"THIS IS YOUR FINAL CONTROLLER"

I am pleased to report that we have a "head start" on planning the Minneapolis 2006 reunion. In this issue of the newsletter you will find the necessary registration forms to be submitted to the Armed Forces Reunion, Inc. folks, as well as a registration form for the Holiday Inn Select Minneapolis/St. Paul International Hotel. I believe we have obtained a "well rounded" choice of tours, scheduled during the reunion time frame, that should afford "something for everyone." (Please note that the "Lunch and Lock Cruise" will require a minimum of 50 participants. This is due to the normal schedule of this tour is on Wednesdays, weekly.) The golf tournament that is scheduled for Wednesday, September 13th, is still in the planning stages. This event's registration form will be published in the Summer issue of OGP. Rooms have been "blocked" with the hotel for Tuesday night for the golf participants and early arrivals. As I will not stand for re-election as President of the Association at the Minneapolis business meeting there is but only one or two more "Prez Sez" columns for me to express how much I have enjoyed my two consecutive "tours." If nothing else, I hope I have helped generate a member's desire to attend our semi annual reunions. Mary and I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new acquaintances in Minneapolis 2006! Until later……

Health and Happiness Always! Larry

PROPOSED CHANGE TO THE ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATIONMINNEAPOLIS, SEPTEMBER, 2006:Article I: Name of the Organization.The name of the organization shall be the "U.S. Navy Ground Controlled Approach/Air Traffic Control Association, Inc." (U.S. Navy GCA/ATC Assn.) hereinafter referred to as the Association.PROPOSAL: From the name of the organization, delete "Inc." as we are no longer incorporated in the state of Missouri or any other state in the union.

RADAR

Before radar came along the art of stationkeeping in maneuvers and convoys was a very intricate and hazardous problem. In 1937, a 200-mc radar set was tested at sea on USS Leary (DD-158). Two years later, USS New York (BB-34), while she was in a fleet problem in the Carribean at night, tested a greatly improved 200-mc radar set. A group of destroyers (without radar) were attempting a torpedo run on a line of battleships. All ships were in darkness. Aboard New York a group of men in air plot were intently peering at a small flourescent screen when a slightly higher hump appeared in the jagged green line wavering across the screen. They let the "hump" come to 5,000 yards, trained a searchlight in its direction, illuminated, and picked off the oncoming destroyer. Radar had come to life. Upon the Radioman's shoulders fell the brunt of keeping up sound and radar equipment. Operators of this equipment (Soundmen and radar operators, then) were usually Yeomen, Storekeepers, or Seamen, who, if they could distinguish between a "ping" and a "pong" were awarded five extra dollars a month. Communications responsibilities increased and Radiomen couldn't be spared to keep up extra equipment, so in 1943, there were two more ratings established, Radarman and Sonarman.

Air Controlman

Established 1948 from the ratings of Specialist (Y) (Control Tower Operators), Radarman, Specialist (X) (Air Station Operations Desk (Time Shack), Specialist (X) (Operations--Plotting and Chart Work), and Specialist (V) (Transport Airmen).

Vol. 12 no. 1 Spring 2006An Association of Dues Paying Members

The U.S.Navy GCA/ATC Association

THE

PREZ

SEZ

MEMBERSHIP REPORTDate 2/1/06

Active Members (Dues Paying)..............436Inactive Members (Non Dues Paying)....208Deceased Members (Less Spouses)........383Total Known Membership....................1,202Life Members..........................................250

------------------------------------TREASURER'S REPORT

Net Worth ReportAs of 1-26-06

AssetsCHECKING $ 3,719.13PETTY CASH-OGP 1,000.00SAVINGS 14,741.85

---------------- TOTAL Cash & Bank Accounts 19,460.98

TOTAL ASSETS $19,460.98LIABILITIES 0.00

___________OVERALL TOTAL $19,460.98

Income & Expenses9/30/05 through 1/26/06

INCOMEDividend 69.05Dues 1,285.00Sea Chest revenue 11 .00 TOTAL INCOME 1,365.05

EXPENSESCommunications 59.40OGP 486.32postage 22.20Seabag 1064.80supplies 17 .60 TOTAL EXPENSES 1,650.32

TOTAL INCOME – EXPENSES -285.27

LOST MEMBERSNo forwarding address and the phones do not work.

If you are in touch, ask them to forward their address.

Carl E MurphyHerman HebbJuanita MansellNeal JolleyBob MezeMrs. Georgette Thornton Jr.Dale Majors

Dear Sirs,

I have been in the process of documenting my father's, Gail Richard Snyder ENCS service in the US Navy after his death last May. I was delighted to find the US Navy ATC/GCA Association while looking for information on the GCA and RATCC equipment he worked on. I believe your organization can help me with my search.

My father was stationed at NAS Olathe from October 1955 through October 1958. He attended and completed the Ground Controlled Approach School, Class C Engineman Course on October 21, 1955. Over the next three years he was responsible for the maintenance and repairs of the GCA units and was an instructor with the NATTU teaching the GCA Engineman course. He completed the GCA, Class C Engineman Course for the AN/MPN-5 on October 31, 1958. After completing this course he was transferred to NAS Moffett Field in Sunnyvale, California where for the next two years he was the senior engineman responsible for the RATCC and GCA equipment on base. After my father retired from the Navy he went to work for Gilfillian leading a group of sailors repairing GCA units in NAS Meridian, MS, England, Iceland, and Spain. Later he went on to work for the FAA for 15 years before his retirement from government service in 1979.

I am interested in becoming a member of the Association in his honor. I would also like to locate copies of the training materials from the GCA Engineman course as well as any of the GCA technical manuals for the engine/generator trailer.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Best regards,Gail Richard Snyder, Jr.gr_snyder@yahoo.com

AROUND THE CURVELICKETY-SPLIT

BEAUTIFUL CARWASN'T IT?Burma Shave

ARE YOUR DUES CURRENT?$15 …........ One Year$40 …... Three Years$65 …...... Five Years$130 ….............. Life

Please mail your dues to:John P. Cox

4625 Cobblestone Ln.Corpus Christi, TX 78411

"CHECK YOUR MAILING LABEL FOR EXPIRATION DATE."

WEB SITES OF INTEREST

GCA-ATC Associationhttp://gca-atc.org/

Yahoo Chat Group for GCA-ATChttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/NavyGCA-ATCnewsgroup/

City of Minneapolis (Convention city)http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/leisure/

Willy Victor Sitehttp://www.willyvictor.com/

Naval History sitehttp://www.history.navy.mil/index.html

Flight Around the USA by Anse Windham and 12 year old grandson.http://usaflight.info

MEW MEMBERSBill Barnes Zane R. Livengood71202 Wilson LN 4240 Rob LNBoardman, OR 978128 Joplin, MO 64804

417 781 9208C.L. Van Divner3400 W. Casa Loma CTVisalia, CA 93277

Marlin Ike Glass, Jr.P.O. Box 447Newkirk, OK 74647

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING?

A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue.A dragonfly has a life span of 24 hours.A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.A snail can sleep for three years.Al Capone's business card said he was a used furniture dealer.All 50 states are listed across the top of the Lincoln Memorial on the back of the $5 bill.Almonds are a member of the peach family.

CHARGES AND SPECIFICATIONS IN THE TRIAL OF SNYDER, GALE R., ENCA USN

1. THIS MAN ASSUMED THE DUTIES OF AN "AVIATION" ENGINEMAN WITHOUT THE PROPER UNIFORM. (CAME TO WORK IN DRESS BLUES- NOT GREENS) AND OBVIOUSLY FROWNS ON WEARING A WORKING UNIFORM, WHICH ALSO SHOWS LAZINESS.

2. ILLUSIONS OF GRANDEUR- EXEMPLIFIED BY THE FACT THE HE IS IN A CAR POOL WITH A CHIEF WHO DRIVES A CADILLAC…

3. REQUESTED THAT HE BE SENT TO SUPERVISORS SCHOOL ON FRIDAY 9, NOVEMBER, 1956, AND IN THIS MANNER DID WILLFULLY AND WITH MALICE AFORETHOUGHT ATTEMPT TO AVOID HIS APPEARANCE BEFORE HIS THIS COURT OF HIS PEERS. ALSO DID, BY THE ABOVE REQUEST, ATTEMPT TO REPLACE ONE OF HIS SENIORS, (COWAN), AS EN COURSE SUPERVISOR, AND THEREBY RELEASING SAID COWAN FOR SEA DUTY, WHICH IN SAID COWAN'S OPINION IS THE MOST HEINOUS OF CRIMES--WORSE THAN MURDER.

4. OUT OF UNIFORM AT QUARTERS THIS DATE. HAS THE WRONG SPECIALTY RATE- ALSO HIS SPECIALTY MARK HAS NO WINGS.

5. INSULTED THE MENTALITY OF THE PERMANENT CPO'S IN THE MAINTENANCE TRAINING DIVISION BY ATTEMPTING A WEEK IN ADVANCE TO SECURE SPECIAL LIBERTY THIS DATE. THIS CLEARLY INDICATED THAT HE THOUGHT THEY HAD NO FORESIGHT AND COULD NOT SEE BEYOND THE END OF THEIR NOSES.

6. SHOWN TENDENCIES OF BEING A "MISER" - "PENNYPINCHER" - "CHEAPSKATE" - ETC. BY TRAVELING ALL THE WAY TO THE GREAT LAKES NAVAL STATION ON "FREE TRANSPORTATION" TO OBTAIN HIS UNIFORMS AT A REDUCED COST.

7. SHOWN DISRESPECT TO SENIOR COP'S- DAMN NEAR KNOCKED A WORKING CHIEF DOWN AS HE RUSHED HEADLONG TOWARD THE COFFEE MESS. DID NOT EVEN SAY HELLO, GOODBYE, HOW ARE YOU, OR GO TO HELL.

Milo Emmerson

Commander Milo "Mike" E. Emmerson enlisted in the US Navy at the age of 17 on March 1, 1948. He attended Electronics Technician School in Great Lakes, Michigan and GCA Technician school in Olathe, Kansas, then reported to his first assignment at ASR Unit #1 at NAS Alameda, California. Soon after the outbreak of the Korean War, he was transferred to GCA #26 at NAS Atsugi, Japan. After the armistice was signed he returned to Olathe, Kansas to teach radar. He was selected to attend OCS during this tour.

A resident of Citrus County for 15 years, Mike believed that everyone should do whatever he or she could to help his or her neighbor and he spent much of his time acting on that belief.

He was a volunteer for Elder Helpers, Meals on Wheels, and Doctor Ride, a member of many organizations, including VFW, the Fleet Reserve, Retired Officers Association, GCA- ATC Association, and a former member of the Veterans Association board.

Mike is survived by his wife of 35 years, four sons, tow daughters, eleven grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

Mike read and studied the Bible daily. As we bid him farewell, we do so in the knowledge that he has gone home to his father in heaven.

He will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him, and by many who never knew his name, for he believed in showing his love for his neighbor by deed, and did not require or expect to be acknowledged for doing so.

Donations in his memory may be made to:

Citrus County Boys & Girls Club, 3814 S Lecanto Hwy, Crystal River, FL 34461

Or- volunteer your time and love to someone who needs it.

William B. Coates

William B. Coates, resident of Pueblo West, Colorado born February 18, 1926, died October 29, 2005, in his 79th year. Preceded in death by his parents, Ida M. Coates and Arthur B. Coates of Beckley, West Va.; one granddaughter; one great-granddaughter; and three sons-in-law. Survived by his wife of 59 years, Mary; four daughters: Bonnie (John) Reid, and Connie Wynkoop in Virginia, and Donna (David) Heimke and Debbie (John) Bauers in Colorado; his two brothers: Phillip in Arizona and A.B. in Maryland; 9 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren with two more anticipated. Bill's government service included 20 years in the US Navy, and 12 years with the FAA. He will be interred at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado. The family and friends will celebrate his life at Majestic Baptist Church, at the corner of Purcell and Hemlock, in Pueblo West, on Wednesday, November 2, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow on Friday at Ft. Logan National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Majestic Baptist Building Fund in Bill's honor, 434 S. McCulloch, #1 Pueblo West, Co. 81007.

Joseph L. Crossland Jr.

Lt. Cmdr. Joseph L. Crossland Jr. USN Ret., a 13 year resident of Manchaca TX, passed away January 5, 2006 at the age of 68. Joseph was born to Joseph Luke Sr. and Lola Crossland, May 23, 1937 in Caney, OK. He was the youngest of 10 children. Joseph was pre-deceased by both parents and all but one sibling, Bill Ballard of Atlanta, GA.

Joseph was a resident of San Diego, and a graduate of San Diego State University. He joined the US Navy in 1955 at age 17, and served his country with honor during a 30 year career in Naval Air Traffic Control. He retired in Corpus Christi TX as a Lt. Commander in 1985. Joseph enjoyed camping with friends, traveling, and spending time with his grandchildren.

Joseph leaves behind his wife of 44 years, Catherine S. Crossland of Manchaca TX. He is also survived by sons and daughters-in-law Steve and Sylvia Crossland of Austin TX and Michael and Melissa Crossland of Sherman, TX. Also surviving their beloved Pop-Pop are grandchildren: Shelly and Caroline and Laura, Jamie, Jessica, Tony, Ashley, Brooke, and B.T. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews.

Alzheimer's took him from us. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Alzheimer's Association Central Texas Chapter.

Family and friends gathered in remembrance Monday evening, January 9th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Faith Assembly of God Church on Loop 4 in Buda TX. Funeral services were held at noon Tuesday, January 10 at Dodd Field Chapel, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX, immediately followed by burial with Military Honors. Joseph's brother's in arms who served with him as Air Traffic Controllers served as Pallbearers.

Ralph E. Haseltine

PENSACOLA, FL - Ralph E. Haseltine, 62, husband of Lois (Ungewritter) Haseltine, died Wednesday, September 28, 2005. Born and raised in Agawam, he was the son of the late Costello C. and Marian Haseltine. Ralph also leaves two daughters; 3 grandchildren; 7 sisters; 4 brothers; and several nieces and nephews. Services were held in Pensacola, Florida.

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This newsletter is available in color on the Internet at http://gca-atc.org/Spring06/ Notify me at n152aw@usawide.net to stop US Mail delivery.

Anse Windham

DEPARTED THE PATTERN

EARLY NAVY ATC

I was born and raised on a small dairy farm in South Attleboro, MA. I was seventeen when I joined the regular Navy in 1941- almost one year before the Pearl Harbor attack. After boot camp in Newport, Rhode Island, I was assigned to the US Naval Air Station Anacostia , Washington, DC. At Anacostia I started out as an Aviation Machinist Mate striker. One day I was working on the flight line when the Line Chief came around and asked if anyone would like to volunteer to work in the tower. I asked him what the tower was. He pointed to this small four-sided glass room on top of the Barracks/Administration Building located on the West Side of the airport. It was winter and very cold on the fight line. I didn't know what they did in the glass house but it looked warm so I volunteered to work in the tower. When I reported to the tower the man in charge was a Chief Signalman. This was before Pearl Harbor and ATC in the Navy didn¹t appear to be a high priority concern. There were three other people assigned to the tower. One was a radioman and, believe it or not, one was a ship¹s baker! This was an odd assortment of people but in the early days of aviation the Navy didn't have a rating for ATC and apparently when they needed help in the tower they assigned whoever was surplus or who, like me, volunteered. The forth person, who had some previous ATC experience, was a Navy reservist from St. Louis who had worked in the St. Louis Airport Control Tower. This is the same control tower where many pioneer civilian air traffic controllers got their start in air traffic control in the mid nineteen thirties. Being in the Anacostia Tower was an interesting assignment. Between 1941 and 1944, Anacostia was used as a flight test and evaluation base where new aircraft were flown in and test pilots from the station and the nearby Navy Bureau of Aeronautics would fly them. Considerable seaplane activity also took place in the nearby Anacostia and Potomac River. River and runway traffic was controlled from the single tower. The early version of the PBY, a seaplane patrol bomber,

made by the Consolidated Aircraft Company, did not have retractable landing gear. In my early days as a seaman I was part of a crew that had to done rubber suits, jump into the water, and attach wheels to the airplane so it could be pulled up on the seaplane ramp. There were two aircraft in particular that I remember being extensively tested at Anacostia. They were the F4U CORSAIR and the SO2U-3. The F4U was a gull winged fighter aircraft that proved fatal to several test pilots before they got the bugs out of it. The SO2U-3, a seaplane observation aircraft that had an inline engine and long wings, was the "Edsal Ford" of the Navy. It was also involved in several crashes resulting in fatalities while it was being tested. It was finally sent out for duty with the fleet where I understand it had a very short service life. Flight Test Operations were relocated from Anacostia to the newly built Patuxant River Naval Air Station in Maryland around 1944. The Bolling Army Air Field was located on the southern perimeter of Anacostia. The main runways at Anacostia and Bolling were aligned within a few degrees of each other and you could taxi from one airport to the other. With airports in such close proximity you couldn't change runways without first coordinating with Bolling, and vise versa. When one changed runways, the other had to change. When we were taking off over Bolling or Bolling was taking off over Anacostia, every departure had to be coordinated. The same applied for landing aircraft. There were no runway lights on the airport. As a consequence if night operations were expected smudge pots had to be set out along each side of the runway. I don¹t know if smudge pots are still in use anywhere but it took a special crew to set them out. For those who are unfamiliar with smudge pots they looked a little like spittoons with a handle. They were filled with kerosene and had a wick at the top which had to be manually lit. I was never on the smudge pot detail but it was a messy, hazardous job. There were two frequencies in the Anacostia Tower, 3105KC and 6210KC. The tower transmitted on 251KC. To contact the tower aircraft used frequency 3105KC.

Frequency 6210 KC was the guard channel, which all military and civil control towers monitored. In 1941 many Navy aircraft didn¹t have two way radio capability. This was especially true for single engine aircraft used for training. As a consequence the portable traffic signal light gun was used to control the take off and landing of many of the aircraft using the airport. As World War II progressed virtually all military aircraft coming off of the assembly line were equipped with two-way radio capability which greatly improved the orderly control of traffic. However, two-way radio communication problems between ATC and aircraft were quite frequent prior to introduction off very high frequency (VHF) radio capability. VHF radio or, what we today call single channel simplex started to be introduced into the system around 1943. Communication problems occurred for a variety of reasons The quality of the high frequency, 3105KC used by aircraft to communicate with the tower and, low frequency of 251KC used by the tower, were greatly affected by the low wattage output of transmitters in use. They were also greatly affected by thunderstorms, bending of the signal, night affect, snow and other anomalies. Static was a serious problem before VHF Radio¹s became the norm. Many times the static was so severe that neither the pilot nor ATC were able to understand what was being said. At other times you could clearly hear aircraft hundreds of miles away yet, you couldn¹t understand a transmission from an aircraft only a few miles from the airport. Some of the problem was with the equipment in the airplane. Pilots had to dial the frequency they wanted to listen to. In many cases the dial on the receiver in the cockpit was susceptible to being accidentally moved off of the selected position after it was set up. Or the signal drifted off of the set frequency. In addition, early vacuum tube radios didn¹t hold up very well when subjected to the rigors of heat, cold, long flights, engine vibrations and landing/takeoff stresses. Most aircraft were not equipped with back up receivers and transmitters so when an aircraft radio went out the pilot was

pretty much at the mercy of his environment and there wasn¹t much ATC could do to help. As World War II traffic increased we outgrew the little tower on the Administration building and moved into a control tower on top of newly constructed Operations building. I was in the new tower in 1942 when I saw the first airline DC-3 land at the newly opened Washington National Airport (now called Reagan National) located across the Potomac River. The opening of National Airport resulted in more traffic and complexity and additional coordination was required because of the close proximity of the three airports. In 1943, the first contingent of WAVES was assigned to the tower. The architect for the tower cab must have been accustomed to building battle ships because to get up into the new tower you had to climb a thirteen-foot vertical ladder. This was quite a challenge for the WAVES, but they adapted to it very quickly. This was as fine a group of ladies as I have ever been associated with and they did an outstanding job. They were not the first to enter the ATC service but they certainly laid a good foundation for the many fine female controllers who followed and who are currently in military and civil air traffic control. When I went into ATC the Navy didn't have a designated rating for ATC. This meant if you wanted a promotion and the money that went with it, you had to study and take examinations for a rating in an allied aviation field. As a consequence I attained the rate of First Class Aviation Machinist Mate while working in the tower. Around 1943 the Navy came up with a Specialist (Y) rating for air traffic controllers in the reserves. Since I was in the Regular Navy I retained my Aviation Machinist Mate rating until I left the Navy after six plus year of service at which time my rate was changed to Specialist (Y). Following four more years in the Navy reserves I was promoted to Air Control Chief (ACC). In 1944, I was transferred to Dunkswell, England, the Fleet Air Wing -7 Base. Unlike many of my shipmates, who had to take a troop ship and dodge German U-boats, several of use sailors embarked from the La Guardia Airport Seaplane Base and flew to Ireland on a twin engine Pan American

Airlines seaplane. The airplane, which had been pressed into military service, had a cargo of mail, no seats and no heat so we kept our pea coats on and lay on top of the mailbags. Following a refueling stop in Botwood Newfoundland we landed in Lough Neagh, a large lake near Belfast Northern Ireland. We had a chance to visit Belfast before we boarded an Air Force C-47 to London. At the time London was still being buzz-bombed but we were lucky that no bombs were encountered the night we were there. The next morning we took the train to Taunton where the Dunkswell Airport was located. Fleet Air Wing -7 was the Navy¹s B-24 North Atlantic Submarine Patrol Bomber Group which operated from Dunkswell and made daily flights tracking down and destroying German submarines in the North Atlantic and English Channel. Since the Royal Airforce (RAF) provided the ATC services at Dunkswell I was assigned to handle flight control at the Harrowbeer Airport in the south of England. This was an RAF base whose fighter aircraft had been moved to the continent after the Normandy Invasion and use of the airport was turned over to the Navy. The Admiral and his staff, who were located in close by Plymouth, used the airport. The traffic was light, consisting of a daily mail courier flight, some logistic flights for the Admiral and an occasional AF or RAF refueling stop. Flight control was more like a combined tower/dispatch office where pilots came in to get the weather and file flight plans. I was the only controller on the base but this didn¹t pose a problem because most of the operations took place during the daytime. Since traffic was light I could handle most of it without too much airport observation. However, on the occasion when it got busy I could step out on the deck overlooking the ramp to get a better view of the traffic pattern. I bunked in the operations building down the hall from flight control so that if something came up at night or early in the morning I was on hand to take care of it. While I was on assignment at the Harrowbeer Airport a couple of enlisted pilots (APs) and I were recommended for temporary appointments to commissioned rank.

I was 21 years old at the time and it was an honor to be recommended for a commission but the war ended and I never heard anymore about it. When the war ended in Europe I was detailed back to the main base at Dunkswell and had an opportunity to take a B-24 sight seeing flight over some of the D-Day Beaches and famous French battle fields. After a few days of inactivity we were issued fire axes and ordered to get on the wings of the B-24s that were still on the base and disable them. Several days later we took a train to Glasgow, Scotland to board the Queen Mary bound for New York with 14,000 other Yanks. We arrived in the New York harbor on June 20 1945 amid a lot of fanfare. I finished my Navy career in the Navy Argentina, Newfoundland Control Tower. After leaving the Navy in 1947, with 6+ years of regular Navy service I went to work for the Civil Aeronautics Administration as a controller in the Washington National Airport Control Tower. In view of the many years I spent working in the Navy Anacostia Control Tower, across the river from Washington National Airport and, considering my knowledge of the area, this was a natural transition. Radar, specifically Precision Approach Radar (PAR/GCA), was used for IFR approaches by the military in the latter part of the war in Europe and the Pacific. The first MIT Experimental Mark 1 GCA unit was transported from Norfolk Virginia to the RAF Bomber Command, Elsham Wolds, England aboard the HM Battleship Queen Elizabeth in June of 1943. By the end of the war GCAs were operating throughout the Western Pacific and Europe. I didn't come in contact with radar until it was first introduced into civil use at Washington National in 1948. Four surplus Gillfillin MPN-1 GCA Trailers were obtained from the Air Force and commissioned at Washington National Airport, LaGuardia Airport in New York and, the Chicago Midway Airport. These military radar units were located off the end of the main instrument runway. Those of us who were checked out as GCA controllers alternated our work schedule between the tower and the trailer until around 1950 when the radar information from the trailer was remoted into the tower.

Tower controllers had to use their personal vehicles to reach the trailer. There was no paved road-just nice gooey mud. Although the Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) was available at a few of the major airports in 1948 most airline aircraft didn't have the electronic equipment on board to make an ILS approach. As a consequence GCA was used extensively to conduct approaches for aircraft that didn't have ILS equipment or whose minimums were too high to make an instrument approach. Radar in these early days was credited with many saves, it greatly increased arrival rates, eliminated missed approaches and diversions to alternate airports. It was considered a dramatic new ATC tool and, as you all know, to this day is the backbone of the civil and military ATC system. As we gained more experience with radar in early 1949 and the 1950s we began to innovate by aiding approach control sequence aircraft making timed approaches during IFR weather. In timed approaches, a pilot was issued a time to leave the final approach fix on final approach. Depending on where the aircraft was in the holding pattern had a great effect on how accurately the pilot could judge his position with respect to the final fix and leave the fix at the specified time. It was not unusual therefore, for the desired 3-minute interval being stretched to 4, 5, 6 or more minutes simply because the pilot, through no fault of his, was at the wrong end of the holding pattern when the clearance was received. As a consequence he couldn't get to the fix at the designated time. Using radar we could see when aircraft were not in a position to make the time assigned. In such cases we would often come on the approach control frequency and advise the pilot that if he started his in-bound turn now (instead of going to the end of the holding pattern), he would get to the marker inbound on time. We didn't always get the aircraft there at the exact time but through such tactics we greatly reduced delays and demonstrated to pilots and others that radar could be a valuable tool in sequencing, spacing, and expediting traffic. Acceptance of radar services was a pilot's prerogative.

While most pilots appreciated radar assistance, there were a few airline captains who wanted nothing to do with radar and let us know in no uncertain terms that they would not accept radar advice or sequencing. These pilots were from the old school that didn¹t want anyone on the ground to tell them how to fly their airplane. We honored their request and continued to expedite traffic by working around them. In the other extreme there were pilots who liked radar. I'll never forget the captain of a red eye flight from Detroit who would request a GCA approach every morning. He would admonish us to keep it clean and make it sound good because he was going to pipe it into the cabin to wake up the passengers. As traffic became more congested and approach and departure delays mounted, manual control with its excessive separation minima and less efficient procedures was replaced by radar procedures. By the mid 1950 virtually all traffic in and out of major civil airports, like DCA, LGA, CHI, LAX, DAL, ATC, MIA, and BOS was being controlled by radar. Within a few years radar was commissioned in all enroute centers and every airport where traffic densities justified the expense. The massive world- wide radar based civil ATC system we have today had some of it¹s beginning in the modest Gillfilin MPN-1 GCA Trailers located off the end of the main runways at the Washington National, LaGaurda, Newark and Chicago Midway Airports.

Andy Pitas, Leesburg, Virginia

A Navy ensign walks into a seedy cafe in a small town outside the gates of Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas. He sits at the counter and notices a chief with his arms folded staring blankly at a bowl of chili.

After 15 minutes of watching the chief stare at the chili, the ensign works up the courage to ask, "If you're not gonna eat

that, mind if I do?"The chief slowly turns his head toward the young Ensign. In

his best chiefly manner, he says, "Nah, go ahead."The young Ensign eagerly reaches over and slides the bowl

over to his place. He spoons down the chili with delight. He gets nearly down to the bottom when he sees a dead mouse in the chili.

The sight was shocking. The ensign immediately pukes up the chili back into the bowl.

The chief says, "Yep, that's as far as I got, too."

US NAVY GCA / ATC ASSOCIATIONSEPTEMBER 13 - 17, 2006

HOLIDAY INN SELECT MSP AIRPORT - BLOOMINGTON, MN

Wednesday, September 131:00pm-6:00pm Reunion Registration Open Golf Tournament ** Hospitality Room open for the duration of the reunion Evening and Dinner on your own Thursday, September 148:00am - 8:30am Reunion Registration Open 9:00am - 12:00pm TWIN CITIES TOUR (description follows) 3:30pm - 5:00pm Reunion Registration open 5:30pm - 11:00pm CHANHASSEN DINNER THEATRE (description follows)

Friday, September 159:00am - 9:30am Reunion Registration open 10:00am - 3:30pm LUNCH AND LOCK CRUISE (description follows) 4:00pm - 5:00pm Reunion Registration open. Additional hours will be posted at the reunion if necessary. Evening and Dinner on your own Saturday, September 169:00am Business Meeting Ladies may take hotel shuttle to Mall of America Free Afternoon 5:00pm - 7:00pm Cash Bar Reception and Pictures 7:00pm Banquet begins Sunday, September 17 Farewells and Departures

**INFORMATION FOR THE GOLF TOURNAMENT WILL BE NEXT NEWSLETTER CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY FOR ARMED FORCES REUNIONS, INC.For attendees canceling reunion activities prior to the cut-off date, Armed Forces Reunions, Inc. (AFR) shall process a full refund less the non-refundable AFR registration fee ($5 per person). Attendees canceling reunion activities after the cut-off date will be refunded to the fullest extent that AFR's vendor commitments and guarantees will allow, less the non-refundable AFR registration fee. Cancellations will only be taken Monday through Friday from 9:00am until 5:00pm Eastern Standard Time, excluding holidays. Please call (757) 625-6401 or email cancel@afri.com to cancel reunion activities and obtain a cancellation code. Refunds processed 4-6 weeks after reunion. Canceling your hotel reservation does not cancel your reunion activities.

US NAVY GCA / ATC ASSOCIATIONTour Descriptions

TWIN CITIES TOURThursday, September 14

Board bus for a narrated tour of the Twin Cities: St. Paul, born of whiskey, and Minneapolis, born of waterpower. St. Paul resembles an Eastern city, a mix of old and new buildings along angled, hilly avenues that stop and start. See the State Capitol, Cathedral of St. Paul, Rice Park, and Millionaire's Row where Great Northern Railroad builder James J. Hill and novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald once lived. Then it's on to Minneapolis where you'll see parading sleek towers of glass, stone, and steel along straightforward streets sensibly based on flat land. See the IDS Center, Nicolet Mall, and the many cultural institutions that make Minneapolis such a city on the move.

9:00am board bus, 12:00pm back at hotel.$26/Person includes bus and guide. Lunch on your own.

CHANHASSEN DINNER THEATREThursday, September 14

Board bus for Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. Enjoy a served dinner of your choice from a menu featuring several entrees. Dinner includes coffee and tea, but cash bar items and desserts may be purchased

Board bus for a narrated tour of the Twin Cities: St. Paul, born of whiskey, and Minneapolis, born of waterpower. St. Paul resembles an Eastern city, a mix of old and new buildings along angled, hilly avenues that stop and start. See the State Capitol, Cathedral of St. Paul, Rice Park, and Millionaire's Row where Great Northern Railroad builder James J. Hill and novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald once lived. Then it's on to Minneapolis where you'll see parading sleek towers of glass, stone, and steel along straightforward streets sensibly based on flat land. See the IDS Center, Nicolet Mall, and the many cultural institutions that make Minneapolis such a city on the move. 9:00am board bus, 12:00pm back at hotel.

$26/Person includes bus and guide. Lunch on your own.

CHANHASSEN DINNER THEATREThursday, September 14

Board bus for Chanhassen Dinner Theatre. Enjoy a served dinner of your choice from a menu featuring several entrees. Dinner includes coffee and tea, but cash bar items and desserts may be purchased separately. Sit back and enjoy the show, Singin' In the Rain. This fabulously boisterous musical comedy is based on one of the most popular movie musicals of all time. Singin' in the Rain will have you dancing in the streets!

5:30pm board bus, 11:00pm back at hotel.$78/Person includes bus, escort, and dinner show.

LUNCH AND LOCK CRUISE

Enjoy a special four-hour trip from Harriet Island, St. Paul, up river through Lock and Dam #1 into Minneapolis and return. Listen to lively banjo music and take in the spectacular scenery. Start your cruise with muffins, fresh fruit and coffee or fruit juice. Enjoy plenty of sightseeing, a historical narration by the captain and pass through one of America's deepest locks. Save room for a big lunch of boneless baked breast of chicken, mashed potatoes with homemade gravy, vegetable, creamy coleslaw, dinner roll and coffee. In the afternoon enjoy a treat of cookies and lemonade.Note: This trip requires a minimum of fifty people.

10:00am board bus, 3:30pm back at hotel.$69/Person includes bus, escort, and lunch cruise.

Driver and Guide gratuities are not included in the tour prices.Please plan to be at the bus boarding area at least five minutes prior to the scheduled time.

Unless otherwise noted, all tours require a minimum of thirty people.

HOLIDAY INN SELECT MINNEAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT952-854-9000 or 800-465-4329

The Holiday Inn Select Minneapolis International Airport is located at Three Appletree Square, I-1494 & 34th Avenue South, Bloomington, MN 55425. Call the hotel for accurate driving directions. The hotel is the just one mile from the MSP International Airport and fifteen minutes from Downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul, the Metrodome Center and the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Holiday Inn offers 430 guest rooms in a thirteen-story hotel. Amenities include a gift shop, full-service health club with whirlpool spa, sauna, tanning and massage facilities, an indoor junior-sized Olympic pool, on-site guest self-laundry facilities, complimentary USA Today newspaper delivered Monday-Friday to guestrooms, and free hi-speed Internet access in all guestrooms. Each guest room is furnished with a coffee maker, complimentary coffee, iron/ironing board, hair dryer, and remote control television. Handicapped-accessible and non-smoking rooms are subject to availability. Please request these special accommodations when making your hotel reservation. Complimentary parking is provided for hotel guests. Check-in time is 3:00pm; check-out time is 12:00noon. The Greenhouse Lounge and Harvest Café restaurant offer on-site meals to guests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Room service is available.

The Holiday Inn has complimentary 24-hour airport shuttle service to and from the MPS International Airport. After retrieving your baggage, use the courtesy phone located in the baggage claim area of the airport to call the hotel. They will send a hotel van for you.

Please advise the hotel if you will need space to park an RV as a guest staying in the hotel. Should you require hookup services for an RV, the Minneapolis/St. Paul East KOA campground is located just off I-94 ten minutes east of St. Paul and fifteen to twenty minutes from Minneapolis and the Mall of America. Please call (651) 436-6436 for information, and directions. Call (800) 562-3640 to make a reservation.

Should you need to rent a wheelchair for the reunion, ScootAround rents both manual and power wheel chairs by the day and week. Please call their toll free number at (888) 441-7575 for details. All prices quoted include delivery fees.

Vendor, schedules, and prices are subject to change.

*********************************CUT HERE AND MAIL TO THE HOTEL ************************************

U. S. NAVY GCA/ATC ASSOCIATION - HOTEL RESERVATION FORMREUNION DATES: SEPTEMBER 13 - 17, 2006

Should you call in your reservation, let the reservations clerk know you are with theU. S. Navy GCA/ATC Association - 952-854-9000 or 800-465-4329

NAME PHONE ( )

ADDRESS ZIP

ARRIVAL DATE APPROX. TIME DEPARTURE DATE

# of rooms__ # of people __ Smoking __ Non-smoking __ Handicap Access __King Bed __ 2 Double Beds__

(If room type requested is not available, nearest room type will be assigned)RATE: $89.00 (single/double) $104 (suite) + tax (currently 13.50%). Rate will be honored three days before and after reunion dates upon availability. (Suites include living room area, second TV, microwave and refrigerator. Available with one king or two double beds. Limited availability.) CUT OFF DATE: 08/11/06 Reservations received after this date will be processed on space & rate availability.CANCELLATION POLICY: Deposit is refundable if reservation is cancelled by 6:00pm on your arrival day. All reservations must be guaranteed by credit card or first night's deposit, enclosed.

AMEX DINERS VISA MASTERCARD DISCOVER

CARD NUMBER___________________________________________ Exp. Date

Signature (regardless of payment method)

Mail to: Holiday Inn Select Minneapolis, Three Appletree Square, 1494 & 34th Avenue, Bloomington, MN 55425, Attn. Reservations

US NAVY GCA / ATC ASSN. ACTIVITY REGISTRATION FORMListed below are all registration, tour, and meal costs for the reunion. Please enter how many people will be participating in each event and total the amount. Send that amount payable to ARMED FORCES REUNIONS, INC. in the form of check or money order (no credit cards or phone reservations accepted). Your cancelled check will serve as your confirmation. Returned checks will be charged a $20 fee. All registration forms and payments must be received by mail on or before August 11, 2006. After that date, reservations will be accepted on a space available basis. We suggest you make a copy of this form before mailing. Please do not staple or tape your payment to this form.

Armed Forces Reunions, Inc. OFFICE USE ONLY322 Madison Mews Check # _________ Date Received _________Norfolk, VA 23510 Inputted _________ Nametag Completed _____ATTN: GCA / ATC

CUT-OFF DATE IS 8/11/06Price Per

# of People Total

TOURSTHURSDAY: CITY TOUR $26 $THURSDAY: CHANHASSEN DINNER THEATRE $78 $FRIDAY: LUNCH AND LOCK CRUISE $69 $

MEALSSATURDAY: BANQUET (Please select your entrée) SLICED SIRLOIN $28 $ BROILED SALMON w/ LEMON CREAM SAUCE $28 $ CHAMPAGNE CHICKEN $26 $

MANDATORY PER PERSON REGISTRATION FEEIncludes Hospitality Room and administrative expenses. Registration Fee for members (only those who served) $20 $ Registration Fee for non-members, spouses, and/or guests $17 $

Total Amount Payable to Armed Forces Reunions, Inc. $

PLEASE PRINT

FIRST __________________________LAST __________________________NICKNAME _____________________ SPOUSE NAME (IF ATTENDING)__________________________________________________________________

GUEST NAMES________________________________________________________________________________

STREET ADDRESS_____________________________________________________________________________

CITY, ST, ZIP________________________________________________PH. NUMBER (______)_______-_______

DISABILITY/DIETARY RESTRICTIONS_____________________________________________________________(Sleeping room requirements must be conveyed by attendee directly with hotel)

MUST YOU BE LIFTED HYDRAULICALLY ONTO THE BUS WHILE SEATED IN YOUR WHEELCHAIR IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN BUS TRIPS? YES NO (PLEASE NOTE THAT WE CANNOT GUARANTEE AVAILABILITY).

EMERGENCY CONTACT________________________________________ PH. NUMBER (_____)_____-________

ARRIVAL DATE ______________________________DEPARTURE DATE_________________________________

ARE YOU STAYING AT THE HOTEL? YES NO ARE YOU FLYING? DRIVING?RV?

For refunds and cancellations please refer to our policies outlined at the bottom of the reunion program. CANCELLATIONS WILL ONLY BE TAKEN MONDAY-FRIDAY 9:00am-5:00pm EASTERN TIME (excluding holidays). Call (757) 625-6401 or email cancel@afri.com to cancel reunion activities and obtain a cancellation code. Refunds processed 4-6 weeks after reunion.