ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION UPPER HEYFORD Memorial Web Site "Gone But Not Forgotten"

20th Munitions Maintenance Squadron

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The 1970's

The 320th Munitions Maintenance Squadron was redesignated on 1 September 1972 to become the 20th Munitions Maintenance Squadron. The 20th Munitions Maintenance Squadron was inactivated on 31 October 1981. 320th Munitions Maintenance Squadron Patch submitted by Terry Horstead.

"Delivery." Submitted by Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

"Jammers." Submitted by Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

"Munitions storage area main gate". Submitted by Nigel Dawe, Research Historian, The Ridgeway Military & Aviation Research Group, based at RAF Welford, Newbury, Berkshire.

"Munitions storage area main gate". Submitted by Nigel Dawe, Research Historian, The Ridgeway Military & Aviation Research Group, based at RAF Welford, Newbury, Berkshire.

"GBU 38 preload in load barn." Submitted by Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

"Practice Loads inside the Load Barn." Submitted by Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

Submitted by Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

Submitted by Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

"At the bomb trailer on a transfer of MK-82 snakeyes for MK-20's. Very cold that day." Submitted by Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

"Ready for Alert Area." Submitted by Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

"Remember this?" Submitted by Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

A 1978 clipping from The Vanguard about the mission of the 20th Munitions Maintenance Squadron by Major James C. Johnson, Commander, MMS. Submitted by Rick Belt, 20th MMS, May 1978 - May 1980.

Load Crew Competition winners - April 1979. Clipping from The Vanguard. Submitted by Rick Belt, 20th MMS, May 1978 - May 1980.

"The 20th MMS Dorm." Submitted by Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

Don King, 20th MMS, 1978 - 1980.

"Mike Winkleman and Doug Pampalona taken on the day Doug PCS'ed from UH,in 1979. Mike and Doug were pretty close friends and they both were part of the gang that I hung out with. Doug was a "nuke puke" (463, Nuclear Weapons Specialist) and worked in the WSA. When these guys started leaving Heyford, I knew I had become an "old timer"." Submitted by Rick Belt, 20th MMS, May 1978 - May 1980.

"Terry the way I've always remembered him, with a bottle of Rosie O'Grady wine in his hand. He was an old school Ammo troop who lived life fast and hard. He was the quintessential "barracks animal"." Submitted by Rick Belt, 20th MMS, May 1978 - May 1980.

"Bus-stop 1979. From left to right are: Rick Whisman, Chuck Magill (background), Mike Winkleman (now SMSgt. Winkleman), SSgt. Terry Marciniak, William "Bubba" Bowick, Ron Spradling, and Henry LaFrance. All 20th MMS troops. We all went this day to the bus stop to see Sgt. Marciniak off as he PCS'ed from Heyford. He was the most notable guy who lived with us in the barracks and the whole barracks turned out to see him off." Submitted by Rick Belt, 20th MMS, May 1978 - May 1980.

"64 Jag MMS parking lot "new" barracks, Chow Hall in background." Submitted by Dan Hartnett, 20th MMS, Nov 1975 - Nov 1977.

"Triumph T-110 behind Bldg 400? about 1976 or 77." Submitted by Dan Hartnett, 20th MMS, Nov 1975 - Nov 1977.

"Iron Horsemen M.C. Club Patch." Submitted by Dan Hartnett, 20th MMS, Nov 1975 - Nov 1977.

Randolf T. Hinkle appears in this newspaper clipping from The Vanguard, February 16, 1979. Submitted by Rick Belt, 20th MMS, May 1978 - May 1980.

A1C Richard D. Herriage appears in this clipping from The Vanguard, November 10, 1978. Submitted by Rick Belt, 20th MMS, May 1978 - May 1980.

Certificate Of Merit Submitted by James Burrell, 20th MMS, bomb crew 12, Sep 1975 - Sep 1977.

The 1980's

Airman First Class Steve Baldwin drives munitions for an F-111E aircraft of the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing to an assembly area. (Released to Public) DoD photo taken by Chief Master Sgt. Don Sutherland on 1 Jan 1988.

Airman 1st Class Steve Jones checks a BLU-107 bomb. (Released to Public) DoD photo by Chief Master Sgt. Don Sutherland on 30 Nov 1988.

Staff Sergeant Johnny VanMeter and Airman Gerald Green monitor the loading of Mark 84 bombs. (Released to Public) DoD photo taken by Chief Master Sgt. Don Sutherland on 1 Jan 1988.

Munitions crew members use an MJ1 weapons loader to remove Durandal bombs from their crates. (Released to Public) DoD photo taken by Chief Master Sgt. Don Sutherland on 1 Jan 1988.	Airman First Class (A1C) Steve Menger, left, checks a bomb release unit; A1C David Shelton monitors the process. (Released to Public) DoD photo taken by Chief Master Sgt. Don Sutherland on 1 Jan 1988.
TSgt. Marvin Paskewitz, SSGT Mark Fleming, and A1C Charles Craft position a training model of a Durandal penetration bomb on a trailer chassis. (Released to Public) DoD photo taken by Chief Master Sgt. Don Sutherland on 30 Nov 1988.	Airman Randall Cramer and Sergeant Steve Snyder attach a tail fin retarder to a Mark 84 bomb. (Released to Public) DoD photo taken by Chief Master Sgt. Don Sutherland on 30 Nov 1988.

The 2000's

Aerial photo of Heyford I thought you might be interested in the attached aerial photograph of Upper Heyford taken from around 3000 feet up in July 2004. I’m the safety manager for Cosmic Fireworks, one of the companies currently based at Upper Heyford. I have a private pilots licence and took the photo whilst on a pleasure flight around the local area. I’m happy for you to publish the picture on your website. Regards Andy Hubble General Manager Star Fireworks Office 01344 425321 Mobile 07973 210225 andy@starfireworks.co.uk Website: http://www.bracknell-fireworks.co.uk part of the Cosmic Group of Companies Star Fireworks - the new name for Bracknell Fireworks Submitted by Andy Hubble, General Manager, Star Fireworks.

Submitted by Andy Hubble General Manager Star Fireworks

Memorabilia

Submitted courtesy of Steve Lewis of Bicester, Oxfordshire. Duane My name is Steve Lewis and I am writing from my home in Bicester, Oxfordshire, which is quite near to the former RAF site at Upper Heyford. My sister's first husband was a serviceman at the base – Sergeant Frank Endaya – who was in Ammo. She met him in 1988 and they married in March 1989 and then emigrated to live on the Eglin base in Florida from June 1989. I am attaching some photos of a very special piece of memorabilia. I believe that these jackets were customised for the various “teams” that worked the base and, as the pictures show, they were also personalised for the owner. I also understand that they were only ordered once or twice each year (presumably when new people arrived), which meant that although they were fairly common around the base in those days, they were also something of a limited edition. I was very lucky in that my future brother-in-law ordered Ammo jackets for him, my sister and also for me in May 1989. I have always treasured my jacket because it was so unusual and it frequently became a talking point when I was out and about. I remember one evening, shortly after Frank and my sister had emigrated, that I was in a pub in Kidlington (where I lived then) and that there was a small group of Americans standing at the bar. They saw my jacket when I went up to buy some drinks and began a pleasant and enjoyable conversation with me because they were serving at the base: they were also in Ammo and had known my brother-in-law. Considering that my jacket is almost 20 years old – and that it was worn almost on a daily basis, up until about 10 years ago – I have kept it in very good order. I got it out to wear this last week, when my girlfriend and I went on one of the site tours that the North Oxford Consortium organise these days in conjunction with a man named Peter Clifton. I thought you might like the photos to add to the web site. I wonder how many people remember them? Whether anyone else who looks into the site ever had one, and also how many jackets are still out there somewhere? I have found the web site to be an enjoyable read. Thanks for reading my e-mail and good luck with any projects you might have lined up for the future. Best wishes Steve Lewis

Notes & Quotes

"Note a little of History Prior to Oct 1, 1972 the 20th MMS was Located at Barksdale as part of the 2nd Bomb Wing, a B-52G Unit. Formerly it was the 20th Aviation Depot Squadron, a SAC Special Weapons MMS. All SAC MMS Units carried a designation other than the Wing Number. The 320th Designation went to the 320th BW at Mather AFB, California, also a B-52G Wing." Terry Horstead.

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This page was last updated on 16 August 2008.