GENO'S MEMORIES OF MIDWAY

Some one mentioned that we should write down our memories of Midway for information and to be included on the website..  So here is mine....
 
A long long time ago a very young sailor was happily stationed at NAAS  REAM FIELD, CALIF., in HU-1 Helicopter Utility Squadron One..  Well...... this was not to last as he got orders to at that time he thought was HELL.  I reported to REAM Field on Aug 18, 1957.  Some time before Apr 58, I got orders to MIDWAY.  After taking 30 days leave I reported to NS MIDWAY ISLAND on Apr 28, 1958
 
From Barbers Point I flew to Midway on a R7V.  I dont remember the flight to the island, but I remember the first hour to this day as if it was yesterday.  I remember the feeling of loneliness, a feeling that has been with me all these years.  I was standing by the window in the wooden bks across from admin, that in later years was the CB bks.  Outside the gooneys were doing their thing and making their noises.  In my mind I wondered what I had done to deserve being sent to Midway.  Miles and miles from all my loved ones, including my bride to be ROSALEE.  Nine months ahead of me on ''the rock" as we called it.  We had a saying back then, which of course is not true, when a midway sailor died he went straight to heaven because he served his ''hitch''  in hell. 
 
The wooden bks were open bay, with lockers separating every so many bunks.  A metal "I beam"  had a hole in it where during the battle of midway a Japanese aircraft  had left his calling card.  Some enterprising man or men had a business in the wooden bks of washing clothes for you.  They had several washers and dryers that were busy all the time. 
 
After a time  I moved to the new bks to the right of the chow hall when facing it.  My cubicle was on the third deck towards the exchange.  The cubicles were open on the top and bottoms and had shower curtains for doors.  There were six men to  a cubicle.  This ment you could hear all the noises on the whole deck.  Some guy had a stereo that constantly played classical Italian music.  We didn't have television on the island back then only short wave radios and stereos.  The third deck at that time had a open sun porch towards the front of the bks.  The first and second deck had enclosed recreation rooms below the open deck.  In later years the third deck sun porch was removed.  No air-conditioning, just open windows. 
 
My horse was a blue and white female horse.  At the time I bought her at the exchange their were no male horses available.  But.......she was a good rider and took me faithfully all over the island.  I remember one day riding her to the ship dock and there were a couple of destroyers docked there.  To this day when I smell diesel smoke, I can remember that day a long long time ago.  Back then we had to have a license for the horses that were issued by security.  About half the size as those little plates one can buy at wal mart that has your name on it.  I dont remember what I did with her when I left, who I sold her to or what.  Some one a while back mentioned that when they visited Midway a couple years ago you could rent horses for so much a day and that many of them were the old balloon type bikes.  Maybe she survived all these years and was rented out to visitors.
 
My work station was in the new hangar.  I worked the swing shift the whole nine months I was there.  My job was mainly doing daily maintenance inspections on the willy victors as a metal smith.  This included checking upper and lower radoms for delaminations.  Checking the exterior for any structural damage.  Crawling out the escape/window hatch and walking out on the wing and inspecting items.  This I did once again 40 some years later at the ''Willy victor'' reunion.  Inside we had several checks to make, some were the seats for proper operation,  flight controls in the cockpit, any hydraulic leaks in the tail section , on and on.  We had cards to follow that told us what to inspect.  During one inspection I found a zippo lighter that had someone's name on back, well..... I ground off the name and have it to this day.  I also found a round blue plastic item about the size of a silver dollar that has the word "LOCKHEED'' on it .  It went in the center of the pilots and co-pilots yoke.  The willyvictor at Rantoul, had theirs missing.  So as far as I know this might be the only one in existence.  I wonder what it would bring on EBAY, lol.  Sorry but its mine all mine for ever.  Our tool boxes were towed to the aircraft behind our hoses on a wagon made of little wheels and a rebar handle.  The hangar had six bays.  One was set aside for drop checking aircraft.  Which is when work is done to the landing gear the aircraft is jack up on large jacks and the landing  gear is run threw its cycle.  One bay was set aside for the line shack and their support equipment.  The rest of the bays had check stands that when the aircraft was in the bay would be under the wing and engines.  The tail of the aircraft from just aft of the radomes was out in the open.  The hangar at BBP was identical to this hangar.  In the afternoon before going to work many times I would go to the second deck gedunk and have a ice cream shake.  Their was always a short wave radio playing a stateside station.  When ever we had to move an aircraft from the parking ramp to a hangar bay the line shack would do the towing.  But wing and tail walkers were taken out of the shops to walk along side of the aircraft whistles in hand to sound a warning incase the aircraft was to close to another aircraft or the hangar.  I have my whistle to this day, which I proudly showed at the willyvictor reunion .  On the side of it says. U.S.N. 1944. 
 
The aircraft that flew the ''barrier'' were Lockheed WV-2, super constellation, early warning stars.  Thus the nickname ''willyvictor''  or ''connie" were used.  AIRBARSRON TWO/AEWBARRONPAC had 34 willyvictors and 5 R7V'  R7V's were the transport version which could be equipped with seats for hauling personnel or used for hauling equipment.  If I remember right a R3350 in a container could be hauled in a R7V cargo hold.  The engines were four R3350's.  When starting the engines would belch a lot of smoke and fire out the exhaust.  Sometimes standing ''fire bottle'' watch when the engines were turned up, it was hard to really know if the engine was on fire or not.  The engines leaked a tremendous amount of oil.  One could tell when a willy victor was parked on a ramp by the oil spill.  At the willy victor reunion a guest speaker told the story of a airforce base club had pictures on the wall of different aircraft.  There was a picture of a willy victor and one night some one took down the picture and replaced it with a picture of a 55 gallon drum with wings and labeled ''willy victor''  Inside the aircraft up front was the pilot and copilot with the flight engineers console and seat behind them.  There was a radioman, navigator and several ''scope watchers'' or ACW'S.  An AT to do in-flight repairs.  Just aft of the cockpit were four bunks and seats.  The galley consisted of a fridge and hot plates.  The base galley provided coffee in large stainless steel containers.  The meals on the barrier flights were prepared on board the aircraft.  I have heard that the flight crews ate quite well with steaks quite often.  On test flights or ferry hops box lunches were provided by the base galley.  We the ground crew used hurry on board an aircraft that had just completed a test or ferry hop to get the unused box lunches.  Sometimes we would find whole unused box lunches, of sandwiches, apples or oranges, candy bars, juice or milk.  Then again sometimes there was just partial box lunches.  Aft of the galley were several radar scopes.  Aft of the radar scope section were more bunks and seats.  Also a work bench where in-flight electronic repairs were made.  And.......the very last thing was a ''HONEY BUCKET'', as they were called.  Portable toilet, that fortunately the ''flight crews'' had to remove and clean after each flight.  There was a crew entrance in the cockpit and one aft by the work bench.  The aft hatch was either a small crew entrance or a large door could be opened that was around the entrance, to accommodate removal of large equipment.  The leading edges of the wings, tail section, upper and lower radoms had rubber de-icing boots that would expand or contract to remove icing conditions.  The air craft was also equipped with de-icing fluid for the wings.  Sometimes the aircraft would have to land at Adak, Alaska during winter conditions.  The statistics of a willy victor are wingspan 126' 2", length 116' 2", height 27', weight 145,000 lbs (gross) and engines 4 Wright R-3350 radials (3.400hp).  The airforce version was a EC-121K warning star.    BE SURE AND LOG ON TO www.willyvictor.com AND CHECK OUT THE PICTURES, STORIES, EQUIPMENT ROSTERS, CREW LISTS AND A WHOLE HOST OF INFORMATION ON THE BARRIER AND THE WORLDS FINEST AIRCRAFT ''WILLY VICTORS''
 
After work around midnight we would go to chow.  If I remember right it was a breakfast menu.  Sometimes to this day when I get a certain hungry feeling, I think of meals in the Midway chow hall. 
 
I helped a guy service pop machines in the bks and buildings.  He would check out a step van from public works and we would go from bldg to bldg.  Guess this is the only vehicle I rode in the whole nine months.  Back then we had no beer machines in the bks, just pop and maybe candy bars,  But....I dont remember for sure the candy machines. 
 
My trip to Eastern Island.  One bright sunny day I boarded a boat for a trip to eastern island.  I believe I was the only one going over that day.  One had to fill out a special request chit to make the trip.  As I walked the beach not looking towards the sea a big huge humongus seal scared the bejevies out of me.  He grunted, I jumped about ten feet in the air and he waddled into the water.  Good thing I was a healthy young sailor or I might have had a heart attack. lol.  I came across a pile of shell casings and holders from a WW2 anti aircraft gun.  I picked up a holder and a shell, and have it somewhere in the house today.  Where?  One of these days I have to search this large two story house for my midway momento.  There were buildings on the island, but dont remember seeing them.  Maybe this was the day I found my two baseball size fish balls.  But dont remember for sure.  
 
Things I dont remember that others have mentioned doing.  Swimming on the enlisted. beach.  Fish ball hunting.  Going to the EM Club.  Going to a movie in the theater.  Midway sunsets.  And many many more things.  The mind is a funny thing, one would think I could remember more of my stay on Midway.  I dont even remember the day, and I sure it was a happy day that I left Midway.  I guess being single and had nine months on ''the rock'' with out getting off blotted a lot from my mind,.  Back then we didnt have R&R, back to Hawaii.  Nine months straight.!!!!  If one was married and their wife joined them it was a two year stay after she arrived.  Many in the group have mentioned how enjoyable their stay was their with the wives and family.  I am sure that would have been the case with me.  I would have taken time to ''stop and smell the roses''  Which I should have done anyway, and enjoyed paradise in the Pacific. 
 
After nine months on Midway I got orders to the parent AEWBARRONPAC squadron at Barbers Point , Hawaii.  This was from Jan 59 to May 61.  In May 59 I took leave and Rosalee and I were married back in a little town in Missouri.  Then in September of 59 Rose joined me and we lived on the base at BBP in two different apartments.  We had all new furniture that was furnished by the Navy. The following July our oldest daughter PAMELA was born at Tripler Army hospital.  The time we spent in Hawaii was one of the best times of our lives.  I am sure if she had been with me on Midway things would have been different.  Two times during my stay at BBP I went back to Midway for 30 days. 
 
Then on May 1961 we boarded a military transport ship and headed back to the mainland.  We just missed going on a luxury liner and the Navy even gave you twenty dollars for tips during the trip,  There is a saying that when you leave Hawaii you throw your lea in the ocean and if it floats back to shore you will return to Hawaii.  Well.......we were so glad to leave the island after being there nearly two years and had island phobia, that we waited til we go way way out to sea to throw it over board.  That is probly why we will never get back to Hawaii, or me back to Paradise Midway.