380th OMS Forums

Arrive at Barracks golf course club house at 1845 and take in the beautiful surroundings that the base course has to offer. We are met at the door by one of the staff and asked if we are there to attend the OMS reunion. We smile and say “yes we are” and are directed to the club house back room. We walk through the door to see large tables all set to accommodate eating and drinking. There is a memento table with great ‘artifacts’ from days gone by.

Folks roll in a few at a time and we exchange hellos, hugs, and handshakes. Over at the bar drinks are purchased and shared with great stories of the ‘old days’. A slideshow is playing on a television above the bar with photo’s covering thirty plus years of military memories. Everyone takes a moment to watch for a picture they recognize before walking away with their drink.

Around 1900 hours the wonderful BBQ is presented buffet style to the hungry guests. As the steamer covers are lifted the smells of pork ribs and boneless breast of chicken fill the air. A heaping pile of homemade macaroni and cheese the likes of which I haven’t seen since ‘mom’ made it years ago. Also ears of corn steamed to perfection and yummy potato salad with just the right flavor. Everyone fills their plate at least once and feels stuffed once they are done.

The rest of the evening is filled with music and folks chatting about the times they spent at Plattsburgh and what they have done since. Some folks retreat to the grassy area outside overlooking the golf course. A cool breeze is blowing and some hardwoods shelter us from the late day sun. I personally had the opportunity to meet close to twenty people that prior to this night I had never spoken with. Stories I will never forget and friendships that are forged for the rest of my life.

Saturday we spend some time driving around the old base snapping shots of all the wonderful stone and brick buildings. We also venture onto what once was the new base to see some of the devastation caused by the weather ‘event’ that occurred earlier in the week. Trees uprooted, fences bent and in some places repaired already, building insulation strewn across parking areas from hanger roofs that were ripped off. There is also a device that measures wind that has been tipped over on its side.

We meet Mike Korotkow at the fire station promptly at 1300 hours to board the tour bus. Mike greets us with a smile and a look of a man who has worked hard this past week dealing with all the issues caused by the storm. He gathers us up and escorts us to the bus waiting on the other side of the building in the ‘secured’ area. The bus is very comfortable and air conditioned which is a god send on the hot sunny day it turns out to be. Off we go traveling around the flight line taking a close look at each hanger and sharing stories of what they once were and Mike and crew explaining what they are being utilized for now.

A stop in front of the Alert pad shows us the partial uncovering of the lower levels near the access holes. Mike tells us these mole holes are filled with asbestos and high levels of PCB’s that was used in the mastic for each bolt attaching the tunnels together. They are slowly unearthing these tunnels so they can be crushed and removed off site to one of only three allowable landfills in the US. Then the rest of the building will be removed to make way for progress. Perhaps a hotel or some other service facility for the ever expanding airport that stands nearby.

The nearly new Air Terminal can be seen from the pad and it is beautiful. Brick and stonework around the outside frame a huge window that allows folks to view in the direction of where once the bunkers for the bomb laden FB-111’s on alert. There is such a high demand for this terminal that already expansion is under way to accommodate more planes and flights. It is nice to see the flight line is not lying dormant. Mike bids all the folks a dew as we depart the bus and head out for a quick respite before the final party at the Naked Turtle later in the evening.

Some of us meet Jake Wilson at the Peru dock to ride across Lake Champlain to Valcour Island. Jake has a beautiful Sun Tracker pontoon boat complete with galley and bathroom. It even has a water slide in the back and upper deck. It is a grand ride out to the island where a sandy beach with shade trees and a cooling breeze perfect for relaxing. Some folks go for a swim while others sip cocktails and kick back on chairs, logs, and even in the sand. This was truly a great opportunity that if it weren’t for Jake would not have been possible. Finally we leave the island to get ready for the events of the evening at the naked turtle.

Arriving at the Naked Turtle at 1845 there are already a few salty dogs sipping cocktails on the deck overlooking the harbor. We join them by ordering a drink ourselves and spend the rest of the evening enjoying food and friends. What a great place to gather with a view of the docks and the expensive boats floating in the harbor. The food at the Turtle was incredible, surpassing all of my expectations and filling my hunger allowing me to share in a complimentary shot of forty plus year old whiskey. Paul Davies was given a Jim Beam decanter of 100 month old whiskey in the design of the ‘short timer’ back in the mid seventies. This helmet over combat boots decanter held a smooth whiskey that several of the crew chiefs enjoyed at least one or more shots of courage. Thanks so much to Paul for that opportunity.

In closing I just want to thank everyone who came to the reunion. Each reunion I attend gives me the chance to speak with so many good people that carry with them the same values for God and country that I do and appreciate all that is has provided us. We take things for granted sometimes and it is during these moments that we share together we are reminded of that saying "Life is not measured by the breaths you take; it is measured by the moments that take your breath away".