 1st MAAM Bn. - in the summer of 1959. In Sept. of 1960 I joined the 2d LAAM Bn. cadre, and we headed to Fort Bliss for the Officer Qual. Course in HAWK missiles and where I became the first XO of "A" Btry.

In June of 1963 I headed for Guam and 2 years of guard duty. Returned to CONUS in the summer of 1963 with orders to report to Sub Unit 1, MACS-3 at 29 Palms. My first reaction was "what the H - - -  is MTDS"?

I learned under the tutelage of then-Captain Dave Twining as his Asst. OpsO/Hawk Missile Officer. We were still testing the MTDS compatibility with HAWK. Dave would start covering the chalkboard with his system explanations - WOW!

We completed missile testing toward the end of 1963 and sent System #2 down to LTA, Santa Ana. Those of us who had been at the "Stumps" for less than one year had to remain till the summer to get our PCS orders. During this waiting time I remember Dave standing on a swivel chair with a pool cue in each hand (as ski poles) as he practiced his parallel turns for the next ski season. In the summer of 1964 I reported to MACS-3 to then Lt. Col. Ed Fris, C.O. I remember Lt. Col. Ed John as the XO and Maj. "Busch" Buschmann as the OpsO. (Hope my memory is correct.)

Stayed in MACS-3 till Sept. 1965 when it was off to NPGS, Monterey. Two years later with my EE degree in hand I reported back to MACS-3 to work in the CEO shop till Oct., 1968. Lt. Col. Ed John was the C.O. Lt. Col. Tom Gunning was the Technical Officer and Majs. Glen Jacks and Dick Hawthorne were in the Ops office. I believe George Leach was here at this time also, along with Brad Foster and Dick Scibeck.

Then off to Nam. Thought I would try to expand my education, so I asked for, and got assignment to, MASS-3. Became OIC of Vandegriff DASC and held that job for 4/5 months (Relieved Capt. Bob Marinello, who was getting stomped on by the two Task Force Hotel Air Officers.) and then became XO of MASS-2 in DaNang. I didn't put any time in with MACS-4, but I did visit once or twice while Mitch Steinberg was on the hill.

That Spring of 1969 I received "You must get to Camp Schwab ASAP" orders. I was only one of two 5970's CommElect Officers in 1st MAW and one of us had to get to MACS-8 NOW! I was elected. When I reported in to Lt. Col. Tom Kaufman, I was the senior major, so I became XO, not CEO as was the intention. I was supposed to relieve Maj. Andy (last name???), because he wanted some time "in country". BIG URGENCY. Then-Maj. Mike Mulqueen was the Asst. OpsO. 

 

As a result of my terrific (?????) combat record I was then ordered to England to relieve then-Maj. Ron Beckwith as an Air Control Watch Officer for No.1 Air Control Centre (RAF), an outfit similar to a MACS, only 

no where near as automated. Rough duty, but I endured. Anything for the Corps. Right?????

Returned to CONUS in Jan. 1972 and reported into MACG-28 (Col. Dick Stockton) at MCAS Cherry Point to become Group S-4. During my S-4 tour we opened a newly rehab'd barracks belonging to 2d LAAM's. It was one of the first barracks rehab's under a new MARCOR program, so we were visited by the HQMC G-4, Lt. Gen. Ed Fris. We had a great visit.

Towards summer my 5970 "bit" me again, and I was reassigned as the Wing Electronics Officer - still working for Dick Stockton, since he was also Wing CEO. (Great for MACG-28, since Dick could send a request to/via the CG, then approve the request on behalf of the CG through his "By Direction" authority.) Thankfully, I had MGySgt "Tev" Tevebaugh to keep me out of any serious trouble during our quarterly inspections of MACS-5 and MACS-6.

May of 1973 I was selected to take command of MACS-5 at MCAS Beaufort. Maj. Mitch Steinberg was my XO, followed by Maj. Bruce Gary Brown. Took the squadron in Aug. (with most of the equipment and about 2/3 of the officers and men) to Turkey for a NATO exercise and got held over for a couple of months for the '73 Middle East War. Fun (????) time.

Turned the command over to Gary Brown in Dec. 1974 to go to the Armed Forces Staff College for 6 months. Upon completion, got orders back to 3d MAW to MACG-38 at El Toro (Col. Bob McCamey was Group C.O.) and took command of MASS-3. After about 18 months of command I was relieved by Maj. Lacy Causey and sent to be Asst. Air Defense Controller for Exercise Brave Shield out of MacDill AFB in Tampa for about 3 months. After the exercise wrapped up, I returned to MACG-38 to become the XO. From there I ended my career on 31 July 1978.

Fun years all. Never regretted one moment and enjoyed many.

Note about the photo attached at top sent by George Mandis:

This is a photograph of the MASS 2 "Pacific Vagabonds" suspects on the Rock back in '77. The shot was taken in front of the then new MASS HQs building on MCAS Futenma that was near the side gate. For those that remember, the previous MASS CP had been OUTSIDE the Futenma back gate, and all MASS Marines on Futenma w/o cars had to pile into a deuce-and-a-half or a bus (when operational) to get to the squadron and subsequently return to Futenma.

George Allerton was the CO. Some of the Marines in the pix are Speakman, Israel, Lundgren, Ortiz, Murray, Eddins, Bowling, Hansen, Duffy, Basham, Ryerson. Others not in the pix, who'd rotated were  Miller, McGinnis. Brady, Mutter, Ryan, Parmer, Hollinger, O'Connor, Woline, Hover, Oxendine, and Wilson.   Mandis is row 1, 2nd from the R.  "Kangaroo II" in late Oct '76 was the high-light of the tour. GREAT liberty, but what a crap on ride on a T (Fresno, I believe) from the PI to Showalter Bay, AU. Pulled liberty in Brisbane (Gold Coast) and Cairnes. Celebrated the Marine Corps Birthday in Brisbane. 

Hawk LTs used to get orders to MASS 2. John Ryan and Burt Eddins were two that come to mind. They'd pick up the 08 MOS during their 1 year tour.