(Not-So-) Wordless Wednesday: Fred Pape "at Operations," Korea, 1952

Another picture from my dad Fred Pape's military scrapbook.

On the back of this photo, Dad wrote, "A real closeup shot of the combat navigator.  Good camera.  It shows my lack of a shave very distinctly.  Taken next to Ops tent at K-1," so this would be late 1952.

Wood from old bomb crates was used to construct some of the facilities at K-1 and K-9.  Just above Dad's head, to the right, you can read part of what was written on one: "[Explo]sives" and "Bombs."


© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Military Monday Memories: Moving Back to K-9 from K-1, late 1952

From my dad Frederick Pape's military scrapbook:

From the 17th Bomb Wing (Light) - Korea page:

During the October to December [1952] time frame, the 17th moved from K-9 [Pusan East] to K-1 (Pusan West) to allow for the resurfacing of the K-9 runway from PSP [perforated or pierced steel planking, used for prefabricated runways] to asphalt. The Wing returned to K-9 on 20 December [1952] having flown uninterrupted through both moves. Weather was the primary cause of lost missions. The new runway, while superior to the PSP, lasted about thirty days and underwent continual repair through the cessation of hostilities.

On the back of this photo, my dad wrote:  "The help carrying away the remains of our K-1 mess hall, which burned down the day before we left K-1."

© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Sentimental Sunday: "Looking Down Flight Line," 1952

From my dad Fred Pape's military scrapbook:

On the back of this photo, Dad wrote, "Looking north down flight line across lineup of B-26s from our [37th Bomb] squadron."

© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Wordless Wednesday: Practice Bomb Strike, Off South Korea Coast, October 30, 1952

From my dad Frederick Henry Pape's military scrapbook. There are a number of images similar to this one, one of which has the date "30 Oct 52" written on it. There were a large number of uninhabited atolls off the South Korean coast that were used for target practice before bombing runs into North Korea.

© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Sentimental Sunday: "First Combat Mission" - 1952

Another photo from my dad Frederick Henry Pape's military scrapbook, this one from Korea:

On the back of this photo, Dad wrote, "My first combat ride.  Last minute briefing from my instructor navigator (far right), his gunner (my immediate right), and his pilot (on the left)."

Dad said his first three missions were what were called "dollar rides" - you went up with another crew (pilot, navigator/bombardier, and gunner) to learn what they do.  Dad said that gunners acted as co-pilots in Korea - they watched the engine instruments while the pilot flew the plane and kept an eye on the flight-related instruments.


© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Friday's Faces From the Past: Jeeter Bowden, "One of Annapolis' Best Men" - 1952

Here's another picture from the Korean War military scrapbook of my father, Frederick Henry Pape:

The gentleman on the far left is Jackson Huffman "Jeeter" Bowman, a fellow navigator-bombardier with Dad in the 37th Bomb Squadron in Korea.  Bowden was born January 24, 1930, in Wilmington, North Carolina, the only child of Herman Andrew and Beulah Bowden.  On the 1940 Census, he and his mother are lodgers in Charlotte, North Carolina.

From his obituary:

He attended Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia prior to his Congressional appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He graduated with the class of 1951 as a member of the 36th Co[mpany]. Upon graduation he attended navigation and bombardier schools and flew 50 bombing missions in Korea during the Korean War. After 3 years as a navigator instructor at Harlingen AFB, Texas, he began his military engineer career. From 1955 to his retirement in 1974 as a Colonel in the USAF he supervised every phase of several levels of engineering organizations, culminating in his final military career assignment as Assistant Chief of Staff, Civil Engineering, Air Force Logistics Command. While in the Air Force he received his MBA in Engineering Administration in 1959, graduated from the Air War College in 1971 and amassed over 5000 flying hours leading to the title of Master Navigator. The high point of his military career was as the on-site Design Engineer for the only air base (Tuy Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam) ever constructed under the auspices of the U. S. Air Force. After service in Vietnam he served tours of duty at the Pentagon and at a missile base in Germany. He served as the Base Engineer at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio prior to his retirement from the Air Force. In 1974 Jackson began his 17 year civilian career at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, first as Manager, Plant Engineering, then as Administrator for General Services, and last as Director of Engineering. When he retired from St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center he became involved in volunteer work throughout the valley. His wife Joyce Elizabeth, 6 children, 4 stepchildren, 4 grandchildren and 4 step-grandchildren survive Jackson. He was a devout Christian and a member of Hillside Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ.

Jeeter died September 23, 2006, and is buried at the National Military Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.  His first wife was Norma Joyce Hudson, whom he married June 9, 1952, in Stewartville, North Carolina, and they were living in Richmond, Virginia, and Laurinburg, North Carolina (where she was from) during the time Jeeter was in Korea.

Note also that the Air Force Academy was not established until April 1, 1954.



© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

(Not-So-) Wordless Wednesday: The Norden Bombsight, 1952

Some more pictures from the military scrapbook of my father, Frederick Henry Pape.  Dad said the Norden bombsight was "much too complicated - there was not enough time to line it up."  Below is a picture of Dad checking the bombsight.

© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Military Monday Memories: "Unloading Bombs from Truck" - 1952

More photos from the military scrapbook of my dad, Frederick Henry Pape, who is pictured in the photo at left.  These were taken at the K-1 (Pusan West) Air Base in Korea in late 1952.

© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Sentimental Sunday: "Kimsan" and "Jodysan" - 1952

The last picture from Dad's "Korea K-1" page in his scrapbook has the following note on the back:  "Our home Tent 19 [aka the red-doored 'Sans Nookee Teepee'] in 37th Bomb Sq[uadron] and our former house girl (the short one ['Kimsan']) and a friend ['Jodysan']."

The house girl would do such tasks as keeping the tent clean, laundry and ironing, and running errands.




© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Friday's Faces From the Past: Around K-1, 1952

Yet more pictures from my dad Fred Pape's military scrapbook:

On the back of this one, it says, "Looking north down main road (?) of K-1 waiting for truck to take us to briefing.  Jim Bayes and I on the right."

At left is an enlargement of the part of the picture with Jim and my dad.  Jim was Dad's roommate during navigator training at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston.

The gentleman with the dark pants on the far left in the picture above looks to be the same as the gentleman in the picture below, of Dick Capps.  On the back of that photo, Dad wrote,

"Dick Capps, crackerjack bombardier from 34th B[omb] S[quadron] and a good friend.  Druggist by desire, bombardier by Air Force."

Unfortunately, this wasn't quite enough information for me to be able to find out anything more about Dick Capps (so far).

Here's the building I believe they were traveling to:

© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

(Not-So-) Wordless Wednesday: Squadron Headquarters, 1952

Here are more photos from my dad Fred Pape's military scrapbook:

On the back of the photo below, Dad wrote, "Taken in front of 37th HQ just after being approved by flying board.  Shadows around our necks are our black scarfs.  L[eft] to R[ight] Me [Second Lieutenant Frederick H. Pape, navigator-bombardier], Pep [Airman Second Class William R. "Pep" Peppers, gunner], and Milt [First Lieutenant Milton C. "Milt" Royles, pilot]."  Also known as Night Intruder Crew #12.

On the back of the photo below, Dad wrote:  "The three [bomb] squadron headquarter buildings at K-1.  L[eft] to R[ight]. 34th HQ, 37th HQ, and 95th HQ.  Korean laundry outside fence in background."



On the back of this next one, Dad wrote, "Another picture in front of 37th HQ after meeting flying board."

At left is a close-up of the sign for the 37th Bomb Squadron (L[ight]) Headquarters, the "Home of the Royal Bengals."  Another photo of the sign from the same era shows that the background (outside of the shield) was painted orange, not surprisingly.


© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Military Monday Memories: K-1 (Pusan West) Korea, 1952

Here are some more photos from my dad Frederick Pape's military scrapbook, from a page he labeled as "Korea K-1"

K-1 was also known as Pusan West.  According to a history of the 17th Bomb Group/Wing,

During the October to December [1952] time frame, the 17th moved from K-9 [Pusan East] to K-1 (Pusan West) to allow for the resurfacing of the K-9 runway from PSP to asphalt. The Wing returned to K-9 on 20 December having flown uninterrupted through both moves. Weather was the primary cause of lost missions.

On the back of the photo below, Dad wrote, "Looking east down 37th Tent Alley toward latrine at end."  This was probably taken just outside Dad's red-doored tent, the "Sans Nookee Teepee."  The "37th" Dad referred to was his unit, the 37th Bomb Squadron.

On the back of this next photo, Dad wrote, "Operations tent for the 37th at K-1."

On the back of this next photo, Dad wrote, "Looking north down main road (?).  Wing HQ to right of sign, out of view.  Note old concrete revetment on left formerly used by Japs for housing Zeros [during World War II].

Here's a closeup of that revetment (on the left), and the sign for the headquarters of the 17th Bomb G[rou]p (L) - for Light - on the right.  You can also see one of the buses the men would take from Tent Alley to headquarters for briefings.

More photos of the headquarters area in a future post.


© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Sentimental Sunday: Happy Easter - 1959

Easter 1959 (which fell on March 29 that year) in Houston, Texas, visiting my aunt Sister Jean Marie Guokas at Incarnate Word Academy and Convent downtown at 609 Crawford (all buildings from this period now gone or nearly gone).  In these photos are me, my mother, Geraldine Margaret Guokas Pape, and my younger sister Karen.

© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Happy Birthday to Beth and Me!

Happy birthday to my first cousin Beth, who shares a birthday with me!

This is a selfie taken by Beth outside of her family's Summerset cabin at Trout Lake Club near Lake George in the Adirondacks in New York, when we met there in August 2014.


© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.

Those Places Thursday: Trout Lake Club, 1982 and 2014

In August 2013, I wrote about the Trout Lake Club, aka TLC, a place that is special to my Streff cousins (and much of our extended family, as we get the opportunity to see it).  FINALLY, in August 2014, I got to see it for myself.  It is just as beautiful as all my relatives who have been there say it is, and I understand now why they go back every summer.  *I* want to go back!

I also found some old photos from when my parents visited along with my grandmother in September 1982, so I'm pairing them up here.  TLC is located in the Adirondacks in New York, close to Bolton Landing on Lake George.

My aunt Betty Streff and her children own a cabin at the club which they have christened Summerset.  This is because their family home for many years was on a street called Winterset.  Here are my grandmother, Elizabeth Massmann Pape (1902-2000), and my mother, Geraldine Guokas Pape, coming down the steps in September 1982 (photo probably taken by my father, Fred Pape):

And here's me with approximately the same view, almost 32 years later.  The Streffs added more stairs and handrails to make getting to and from the cabin safer.  My cousin Beth Streff Malone took the photo.  She kindly drove many miles from her home in Rochester to meet us in Saratoga Springs, where we spent a wonderful afternoon, then led us up to the town of Lake George, then Bolton Landing (and the Sagamore Resort there, where we had dinner), and on to Trout Lake Club to spend the night in Summerset.  In the morning, Beth and I took a long walk and she showed me around.

Just a little way from where I'm standing in the photo above is a short road that heads down to what is called "Owners' Dock," as it's for the people who actually own cabins at Trout Lake Club.  Here's how it looked in September 1982 when my parents visited:



And here's how it looked in August 2014, very well maintained (photo by Beth Streff Malone):

Here is a lovely twilight photo taken from the front of the cabin by my mom or dad, from either the front living room window or the screened-in front porch:



Not quite the same view, but here is the front living room window view in August 2014, surrounded by photos of some of my Aunt Betty's many grandchildren and great-grandchildren (this photo by Beth Streff Malone):

© Amanda Pape - 2015 - click here to e-mail me.