Born in Fall River, MA, spent three years in an orphanage after my mother died.
Joined the Air Force in August 1955. Eight years as a Special Electronics Specialist, later renamed as a Special Weapons Technician, with duty in Alaska (four years) and Alexandria, VA. To OCS from this assignment. Married in 1958, two children, William Jr. and Pamela.
My memories of OCS are almost exclusively humorous. I was a known “bubbler,” a weakness quickly found and exploited by myriad upperclassmen.
After graduation, assigned to Security Service as a Communication Intelligence Officer for approximately two years. Divorced during this assignment. Then to Communications, Electronics, Meteorological School and an assignment to a Radar Bombing Squadron as Electronics Officer. This assignment had the additional benefits of three, six-month TDY assignments in Vietnam as a Skyspot Controller. Next came an assignment to Vandenberg AFB as the Titan Officer at 1st Strategic Air Division, and the 392nd Communication Squadron, earning a missile badge. Following this was the CEM Staff Officer Course at Keesler and a four-year tour in Germany as CEM Supervisor at an ACW Squadron. Terminal assignment was to the resort town of Gila Bend, AZ as the CEM Supervisor.
Retired in 1975, I remained in Arizona, attending Arizona State University for two years. In 1979, joined the Mesa Police Department as a fire/police dispatcher and after two years became a Communication Shift Supervisor. In 1989 decided to retire and work part-time, but the part-time job became a full-time job with the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System as a network analyst. In 1990, married Jessica. Retired from that job in 2000, but hired back as a contract employee working just weekends.
