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Veteran of Month ~ Robert Miller
Oral History by Robert Miller, recorded by Barbara Kipgen, August 8, 2008
Robert Miller retired as a Technical Sergeant, United States Air Force in 1975. He enlisted in 1954.
"The Korean War had just ended, and there was a reduction in force, so the B29's, B17's and C47's and all pilots were being upgraded to jet aircraft. A bunch of officers/enlisted men were not qualified for jets. Jets only carried two people, and all these gunners, loadmasters, navigators, bombardiers were all grounded. Officers with at least 10 years of commissioned service had a choice: get out of the military, or re-enlist without rank and continue for 10 more years, retiring with the rank they had (originally)".
"I got assigned to Randolph Air Force Base. I worked on the forms files section, as a clerk. Maintained all the flying hours of all the pilots. I stayed there for 6 years. From there I went to Germany, Simbock AFB. I was assigned to the communications squadron. There the systems were already upgraded. They had the MACE Missiles (tactical), when that Cold War was still going with Russia."
"I was assigned to Vandenberf AFB, in California in Oct. 1963. (I was certified for) Satellite Systems Familiarization, IBM missles-reconnaissance. During that time, the Nation suffered a real tragedy (JFK's death) and was on Full Alert to go to war".
"I was transferred to Viet Nam. I was assigned to the communications squadron. We were advisors to the Viet Name Air Force on Canto AFB in the Mekong delta."
"From Viet Nam I went to Wiesbaden, AFB I was one of the group assisting the Inspector General in 1967. My area was security, classified records, logging and destruction of documents, and directives from A.F. on security of buildings. In Germany we had beautiful tours. We saw Europe, my wife and kids. Those countries are together and on 3 day weekends we could go different place."
"He had 3 tours in Okinawa at Beale AFB, where he was part of ground crew, transferring film taken by the computer flown SR 71 spy plane."
"I was then sent to the Pentagon, from there I saw the whole picture of reconnaissance: Air Force, Marine, Navy, Army."
"You know, we don't have anymore of that, we don't have the aircraft flying. That's how things are changing. We got satellites now, gathering information."
The Comanche Springs Chapt. of The Daughters of the American Revolution are happy to award this month's Certificate of Appreciation to Robert Miller. We thank him for his many efforts, as Service Master of VFW, in aiding our previous award ceremonies.
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