Remembering the Dragon Lady: The U-2 Spy Plane: Memoirs of the Men Who Made the Legend

by Gerald McIlmoyle

  Air conditioners in the local homes were rare and a good swamp-cooler was a luxury. For restaurants we had McFarland's, excellent for Tex Mex cuisine and chicken fried steak. The Civilian Club specialized in great barbecued cabrito or goat meat, and the Roswell Hotel featured daily specials. The best restaurant of all for Mexican food was Mrs. Crosby's across the Rio Grande in Villa Acuña. Fifty miles southeast of Del Rio was Eagle Pass. Across the Rio Grande from Eagle Pass was the city of Piedras Negras and the Moderno Restaurant, good for a tasty steak. I was one of the lucky ones and became the “adopted bachelor” of Major George Ahrens and his wife, Ricci, who I knew at the 506th.

  Before Crow Flight deployments began, Pat Halloran and I made a few weekend trips back to Tinker to visit our old friends. Taking shortcuts on the secondary roads, Pat's navigational expertise was impressive. He remembered every fence corner and landmark and never missed a turn. Those Tinker visits were special. When heading back to Del Rio on Sunday, a group of our friends assembled at the Officers Club to see us off, including Colonel Dick Hunziker. We were fortunate when we rode in Pat's Buick, we had air conditioning. However, in my Thunderbird, we only had ram air. One Sunday morning we heard the temperature in Wichita Falls, which was on our route, was 106 degrees. On that trip we were in the Thunderbird, and we had to be resourceful to survive the heat. We bought two bags of ice, cut holes so ram air blew through the ice bags. It was so successful we drove through Wichita Falls with the windows up and savored the cool air.

  Pat joined the Laughlin Aero Club, and one weekend he flew us to Austin in a TriPacer for a football game. That introduction to flying sparked my own interest to become a pilot. I can say I was introduced to flying by the very best. Lear tech reps Larry Brooks and Jim Bell were pilots, and I flew with them a few times.

  Frank T. Hayes, 2007.

  Del Rio and Val Verde County, the area surrounding Laughlin AFB, were in an economic crisis when we arrived there. Poor relations between the previous operation at Laughlin and the City of Del Rio prompted the USAF to close the base. In April 1957, the former pilot training wing had relocated flight operations out of Laughlin. The few remaining Air Training Command personnel present were awaiting final transfer orders. Some local businesses had been closed and boarded up as a result of the lack of customers. A delegation of Del Rio civic leaders had gone to Washington with promises to implement an Air Force friendly “welcome mat” and they succeeded in getting the base removed from the closure list. Unlike the lush green of today, most of Val Verde County was like a desert. A seven-year drought had taken its toll and area ranchers suffered losses that killed the weed crop their cattle fed upon. Everything was brown and dry; ranchers leased land in Mexico and many herds of cattle were shipped to Florida. During one severe dry spell, we went three months without rain. Del Rio was nicknamed the Mohair Capital of the World and the goats seemed to be the only thing that withstood the hardships well.

  An epidemic of the Asiatic Flu swept through the area and closed Del Rio schools for three months in early 1958. Through the exercise of caution, staying home, etc., the younger and healthier base personnel managed to avert a flu epidemic at the base.

  U-2 Operations

  The U-2 was being pushed into service; for maintenance, we used Lockheed blueprints and any other available documentation. Those were supplemented with standard operating procedures we wrote as we went along. Analysis sections tracked the serial numbers of every black box, actuator and aircraft for failure trends.

  SAC had developed an excellent system of checks and balances for tracking statistics on safety, reliability, man-hour expenditures, flight hours and training. A filing system was designed to permit inspection for deficiencies by any inspector from any SAC unit. Multiple failures on a particular serial number or a sudden increase in a component failure rate prompted an investigation and initiation of corrective action such as design or procedure change or additional training. SAC placed major emphasis on classroom and on-the-job training. Working on an aircraft or in a shop was considered on-thejob training. The remainder of a technician's duty time was in the classroom or on a training project. The SAC work environment encouraged its personnel to assume all the responsibility they were capable of to minimize downtime and help the unit achieve 100 percent performance. Every small section of the entire unit had a major stake in the wing achieving or exceeding 100 percent of the scheduled goals each month. Pride and the competitive nature of the leaders right down to the shop level technicians, inspired everyone with motivation and incentives unique to those of SAC fighter units.

  Everyone learned to work through the organization to get things done and to advance based on the merit system. We were a team and everyone shared in the unit's success. It was the SAC culture.

  To maximize altitude, every ounce of excess weight was eliminated from the design of the U-2 and RB-57D structures and equipment. To gain a few feet of altitude on the RB-57D-2, Sperry omitted the tilt motor of the ground map radar antenna and set the tilt as a fixed angle optimum for the mission altitude. New honeycomb panels were used in the lightweight structure of the RB-57D wing. Rain water intruding into the cells of the honeycomb wing panels froze at high altitude, resulting in delamination and grounding of the RB-57Ds. Ironically, Jimmy Rogers’ new hit song “Honeycomb” was introduced that week.

  4080th SRW Tech Rep Frank T. Hayes.

  In October 1957 the Soviets launched their Sputnik satellite. In the race to orbit a satellite, our first Vanguard missiles had exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral. These events further validated the urgency of the U-2 program.

  New personnel had come from units where they had excelled in their specialties. I have never worked with so many conscientious and talented people who were experts in their fields. Security was always on a “need to know” basis and it was everyone's duty to be cognizant on a daily basis. When a plane was out of commission, we worked around the clock until it was repaired. Working with a young two-striper on a U-2 on the far side of the pitch-black flight line at 2:00 a.m. tested our sense of security and made us appreciate those guarding the perimeters of the base.

  Constantly on guard for security breaches, we modified our conversation habits and vocabulary to avoid saying anything that could accidentally evoke curiosity or an unwanted question. If we spotted an electrical harness that could potentially chafe and needed an added clamp, we did something about it. After alerting the Lockheed tech reps, I went to an A&E supervisor to help initiate corrective action through official channels. For my part in squadron safety briefings, I coordinated with Captain Pat Halloran. My part was usually a short briefing on problems under investigation and work-around procedures needed for interim use. When I found something affecting safety of flight or flight procedures, I went to see Pat. If Pat was away, I saw Roger Cooper who I also knew from the 506th. It was a time to get feedback on operational problems and emphasize steps to improve reliability. To minimize electronic system operating hours, we stressed the importance of turning power switches off. For example, one day a U-2 in the hanger for maintenance poured thick black smoke from around the seal of the pressurized equipment bay hatch. A much greater disaster seemed imminent.

  The U-2 was pulled out of the hanger into a swarm of fire trucks and the hatch carefully removed, only to reveal a totally charred ARC-34 UHF radio.

  For RB-57Ds of the 4025th squadron, I coordinated with Captain Tony Martinez. Except for the six two-seat D-2s and one single-seat D-1, the remaining RB-57s were single-seat photo recon D-0s, with standard Com/Nav, IFF and some with an ASN-6 and APN-81 Doppler radar. The six new RB-57D-2s had APN-107 ground map radar, APN-69 beacon and a complex ELINT system with solid-state recorder and an Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) in the back seat. Operational problems had been narrowed down to twelve needed modifications and installed on Project ReDo aircraft Serial No. 965. Tony was the project officer. Captain Marsh and EWO Captain Blum also flew the test flights. After twelve test fights, the installed
changes were validated for a formal retrofit. The D-2s later deployed to Germany in 1959 and the 4025th was deactivated in 1960. On the D-2, for the EWO's seat ejection sequence, the initiator yanked his ECM displays forward to clear the path for his legs, then his seat ejected. Fortunately, EWO ejection never became necessary.

  With long duration missions and growing complexity, SAC pioneered the science of human factors and development of powerful habit patterns that were impervious to distraction during an emergency. Scientists studied the physiological aspects of long missions, worked on ways to help combat fatigue and stay alert during the final phase of long duration missions. When a pilot is almost home after a long flight with everything going well, it is that time to expect the unexpected. This necessity of strong habit patterns was driven home in every squadron briefing and SAC periodical. Every step of every procedure was performed in the exact same sequence every time. A tool was never laid down in an aircraft.

  When a new pilot was checked out on takeoff and landing, the U-2 instructor rode “runway chase” in a supercharged 1957 Ford Station Wagon that could accelerate from zero to sixty in about eight to ten seconds. One of my first projects on the U-2 was the installation of UHF command radios in these two station wagons. A short time later we received two Cessna U-3As, the military version of the Cessna 310 aircraft that also had UHF radios installed for flying “airborne chase” of new pilots in the landing pattern. The ARC-34s were supposed to operate on 24-volt battery power, but most required more than 24 volts and the belt driven generator had to be functioning. The generator belt slippage caused loss of UHF communication in rainy conditions. A standard operation procedure was written to authorize extra tight adjustment of the generator belt. U-2 pilots nicknamed the Cessna 310 the “Blue Canoe.” Single engine fighter pilots hesitated to log the twin engine time in the Cessna.

  One of the first changes we made on the U-2 was the addition of a relay to actuate the IFF Emergency Mode when the canopy was jettisoned. One Friday evening, the Engineering Officer handed me a three-page brochure on the KWM-1 Single Side Band radio made by Collins Radio Company. He asked, “Is there any way you could have a training course ready to teach on this by Monday morning?” I said, “Yes,” and spent the weekend unraveling the secrets of single side band suppression and the benefit of concentrating all of the transmitted power into a single side band. A few days later we received an installation kit from Lockheed and went to work on the installation. The antenna was strung from aft of the upper equipment bay hatch to the upper vertical fin. It was an amazing system and for daytime ground checks, technicians called SAC people in Torrejon AB, Spain. At night they could communicate with stations around the world. Periodic reports via the KWM-1 permitted monitoring of a U-2 flight during the long eight to ten hour missions. When accident investigators found evidence of fire on the pilots’ oxygen hose, we devised an urgent action modification to add external wiring that bypassed headset and faceplate heater wires imbedded in the oxygen hose. I worked with Sgt Lewis Nelson of the Life Support Section on installing that urgent modification on each aircraft before the next flight.

  The RB-57D had major problems; it flew at lower altitudes than the U-2. Even many SAMs and MiGs flew at higher altitudes. After a series of startup problems, the loss of three U-2s, two T-33s, and a B-57C, a command change was deemed necessary. On November 12, 1957 Brig. Gen. Austin J. Russell became the wing commander of the 4080th SRW. He brought with him a SAC troubleshooting team who scoured critical functions looking for flaws, anything that needed to be fixed, anybody that needed to be fired, including tech reps. The member of the team closest to me was Major Irving A. Shulkin, who took over as A&E commander.

  Major Shulkin gave a thumbs-up report on me, but Colonel John Harvey wanted to talk to me personally, eyeball to eyeball. He wanted to know about my background, education and details how I became a tech rep without a college degree. I gave him honest answers, restated the pledge I had given other commanders I had worked for, and he was pleased. That's how thoroughly General Russell's team examined the 4080th SRW. At their previous wing, this team had implemented changes needed to scramble B-47 bombers in twelve minutes. The team had an exceptional track record.

  Other factors affecting the 4080th operations were the shortage of jet fuel that limited flying hours. After a conflict between military and commercial air traffic in the Western Region, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took over military air traffic control and required FAA flight plans for all military pilots.

  General Russell soon made the decision to reduce operations for 90 days and concentrate on training. I was tasked with preparing a remedial training program for all disciplines in the A&E Squadron, about 650 technicians. We developed a multiple choice 105 question test that was equally fair to specialists of all A&E systems. To discourage guessing, one point was marked off for an answer left blank and two were marked off for a wrong answer. Every onboard technician took the test and newly arriving A&E personnel were not allowed to sign in until they took the test. It was a shocking experience. The best technicians in the Air Force began to worry about promotions or loss of a stripe, but it underscored the urgency of the matter. Everyone had to dig out their text books, and as their tech rep, it was my opportunity to contribute to their success.

  Our most productive technicians scored in the 65 to 80 point range. Two scored 102, and a master sergeant in Field Training Detachment aced it with 105. At this time Air Training Command decided to conduct an experiment at the 4080th. Instead of beginning radar systems, five Basic Electronic Fundamentals Course graduates came directly to the 4080th for hands on aircraft experience before continuing at Keesler AFB, Mississippi. This was an amazing success. The young technicians were thoroughly motivated, eager to learn in the classroom and on the job. They constantly challenged each other on theory and came to me for answers; they were a joy to work with.

  By the time testing was completed, we had amassed an enormous amount of data. I sorted the data into categories for each discipline, and prepared a thirteen-page report with bar graph and pie chart displays. The report contained narratives to summarize the overall test results, the range of scores for the most productive technicians and the range of scores where we could best invest the remedial training. Major Shulkin submitted the report to Wing Training Office where other training progress reports were combined and forwarded in a single package to Headquarters SAC and ultimately to Headquarters USAF. The 4080th received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for training and became the pride of 2nd Air Force.

  I prepared an accelerated course outline on basic electronics fundamentals that included a review of the theory and mathematical formulas. We began with a math review. I knew we had the best technicians in the Air Force who excelled in their work, and I wanted to help them continue that pace. My heart went out to those uptight about learning and passing tests. I insisted it was not complicated and devised aids to simplify instruction and back up my assertion. For home assignments, each student brought in ten questions; they were obligated to help each other with explanations. We created a learning atmosphere where students could think freely without being stressed. Frequent quizzes and tests helped the students become more at ease. For those frightened of trigonometry, I assigned them an exercise to make up their own sine cosine tables. It brought out the best in all of us, student and tech rep. We were all young and what we lacked in experience was compensated for by determination and long hours. I wore geeky horn rimmed glasses and a necktie; at age 25 I was like an old man to the technicians I taught.

  For quality of maintenance leading up to this point, I've never worked with more competent and conscientious technicians with so much pride in their work and security awareness. The refresher of fundamentals for lower scoring students made all more studious and the overall competence was better prepared for the forthcoming deployment of multiple detachments. We had classes of twelve students; after completing three classes, it was a thorough refresher that se
rved all of us for many years.

  Similar training projects were underway throughout the wing and after 90 days, our fortunes began to improve. Another valuable asset came to the 4080th, Lt. Col. Ernest L. Worley who took over as commander of A&E in February 1958. He was well liked and most worthy of that unique electronic squadron. Lt. Col. Shulkin had been promoted and moved up to become Director of Materiel. MSgt Frank P. Luttrell, one of my favorite A&E supervisors, moved up to manage Wing Quality Control. He was a hard worker, cheerful and a natural leader. This was the first time a wing level function came under the control of managers from A&E. Frank said, “With graphs showing the performance of all major components, it was soon possible to anticipate the occurrence of failures, and performance immediately improved for all systems. When 2nd Air Force inspectors came, they were amazed at what was being done.” PSD NCOIC SMSgt Calvin Holly transferred to Wing Quality Control. In the summer of 1958 oxygen problems resulted in the loss of three U-2s and two pilots. The team worked 72 hours without sleep to examine all possible causes.

  After the first year of the 4080th in residence at Laughlin, the people of Del Rio included the base residents in civic events. We had formed a small Sports Car Club that was invited to participate in the county fair and the parade on Mexican-American Day.

  Scott Smith from the 506th had a Jaguar XK-140 and I had a Thunderbird. We drove our sports cars in the parade all through Del Rio and Villa Acuña.