Gary E. Willhide:
CLASS OF 1961
Shippensburg High SchoolClass of 1961
Shippensburg, PA
East Stroudsburg UniversityClass of 1965
East stroudsburg, PA
Shippensburg Junior High SchoolClass of 1958
Shippensburg, PA
James Burd Elementary SchoolClass of 1955
Shippensburg, PA
Gary E.'s Story
Graduated SASH 1961
Played Big 33 game 29JUL61
Attended East Stroudsburg State College SEP 1961-Jan 1964. Played football 1961 & 1962. Team won Eastern State College Division. Lettered both years.
Worked at SKF Shippensburg JAN 1964-MAR 1965.
Enlisted USAF 29MAR1965. 1965 Basic training at Lackland AFB TX, MAY 1965-JUN 1966 Technical School (Computer, Electronics Maintenance) at Keesler AFB MS.
1966-1971 Electron Digital Data Processing Repairman, 648th Radar Squadron, Benton PA. Took two Summer courses at Bloomsburg State College, Met Brenda (math major) the summer of 1967 at the college (she loaned me her Psychology book). Married January 1968. We had two children while stationed at Benton, one girl (Michele Lyn OCT 1968) and one boy (Gary James OCT 1969). While stationed at Benton I had a two month TDY to St. Albans Vermont and a three month TDY which took me to Azusa CA and Keesler AFB MS.
JUL 1971-APR1973 Moved to Denver CO. Assigned to 2nd Comm Squadron Buckley ANGB and lived at Lowrey AFB. Assignment was computer system maintenance as part of space track operations. Lots of fun things to do in the Denver area that were free.
APR1973-APR1975 Assigned to Computer Maintenance Section 5th Joint Defense Space Communication Squadron (JDSCS) Woomera South Australia, Australia. I had to go to Australia without the family for the start of the two year tour because housing was not available. In JUL 1973, Brenda and the children came over. Spent two great years in the dunga (outback) with the emus and roos (kangaroos). No TV - read books and did things as a family. Enjoyed Adelaide South Australia which was 300 miles to the south of Woomera. Our water was piped to us from Adelaide. About one hundred miles of that road was dirt, sand, rocks and combinations of those. Had a dirt bike for a short period. Enjoyed riding in the dunga. Big thrill was watching the arrival of USAF C-141's and C-5's to the airport.
MAY1975-1981 Assigned to 2159th Communication Squadron (Computer Maintenance), Site C-6 Space Track Phase Array Radar, Eglin AFB FL. Lived in base housing on main base. The base is approximately 35 miles east and west of main base. The radar site was 35 miles to the East of main base. Rode the bus to and from work. Really nice area to live. Had our third child (Michael Dale OCT 1977) while in Florida. Was a member of the Chapel Choir and played my trumpet with the hymns. Ate lots of seafood while stationed there.
JAN1981-OCT1982 Assigned to 1839th EIG, Engineering Installation Group Computer Section Keesler AFB MS. The job here was to install radar and computer systems throughout the world. I didn't manage to travel other than to Oklahoma City for six weeks to Installation Team Chief School. Helped install radar system at Keesler which was to be used by students for radar maintenance school. Was given charge of setting up and operating a depot level maintenance center for A...Expand for more
ir Traffic Control Radar Indicators. We were the depot for all USAF Air Traffic Control Radar Indicators world wide. Enjoyed more seafood from the gulf.
OCT1982-APR1988 Assigned to 1954th RADES (Radar Evaluation Squadron) Hill AFB UT, and then became the 84th RADES. As the name suggests, the squadron evaluated radar systems throughout the world. Had several TDY's while stationed at Hill AFB, none overseas. Our squadron was the only squadron to perform this mission. We did evaluations in the U.S. and for friendly countries. I was TDY on several trips lasting 2-4wks at a time to Crescent City CA, Ft Fisher NC, and Lake Charles LA. Lots of sites to see in Utah. Mountains were beautiful. They were really close to the base. Snow means skiing. Did do some skiing but wasn't as good as the kids. They just flew past me. Did follow my son through some trees one time. He made it through, I hit a root sticking up above the snow. Did a number on my knee. Was a member of the Chapel Choir and played trumpet with the hymns.
Retired from the Air Force APR 1988.
Worked the summer of 1988 at Hershey Park in the food prep section. Made the taco meat, cooked the turkey and chicken and hams for the park. Also mixed salads for the park.
1988 Started working at GE in Lebanon PA making and running cables.
1988-1989 Started work at Ft Indiantown Gap at the warehouse (Summer Hire Job) that lasted until JAN 1989.
1989-1995 Worked at Ft Indiantown Gap in Reserve Pay as a clerk. Reserve Pay was done away with at the Gap so I was without a job in May 1995.
AUG 1995 Hired on at Social Security 'Office of Hearing and Appeals' (OHA) which later changed its name to 'Office of Disability, Adjudication and Review' (ODAR). Did transcriptions, typing, took minutes of the hearings and assisted claimants, attorneys, judges and vocational experts. Answered the telephone and readied files for the hearings. Retired from Social Security 31AUG2007.
SEP1991 Took over the directorship of the Choir of First Evangelical Congregational Church of Palmyra. Choir size varies from 11-20 members. Played trumpet with the hymns and special music. Organized a group of six trumpets which played at our church and also other churches. Also directed an instrumental group (orchestra) which played on Sunday mornings as special music and with the hymns. Still doing the music thing at the church.
OCT2001 Had heart attack on the 15th. Inserted 5 stents LDA. That was a scare.
2008 Was voted into the Shippensburg High School Sports Hall of Fame. A nice honor. Thank you Shippensburg.
Brenda & I have twelve (12) grandchildren and eight (8) great grandchildren.
Retired From Social Security August 31, 2007. Had total knee replacement 15SEP07. Rehab hurts!
October 2012 - Church camp at Twin Pines (Stroudsburg). October 14 chest pains. October 15 had two stents inserted. RCA was 99% blocked. Doing rehab again.
01JUN 2015 repair of AAA.
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