FB-111 reunion brings back memories
Published July 23, 2007 11:36 am - About 350 people were in Plattsburgh over the weekend for a fifth reunion of former FB-111 pilots, navigators, crew members and their families.
By DAN HEATH
Staff Writer
— PLATTSBURGH — About 350 former FB-111 pilots, navigators and crew members landed in Plattsburgh for the fifth FB-111 Swing Wing reunion.
“Everyone here was stationed here at one point. This was the training center for the FB-111,” said Joe McNichols, who helped arrange this year’s event. “If you flew an FB-111, you had to come through here.”
In the United States, FB-111s were only located at Plattsburgh and Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire, McNichols said.
Reunions have been held every two years since the inaugural event at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia in 1999.
Earl O’Loughlin was wing commander of the 380th Bombardment Wing at Plattsburgh Air Force Base from March 1974 to mid 1975. Under his watch, the FB-111/KC-135 wing won its first of five Fairchild Trophies in the Strategic Air Command’s Bombing and Navigation Competition in 1974. Crews from the base won the trophy in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1984.
McNichols described the competition as flying’s version of the Olympics.
“There were great rivalries, especially between Plattsburgh and Pease,” he said.
O’Loughlin said he knew the FB-111 bomber system would put the bombs on target, so he focused on providing it with a top-notch tanker and crew. The tanker was named Big Apple, and the bomber was named Apple 1, painted with logos to depict those names.
“Roger Forrence (of Forrence Orchards) supported that,” O’Loughlin said. “He was a big supporter, along with Bill McBride and Clyde Lewis.”
Lewis is credited with starting the Plattsburgh Air Force Base Liaison Committee.
“The base was an obsession to Clyde,” O’Loughlin said. “He never gave up the idea that this base would remain open. We all thought it would.”
He said the decision to close Plattsburgh was a “stupid” one in light of all the community support for the base, the lack of air traffic in the area and the size of the runway and ramp space.
O’Loughlin spent 37 years in the Air Force. After Plattsburgh, he went on to initiate a $450 million modification project that changed avionics equipment from analog to digital.
He retired as a four-star general on Aug. 1, 1987, and spends summers in East Tawas, Mich., and winters in Arizona.
Tom Walters is finishing his sixth year as mayor of Oviedo, Fla. He arrived in Plattsburgh as a captain in 1981 and left as a major in 1985.
Walters retired from the Air Force as a full colonel in February 2000. He enjoyed his time in Plattsburgh.
“One thing they taught us in the Air Force is to figure out what’s special about the area and then do it,” Walters said.
For him, it was to take his sons skiing. They started off at Beartown Ski Area in Beekmantown the first year then skied at Whiteface and Smuggler’s Notch in the ensuing years.
“It gave a father and his sons an opportunity to bond,” Walters said.
He said of all the bases he was stationed at, Plattsburgh was one of the two best for community support. That was at least partly due to the Plattsburgh Air Force Base Liaison Committee.
Walters still has fond memories of local businessman Danny Adams, a one-time co-chair of that committee.
“He was our honorary squadron commander. I got to know him very well,” he said.
Brad Moffett of Fairfax, Va., was stationed at Plattsburgh from 1977 to 1982 and from 1983 to 1987. He arrived as a second lieutenant and left as a major.
Moffett married his wife, Beth, in 1981. Plattsburgh was their first assignment as a married couple, she said.
Moffett retired from the Air Force in 1997 as a lieutenant colonel. He said the chance to get a seat in a FB-111 was very competitive.
“A lot of the folks were very successful or had someone sponsor them,” Moffett said.
He still remembers the shock of the June 24, 1993, decision to close the base.
“We were watching on TV when they announced the base closure,” he said. “We were stunned. We thought Plattsburgh was a well-kept secret.”
Mrs. Moffett said it was great to drive around the former base and see all the redevelopment. McNichols thanked Bill McBride and Bill McBride Chevrolet for sponsoring the event and Bob Smith and the staff of the Best Western Inn and Suites at Smithfield for hosting it.
“They did an incredible job,” he said.
http://www.pressrepublican.com/midday/local_story_204113640.html
Published July 23, 2007 11:36 am - About 350 people were in Plattsburgh over the weekend for a fifth reunion of former FB-111 pilots, navigators, crew members and their families.
By DAN HEATH
Staff Writer
— PLATTSBURGH — About 350 former FB-111 pilots, navigators and crew members landed in Plattsburgh for the fifth FB-111 Swing Wing reunion.
“Everyone here was stationed here at one point. This was the training center for the FB-111,” said Joe McNichols, who helped arrange this year’s event. “If you flew an FB-111, you had to come through here.”
In the United States, FB-111s were only located at Plattsburgh and Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire, McNichols said.
Reunions have been held every two years since the inaugural event at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia in 1999.
Earl O’Loughlin was wing commander of the 380th Bombardment Wing at Plattsburgh Air Force Base from March 1974 to mid 1975. Under his watch, the FB-111/KC-135 wing won its first of five Fairchild Trophies in the Strategic Air Command’s Bombing and Navigation Competition in 1974. Crews from the base won the trophy in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1984.
McNichols described the competition as flying’s version of the Olympics.
“There were great rivalries, especially between Plattsburgh and Pease,” he said.
O’Loughlin said he knew the FB-111 bomber system would put the bombs on target, so he focused on providing it with a top-notch tanker and crew. The tanker was named Big Apple, and the bomber was named Apple 1, painted with logos to depict those names.
“Roger Forrence (of Forrence Orchards) supported that,” O’Loughlin said. “He was a big supporter, along with Bill McBride and Clyde Lewis.”
Lewis is credited with starting the Plattsburgh Air Force Base Liaison Committee.
“The base was an obsession to Clyde,” O’Loughlin said. “He never gave up the idea that this base would remain open. We all thought it would.”
He said the decision to close Plattsburgh was a “stupid” one in light of all the community support for the base, the lack of air traffic in the area and the size of the runway and ramp space.
O’Loughlin spent 37 years in the Air Force. After Plattsburgh, he went on to initiate a $450 million modification project that changed avionics equipment from analog to digital.
He retired as a four-star general on Aug. 1, 1987, and spends summers in East Tawas, Mich., and winters in Arizona.
Tom Walters is finishing his sixth year as mayor of Oviedo, Fla. He arrived in Plattsburgh as a captain in 1981 and left as a major in 1985.
Walters retired from the Air Force as a full colonel in February 2000. He enjoyed his time in Plattsburgh.
“One thing they taught us in the Air Force is to figure out what’s special about the area and then do it,” Walters said.
For him, it was to take his sons skiing. They started off at Beartown Ski Area in Beekmantown the first year then skied at Whiteface and Smuggler’s Notch in the ensuing years.
“It gave a father and his sons an opportunity to bond,” Walters said.
He said of all the bases he was stationed at, Plattsburgh was one of the two best for community support. That was at least partly due to the Plattsburgh Air Force Base Liaison Committee.
Walters still has fond memories of local businessman Danny Adams, a one-time co-chair of that committee.
“He was our honorary squadron commander. I got to know him very well,” he said.
Brad Moffett of Fairfax, Va., was stationed at Plattsburgh from 1977 to 1982 and from 1983 to 1987. He arrived as a second lieutenant and left as a major.
Moffett married his wife, Beth, in 1981. Plattsburgh was their first assignment as a married couple, she said.
Moffett retired from the Air Force in 1997 as a lieutenant colonel. He said the chance to get a seat in a FB-111 was very competitive.
“A lot of the folks were very successful or had someone sponsor them,” Moffett said.
He still remembers the shock of the June 24, 1993, decision to close the base.
“We were watching on TV when they announced the base closure,” he said. “We were stunned. We thought Plattsburgh was a well-kept secret.”
Mrs. Moffett said it was great to drive around the former base and see all the redevelopment. McNichols thanked Bill McBride and Bill McBride Chevrolet for sponsoring the event and Bob Smith and the staff of the Best Western Inn and Suites at Smithfield for hosting it.
“They did an incredible job,” he said.
http://www.pressrepublican.com/midday/local_story_204113640.html