Thanks for your service Bob and also John. I was in the Air Force from 89-92, basic training at Lackland AFB, tech school at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, TX. Then I was stationed at Barksdale AFB in Bossier City, LA. I was a B-52G crew chief, first was part of the recovery team then later assigned to my own aircraft.
In August of 90 myself and 13 other crew chiefs preflighted 7 planes for a special alert mission. These planes sat on the flight line in alert status with cruise missiles until Operation Desert Storm.
en.wikipedia.org
I was sent to Moron AB Spain in January 91 with our B-52G's, others went to England, Saudi Araba and Diego Garcia. Every B-52G that I pre flighted and launched, loaded with ordinance came back empty.
https://www.af.mil/Portals/1/docume...lder_Operation_Desert_Storm_B-52_Specific.pdf
After Desert Storm I was assigned to a plane with another Crew Chief that was may supervisor, Wendell Walker, great guy to work for/with. We pre flighted 5 days a week, launching planes to punch holes in the sky for training. After Wendell got out, I went on the alert pad, these planes were loaded with nuc's and ready to launch at a moments notice. When the START Treaty was signed we downloaded the planes, sent the nuc's to storage and the planes and us were sent back to the flightline. Then I got a different supervisor, plane and crew. A Tech SGT, myself (SRA) and 2 A1C's. Myself and one of the A1C's did all the pre flight's and launchs. The Tech SGT and one of the A1C's did the recovery.
In July of 92 I went to Nellis AFB in Las Vegas for Red Flag, we took 2 B-52G's to play with the fighter boy's. After the Gulf War the G models were starting to get timed out and sent to the boneyard. When my time was getting short I was assigned to the planes that were being retired and sent a few to the boneyard.
I separated in Nov of 92, 6 months early. They were reducing our career field and my wife's mother was having some health issues so I separated early.
I met a lot of great people and saw a lot of great aircraft. I do miss the planes