Received From Dennis Adolph on 25 October, 2008

J.C.

If you ever do an update you might correct the start date for Project Hawkeye. I think your DVD has it beginning in 1965 but I was on it at TSN from May-July 1964. I was one of two Security Service radio operator types that were TDY from Yokota AB, Japan. I may still have those orders someplace. I was a last minute (and I do mean last minute) replacement for one individual who had to go home on emergency leave. I remember that part very clearly because I had to get 7 shots at one time in the afternoon and the next evening I was in a tent at TSN not feeling very good. I think I still have my form 781 showing the mission dates/hours flown. Some of them were 1 hours flights meaning that the equipment was not working. I do not know the tail number of the aircraft and the only pictures of it I have are of us standing in the doorway or leaning against nthe wing. At that time the aircraft was painted a gray/white and was not camoflaged. The aircraft returned to the states in July 1964 for further modification. The front end crew were Air Commandos out of Florida (Hurlbert or Eglin I think).

Dennis

J.C.

I just came back from the Hawkeye web site, what a surprise that was. I didn't know it existed and I have many of those same pictures, I saw where you already had our names. One minor correction is that the MSgt supervisor's last name is spelled wrong it should be "Guerrero" I'm not 100% sure of the spelling but I know that the name ended in "ro." He came from Yokota also but was not a radio operator type, he was in fact a Russian linguist and was there as a project manager/supervisor of the Security service side of the project and had control over us. For example I remember one time the AC wanted to fly into Laos (where things were pretty hot at the time) but he refused to allow us to go due to the risk envolved (I guess he thought we knew too much for our own good) so of course they could not fly the mission. I remember that clearly since the AC was upset and complained that he wasn't going to go the "Plain of Jars" (that was were all the fighting was) but he had no control over us on the ground.

I don't remember the pilots name but they were kind of hot rodders. They would fly down in the valleys and if you looked out both sides of the aircraft all you could see was green jungle. They would also like to wave hop up the coast to Danang, gaining a little altitude to get over the sand bars then dropping back down.

Dennis

Received From Dennis Adolph on 14 November, 2008

Dennis Writes;

Sorry it took a while to get back to you. I did find my form 5's and the TDY voucher from Japan to TSN and back. I'm attaching the original orders and the amendment that substituted me for James Horton. If you notice, the date on my orders is 30 April 1964 and that is also the date I left for Viet Nam. I also attached a picture of our place of residence while at TSN. What a shock to my system...one day I was living the good life with my girl friend and 24 hours later I was in a tent with a bunch of guys. I have no complete pictures of the aircraft, only of myself and the other guys and you don't need any more of those. I also do not know, nor could I find anything with a tail number. I had trouble scanning the documents but I think they should be readable, if not let me know.

We had no clue what we were going to do once there. MSgt Guererro (or maybe Guererra.....I told JC that I thought it was Guererro, but the more I think about it the more I'm unsure of the last letter of the name, could be an "a" I guess) had gone there a little earlier. I think the main reason we were picked was because we were single guys because when we arrived I remember being told by MSgt Guererro (a) that he was disapponted seeing us because he had requested other names (they were married). He later apologized to us for those comments.

We departed the 6988th SS at Yokota AB Japan on 30 April 1964 and arrived at TSN on 1 May 1964, we departed TSN and went back to Yokota on 7 July 1964. The first mission I flew was on 9 April 1964 and the last one was on 6 July 1964 afterwhich the plane returned to the States. My form 5 says that it was a C47D type aircraft. I had 33 missions total, six of them were from 1-2 hours and that normally meant doppler radar problems. I don't recall having any problems with the "X" and "Y" positions themselves. During that period we went to Danang five times (would stay 1-2 days). I can't remember having a KY8 type communications systems but not sure. I do remember having a manual encryption system similar to the one we used later in the program when the KY8 failed. Targets may have been called to the Army DSU or turned in upon landing but not certain which (or maybe both).

I don't believe there were any Security Service units in country at that time. Everything we received or sent relating to the Security Service side went through the AFSSO. The closest SS units at that time were at Clark AB and in Bangkok. If there were units in country it seems I would have heard of them. I don't know the activation date of the unit in Danang but I do know they were up and running in 1965 when I visited their site. I don't know where the people were who did ARDF system maintenance. I assume they must have been civilian but have no recollections of them. I do remember the aircraft flying to Clark AB, Philippines a few times for some unknown, but part of the reason was for a goodie run, I seem to recall them bringing back a refridgerator, but whether that was the primary reason or not I don't know. Us backend SS types did not go with them. I do remember being surpriesed at how much leeway the A/C had in deciding when and where to take the aircraft (or it seemed that way to me anyway). Flying out of Yokota and later in other places the aircraft was taken where we (USAFSS) wanted them to go.

As I mentioned the antennas on the aircraft were hoola hoops, one under each wing and one under the nose (none on top). Theye were fixed and parallel to the fuselage (edges pointing fore and aft) I would estimate the diameter to be about 18". I seem to remember some sort of device between the pilot and co-polit position relating to the doppler radar. It had some sort of a map on rollers with a marking pen, as the aircraft moved the map would move and the pen would indicate the location of the aircraft (or something like that, ever hear of such a thing?). I'm not 100% sure about this, I'm 100% sure there was sure a device but I may have seen it someplace else. I remember it as being in the aircraft but was in the Hawkeye or someplace else, as I think about it now it seems rather cumbersome and difficult

If you have any questions please get back to me. If you see what you believe to be errors please let me know as I would like to update and correct my memory bank.

I see you have an email of A292x1, our AFSC was ERA292x1. Either the "E" or the "R" had to do with secrity clearance type but the other letter I don't remember. It could have been to seperate the USAFSS 292x1's on flying status from one another for assignment purposes (ARDF from another program). Did you ever hear of a A292x1 going from a ARDF unit in Viet Nam to another USAFSS flying unit without first having been assigned to one before? I do know it worked the other way.

Keep in touch,

Dennis