MY MEMORIES

Charles Glenn Petersen

1956 - Air Force Years

Keesler Air Force Base (continued)

By now, we were finished with our Basic Training, given promotion to Airman Third Class (one stripe), and the long sought after Class A pass. Freedom at last, sort of. Can’t do much with no transportation and little money on or off base.

The electronic training for the second part was learning the operational part of large search radar plus an emphasis on trouble shooting problems. Again I graduated at the top of the class and was awarded a second promotion to Airman Second Class (two stripes). We were then given our next duty assignments. Half the class was assigned to Japan and the other half to Labrador. My brother and I were both assigned to a remote radar site near Hopedale on the east coast of Labrador. Labrador is presently part of the Newfoundland Province, but unlike Newfoundland, it is not an island but a small strip of land along the northeast coast of Canada. The Hopedale radar site was on the eastern end of the Mid-Canadian Line of radar defense.