Randall GILLESPIE

Plusieurs aeronefs en statique pour

le jour des Forces Armées
(Various aircraft on display for Armed Forces Day)
(Carte - Map)

Char de la seconde guerre mondiale près de Phalsbourg
Il s'agit du "Bourg la Reine"
(WWII tank near Phalsbourg)
(Carte - Map)

Opératrices dans le centre de communication
(Switchboard operators in comm. center)
1959

Emblème de l'escadron, escadron de support 7486
(Squadron emblem, 7486 support squadron)
(Carte - Map)

Neige, extérieur des casernements
(Snow outside barracks)

Ma citroen de 1938 et un ami Ronald Schmidt
(My 1938 Citroen and friend Ronald Schmidt)

RF-101 chasse en statique
(RF-101 Fighter on display for Armed Forces Day)

(Carte - Map)

RF-84 chasse en statique
(RF-84 Fighter on display for Armed Forces Day)

(Carte - Map)

RB-66 en statique
(RB-66 on display for Armed Forces Day)

(Carte - Map)

(Carte - Map)

1958

Jeu de poker dans les casernements de la comm.
(Poker game inside comm. barracks)

Mattio Cirrilo devant les casernements
(Mattio Cirrilo in front of barracks)

(Carte - Map)

Mattio Cirrilo récupère sa casquette devant les casernements
(Mattio Cirrilo retrieving hat in front of barracks)

(Carte - Map)

Entrée principale vers la base aérienne de Phalsbourg
(Main gate to Phalsbourg Air Base)

(Carte - Map)

Vue de l'extérieur des casernements en direction
du mess
(Looking out of barracks windows toward dining hall)

(Carte - Map)

Les personnels du magasin téléphonique
(Telephone shop personnel. Gillespsie on top
then Lucas, Martin and Jimenez)

1959

Techniciens d'équipements téléphoniques et un civil
(Telephone plant technicians, Joe Sheets and civilian)

Phalsbourg Air Base
(Carte - Map)
1958

Aéronefs en statique pour le jour des Forces Armées
(Aircraft on display for Armed Forces Day)

(Carte - Map)

(RAF FR-5 Swift)

(Carte - Map)

Personnel de magasin téléphonique travaillant sur une ligne
(Telephone shop personnel working on flight line)

Chasseur F-86 en statique pour le jour des Forces Armées
(F-86 Fighter on display for Armed Forces Day)

(Carte - Map)

Chasseur F-86 en statique pour le jour des Forces Armées
(F-86 Fighter aircraft on display for Armed Forces Day)

(Digging up telephone cable at the flight line)

(Carte - Map)

Vue depuis les casernements en direction
du centre de communication
(Looking from barracks toward Comm center)

(Carte - Map)

Gillespie à côté de la fenêtre du bureau du central téléphonique
(Amn. Gillespie by the window of the telephone central office)

Zone de parking durant le jour des Forces Armées
(Flight line area during Armed Forces Day)
(Carte - Map)

Techniciens réparant un cable dans le centre de communication
(Cable troops repairing cable inside Comm. center)

T-33 jet d'entrainement durant le jour des Forces Armées
(T-33 Trainer Jet on display for Armed Forces Day)
(Carte - Map)

SGT Chef Doritty et SGT Chef Peach.
Entrainement à la montée de poteau
(SSGT Doritty and SSGT Peach. Pole climbing training)
1957

Gillespie frime après un exercice sur la base
(Amn. Gillespie showing off after base exercise)
1958

Mécanicien de maintenance radio. Nom?
(Radio maintenance technician. Name?)
(Carte - Map)

Pitreries après un exercice sur la base
(Clowning around after a base exercise)

Aéronef en statique durant le jour des Forces Armées
(Aircraft on display for Armed Forces Day)
(Carte - Map)

Tempête de neige de 1958. Zone des casernements
(Snow storm of 1958. Barracks area)

RB-66 Aéronef en statique durant le jour des Forces Armées
(RB-66 Aircraft on display for Armed Forces Day)
(Carte - Map)

Aéronef en statique durant le jour des Forces Armées
(Aircraft on display for Armed Forces Day)
(Carte - Map)

A2C Gillespie devant un mur de casiers dans les
casernements de la comm.
(A2C Gillespie in front of wall locker in Comm. barracks)
1957

From Randall G. (See his profile on Comm Troop.net)

I joined the US Air Force on 1 Feb, 1956 and retired from the Air Force on 31 December, 1983. With credit for the two years I served in the South Carolina National Guard, I was credited with 28 years active duty.

After basic training at Lackland AFB in Texas, I went F.E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne, Wyoming where I attend the Telephone Installer/Repairman School for 11 weeks.

From there I was assigned to Andrews AFB just outside of Washington DC. I was there for a year and was transferred to Spangdhalem Air Base in Germany. I was only there for 3 months and then I transferred to Phalsbourg AB in June, 1957.

I worked as a Telephone Installer at Phalsbourg for three years. At on time, I was the person in charge the Telephone Outside Plant. The Telephone career Field was composed of several shops at that time. There was the Outside Plant that installed and repaired telephones on the entire base. There was the Telephone Inside Plant which maintained all the switching equipment in the Central Office. There was the cable section that maintained all the communications cable on the base and then there was the Antenna Section that maintained all the Radio antennas on the base.

I left Phalsbourg Air Base on 9 June, 1960 and was reassigned to Andrews Air Force Base for a second time.

I stayed at Andrews from June, 1960 until July 1964. I was then transferred to Saigon, South Vietnam and then was transferred to Ubon Air Base in Thailand.

I left Thailand in January, 1965 and was assigned to Sewart AFB in Tennessee. I was at Sewart AFB until September 1966. I was the assigned to Danang AFB at Danang, Vietnam. I left Danang and was assigned to Patrick AFB in September, 1967. While assigned to Patrick, I worked at Cape Kenned Air Force Station which was about 25 miles North of Patrick AFB. At the Cape, I installed missile inter comm systems on the launch pads, Gantrys, Support towers and block houses and control centers. After doing this for about 3 or four years, I assumed duties as the NCOIC (Non-commissioned officer in charge) of the Inside Plant section and was responsible for maintaining all Missile intercom systems on the Cape. I had 45 men under my control at that time.

I left Patrick and Cape Kennedy in January, 1973 and went back to Germany. I was at Sembach, Germany from January '73 until June, '73. I was transferred to Lindsey Air Station in Wiesbaden, Germany. I spent 4 years at Lindsey and traveled all over Europe in support of the Secretary of Defense and other big shots who came to Europe for what ever reason.

I was in a Combat Communications Squadron at Lindsey and I was NCOIC of the Air Force Component Headquarters. My section was capable of setting up an emergency Air Force Base any where in Europe. This was truly a satisfying assignment. I traveled a lot to England, Belgium, Holland, Spain ,The Netherlands, and all over Germany.

I left Germany in June, 1977 and was assigned to Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. At Kirtland, I worked as a Quality Control Specialist inspecting all types of communications equipment, Training Programs, and maintained Plant-in-place records for all installed communications cables on the base.

After about two years in this job, I became the NCOIC of the section and ran the section I left Kirtland AFB in June, 1982 and was assigned to Edwards Air Force Base in California. This was the Air Force Flight Test Center.

I was assigned to the 1925th Communications Squadron there. My job was Maintenance Superintendent for the Squadron. Once again I was in charge of the Telephone Inside Plant, Telephone Outside Plant, Telephone Cable Shop, Radio shop and a couple of other shops. This was my last assignment in the Air Force. I retired there at Edwards AFB on 31 December, 1983.

I moved back to Albuquerque, New Mexico at that time and was hired on as a Telephone Installed at Kirtland AFB. I worked there for another 17 years in Civil Service working for the Air Force as a civilian. I had several Titles while assigned to the Outside Plant. At one point, I was in charge of the Outside Plant operations.

The Squadron I worked for went contract in the year 2000 and I the worked for the Contractor for a year and then decided to retire. I had 47 years combined service at that point and was called back by the contractor on a couple of occasions to do several different jobs.

Before I sign off, I'd just like to say that I did a lot of work there in the control tower. I installed and Maintained the telephones, HeliFax machines, Teletype machines and radio circuits there. Base operations was on the ground floor and I did a lot of work there to.

I use to visit the Snack Bar there which I believe was on the second floor at that time. The main Snack Bar was back up the street a couple of building away.