Snippet from "Thule Times"
Snippet from "Thule Times"

AIRCOM Members do top notch communication job.

 

Vol. 9, July 27 1962

 

By TSgt. H. L. Horton.

 

"Yes sir", the sergeant said emphatically. "I believe we have the highest morale of any outfit. Large or small, in the Air Force, and" he grinned, "wait until you sink your teeth into some of the fried chicken we're having for dinner." The speaker was SMSgt. Charles D. Bell, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Thule AIRCOM site manager, with the senior NCO at the wheel of the metro truck. We were bouncing our way to the 1983d Comm. Sq. site on top of N. mountain, some six miles from Thule proper. "Some folks might say we're isolated being so far from the base" Bell continued, "But with our own mess, living and working area so close together we believe we live better than most people on the Base," He went on to explain that the site had it's own power and heating plant. The Base supplies them with food and water and takes away the waste. The day room has a radio set, tuned to Thule AFRTS, their is also a record player well supplied with the latest records airmen themselves, and Armed Forces Film Library furnaces them wit movies which they run on their own projector whenever they wish. "Even when road is closed by Phase winds or sleep snow, we're entirely self-sufficient" the sergeant continued.

 

Just then we broke over the top of the mountain. Below us was a breathtaking view over three huge glaciers flowing endlessly from the Polar ice cap to the sea. Looked to be the tallest orange colored radio tower in the world spiraled into the sky high over four small buildings nestled in a small ravine a few hundred feed from a cliff, overlooking the fjord. "It's not quite the tallest,” the site commander said in answer to our question, "but it 's the tallest in Greenland, and it is 1241 feet high".

 

As we stop at the entrance to the long low living quarters, Bell pointed to the largest of the three other buildings in the mediate vicinity. "That's the transmitter building", he said. "It houses over two-and-a -half million dollars of electronic equipment, and over there" he pointed again "is our power heating plant and the garage".

 

We walked into the bright spotless kitchen, and after a round of introductions to all hands, sat down and sampled some delicious southern fried chicken prepared and served by A1C Ralph Duncan, south Dakota, while Sgt. Bell explained the site's setup. "There are only 28 of us Communication, power construction and food service specialists up here". He said. "All of us but the cooks are members of the 1983 Comm. Sq. Our two cooks are here through the courtesy of the 4683d and we know they are the cream of the crop for their work speaks for itself”...

 

Photo by: Jim Musser

 

After dinner, we walked the few yards to the huge transmitter building once inside A1C Thomas R. Walker airman in charge. Guided us through a mass of expensive electronic equipment. "We transmit long range Teletype to Goose bay, Labrador," he explained. "This is one of four such transmitters in the world." the Tyler Texan Drawled. "Working three shift’s a day, seven days a week, we are just another link in the forward preoperational scatter chain of long-range communication systems scattered from here to Sonderstrom air base and" he added with a grin, pointing to one of the electronic units where moving dials showed something was happening explained, "right now the airways section is talking with an incoming plane. We even help the mailman make his appointed rounds up here on top of the World".

 

Photo by: Dick Wangler

 

Next we visited the power and heating plant where after being fitted with a pair of special earmuffs SSgt. Cecil McDonald, Meridian Miss, and A2C Robert L. Welch, Byron City. N.C. took us through the plant where three White-superior diesel engines each provided 350 kilowatts of power, needed to keep the site running...
.

 

 

As we rode back down the mountain road with Sgt. Bell, we remembered what one of the Airmen said as we left the site, "Be safe, and come again. While it's not quite like Home, we think it's much better up here than down there". Remembering the cordial welcome genuine hospitality and the delicious fried chicken and watermelon we had enjoyed, we agreed.

 

Extra, read all about it...
Extra, read all about it...

 

Some former North mountaineers...

 


Name.

workplace.

Year.

Bld. #.

@

Dick Wangler

Antenna team, North/south montain

09-52 to 12-52


Email to: Dick Wangler
Del Sherfey

North Mountain-Power Maint.

0756 to 0757

356 AAA Det.

Email to:
Arthur M. Pierce

Transmitter Site

11/1952 to 12/52 & 54

1872nd AACS Sqdn

Email to:
Thomas Q. Osbron

Transmitter and Beacon site

Jan. 53 to: Jan. 54


Email to: Thomas Q. Osbron
Robert G. Hinson

Transmitter site

0155 to 0256

North Mountain

Email to: Robert G. Hinson
David R. Soderquist (Rick)

transmitter electronic technician

1956-1957

North Mountain Barracks...only one there

Email to: David R. Soderquist (Rick)
A/2C Donald (TEX) Self

North Mountain Power Plant Operator

0253 - 0254

Dont Remember

Email to: A/2C Donald (TEX)  Self
Joe Chajko

Power Plant North Mt.

0457 to 0458

North Mt.

Email to: Joe Chajko
Jim Musser

Transmitter Site

1961 to 1962

North Mountain

Email to: Jim Musser
Wayne Rasco

Power Plant

1261 - 1262

North Mountain

Email to: Wayne Rasco
Kenneth G Sorensen

Power Plant

59 to 60

North Mntn.

Email to: Kenneth G Sorensen
Gary Foster

North Mountain

0358 to 0359

Army Air Defence Command Post

Email to:
Benny Knudsen

North mountain

0887 - 0688

426, 445

Email to: Benny Knudsen
Ace Froom

North Mountain Transmitters

1968 - 1970

774

Email to:
Flemming Broksø

Nordbjerget, Comm.

1985 - 1987

351

Email to: halding@post5.tele.dk
Claus Jensen

N-MTN / 113

Aug 99 - ?

356 / 124

Email to: Claus Jensen
Claus Gonnsen

NS-Communication

Okt. 93  To: Aug. 98

334, 231

Email to:
Freddie Møller

Comm, N mnt.

1985 to 1995

444,233

Email to: Freddie Møller
Jørgen Fogt

North Mountain

0972 to 0180

354

Email to: Jorgen  Fogt
L. Dennis Shapiro

IGY Stn North Mountain

6/57 - 5/58

North Mountain

Email to: L. Dennis Shapiro
Bob Howton

North Mountain Transmitter Site

July 71 to July 72

Don't remember

Email to:
David Coyle

North mountain

1961 - 1962

North mountain

Email to: David Coyle
Jim Laird

North Mountain

Aug 68 to: Aug 69

664?

Email to:
Kim I.D.Madsen

Nordbjerget

Juni 1980 to Nov 1981

226

Email to: Kim I.D.Madsen
Bjarne Eriksen

Comm. Primært N-MTN

74-77,80,85,90-98

354 432 453 212 215 123 254 351 253

Email to: Bjarne Eriksen
Henning Bendix Petersen

telephone maintenance

73 - 75

352

Email to: henning@augustenborg.mail.telia.com
Thomas Graasten

North Mountain, South Mountain

0895 - 0896

351

Email to: Thomas Graasten
Lars Hansen

Transmitter Site, NMTN

1997 - 1998

Bld. 335

Email to: Lars Hansen
Roger Deicher

931 AC&W

Mar 53-Mar 54

North Mtn & P-Mtn

Email to: Roger Deicher
Robert "Bob" L. Burns

1983rd AACS Sq - Power Maint

1252 - 1253

Transmitter Site - Quonset Hut

Email to: Robert
Aksel Ludvigsen

North Mountain

March 1974 - October 1975

354 ?

Email to: Aksel Ludvigsen
Michael Teckemeier

North & South-Mountain, NSComm

150800-

215,837C

Email to: Michael Teckemeier
Mike Thorsen

North Mountain

1985-1986


Email to: Mike Thorsen
Lars Falk

NMNT, RAPCON

90 - 0400 & 0101 - 04

714, 233, 243, 253

Email to: Lars Falk
Jerry Chaffin

US Army Nike Site

0858 to 0759

North Mountain

Email to: Jerry Chaffin
Henrik Tuxen

N-MTN, S-MTN

1075 - 0879

354

Email to: Henrik Tuxen
Roy Fields

North Montain



Email to: Roy Fields
Warren Peterson

North & South MTN

Summer 52,53,54

1983rd AACS Globecom

Email to: Warren Peterson

 

  

Updated. dec.28.2007