FIRST  COMM'S   BIRTH   PLACE
GRIFFISS  AIR  FORCE  BASE  ROME, NEW  YORK
Griffiss AFB had its beginning in February, 1942 when it was activated as the Rome Air Depot. Lt. Col.
Townsend E. Griffiss was the first United States airman to die in the line of active duty in Eroupe during W.W.
II. In September, 1948, the base was named after him.
The 1st. Communications Construction Squadron was formed in 1951 at Griffiss AFB. On my completion of
basic training at Lackland AFB in Texas and then completion of Installer Cableman's School at Francis E.
Warren AFB at Cheyenne, Wyoming, I received orders on April 5, 1951 to report to the new squadron.
In August, 1952,  the squadron received orders to move to Newfoundland. In September we are loaded onto
buses and taken to Camp Kilmer for processing to go over seas. We left New York harbor for a three day
cruise on the General A.W. Greely, a naval transport ship, for Argentia, Newfoundland. This ship was also
loaded with army personal bound for Germany.
I had a box camera, which I don't recall the make, that I took some black and white photos at Griffiss that I
will post on the following pages. The slides taken aboard ship were on Ansco film and have faded badly. I
don't recall the airman that took these or how I came to acquire them.
I knew I had arrived at 1st. Comm. when I saw this sign.
Just past the base gate this fellow greeted
me.
Feb.23.2005 Judson Crow emailed me that
they called him "Alley Oop." Judson was
stationed with 1st. Communications
Maintenance Squadron at Griffiss AFB in
July, 1953.
View of the front of our barracks. Note the ladders for fire
escape from the second floor.
Jim Lynch waking up after a night in Rome. He never stirred
as we set him out there. Lynch was from Marshalltown, Iowa
View of the horse shoe pits at the rear of
our barracks. Bill Lane is doing the horseing
around with the toilet seat. Inside the rear
doors was a washing machine to do our
laundry. The latrine and showers were on
the right hand side where the small window
is. Bernard Jensen is standing in the door
way with his "civies" on, ready to go to
town. We called him "Eskimo," as he was
from Alaska. Once a month there was a
posting put up for volunteers to go to
Korea. As we were doing a lot of "nothing,"
at this time, some of the fellows volunteered
to go to Korea. Jensen was one of these.
View of our mess hall from the rear of our barracks. The civilian
cars belong to air force personnel
This is an early morning bull session on the front steps of
our barracks. Scharnweber on the right, Norm Simons
on the left with Gilbert Firl sitting behind Simons. Simons
was from Belleville, MI. and Firl was from West
Virginia. Our first eight months at Griffiss was spent on,
job training, KP, white washing rocks along the path
ways and as seen here, a lot of bull sessions.
I don't believe my bunk would stand inspection in this
view. If you flip a quarter into the air and let it bounce
on the blanket it is suppose to bounce twice.
Shown here behind our barracks is the supply
and day room building. The day room was on
the far right. There was a pool table and TV for
recreation.
After the first eight months at Griffiss AFB, we
finally went out on jobs around the country. At
this date the Airforce was constructing
numerous early warning radar sites around the
United States. Our first trip was to Syracuse,
N.Y. to install telephones, then to Ypsilanti,
MI., Selfridge AFB in Michigan and Port
Austin, MI.
May 1, 1952, I and James Glendon were sent
to Andrews AFB outside Washington D.C. to
splice telephone cable. In this view Curtiss
Drumheller is on the ladder testing cable pairs
with Wymon Cobb on the ground with his hooks
and belt on for hiking poles. We had to use four
wheel drive and the front winch to get around
this place.
From left: Pete  ? ,  our squadron barber. Pete
would stack a couple of foot lockers for his
barber chair and cut your hair for a small fee.
Even the 1st. Sgt was a regular. Bernard
Jensen "Eskimo", from Alaska. He
volunteered for Korea. Hendrickson, worked
in the Orderly Room and was our mail clerk on
arrival in Newfoundland. Alfonso Aranda
"Pancho", was a crew chief on our arrival in
Newfoundland. Curtiss Drumheller, after our
arrival in Newfoundland he headed  cable
splicing crews to Thule, Greenland on two
different occasions. Pete and Jenson did not
make the move to Newfoundland.
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