Jerry Burns'

"How Grandpa got To Retirement and Why he Loves it There" page.

Notice: I did not have the foresight to take many photographs while I was in S.E.A. (Or, maybe we were told that cameras were not allowed) For that reason, most of the pics from U-Tapao were copied from the Internet. None of them were copyrighted or restricted. My thanks to the guys who took photos while over there. If anyone does not want me to use a specific photo on this web page, just let me know.

Notice #2: I have re-organized all of this material into separate pages. Please click on the red links below to view that data. The links are in chronological order.

First, some how-did-we-get-here stuff:

28 February 1941 - Covington, Kentucky - Way back, amid the perils imposed by marauding herds of Saber Toothed Tigers and Wooly Mammoth, Gerald Joseph Burns was born to Thomas and Margaret Burns. It was a very cold day. I remember. I was going to be cool and wait until Feb 29th to be born, but then I realized that it was not a leap year.... Bummer.

Gerald was nicknamed Jerry. In that neck of the woods, Jerry was the accepted nickname for Gerald, while Gerry was the nickname for Geraldine. So, I am forever more "Jerry". I was the third child born to my Mom and Dad. I joined my sister Margie and my brother Gene as part of the Burns family. Then, along came my little sister Joan. So, there are four of us.

We can assume from this 1944 photo of me rendering a salute to one of my cousins who was returning from WWII that I was destined to be a military man because I obviously needed some training on how to salute. Next is a photo of me on my first trip home after joining the USAF.

Throughout elementary and high school, my scholastic tribulations within the parochial school system were monumental, so, as a favor to myself, I will avoid that era and jump right to the smartest move that I ever made. I joined the United States Air Force on 14 February 1961. After Basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, I was sent to Sheppard AFB, Texas for "Tech School". The USAF had selected me to be a BMAT (Ballistic Missile Analyst Technician) on an Atlas-F ICBM launch crew. 51 weeks later, in 1962, I was sent to Altus AFB, Oklahoma for my first Permanent Party assignment to the 577th Strategic Missile Squadron. I had been in the USAF for over a year before I ever got a "job". Great training in those days. A little special info: My second son, Sean, is now an instructor at the same base where I went to Tech school 40 years ago.

Chronology:

1941 - 1961 -- Putzed around Covington Kentucky. I was not a "bad" kid, but about all I was good at was drinking beer, playing poker, and chasing skirts. I was getting pretty serious with Ann Rogers, who lived just up the street. Ann was older than me, and she was NOT a Catholic (oh my gawd!) I'm sure that my Dad was glad to ship me out.

Below are pics of my Mom and Dad, and then My brother and sisters. That's Gene, Joan, Me, Margie.

I just found this pic and decided that I had to add it. I don't know how old I was here, but, could I BE any cuter???

1961 - Joined USAF 14 February (Yep, I picked Valentine's day). Completed 6 weeks Basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas. Basic training was a snap for me because I was too skinny for them to wear down, and I had come from a very disciplined background. That nasty "T.I." was no problem for me after spending 20 years around Tom Burns, and a whole team of Benedictine Nuns, Priests, and Brothers.

1961 - 1962 -- Completed a 51 week Technical school at Sheppard AFB to be a Ballistic Missile Analyst Technician (BMAT). At the time, it was the longest and most comprehensive Tech School course that the USAF had. It was tough but I made it, and it was certainly worth while. I knew that missile and the silo from top to bottom when I graduated, and I was always comfortable in my job. I made A2c (E-3) out of Tech school.

1962 - 1965 -- First duty assignment after Tech school. Stationed at Altus AFB, Oklahoma. Please click on the link below to read about Altus:

My First Tour At Altus AFB, Oklahoma -- Click here

1963 - First son, Thomas Eugene, born at Altus AFB hospital, 21 Oct, 1963.

1965 - After the Atlas program was discontinued, I was sent to Keesler AFB for cross training into the "Aircraft Doppler RADAR and INS" career field. This tech school was pretty soft, since as A1c, the only duty that I had was school for 6 hrs per day. Too easy! The fishing was pretty good around Biloxi too. There were no casinos there then, thank goodness. Man, was it ever hot there! The first thing that we bought in Mississippi was an air conditioner for the trailer house. We lived in a rented 8 x 35 foot trailer house at the Everbreeze trailer park. Pretty stinko, but at least the family was together, and it was only for 6 months. The Everbreeze is still there.

1965 - Second son, Sean Michael, born at Keesler AFB hospital, 26 Nov, 1965.

1965 - Upon completion of my 30134 cross training, I was assigned to the 306th Armament and Electronics (A&E) squadron at McCoy AFB, Fla. This was great duty too. It was pre-Disney Orlando. Lots of good fishing. I can still remember the orange blossom smell.

1966 - The reality of the war in Southeast Asia hit hard when I was sent to Guam as part of the 4133rd Bomb Wing. This was torture. It was my first long duration family separation, and Guam is a terrible place to be when you are broke and lonely. The duty was great, though. We supported continuous, massive bombing activity with those magnificent BUFFs (B-52s) against the enemy in Vietnam. If the politicians in Washington had allowed General Westmoreland to use the BUFFs the way he wanted to, we would have been out of that mess in 1966. Anyway, the duty was long and hard. I was working 12 to 20 hour shifts, 7 days a week. I loved it! I felt that we were contributing to ending that mess over there. Because I was a radar and an INS troop with all of the right clearances (from my ICBM launch crew days), I got to make some interesting side-trips while I was there. I made SSgt (E-5) while at Guam. The 4133rd returned to McCoy from Guam in April, 1967.

1968 - Third son, Brian Dennis, born at McCoy AFB hospital, 23 Jan, 1968. Hmmmmmm, I believe that is exactly 9 months after my return from Guam. Imagine that!

1968 - 1969 -- Thailand! Please click on the link below to read about my Thailand experience:

My Tour In Thailand -- Click here

1969 - 1970 -- On my return from U-Tapao, I was assigned to Altus AFB for a second tour. When I was there in 1965, it was the 11th Strategic Aerospace Wing, which had Atlas-F ICBMs, B-52s, and KC-135s. When I returned four years later, it was just the 11th Air Refueling Squadron, and all we had was KC-135 Tankers. A KC-135 only assignment was a good SAC assignment. As much as I loved the BUFFs, they required a lot more maintenance. Dove and quail hunting is fantastic in Oklahoma. For some reason, the USAF just couldn't leave me alone. After a short tour at Altus, I got an assignment to Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. I was shocked and disappointed that I was being transferred out of SAC, and I began looking for an escape. A wise old MSgt took me aside, and told me to "shut up and take the Alaska assignment". He knew that I loved to hunt and fish, and, brother was he ever right!

1970 - 1974 -- Alaska! Please click on the link below for my Alaska story:

My Tour At Elmendorf AFB, Alaska -- Click here

1975 - 1976 -- Loring AFB! Please click on link below to read about our tour at Loring AFB:

My Tour At Loring AFB, Maine -- Click here

1976 - 1981 -- Offutt AFB, Nebraska. Please click on link below to read about our tour at Offutt AFB:

My Tour At SAC Hq, Offutt AFB, Nebraska -- Click here

1981 - 2002 -- Loyal Honeywell Employee. Please click on link below to read my Honeywell story:

My Tour With Honeywell -- Click here

So now my Business Card is the one that I have worked all of my life to pass out:

And the fun begins ........ Please scroll on down for the post-retirement stuff :-)

Trip #1 to PNAS -- Click here

Trip #2 and Family Reunion -- Click here

Trip #3 A Quickie to Wichita Falls Texas -- Click here

Trip #4 Another Trip to Laughlin Nevada via Wichita Falls Texas-- Click here

My Move From Florida to Arizona-- Click here

A Day Trip To Oatman Arizona-- Click here

I will add pages here as I complete my "Nostalgia Tour" trips.

Check back occasionally to see how sweet it is...