On The Road
Siddi Slimane, French Morocco, summer of 1956. Note our plywood barracks on this very remote SAC Base. From left, Jim Flinchbaugh, Rod Burg, Tom Gibbs, sporting a bandage on his left eye, Harv Wolf, Turk Turocey, and Roger Donahue. Note the fire extinguisher, just in case these structures might burn.
Templehof Airport, Berlin, summer of 1955. The aircraft is our favorite C-119. Templehof was the center of actiion for the Berlin Airlift in 1948. The Corps flew into Templehoff on C-47s with an escort of Russian Migs.
Waiting, waiting, on the runway to board a C-121. Wake Island, Micronesia, 2000 miles from Tokyo, 2200 miles from Honolulu.
Kimpo AFB, Korea, 1957
Kimpo AFB Korea; note the bullet holes remaining from the Korean conflict.
Preparing to perform somewhere in Korea, 1957.
Don Brugger, baritone, seated; standing on left, Loch Hart, Piper, and Roger Donahue, drummer.
This aircraft, about twenty minutes into its flight and still climbing, suffered an explosion of the left engine. Note that it is feathered. Those Corps members aboard, still wearing their parachutes, were ordered to tighten down and line up for immediate departure from the aircraft. All stood, awaiting the ringing of the bell which would signal time for bail out. That bell never rang, and the pilot somehow skillfully managed to get the aircraft safely on the ground in Casablanca, a rather wondrous feat given the C-119's reputation for flying with difficulty when disabled. When the plane finally rolled to a stop, its brakes smoking from overuse, the props not being able to reverse props and slow the roll out, the Airmen exiting the plane were greeted by Moroccans with hoses, squirting water on the overheated brakes.
Warren "Cookie" Cooke encroaches on David Diener, left, and Geren Mortensen, center. Life in open bay barracks was always exciting.
Traveling by 4 by 4s, Kimpo AFB, Korea, 1957. Blues quickly turned to "browns" when riding those dusty roads. These trucks were the usual
Travel as usual. From left, Tony Lombardo, reading; Roger Quirion, Skoog, Carlson, Basch, Crawford; on right, Dick Blair.
USAF Drum Corps arrives Nouasseur AFB, French Morocco.
Flying in C-54, 1956. Note metal bucket seats, parachutes being worn or at the ready.
USAF Drum Corps Members w/ C-97
USAF Drum Corps plays for last flight from Bolling AFB, July 1, 1962.
USAF Drum Corps in front of C-124. From December of 1954 through July of 1958, the Corps took 26 flights on the C-124.
USAF Drum Corps, performing in front of a C-119, the Corps' nemesis. Four Corps members were killed in a C-119 crash. The Corps had 38 flights lasting 135 hours on the C-119.
USAF Drum Corps members, in front of C-47.
USAF Drum Corps Director, Bobby Felder.
USAF Drum Corps, drums behind barracks.
Bob Murphy, tents in Wethersfield, England.
USAF Drum Corps members, waiting to board a C-46.
The Corps traveled on Mercedes Benz busses while in Europe. Usually there were two busses and a truck with the equipment.
The photo was taken on Kadena AFB, Okinawa, 1957. Back row, from left, Joe College, Skip Groff, Rod Burg, Gino Genari, unknown, unknown, and Dick Filkins. Middle row, Tom Wolfe, Rod Goodhart, Tom Gibbs, Bob Zarfoss. Front row, Leroy Carroll, Ray Myers, Turk Turocey, Bob Dietz.
Rick Skoog, Bob Felder, Dick Firman, Dick Cipellone, Howard Smith, Bob Magee, Leroy Carrol.