RAF Mildenhall -- A Musical Interlude -- January 2, 2025

Locator: 44589ARCHIVES.

Purely serendipity how I came across this one. Wow. God works in mysterious ways. 

Link here.

From my "military history blog": 

***************
Database
RAF Lakenheath/RAF Mildenhall
F-111, EC-135, KC-135, KC-10
September 1986 - July 1989 

January 2, 2025: As the years pass by, I become ever more interested in the history of the units to which I was assigned. 

RAF Mildenhall, fact sheet. 

10 ACCS, 513th Tactical Airlift Wing (later 513th Airborne Command and Control Wing).

USAF flight surgeons were assigned primary aircraft at their home station. Flight surgeons were expected to accrue the majority of their flight time in their assigned aircraft. Flight surgeons were required to fly a minimum of four hours each month to earn flight pay (paid monthly) but were expected to fly much more often than the four hours. Generally, a fighter a/c, such as the F-15 flew 1.0 to 1.2 hours on a single training mission. On the other hand, a cargo plane, such as the C-130 or KC-135 routinely flew three hours on a routine training mission. My family and I were stationed in Europe for thirteen consecutive years: my primary a/c during those years were, for the most part, the F-15 and the F-111. At RAF Mildenhall, I flew the majority of my hours in the KC-135, attached to the Tenth Airborne Command and Control Squadron.

The journal covering the period, September 1986 - July 1989:

From “http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usaf/48fw.htm”

In preparation for the new weapon system and its unique training requirements, USAFE activated the 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron April 1, 1977. This was 33 years to the day since the squadron's inactivation. The 495th's mission of functioning as a replacement training unit for the other three fighter squadrons made the wing unique in two ways. First, it made the 48th the only combat unit in USAFE with four squadrons. Furthermore, it made the 48th the only wing operating with its own replacement training unit. The 495th ended its mission December 13, 1991 when the wing reorganized under the objective wing program and began its transition to the newer F-15E "Strike Eagle."

    a.  We were transferred to RAF Lakenheath/RAF Mildenhall, England, in the summer of 1986, from Bitburg AB, Germany.  After being assigned as “walk-on baggage” in the backseat of the F-15 at Bitburg AB, I was transferred to RAF Lakenheath, as a flight surgeon, where my primary aircraft would be the F-111F.  The aircrew assigned to the F-111F essentially spent their flying lives rotating through two bases, one in New Mexico and RAF Lakenheath.  They were not happy with their geographical lot in life.  They loved England, but hated Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, due to its isolation.

    b. The F-111 was a supersonic, terrain-following, two-seat (side-by-side) fighter-bomber where the right seater, the weapons system officer (WSO) had a real job.  All WSOs and flight surgeons were required to take the 2-week refresher course, since each model of the F-111 was different.  For me the course was not a refresher.  Looking back it was amazing that I took enough away from the course that I could actually function as a WSO.  Absolutely amazing.  I held my own, and there were some flight surgeons that could do their job better than “real” WSOs.  The radar could not tell the difference between rainstorms and the cliffs of England -- very disconcerting until I learned that the pilots were not allowed to fly into weather relying on radar when a flight surgeon was in the right seat, and that flight surgeons were not allowed to fly at night in the F-111.

    c.  It was difficult to get all the flying I wanted and even difficult to get the required number of hours some months (flight pay required that I fly a minimum of four hours / month) in my primary aircraft, the F-111F.  To get the time I needed I often flew in the EC-135’s and KC-135’s assigned to RAF Mildenhall.   RAF Mildenhall was located about 10 minutes from RAF Lakenheath.  Again, these were some of the best days of my life.

    d.  The EC-135 and KC-135 were based on the Boeing 707 (I believe that’s correct).  The “KC” is a tanker -- refuels in-flight other aircraft, particularly fighters.  The “C” stood for “cargo” and the “K” modified the “cargo” but I don’t know the origin of the “K.”  The “EC’s” were communication and control aircraft.  The “E” came from “electronic.”  The EC-135 aircraft that I flew in at RAF Mildenhall were assigned to the “Silk Purse” mission:  their main purpose in life was to transmit low frequency communications to American submarines in the Atlantic.  The ECs received their signals from satellites and transmitted them to submarines via a mile-long one-inch diameter copper cable towed behind the EC-135.  I remember it taking about 30 minutes to completely unreel the cable and another 30 minutes to reel it in upon mission completion.  Although I was never on a mission in which we had trouble with the cable, if the cable did get “hung up,” the EC could not land with it “out.”  It had to be cut before landing. 

    e.  In addition to the F-111 and the EC/KC-135, I was able to fly in other aircraft as will be noted in the diary that follows.  This diary is transcribed from the original records and was originally maintained on an old Apple IIc computer that I had at work. 

    f.  Some translations of phrases used below:
    Pilot Pro:  pilot proficiency -- scheduled for pilots’ benefit only to practice procedures
    RTB:  return to base
    Lajes:  largest city in the Portuguese Island group of the Azores, about a 1000 miles west of Portugal in the Atlantic; “Silk Purse” was on alert at Lajes; crews rotated weekly.
    ACCS:  Air Command and Control Squadron
    Tail numbers of EC aircraft:  note that they started with “61,” which means they were put into operation in 1961.  We were flying in 1986 and later, so these aircraft were at least 25 years old.

RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk County, England
    
    [After my time at Menwith Hill Station, Yorkshire, England, many years later -- 2002 - 2004 -- I understood the importance of including the counties of England when noting locations

    28 Oct 86:  7.1 hrs in EC-135
 
    28 Nov 86:  4.5 hrs in KC-135.  Refueled 33 fighters over Germany, 28 F-16 's and 5 F-4's
 
    12 Nov 86:  2.5 hrs in C-23 Sherpa from Mildenhall to Ramstein.  Landed in "Alarm Red" in Zweibruecken during local Salty Nation exercise.  The Sherpa was a small cargo plane used for in-theater cargo.  It was made in Ireland, and was an unpressurized aircraft.  We could not fly above 12,000 feet.  One could actually stick one’s head out of the windows on this unpressurized aircraft, which we did on one occasion just to say we did.
 
    13 Nov 86:  1.1 hr in C-141 back to Mildenhall from Ramstein.
 
    20 Nov 86:  3.2 hr in EC-135 to Ramstein and back.  Refueled with KC-10 Extender with practice emergency break-away.
 
    11 Dec 86:  2.6 hr in EC-135.  Night flight and multiple touch and goes at Maddington, northeast of RAF Lakenheath.
 
   SUBTOTAL:  28 Oct - 11 Dec -  21.0 (25.9) hours
 
    23 Dec 86:  1.2 hr in C-9, medical evacuation to Rhein-Main
 
    24 Dec 86:  10.0 hr in C-141, medical evacuation to Andrews.  I don’t recall the specifics of this medical evacuation.  I do recall that on my first tour of Bitburg Air Base, I did serve as the pediatrician on a Christmas medical air evacuation from Germany to Washington, DC (Bethesda Naval Medical Center); it was a very, very lonely Christmas for me.  I believe the details may be elsewhere.
 
   SUBTOTAL:  28 Oct - 24 Dec:  32.2 (37.1) hours
 
    6 Jan 86:  7.3 hr in EC-135, Wire Mission [Note how long these wire missions were.  The pilots really got bored with these missions, boring holes in the sky.]
 
    12 Jan 87:  3.7 hr in EC-135, pilot pro, night mission.
 
    12 Feb 87:  5.3 hr in EC-135, pilot pro, night mission, pilots: Henry, Sanborn, Pearson.
 
   SUBTOTAL:  28 Oct - 12 Feb 87 -  48.5 (53.4) hours
 
    17 Mar 87:  7.5 hr in EC-135, "flew the Wire" with the Silk Purse Control Group (SPCG) -- Silk Purse for short.  Pilots:  Delaski and Reilly.  No problems.
 
    24 Mar 87:  3.4 hr in UC-12B with Navy -- to Browdy, Wales, and St. Mawgon,  Wales.
 
    31 Mar 87:  5.3 hr in EC-135 with Silk Purse.  RTB early due to problem with alert jet at Lajes.  Pilots Henry and Hoffman
 
   SUBTOTAL:  28 Oct - 31 Mar 87 - 64.7 (69.6) hours.   S/L:  24 hours
 
    22 Apr 87:  5.9 hr in EC-135 with Silk Purse to Lajes, Azores.  Very nice long low approach and low flight around entire island.  Included one period of refueling.  Between island and huge chunks of land in ocean, Nazi subs hid during WWII.  Pilots Reilly and Aton.
 
    23 Apr 87:  5.5 hr in EC-135 with Silk Purse on return from Lajes.  Uneventful.  Straight in full stop.  Pilots McNeil and Kennedy.
 
   SUBTOTAL:  28 Oct - 23 Apr 87  - 76.1 (81.0) hours   S/L:  28 hours
 
    14 May 87:  8.0 hr in MC-130!!  With 7 SOS out of Frankfurt.  Pilot:  Major Scott.  Invited by Sgt Harris, former member of 10 ACCS.  6.0 hr into Schwarzes Pferd, Germany (exercise name for unknown base in Germany--part of Exercise FLINTLOCK 87).  Low level (250 AGL) at 250 knots.  Confirmed position by noting autobahns and towers. Landed three times at short airfield (3300 ft) with all airfield lights out and all aircraft lights (including cockpit lights) turned off.  Picked up approximately 30 Special Forces (Green Berets) and brought them back to Sculthorp, where I was TDY with the Air Transportable Hospital (ATH).   This was an incredible sortie; one I talked about for a long time.
 
   SUBTOTAL:  28 Oct 86 - 14 May 87 -- 84.1 hours .  S/L 32 hours
 
    5 Jun 87:  4.5 + 2.1 hrs in two sorties in EC-135, pilots Kennedy and Aton.  (6.6 hrs).
 
    2 Jul 87:  7.4 hrs in KC-135R, pilot Capt Sutherland, refueled RC-135U off northern Norway.
 
    17 Jul 87:  1.0 hr in EC-135, pilots Lt Col Stammler (new 10 ACCS/CC), Capts Fallon and Lusso, planned 3.6 hrs, but upon taking off, left main gear failed to retract -- returned uneventfully to base after burning off fuel.
 
   SUBTOTAL:  28 Oct 86 - 17 Jul 87:  99.1 hours   S/L:  40 hours
 
    24 Jul 87:  3.5 hr in EC-135H, pilots Col Kealoha, Wing commander, Lt Col Marshall, Capt Ebert.  Pilot pro and no problems.
 
Incirlik Air Base, Turkey

    24 Sep 87:  2.0 hr in my first flight in F-111F with Lt Col Lee, the Konya bombing range in central Turkey.
 
RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk County, England

    29 Sep 87:  3.8 hr in KC-135, pilot Cpt Damico from the 97 AFRES, Robbins AFB, refueled B-52 over the Atlantic
 
 
   SUBTOTAL:  28 Oct 86 - 30 Sep 87:  108.4 hrs.  S/L:  48 hours
 
    14 Oct 87:  -- hours in EC-135A, pilot Munk from the 10 ACCS from Mildenhall to Lajes Field, Azores.  Tail #285.
 
    15 Oct 87:  -- hrs in EC-135A, pilot Lusso from Lajes Field, Azores, to Mildenhall, via a stop in Stuttgart.  Tail #286.
    
    SUBTOTAL:  28 Oct 86 - 15 Oct 87: 
 
    9 Nov 87:  5.7 total hours in four successive sorties; one scheduled with 25 wives of F-111 pilots (Lakenheath) to be refueled by our EC-135H was brought short when unable to retract left main landing gear (0.7 hr); the second sortie of 2.5 hrs refueled 8 F-111s; we dropped off the wives and then loaded up with 10 ACCS pilots and flew two pilot pros, one for 1.0 hr and one for 1.5 hrs.  Pilots:  Capt McNeil, LTC Peeke, Major Munk, Capt Ebert, Capt Lauth, Capt Rosenberg, Capt Fallon; on EC-135H, tail #61-0286 (Dark Angel).
 
Zaragoza Air Base, Spain

    20 Jan 88:  2.3 hrs in UH-1N, Search and Rescue helicopter, out of Zaragoza AB, Spain.  Pilot, Major Leatherwood.
 
    21 Jan 88:  5.8 hrs in KC-10A, refueled 16 German F-4 's out of Zaragoza AB, Spain.  Pilot:  Capt Bratun.
 
    25 Jan 88:  2.3 hrs in KC-10A, refueled 24 F-16 's out of Zaragoza AB, Spain.  Pilot:  Capt Burg.
 
    27 Jan 898:  2.0 hrs in F-111F at Zaragoza AB, Spain.  CENSORED.  Low level thru Pyrenees.  Pilot:  Capt Hechinger
 
RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk County, England

    19 Feb 88:  6.6 hrs in EC-135H, pilot pro, Mildenhall.  Tail # 61-0285, 0839 hr-1517 hr, pilot Major Munk.
 
    29 Feb 88:  6.6 hrs in EC-135H, pilot pro, Mildenhall.  Tail number 61-0282, pilot Lauth, Henry, Mertz.
 
    7 Mar 88:  6.6 hrs in EC-135H, pilot pro, Mildenhall, Tail number 61-0282, pilot  --.
 
NASA Shuttle Support, England - Spain - Morocco

    11 Apr 88:  2.0 hrs in C-130, RAF Mildenhall to Ramstein AB, on way to Morocco.
 
    11 Apr 88:  3.4 hrs in C-21A (LearJet), Ramstein AB to Marrakech, Morocco.   If I remember correctly this was a site survey for future shuttle support missions.
 
RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk County, England

    6 May 88:  6.1 hrs in EC-135, last flight for Butch Marshall, also with Col Kealoha, Major Chris Hoffman and Capt Charlie Stevens.  Pilot “pro” -- proficiency.

    ? 3.8 hrs?
 
    24 Jun 88:  2.3 hrs in KC-135Q model, refueled SR-71 over North Sea.  306 SW with Maj Maude.
 
    8 Jul 88:  5.8 hrs in EC-135H.  Pilot pro with Maj Lauro, Capt Lusso, Lt Hawk.  Landed at Woodbridge (plane to be washed the next day).  Bussed back to RAF Mildenhall.  Bus breaks down five miles from RAF Mildenhall!
 
    17 Aug 88:  2.1 hrs in F-111F.  Pilot Kent Haina.  Training runs over Tain Range in Scotland.  Flew down Loch Ness twice.
 
    3 Sept 88:  4.8 hrs in EC-135H (61-0282) to Lajes.  Pilot Capt Reilly, Co-pilot Capt Fallon and Nav Capt Campbell.

    3 Sep 88:  3.1 hrs in EC-135H (61-0286) return to RAF Lakenheath (MHZ runway still closed for repair) from Lajes.  Same crew as above.
 
    9 Sept 88:  0.8 hrs in EC-135H (61-0291) bringing plane to RAF Woodbridge for wash.  Expected to be 4.0 hrs but due to smell of something burning went direct to RAF Woodbridge.
 
    21 Sept 88:  2.5 hrs in F-111F with Capt John Bratun, single ship, low level up to Scotland.  
 
    6 Oct 88:  5.4 hrs in EC-135H, pilots Lauth and Henry; local mission, with CENSORED.
 
    17 Nov 88:  2.1 hrs in UC-21 with Army to Burtonwood Military Community, Liverpool, England.
 
    1 Dec 88:  2.3 hrs in F-111F, pilot Capt Haina.  INS didn't get up.
 
    15 Dec 88:  1.5 hrs in UC-21 with Army to Burtonwood Military Community, Liverpool, England, pilots Capt Schwarze and Lt Conli.
 
    16 Dec 88:  1.2 hrs in UC-21 with Army, return from Burtonwood, see above.  Nite flight.
 
    3 Jan 89:  2.9 hrs in F-111F, pilot Capt Kevin Kuhlman, ranges closed (Scottish bank holiday) and weather too bad for low level.
 
    20 Jan 89:  4.4 hrs in KC-135R, refueled 2 A-10 's and 3 F-16 's over Germany.
 
    27 Jan 89:  5.1 hrs in EC-135, 10 ACCS, pilot Major Henry.
 
    2 Feb 89:  1.5 hrs in F-111, pilot Capt Kevin "too cool" Kuhlman, IFE/air abort due to left engine overspeed.
 
    15 Feb 89:  1.2 hrs in UC-21 with Army, to Burtonwood Military Community.
 
    16 Feb 89:  1.0 hrs in UC-21 with Army, returning from Burtonwood Military Community.
 
Shuttle Support Mission to Banjul, The Gambia

        10 Mar 89:  -- hrs in C-130E with Bravo Squadron, to Rota NS, Spain.  Pilot Lt Col Al Jones, Lt Bill Price, Nav Capt Aikens.
 
        11 Mar 89:  -- hrs in C-130E with above crew  from Rota NS to Yondum Airport, Banjul, The Gambia in support of the Space Shuttle
 
        15 Mar 89:  -- hrs in C-130E with above crew  on return from The Gambia to Rota NS, Spain.

        16 Mar 89:  -- hrs in C-130E with above crew returning from Rota NS to RAF Mildenhall, via RAF Woodbridge.
 
RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk County, England

    17 Mar 89:  2.0 hrs in F-111F simulator
 
    29 Mar 89:  2.7 hrs in F-111F; pilot Capt Haina. 
 
    ? May 89:  F-111F with Major French
 
    9 Jun 89:  3.3 hrs in F-111F with Capt Couture (Cooter); refueled over Germany (Sandy Track) and  over Wainfleet.
 
    11 Jul 89:  "Fini flight" in EC-135; 6.5 hrs; pilot Dan Reilly, 10 ACCS.
 
    17 Jul 89:  Two F-111F sorties; both with Capt Tom Giattino, Holbeach, low  level to RAF Upper Heyford, where we had lunch, and then back to RAF Lakenheath.  Lead ship piloted by Lt Col Jim Brechwald, squadron commander and WSO Mike Conway.  2.5 hrs and 2.7 hrs (total:  5.2 hrs).  “Fini flight" in F-111F.


Database
Flight Hours
RAF Lakenheath / Mildenhall

Another view of my flying hours at RAF Lakenheath / Mildenhall.

This includes all types of aircraft and repeats most of the information above

10/28/86
EC-135
7.1 hours

10/28/86
KC-135
4.5 hours

11/12/ 86
C-23 (Sherpa)
2.5 hours

11/13/86
C-141
1.1 hours

11/20/86
EC-135
3.2 hours

12/11/86
EC-135
2.6 hours

12/23/86
C-9 hours
1.2

12/24/86
C-141
10 hours

1/6/87
EC-135
7.3 hours

1/12/87
EC-135
3.7 hours

2/12/87
EC-135
5.3 hours

3/17/87
EC-135
7.5 hours
Comments:  With the 10 ACCS

3/24/87
UC-12
3.4 hours
Comments:  Travel to clinic in eastern England; landing at Liverpool

3/31/87
EC-135
5.3 hours

4/22/87
EC-135
5.9 hours
Pilots:  Reilly / Aton

4/23/87
EC-135
5.5 hours
Pilots:  O’Neil / Kennedy

5/14/87
MC-130E
8 hours
Pilot:  Major Scott
Low level, night vision goggles, special forces

6/5/87
EC-135
6.7 hours
Pilots:  Kennedy / Aton

7/2/87
KC-135R
7.4 hours
Pilot:  Capt Sutherland


7/17/87
EC-135
1.0 hour
Pilots:  Lt Col Stammler (s/cc) / Fallon / Lusson

7/24/87
EC-135H
3.5 hours
Colonel Kealoha / Lt Col Marshall / Ebert
Comments:  Pilot proficiency with wing commander

9/24/87
F-111F
2 hours
Lt Col Lee
Konya Bombing Range, Konya, Turkey; my first F-111F flight

9/29/87
KC-135R
3.8 hours
Capt Damico
Refueled B-52 over Atlantic Ocean

10/14/87
EC-135A
N/R (probably 8.0 hours)
Major Munk
To Lajes Field, Azores

10/15/87
EC-135A
N/R (probably 8.0 hours)
Capt Lusso
Return from Lajes Field, Azores, via Stuttgart, Germany, to RAF Mildenhall


11/9/87
EC-135H
5.7 hours
McNeil / Munk / Peeke / Rosenberg / Lauth / Fallon / Ebert
Tail # 61-0286; four sorties; pilot sortie; wives on board

1/20/88
UH-1N
2.3 hours
Leatherwood
Low level search and rescue / Zaragoza

1/21/88
KC-10A
5.8 hours
Braton
Refueled 16 German F-4’s; Zaragoza, Spain

1/25/88
KC-10A
3.2 hours
Pilot:  Burg
Refueled 24 F-16’s; Zaragoza, Spain

1/27/88
F-111F
2 hours
Pilot: Hechinger
.CENSORED.  Low level thru Pyrenees

2/19/88
EC-135H
6.6 hours
Munk / Reilly / Lauth / Peeke
Pilot Proficiency

2/29/88
EC-135H
6.6 hours
Mildenhall

3/7/88
EC-135H
6.6 hours
Mildenhall

4/11/88
C-130
2.0 hours
Mildenhall to Ramstein

4/11/88
C-21A
3.4 hours
Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to Marrakech, Morocco (NASA funded)

5/6/88
EC-135
6.1 hours
Marshall / Kealoha / Hoffman / Stevens
“Fini flight” for Lt Col “Butch” Marshall

6/24/88
EC-135
3.8 hours

6/29/88
KC-135Q
2.3 hours
Major Maude
Refueled SR-71

7/8/88
EC-135H
5.8 hours
Lauro / Lusso / Hawk

8/17/88
F-111F
2.1 hours
Capt Kent Haina
Tain Range, Scotland

9/3/88
EC-135H
4.8 hours
Reilly / Fallon
To Lajes

9/3/88
EC-135H
3.1 hours
Reilly / Fallon
Return from Lajes


9/9/88
EC-135H
0.8 hour
Rosenberg / Reilly
Short flight due to something burning

9/21/88
F-111F
2.5 hours
Capt Bratun
Single ship, low level, Rosehearty Range

10/6/88
EC-135H
5.4 hours
Cauth / Henry
With Colonel Dan Cohen, Flight Surgeon

11/17/88
UC-21
2.1 hours
Swaggerty
Liverpool, Burtonwood Military Community

12/1/88
F-111F
2.3 hours
Capt Haina
No INS

12/15/88
UC-21A
1.5 hours
Capt Schwarz, Lt Conli
To Burtonwood

12/16/88
UC-21A
1.2 hours
Capt Schwarz, Lt Conli
Nite flight, return to RAF Lakenheath from Burtonwood

1/3/89
F-111F
2.9 hours
Capt Kevin “Too Cool” Kuhlman
High level formation only

1/20/89
KC-135R
4.4 hours
Major Hix

1/27/89
EC-135
6.1 hours
Henry

2/2/89
F-111F
1.5 hours
Kevin Kuhlman

2/15/89
UC-21A
1.2 hours
To Burtonwood

2/15/89
UC-21A
1.0 hour
Return from Burtonwood

3/10/89
C-130E
N/R (probably around 3.0 hours)
To Rota NS, Spain (Space Shuttle support)

3/11/89
C-130E
N/R (probably around 6.0 hours)
Lt Col Al Jones
To Vandum Airport, Banjul, The Gambia, shuttle support

3/15/89
C-130E
N/R (probably around three hours)
Lt Col Al Jones
From The Gambia to Rota NS, Spain

3/16/89
C-13E
N/R (probably around 3.0 hours)
Lt Col Al Jones
From Rota NS, Spain, to RAF Mildenhall, England

3/17/89
F-111F (Simulator)
2.0 hours
Simulator

3/29/89
F-111F
2.7 hours
Capt Haina
4 RLD.

5/1/89
F-111F
3.0 hours
Major French

6/9/89
F-111F
3 hours
Capt Couture
Air-refueled, three VLD’s on target on Wainfleet

7/1/89
F-111F
3.0 hours

10/1/89
F-15D
1.0 hour
First F-15 flight back at Bitburg
10/2/89
KC-135
2.6 hours

12/2/89
C-9
6.2 hours
Capt O’Neal / Capt Powell

12/3/89
C-9
6.2 hours
Capt O’Neal / Capt Powell
Air Evac, to Incirlik, RON

12/5/89
F-15D
1 hour
Capt Jim Firth
53 TFW / 1 v 1

4/18/96
E-3B
8.5 hours
AWACS, eastern Turkey, Operation PROVIDE COMFORT