Eaker Alert Pad

[@Bsquared1972]

Great video, thanks! Was stationed there from 1981-89. Served as a gunner in the 340th BS and a boomer in the 97th AREFS. Spent many a week in that facility.

[@SweetDDaddy]

I was a wrenchbender for the 97th AREFS!!

[@davidhoman3807]

Thx, Jack. This was my first assignment in the Air Force. I was a weatherman from August 76 to August 79. Briefed many A pilot for two years and then the Wing Commander for one. I even gave an update to astronaut Tom Stafford, and was the on-call weather guy during the Thunderbird airshow. Four-star general Benny Davis from Norrad stopped through one day... Had to use the latrine. Briefed a couple of hairier pilots, they did a fancy landing in front of base ops. Gave an update to possibly the last F101, came up from Louisiana. As far as the actual mission, I’m just glad we never had to use the nuclear option.

[@WhatAHorribleNight]

Did you know Gary Symants?

[@DerryNelson-z3c]

While I don't have personal memories of being in at the Alert Pad I was stationed at BAFB from 73-76. I spent most of my time in 97th BWHQ Squadron DOKM SACCS maintaining the Command Post Communications Equipment. In mid 1976 they moved all communications maintenance to 2101 Comm Squadron AFCS. I have a lot of GREAT memories from my time there. I spent a lot of time at the Sportsman's Club on base and helped build the combination Trap/Skeet range. Duck and Dove hunting were top notch as well as fishing at Big Lake. I was back to the base in the spring of 2020 and what a sad site it was to see. I did get back to the old Trap/Skeet range behind the Firing Range. It looks just as I remembered it except for the fence around it now. I also met Michael Jacques at what used to be Hawks Pawn Shop downtown. He told me about the museum, which, while not big, was full of information. Then he took me out to the Alert Pad and we browsed through the building. He told me they were hoping to restore the Alert Pad. I see now they have started and I'm glad to hear that. Good times, GREAT memories, GREAT people.

[@jonathanhantke6314]

Sad. I remember ‘76 very well... spent every holiday (New Years, Presidents Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving. Christmas, etc) my son’ birth, my wife’s birthday, our anniversary, and my birthday on alert. Those were the days!

[@bettyfisher8307]

I was the first woman to pull Alert duty in 1976, I was crew chief on B-52 191 with Sam Berry, Cleve Lindsay. One of my best memories of my 20 years serving. I see they are having a ground breaking ceremony for a Cold War Museum on March 31, 2020, I am planning to go and be a part of this! So happy to see the museum is coming along, great job to all.

[@Bsquared1972]

I remember the first alert tour where we had a female Nav on the -135s...pulled a few good ones on her. LOL

[@jimmiebogle4823]

man I just left Blytheville 3 yrs ago my dad started his af carrer there retired after 21 and came back.the city of Blytheville has just let the whole base go to hell.the old chow haul is completely gone the hosp vandelizedand housing except for what there making money on is beyond repair its just realy sad what Blytheville has become in the 20 plus years since I moved there.

[@michaelcowell4654]

I feel you're pain, I retired to Hot Springs :)

[@DaOvaseea]

Appreciate your vids, Sir. 1st assignment was an Electronics Tech in the 2101st Comm Squadron from 1981-84. In my tech duties, I visited the Command Post daily, & also ran Comm Sq. job Control when I worked overnight. I remember being at the gym the first time I heard the Klaxon go off-I thought I was going to be deaf after. Watching Alert Crews scram & get airborne, particularly the MITOs, was always exciting. It was my 1st an only SAC base, which was kind of a shame. I really never had another flying base like Blytheville AFB.

[@davidwilkins7750]

Thanks for sharing this Jack. Like others have said, I get a lump in my throat knowing what that building represented and seeing that it's just crumbling away. I worked there as a civilian ('86 until closure in '92). I was the CATV guy for the base. Great job, working for and with the best people in the world. I miss the people, the base, and Buff's and KC135s (and Tweet's) flying overhead all the time. Got "arrested" in that facility once by SP. The old-retired civilian security guard assigned to watch me fell asleep while I was working from the waist up inside the suspended ceiling while pulling new cable. From then on whenever I would get that guy, I was steadily dropping tools, splitters, connectors, etc on the floor to keep him from nodding off! Good memories! From the video, I'm not sure that the taxiway isn't being used for some sort of storage, like dirt or sludge or ??? Maybe that's a good flying adventure for me as we can fly our private planes down there and land on the runway. It's pretty much vacant now except C-130s from Little Rock still visit for training missions from time to time.

[@NA5AA]

I spent many a week sitting on alert at the alert pad as a B-52 gunner. I really enjoyed the swimming pool during the summer months. I also spent many hours fishing for the catfish who lived in the drainage ditch outside of the alert pad. I liked catching them, but wouldn't eat anything living in the ditch. The alert pad is another sad example of what the lack of maintenance does to buildings. The roof is failing at several points and letting rain and wind enter the facility. It's very sad to see the base slowly but surely being destroyed by the lack of maintenance.

[@marksieving3043]

What years were you there? I was there from 67-69 as a Defensive Fire Control Mechanic. Ever fly in a "D"?

[@toddwolfe6867]

What is sad is that with current world events, we need the bombers back on the pad at bases such as Eaker. Also included on that list is K.I., Wurtsmith, Loring, Pease, Castle, March, Carswell, and the list goes on...

[@ronaldlewis3348]

So sad thanks for letting us know, I was station there in 1967-1970 in FMS, had so many good times and friends there. it was BAFB then. on FB

[@michaelcowell4654]

Yep I was born at BAFB in 66, I think my father was OMS not positive

[@marksieving3043]

I spent new year's eve on that pad in 1967. Armed one BUFF at 23:45 and the took another off alert at 00:15. All I remember was it was dark, it was cold and the rain come down sideways. I gained a respect for the AP Sentry that night. He and his dog walked around the BUFF just outside the red line the whole time in that rain. (Defensive Fire Control 66-70)97th Bomb Wing Blytheville, 67-6970th Bomb Wing Clinton Sherman, 692nd Bomb Wing Barksdale, 70Anderson AFB Guam, 68 & 69Kadena AFB Okinawa, 70.

[@michaelcowell4654]

you do know Good Sir, that you helped win the stoopid cold war.....sorry you had to deal with the "cold rain" but you now get to tell your grand kids 1 hell of a story, and I personally Thank You for being on guard for us.

[@leetate13]

My favorite of all your great videos, Jack. Thank you for making the effort. It blesses me with a flood of memories every time l watch it. Made friends and memories for a lifetime there (‘87-‘90 BUFF Nav) Great therapy for my soul. ❤️

[@kendaugherty8092]

So sad to see the decomposition of the once worlds greatest Air Force.

[@141flyer]

Spent many weeks there pulling alert duty duty (1987-1989) as a B-52 crew chief.......I.do not miss any of it. Blytheville was a terrible place to be stationed as a young single man!

[@gorman646]

Served as an alert controller in that very building from 1986-88. Actually, we moved from the 'old' facility on Memorial to the new pad, I think, in the middle of '87. Good memories and a really good assignment.

[@michaelcowell4654]

You know me...

[@roygatewood9236]

I was there from fall of 67 through May of 71. Spent lots of time on Alert as B 52 copilot. I went to see the memorial some years back and it was in sad shape. After I got out some of the guys I knew were shot down in Nam in 72.

[@trainsplanes6517]

I spent about half my life in that building 1976-1981. B-52 crewdog.

[@intrepid2011]

I have some pics from inside the alert building as it looks today

[@michaelcowell4654]

ten bucks says that you know me

[@geauxtigersdjs]

@@michaelcowell4654 The Mole Hole

[@michaelcowell4654]

@@geauxtigersdjs \o/ Damn it Shreveport stole all of our B-52's!!!!

[@bobswan2137]

I stood alert there as a B-52 EWO from 1962 until 1969. I cannot believe how depressing this area now looks. What a shame.

[@tctraining9956]

thanks for sharing this with us, loved my time there

[@dankatie7188]

same here... very sad to see what it looks like in this video. One day I will get back there before I die..

[@rayedwards4132]

This video makes me so sad because my dad David Edwards was stationed there from 77-85 and the alert pad was a huge part of our lives. My mom and dad divorced when I was four and when I would here that siren go off it literally scared me. I didn't know if or when I would see my dad again.

[@franktn001]

2-80/6-84. I live 16 miles north of Dyersburg. Blytheville has always felt like a second home.

[@jimmcguckin8251]

Nice video. So sad to see a lot of the old SAC bases being left to rot. At least the alert facility is still standing. At my old base Griffiss they tore down the bomber alert facilty. The tanker alert facility is still there though.

[@rcarraturo]

Jim McGuckin griffiss was a fun base

[@WootTootZoot]

That makes me a bit misty. I worked that alert area in 74-75. The tower was originally closer to the mole hole when I was there. I left Bug-tussel with tears in my eyes, it was a sweet little base. I made lifelong friends in Blytheville who lived there until just recently, and miss them dearly. Any chance you can get inside, or go to the old storage area ?

[@TheWayTN]

WootTootZoot I have a flyover of the WSA

[@WootTootZoot]

Thanks, I found it.

[@dankatie7188]

will have to look for that, between Alert Pad and WSA, that is where the majority of my time was spent as part of the 97th SPS

[@michaelcowell4654]

@Jack Chapman, Thank you for this video. It brought back some really nice memories :D

[@williamloh9018]

Ironically... The Day After. My father spent a lot of time in buildings like these. One Christmas we went there too. At Warner Robins GA, which was a satellite airfield for McCoy, in case the missiles beat the MITO. We were at the window and Dad said you see those guys by the airplanes...they have orders to shoot anybody that goes out there. I was 9 at the time, and he had been to Guam twice flying KC-135s and B-52Ds. Thanks Dad.

[@GM8101PHX]

Fairchild was similar however only 5 parking stubs, but the alert building housed Tanker Crews as well as Bomber Crews. The alarm tower was adjacent to the alert facility with a commanding view being 50 feet in the air. I often staffed the bomber tower or weapons storage tower.

[@dankatie7188]

yeh we had tanker crews and bomber crews here as well...

[@intrepid2011]

I have pictures from inside the alarm tower and the alert facility

[@marksieving3043]

The St. Louis Federal Reserve did a study of closed air force bases It's report concluded that BAFB (Eaker) was the least utilized of all bases by it's local community.

[@josemoreno3334]

Just think how many base's were closed, So sad, So sad.

[@NA5AA]

They sure let everything go to hell.

[@iblvtoo]

why are they ripping up the a[ron/taxiway?

[@TheWayTN]

john paul I’ve been told it had something to do with a treaty.

[@barrysullins4839]

SALT 3 Treaty-----to deny use.

[@marksieving3043]

If you run Google Earth, you will see that other SAC B-52 bases still have their alert pad in place. I went past the base last fall and there were commercial planes parked on the pads at BAFB, so I don't think the Salt Treaty had anything to do with the destruction and repair of the pad's taxiway.

[@WootTootZoot]

They're replacing part of the taxiway to accommodate heavier airplanes. The old concrete had deteriorated too much.

[@jeffebner6701]

77-83 CE. Lived in the barracks across from the gym. Climed the water tower a few times. The Mississippi River was fun to drive to.

[@michaelcowell4654]

haha the red brick ones?

[@johncorbett6528]

Hi Jeff...My name is Johnnie Weitzel. I was in CES/Carpentry shop.I was there 1978/1981. I remember those old barricks. Nice to talk to someone from that time. God Bless.

[@eaker8892]

Thank you. 88 to 92

[@michaelcowell4654]

Holy shit I know where this pic was taken, in Gosnell

[@solidlift]

BRAC should've never happened. Sad.

[@vernonjohnsonjr1241]

So sad they could have kept the base and made it a KC 135 tanker base or Airlift wing

[@dankatie7188]

wasn't in the funding back then...was an amazing base and had great times there

[@thecrimsonknight4756]

So sad