I remember there was considerable grumbling about how we were already maxed out and adding another system would break us. Chief Eaton needed someone to step up and build the shop. To make matters worse, the 316X1L career field was being absorbed into the 461 career field at that time. While maintenance and inspection of LGB guidance sections would have normally fallen to the missile shop, Lakenheath had no missile shop and no missile AFSC (316X1l) personnel.
I happened to attend a staff meeting for Jackie Hail in the fall of ’79 when Chief Eaton announced we were adding laser guided bombs to the F-111Fs already formidable arsenal. I had just arrived from Kwang Ju AB Korea and was a recently promoted TSgt working in the Munitions Inspection section with TSgts Jackie Hail and Don Berry, SSgts Don Thompson, Matt Sanders, Joe Gast, and A1Cs Barry Ray and Bob Harmon. We also had Chief Stiefel Johnson who floated between the 463 shop and AFK in those days. Eaton, now working in the big bomb dump in the sky. Our munitions branch chief in 1979 was SMSgt (Chief Selectee) Larry J.W. I’m sure there are some holes in this story as I had cancer a couple of years ago due to Agent Orange exposure and my memory isn’t what it used to be.Īs the first NCOIC of the shop I thought I would try to tell the story of how the shop came to be and mention some of the very outstanding Ammo troops that made this organization a success. It’s been over 30 years, but I thought I would try to recount the development of the missile shop at RAF Lakenheath. This was painted on the personnel door to the Missile Shop at RAF Lakenheath in 1980. The Answer is yes, now, what’s the question? RAF Lakenheath, England, 1980 Missile Shop at RAF Lakenheath. The Creation of the Missile Shop at the 48 th TFW,
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