O'Brien,+Truman

Bien Hoa AFB - '67 10/66 - 10/67 Det A, 1st MIBARS 10/67 - 4/69 HHC, 2nd MIBARS - Kaiserslautern Germany

I was trained as an II. When I first arrived at Det A I was the only person trained on the newly acquired TIFF unit so was assigned to train everyone else. Got bored with straight II work so first volunteered to reorganize the 12-ton van that was our neg storage facility. Added an air-conditioner and made it habitable! Later volunteered for a "Spot Target" program (above photo). Got to fly all over III Corp observing and photographing targets. Best part was the extra $50/mo for flight pay. April 69 took a "European Out" and stayed bumming around Europe for three months before returning to Montana.

Met and married Mary (a grad student working on her PhD) at the U of Montana. Graduated in 1972 and moved to Seattle area. I had learned to fly at age 15 back in Montana but never really pursued it so after college burned up the rest of my GI Bill adding flight ratings. Eventually in 1978 decided to get a job flying. Worked as a flight instructor at first - moving into charter work and finally ended up in Alaska flying a DC-4 off the beach hauling fish. Finally decided to get a real job and hired on with San Juan Airlines. After a short stay moved on to Horizon Airlines '84 and then to Alaska Airlines in '87. I flew the B-727 and 737. Based in Anchorage for four years flying into all the little villages in a 737-200 combi - some with gravel strips - I retired in 2006 with twelve-years at a Captain. Got to see some of the drastic changes in navigation from non-direction beacon approaches to cutting edge RNP (using GPS data). Enjoyed the work very much but haven't missed it at all. Have used the travel benefits a fair amount. Made two trips to Africa last year. One of them a horse safari into the Maasai Mara in Kenya while tent camping.

Mary and I have a grown daughter, Molly, who owns her own business in Tacoma. I'm "retired" on Vashon Island (in the middle of Puget Sound) and serve on several boards and other volunteer organizations. Thanks to Charley Slaughter for locating me and getting me hooked up with the old MIBARS family!

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