Posted on 11/30/2005 6:18:11 PM PST by EnjoyingLife
July 2005: A spectacular up close and personal look inside Andersen Air Force Base located on Territory of Guam (USA), the "tip of the spear" for U.S. forces in the Pacific region. Also visible (and not from afar) are three airborne, fearsome and very deadly modern arrows from U.S. DoD's diverse quiver: the B-2 Spirit Stealth bomber and a pair of F-15E Strike Eagle fighters. They, as well as the base, are looking very fit and very prepared. (Related: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1492277/posts and http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/060707-F-3961R-003.jpg)
The Very Large Image
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/060707-F-3961R-001.jpg
The Photographer
Technical Sgt. Cecilio M. Ricardo, 36th Communication Squadron, 36th Air Expeditionary Wing, United States Air Force
The Courtesies
http://www.af.mil/mediacenter/transcripts/story.asp?storyID=123011112 ("Joining Forces"),
http://chamorrobible.org/gpw/gpw-20051129.htm (the above medium-sized image which is really 1600 x 869 pixels),
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/guam.html (Guam map) and the
U.S.A. taxpayers who generously pay for the awesome U.S. national defense and great photos like the above.
WOW
looks like Burpelson air force base. with the chinese and all the military help they got from bj and hitlery, i hope we still have people like base commander jack t. ripper around.
Freedoms Thunder!
http://homepage.mac.com/lightningrodpictures/iMovieTheater33.html
http://homepage.mac.com/lightningrodpictures/iMovieTheater9.html
Awesome!
Place sure has changed in 50 years. We went below the cliff at left on takeoff a couple of times, hairy operation.
Cool - thanks for that picture, I did a short tour there in the late 80's. I worked in those funny looking "buildings" in the lower right corner....memories.
B-29?
bttt
Yes
Was there still an underground complex between the runways in the 80s???
Bump! Great photo!
Ping!
And on the other side of the world my troops are working the Mad Max Missions......:o)
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123013141
When we went North at Christmas time 1972 we showed our resolve, although we were six years late and 50,000 too many KIAs.
I remember visiting a B-29 monument at the end of the runways. My Uncle Gene was stationed at Andersen in 1944 as a sheet metal specialist.
You flew 29's?
I'd love to get up in one, but I imagine I'd be white knuckles for the entire trip. ;~)
Nice shot, although I am surprised by the lack of revetments and the rowing up of aircraft in a non dispersed AC parking pattern on the ground.
Mention Guam and most airmen are horrified --- 2 years on a tiny island - UGH!!!!
More like 2 years in paradise. Minus the occasional Typhoon. LOL
bookmark
Crew member, ECM operator, early 50s, for Korean thing.
What about the brown tree snakes?
That'll raise the ole pucker factor a notch or three.
The pilots nicname was "Suicide"....
For korean thing? You got some serious brass ones. 44-45 was bad, but no Mig-15 23-30mm. I think you would be fun to have a beer with.
Glad that trip was never made...beers still on.
Wow. Great photo.
There's more firepower in that photo than is possessed by all but the top six or so militaries in the world.
Cheers to you. Glad you made it. :-)
I was on Guam early this year (Navy), and let me tell you, Anderson AFB is growing, as well as the Guam Sub-Fleet, to make sure that we have power projected on that side of the world, just in case China or NK decide to get aggressive. Believe me, there is more to come from this island, and it is the tip of the spear when it comes to national defence in the Pacific.
Great Pic!
Yah, you air force guys had it easy, try being on the south side (COMNAVMAR) on one of the submarines on the tip of the spear. No good facilities (just a Sub Tender), long days on old broke boats, long nights on old broke boats. The only time it was good was right after a mission, we had a small break, but then it was back to the grindstone (of course, when your sub runs into a mountian...............). Anyone in Navy, with the exception of support personnel, who has been to Guam hated it, because there was too much work to enjoy the island. We sure envied you guys.
Was there (the base)a few times myself in the early 90's! They had a WAY better commisary than our navy base did. Drove all the way across the island to shop there!! Couldn't complain at all about the time hubby and I spent on Guam!
In my time on Guam beer was ten cents any brand and mixed drinks twenty five cents. No such thing as air conditioning, one drank to be able to sleep. Seagrams VO was a buck ten a fifth. Times were tough. heheheheh
"because there was too much work to enjoy the island"
That's because you guys pull in with your old broke boats!! HaHa!! Actually, hubby was support personell and, as you stated, he loved the island......except when he had to work those long hours on the "old broke boats" :>)
bump
"I just had to sit a moment in silence after watching those two films."
Its hard to not get choked up a little watching them.
Lots of other great ones on that site too.
Some of the pilots.........
http://www2.acc.af.mil/airdemo/heritage.htm
Note that Anders and Borman flew together on Apollo 8.
Yah, you air force guys had it easy,
Easy! I'll have you know sometimes we couldn't get the right wine to go with dinner...THE HORROR.
/perpetuating the myth
We owe everything to those brave pilots! Never has so many owed so much to so few! Thank You Air Force.
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
I was on Guam at NAS in the mid 80's. Good flying and cold San Miguels at the Blue Lagoon.
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.
HOW FABULOUS!
bump!
Photo of a Brown Tree Snake
http://images.fws.gov/default.cfm?fuseaction=records.display&id=A152A7A3-BAFF-458A-A87A871F7ED4068B
The Brown Treesnake on Guam by Thomas H. Fritts and Dawn Leasman-Tanner
http://www.mesc.usgs.gov/resources/education/bts/bts_home.asp
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