“7 High”

Recollections of a Combat Defense Squadron “Ramp Rat”

SAC Reflex Operations at Morón AB

Photography by Bruce Aro

 “Reflex Turnaround Day”

 

Time out for a Salem and a Coke in the tower. This TSgt had good reason to look smug.  Morón Air Base is one of the best duty stations on the planet.  Located near Morón de la Frontera, España, it would be difficult to improve on the Andalusia climate, for starters. 

 

On the surface, calm and tranquil.  Out on the ramp, it was the busiest day of the week.  The Strategic Air Command's Operation Reflex was the primary mission at Morón. Today is the scheduled launch of three B-47s coming off alert, and the rotation of crews to their home base.

 

Each week three alert B-47s were selected to be flown back to their home base.  They would be replaced in the alert area, their jato racks and weapons downloaded, and flown.  To test their ability to launch, no maintenance was to be performed on these aircraft before flight. There was a lot of command pressure that these aircraft depart exactly on schedule.  .

 

On this beautiful day in March 1963 all hands would be looking forward to the annual celebrations of spring in Sevilla.  Not that that could have anything to do with the three Chrome Dome B-52s that declared in flight emergencies to land at Morón.  Maybe it was the Ides of March.

 

  The view from the other side of the tower.

It was fairly rare to recover the BUFFs at Morón.  Three at once was really hitting the jackpot, and not in a good way.  Special handling was required.  Pain in the BUTT, especially on a turn around day.  The next thing you know some hero will decide this is a good time for a simulated Broken Arrow.

 

Let me direct your attention back to the Reflex side.

A "by the ripples, people", line of alert crew vehicles parked across the street from the command post.  Far enough to be a good sprint if the klaxon were to go off.  The KC-135 waiting with cargo door open and personnel ramp handy.  It would be great to hear from anyone with a better perspective than a ramp rat has about these proceedings.  Must have been a briefing going on in the command post?  Reflex crews, maintenance and security were transported.  How was the ride?  Did the tankers leave early to refuel the B-47s on the way home?

 

Starting in the foreground; this Ramp Rat's conjecture.  In this view alert tankers are from a squadron that used the international orange markings.  Unpainted KC-135s are involved in the reflex turnaround mission to haul personnel and equipment.  The first, with two metro vans in attendance is being made ready for preflight, getting the windshield cleaned.  The KC just behind; chocks are being pulled, ready for taxi.  Just behind him, is the last of the B-47s to complete download.  Combat Defense Force "Mobile 2" is waiting to pick up download sentries and convoy weapons to the Munitions Maintenance Squadron area.  Finally, a sweeper truck on the taxiway in front of the alert area.  What else?

 

.

Left to right in the foreground.  First the Base Gooney Bird, C-47 courier aircraft, soon to be upgraded to a C-54.

 

Like a puppy behind the Gooney Bird is a light aircraft in SAC approved paint job.  Perhaps this aircraft was the replacement for the DeHaviland Beaver described in the undated "Flying the Pipeline Story"?  https://web.archive.org/web/20140816002114/http://3973cds.com/content.php?cat=108

 

The two rescue helicopters are hard to miss.  We could use some input on that outfit.

 

The last aircraft in the alert area looks out place.  A pretty little petunia in an onion patch.  Sure enough a KC-97.

 

 

Something is up in the alert area.  It seems unusual that the Combat Defense Squadron ton and a half posting vehicle would be at the alert area access at this time of day.  Another vehicle there, might be the strike team.  The aircraft sentries are lining up to greet a vehicle.  Do you think they were doing chow relief for the mid day meal?  Or delivering box lunches?  The sentries are coming out too quickly for it to be the duty officer.

 

Or, they could be short of vehicles with radio communications.  The alert area supervisor ended up with the ton and a half?

 

Enough, all ready.  Hello in the tower!            It's time to butt that Salem, and get some of these aircraft back in the air.  First, those KC-135s, it looked like they were about ready to go.

Rotate, Rotate...

 

  Then the B-47s, which we hope will launch precisely on schedule.

 

 

 Now, all that is left is to get the meters running again on those BUFFs.  Let things get back to normal around here.

 

 

Let the sheep resume flight line security duties, and let the troops get back to the Feria.

+

 

Bruce Aro, BruAro@Hotmail.com,  served three years with the 2188th Communications Squadron at Morón Air Base from September 1962.  He used Kodachrome in his 35mm Balda camera.

"I arrived in Madrid in Sept. 1962 along with two guys I went through tech school with at Keesler AFB, Ed Poirier and Dave Wall. We were supposed to go to Zaragoza but were switched to Morón. I don't know how Zaragoza may have been but I can't imagine it could have better duty than Morón. After all we had Seville, Torremolinos, Granada, Gib. and so many other places. I really lucked out because when at Keesler I caught pneumonia and as a result was put into a later class which got me to Spain."

Page author, Steve Marston, served with the 3973rd Combat Defense Squadron at Morón AB from May 1964 to December 1965.  Currently documenting his Ramp Rat stories at www.GeezerFlight.net.

We hope to hear from readers that can enlighten us on the "Reflex" experience.  Or, anything else...