The Goodyear Blimp Monterey-WWII-Viet Nam and Death on Big Sur part 1

In 1970 I was stationed in Monterey California on an old Fighter Base that occupied the north side of the civilian airport. Our purpose was to maintain obsolete aircraft for the pilots at the War College, the Defense Language Institute and the Presidio and assist the Coast Guard with search and rescue helicopters. We also handled MAC (military airlift command) transports bringing wounded soldiers from Viet Nam to Fort Ord. There were also a pretty regular group of Flag officers and scary men in civilian clothes that flew in to golf at Pebble Beach or do what scary civilians and admirals and captains do. I was very happy with the duty as there were only around 300 sailors on the base and even as an E3 I had a private room and ate in the Officers Mess because there wasn't enough personnel to run two kitchens. Even mess cooking was done by Filipino Yeomen (old days of the Military) so I skated smoothly through my time there. Which brings us to the Goodyear Blimp.

Tomorrow.