David Holden:
CLASS OF 1966
Watertown High SchoolClass of 1966
Watertown, NY
West Babylon High SchoolClass of 2000
West babylon, NY
North Junior High SchoolClass of 1962
Watertown, NY
Starbuck Elementary SchoolClass of 1959
Watertown, NY
Lansing Street SchoolClass of 1954
Watertown, NY
David's Story
Life
I have come back home to the North Country to retire and stay. It's where I want to be buried when I die, near my family.
After graduation I went to Canton Agi/Tech for 1 year. Majored in Automotive Technology. Then in November 1967 I joined the U.S. Air Force. I was a jet engine mechanic. I stayed with the Air Force for 24 years, until I was forced to retire.
It's still beautiful up here and a lot of things have changed.Maybe we will see each other again someday soon. To all my fellow classmates of 1965 & 1966 I wish you all a long life and a prosperous future.
School
Good ol' Watertown High School. I was supposed to have graduated in '65 but I finally did it in '66. I still have a lot of memories from there. There are a lot good people that I remember. Like Melanie LaMora in art class. The good looking blonde that sat behind me in study hall Deborah Bancroft they were both beautiful and good people.They always treated me like a human being. My favorite teacher crossed over and I will never forget him.
I have few regrets, I wished I had made the football team, I wished I had been in the ochestra and chorus.
That's history and I still have some special friends from that time period that mean a lot to me and I miss them.
Watertown High was a good school and to look at it from the street, it has not changed much.
College
My time at Canton Agi-Tech (at that time).Back then the school was out behind St Lawrence Univ. I rented a room in a private home and did not pledge to any fraternity.I am sorry I did not put myself into my studies/classes more.
Most of all I remember a blonde who used to give me a ride back forth in her Buick Riviera, Limited Edition. She had a fiend that worked at Good Sam, XRAY Lab I and she was from Canton. I think her name was Kathy. Canton was and still is a nice little town. Money and grades were at low levels at the end of 1 year, so I joined the Air Force, best thing I ever did.
I'm would love to go back to Canton! But, my major would definetly be different.
Workplace
While I was in High school I worked at BJs grocery store ( Fred Bajalli?) on the island at the intersection of E. Lynde and E. Main Sts. It's apartments now.
After 1 yr of college (1967) I worked in the shipping dept of the electric motor plant out on Bradley St. Can't remember the name of it right now. The majority of the employees that worked there were women. I also worked for the newspaper/magazine distrubution company off of State St.
I joined the Air Force in Nov 1967 as a jet engine mechanic. 1 Dec 1991 I retired to Long Island.While there I worked for Jamaica Water Supply in Queens. Then I worked for Sea Cliff Water Co in Sea Cliff, NY (Long Island). From then to current I've been unemployed and on Social Security Disability.
Military
Medical Remedial Enlistment program. Army turned me down when I reported for my draft physical.
I did basic training at Amarillo from Nov '67 to Apr '68. Had to lose some weight,get in shape and finish basic. My last basic flt was "Hogans Heroes" (3rd Flt).
When I took the test to enter the military they said I would make a good electrician, thank GOD I did not listen to them and I ...Expand for more
got my 1st choice jet engine mechanic.
Tech school was at ChanuteAB, Ill. Did not graduate with my original class, injured my foot and ended up in the hospital. Graduated Honor Student.
Then on to Yokota,Japan,('68-'71)(610 MASS MAC airlifters and civilian acft) an assignment I will always remember, great people.(Vios Con Dios Ernie and thank you for every thing)
Then on to Loring AFB, Caribou ME ('71) (1.5 miles form Canada, east of Quebec) Was originally assigned to SAC but got switched while enroute. Air Rescue (SKYLAB Recovery).Lots of snow, snow,snow ! Jolly Green Giant country, HH=3Es.Great TDYs;ie,Gander,Newfoundland, Dallas NAS,TX and, Tyndal AFB,FLA.
Then on to Holloman AFB,NM and more Air Rescue ('72-'80).
UH-1 helicopters, F,P,H models and then finally the UH-1N,twin engine This thing could Rock and Roll with a pilot possesing the "Right Stuff"! Tdys to Las Vegas,NV for training Red Flag exercises. "Sweet". Thunder Birds are home based there.Then there was the tdy to Uvalde, TX (in an AF pickup) to recover one of our broken choppers. Cattle town, private clubs. No alcohol any where here. Two days later, was I glad to get back to NM. 7+ yrs later !
On to Bitburg AB.GE.('80-'90) Home to the new F-15 (at that time). Used the P&W F100 Modular engine. In shop, overhaul, no more flightline for me this time, man it was great. One year just before the holidays, we set the record of the most spare F100 enines of any F15 unit in the Air Force at that time. Did a few TDY's to San Antonio,TX for maintenance conferences.
I was running the Secondary Power Shop when I got to meet Lil' General "Billie" Minter,when he came through my shop. We were responsible for the repair and testing of the JFS and AMADs. We also repaired the engine change and transport trailers.TDYs to Albourg, Denmark for prepositioned support equipement. Wonderful! John Wayne Bar. Lots of women (many were in the military too) who loved to party.Then on to Material Support.Then I volunteered for Dorm Daddy and got it, working for the Commander (LTC Allan K. Barrs) and 1st Sgt (SMSgt Kathy DeYoung). Coed dorm CRS & SPS in one dorm. Got to do the room inspections and, make sure the dorm and furniture were taken care of. Plus personnal equipment issue and the Squadron bar (No Horse Saloon). Also Asst Career and Financial advisdor. While there I also got the job as a QA inspector/evaluator during the local exercises,no chem gear required.
10 1/2 years later, I was forced to retire, force cut backs. Problem was I had to take a stateside assignment with less than a year to retirement.
On to K I Sawyer AFB, MI('91) (on the U.P. hey). Talk about a warm welcome! Nobody (CRS or AGS) wanted me. CRS won. Dorm daddy for awhile (theirs was in Saudi)and then to the tool crib, tool inspector ! And again Snow, Snow, Snow. With all the leave I had saved (permissive tdy time with the boy scouts, especially since I worked directly for the Wing CC on Scouting at Bitburg)I was able to leave there a couple of months early.
Next stop Long Island. Civilian!
Still in touch with many people I was stationed with through out my 24 yrs. Especially from 610 Mass, Yakota, Japan. There are reunions every year.
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Reunions
Photos