Add your Harmon Memories hereEntries from July 15, 2019 to PresentDate/Time of Posting: Jul 15 2019 / 08:49:04
name = John C White
where = Lacey, WA USA
Harmon_Memories = Does anyone remember a George W.T. Clark (from New Jersey) - he was stationed at EHAFB during 1944 - 1945. An NCO who was apparently in base billeting.
Date/Time of Posting: Jul 26 2019 / 01:30:07
name = Lory Carroll Leacock
where = Fiji
Harmon_Memories = My dad, Edwin G Carroll, was stationed at EHAFB from 1960-1964; after Barksdale and before Castle AFB. I remember going to 1st and 2nd grade there at the elementary school, Miss Williams and Miss Chamberlain were my teachers - Leland Davis was the principal. Because we lived so close to school we had kids stay overnight with us during the blizzards. We would toboggan down the hill across from our 4 or 8 plex - wish I knew the name of the road. I remember when Kennedy was assassinated; blackouts where you couldn't look out your windows and making snowforts. Life was so simple. Going back this fall for my first visit back - too bad my dad didn't live long enough to go back with me - wish I had talked to him more about it.
Date/Time of Posting: Dec 02 2019 / 09:57:20
name = Fred Roberts
where = Lake Montezuma AZ
Harmon_Memories = My father, MSGT Charles F. Roberts, was the base Commissary Officer from 1957-1961. My mother, Twyla Roberts, was a "Gray Lady" who volunteered at the base hospital. My sisters, Valerie (Kreipl) and Elaine (Webb) live in Salt Lake City UT. I played Little League baseball, was a member of the Junior NRA at the base shooting club and spent a lot of my free time fishing.
Date/Time of Posting: Dec 02 2019 / 09:57:20
Mar 04 2020 / 09:00:51
name = Wayne Ray
where = London Ontario
Harmon_Memories = My father was Cap't (Major & Lt. Colonel) Claxton Ray my Mother Gay Ray was a Grade 6 teacher on the Base. We were there from 1953-1965. I wrote the Wikipedia article on EHAFB. Does anyone know the next Harmon High Reunion? http://hmspress.ca Thanks Wayne. Brother Cris died in a plane crash at Lake Placid in 1978, Sister Biki is HS Principal retired in Richmond Va, Dad passed in 1989 and mom in 2014.
Date/Time of Posting: Jul 22 2020 / 15:37:56
name = Remy Abeyta
where = Cheyenne, WY
Harmon_Memories = I arrived at Ernest Harmon AFB on Sunday of the Labor Day weekend, 1961. I moved into what I thought was a very impressive barracks. The building was complete with an elevator as the barracks was several stories high. The barracks building also had an attached mess hall. At that time I was a young Airman Second Class and was assigned to the Propeller Shop maintaining the propeller system for the KC-97G aircraft fleet. Work in the Propeller Shop was mostly outdoors and at times in that severe Newfoundland weather but my weekends were almost always free time. Eventually I was picked to join The "Drifters", a Country band. The Drifters Band consisted of Master Sergeant Sam Lewis on steel guitar, Airman Bill Curtis on bass, an Airman drummer whose name I do not recall, Airman First Class Charlie Weems on rhythm guitar/lead vocals, I played lead guitar. Shortly thereafter Charlie had to rotate back to the states and was replaced with a talented vocalist/rhythm guitars
t by the name of Stu but I do cannot recall his last name. The clubs on base wound often book Country vocalists (as I recall from the Boston area) who would fly in to perform at the clubs on base. The base clubs were the NCO club, the Airman's club and at an alternate NCO club called The Salty Dog. Our Drifters Band was the backup band for these performers from the states. All of these performers were very talented female vocalists and as I kept no records of those performances I have no names to offer. Sometime in December of 1962 country performer Bobby Helms came to perform at the base and we had the honor of being the backup band for his performances. Mr. Helms was a very friendly and down-to-earth person who had produced some giant Country hits including "Fraulein" and "Jingle Bell Rock". Bobby Helms brought along with him a very accomplished Nashville guitarist and fiddle player named Joe Edwards. We performed with Mr. Helms and Joe Edwards at all the clubs on base including
a night time performance at a Stephenville school auditorium. Mr. Helms was also booked to perform across the island of Newfoundland at a Naval Station. The entire group would be gone for two or three days and my military duties would not allow me to accompany them. They were flown across the island, sadly I had to stay behind. My tenure with The Drifters Band ended when I rotated back to the states on March, 1963. In 1965 I was on TDY duty from Sheppard AFB, TX to Keesler AFB, MS and to my great joy again met up with Sam Lewis. He was currently playing steel guitar with a Country band from the local area and invited me to attend their outdoor performance on a Saturday afternoon in nearby Biloxy. In July, 1987 long after my retirement from the Air Force I ran into Joe Edwards in Nashville, TN. I asked him if he recalled his performances with Bobby Helms in Newfoundland and he replied, "I remember it was very cold"!
Date/Time of Posting: Nov 18 2020 / 10:35:02
name = harry strickland
where = tennille ga
Harmon_Memories = just stumbled on this site
lab tech at hospital
there thru may 63. being married aic new baby at home made ehafb hard place to serve to bring wife would have had to extend or gone career went to college Valdosta (ga) state, used af training to become lab mgr at va in lake city fl lost contact info for guys I worked with maybe here??? hesmas42@yahoo.com
Date/Time of Posting: Feb 07 2021 / 01:08:42
name = Bill Harmon
where = Marmora, NJ
Harmon_Memories = To all contributors to this blog, I am filled with pride and warm feelings as I read about all the wonderful memories of life at Harmon AFB which was named in honor of my grandfather Capt Ernest Emery Harmon a.k.a. "Tiny" Harmon (he was 6' 5" tall).
Date/Time of Posting: Mar 02 2021 / 14:42:39
name = monte bona
where = Salt Lake City and Mt. Pleasant Utah.
Harmon_Memories = I was at Harmon from February, 1957 to December, 1958--1933rd AACS. Would love to hear from Gilman Davis from Oklahoma. Kept in touch with Burton J. Burgeron from Louisiana and Fred Smelser from Nebraska. Both of them died a few years ago. Also, Bob Griffiths and Merlin Harris. Great memories. Loved Newfoundland.
Date/Time of Posting: Jun 03 2021 / 22:45:43
name = Linda Hinrichs
where = Redding, CA
Harmon_Memories = Wayne Ray, I was in class with Cris, in Mrs.Ray's 6th grade class along with Libby Goyt. I remember your parent's flower shop. Your mother came to our house the morning after the crash at the end of the runway in Dec. 1964. She always said that she could stand under her husband's chin. Cheryl Caster Beck, your father must have been one of the two men along with a lady who came to our house that night with the sad news. George Hamilton, My dad was on the KC97 that crashed at the end of the runway. I would love to have a copy of the Church Bulletin for the Memorial Service. I have been back once and would like to go again. Richard Hays, I do know quite a bit about the crash. It was quite a mystery. If anyone would like to share memories please feel free to contact me at
lindabillhinrichs@yahoo.com.
Date/Time of Posting: Mar 10 2022 / 16:56:18
name = Debbie Coughlin
where = Stephenville, NL
Harmon_Memories = Hi everyone, We are putting together the story of the worst storm at Harmon AFB that took place between Dec 19-22, 1963. The snow storm was so bad that the base came to a stand still. Plows were unable to move the snow and only a snow blower could make a path on the road. Does anyone have any stories to share? Please email me with any details. We would really appreciate your help.
ddccoughlin@hotmail.comDate/Time of Posting: Feb 13 2023 / 21:03:35
name = Larry Alvarado
Harmon_Memories = Hello, anyone, my father, Donald Alvarado was an Aircraft maintenance technician at GHAFB. I was born in 1957 in Stephenville NL. We at the time lived in a trailer park, couldn't tell you where. My parents befriended a Mary E. Houts or Hoots. She lived at 285-5 Queen Street, perhaps that is where we lived also, don't know. My mothers name was Suzanne (Sally) Alvarado. I was named after a friend of my fathers, by the name Larry Bump, not much was known about him to me. Well, if this reaches anybody, I would love to hear from ya. Regards, Alvarado, Larry.
adonai50@msn.comDate/Time of Posting: Apr 27 2023 / 20:14:37
name = Norm Paulsen, Lt Col, USAF RetSan Antonio
where = San Antonio, TX
Harmon_Memories = Stationed at Harmon Aug 65 thru Aug 66 because base closed. Worked in the Hospital as a Medical Supply Specialist (SSgt), Great place, great people. Would have extended to the max if base hadn't closed. Remember a couple of names from this posting thread...Jim Vanderberry and Sgt Truesdale (forgot his first name). One of the guys jogged my memory when he mentioned the Reflex Program that brought rotating KC 97 tankers on base. We also had those when I was at Goose Air Base. Norm Paulsen, Lt Col, USAF Ret
Date/Time of Posting: Apr 28 2023 / 11:43:02
name = Norm Paulsen, Lt Col, USAF Ret
where = San Antonio, TX
Harmon_Memories = Stationed with family (wife Mary Carmel) Aug 65 to Aug 66. Loved it and would have extended to the max if they hadn't closed. Worked as a SSgt Medical Supply specialist in the hospital. Enjoyed the nine hole golf course regularly. Fondly remember driving the back road to golf course and waiting to cross the aircraft ramp and watching taxiing Air Canada planes with my young kids in the car and pilots waving to my kids...fantastic!
Date/Time of Posting: Jun 22 2023 / 07:55:55
name = Ken Smith
where = Santa Rosa, CA
Harmon_Memories = My father, MSgt June K. Smith, was a boom operator on KC-97s at EHAFB from June 1962 to May 1965 having been transferred from March AFB in Riverside, CA.. I arrived with the rest of the family in late December, 1962 once dad found a small 3 bedroom house for us in Stephenville. I shared a room with my younger brother, Kevin and my sisters Jane and Julie shared a room, as well. I could walk from the house to the high school through the married officers homes on the hill above the base. At the time I was a sophomore; 10th grade. I remember hanging out with Duane Conkey, John Underwood and Jerry Farley that first year. In my junior year we moved on to the AFB and I dated Denise Ingham whose father was my dad's commanding officer. In my senior year, 1964-65 I was Class President, on the Soccer Team, the Volley Ball Team and was the bass player in the Unknowns. We played almost every weekend at the Teen Center on the base. Rick Caster played rhythm guitar and was the lea
d vocalist. Brad Zaha was the lead guitar and a Newfie kid named Cecil was our 13-14 year old drummer. We transferred to Travis AFB right after I graduated from Harmon High in May of 1965. I was drafted in June of '66 and joined the AF, but did drive back up to Harmon from Fort Worth, TX in May of '66 to visit and see my girlfriend at the time Linda Jewer, who I did see briefly in 1984 in Vacaville, CA. After basic training I came back to Travis where I met up with David Jackson, Curt Sharp and, later, Jerry Farley who was in the Army at Dixon, CA. My dad retired in 1969. He said 3 wars was enough. He died in 1993 of lung cancer. My mom Ann died in 2018 of lung cancer. My sister Jane died of Covid in 2020. My sister Julie and brother Kevin live in the suburbs just north of Dallas, TX. I retired in 2016 after careers as an operating room technician and Respiratory Therapist from 1970 to 1982, a set designer, lighting designer and prop builder for theatre, film and advertising from 1982 to 1992, a commercial product photographer from 1987 to 2016 and a video director and producer from 2009 to 2016. I keep busy building stringed musical instruments, playing music with other musicians and volunteering in my community. After leaving Newfoundland, I vowed to never live where it snowed and California has been my home since I got out of the Air Force where I was stationed at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX as an OR Tech from 1966 to 1970.
Date/Time of Posting: Aug 03 2023 / 07:17:43
name = Diane Phillips
where = Golden Beach, Maryland
Harmon_Memories = My Dad was Sgt. Charles W. Cogswell. We were stationed at Ernest Harmon Air Force Base from 1952-1956. The absolute most wonderful memories I will ever have. My grandchildren still cannot phantom that I could have lived somewhere for four years with no TV! My parents started the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts on base. I remember knowing all the base bus drivers and would ride the base bus all over the base alone (at 9 years old). I have pictures of me on my birthday in June playing in the snow. I remember Tripod, the three legged dog, I remember the outdoor skating rinks. I remember so many wonderful friends and experiences. I remember being us let out of school to attend the big celebration parade in the streets of Stephensville when Queen Elizabeth II was coronated. I wish I had a time machine to go back to those amazing, simpler times. If anyone was at EHAFB during that time and would like to reconnect, please do.
diamondgirl1942@comcast.netDate/Time of Posting: Aug 28 2023 / 17:27:39
name = Rob Robideau
where = College Station, Texas, USA
Harmon_Memories = My dad was stationed at Harmon from 1961 until it closed. He was a flight engineer on the KC-97 tanker. What a great airplane. So many good memories as a small boy (2nd-4th grade) growing up there. We lived on Montana Drive. The snow would get so deep they would mark the snow banks with red dye. We always joked it was blood from the snow blowers they used to clear the road (little kids imaginations, huh?). They would use the huge snow blowers to clear the runways as well. That was their primary job; to clear the runways and keep the aircraft in the air. I remember one winter literally digging down to get our car out of the snow. It was buried up to the car's antenna.
We would go to the Saturday matinee in the base theater for a dime and watch movies for hours. We would fish every week and pull in the best flounder with just a small chunk of frozen shrimp -- to this day, can't find fish the tastes as good as that fish we caught of the beach at Harmon.
I remember the crash of the KC-97 that went off the end of the runway, I think in '64. That was a very sad time for the SAC crews stationed there. I could go on and on. EHAFB left strong memories with our entire family.
Date/Time of Posting: Mar 24 2024 / 13:47:01
name = Elizabeth Calcagno
where = NYC
Harmon_Memories = My name is Elizabeth Calcagno. My Dad, Stephen(Steve) Boyle served in the Air Force Police from 1962-66 and was stationed at Ernest Harmon. Hoping to connect with anyone who may have known him as I researching his military time for a project with my two boys for a Memorial Day project they are doing for school in May. Elizabeth.calcagno14@gmail.com
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