 1978 through 1982 marked my years spent in the U.S. Air Force as an Air Traffic Control Radar Technician, AFSC 303x1. After nine months in technical school at Keesler AFB, MS, I moved on to my permanent duty station at Robins AFB, GA.  There, I was part of the 5th Combat Communication Group (5CCG), aka 5th MOB (MOB = mobile). Most of my early knowledge of electronics was learned as a result of the experience gained there. To be truthful, I was not overly thrilled with being part of a mobile communication group, because my goal was to work on an  engineering degree, and the propensity for deployment was great enough to limit me to a total of about three semesters of college classes. After many years of part-time and full-time coursework after the Air Force duty, I finally completed my BSEE at the University of Vermont, of all places.
The AN/MPN-14 was a mobile radar system that consisted primarily of an Equipment Trailer (all of the radar electronics), a Maintenance Trailer (workbench, AC/Heat, UHF/VHF radios), and a big RAPCON Trailer (ASR and PAR displays and controls). A 60-mile Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR) and a 10-mile  Precision Approach Radar (PAR) provided the primary radar, and a 200-mile Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system provided the synthetic (secondary) radar. This IFF system contained a 1 kbyte magnetic core memory with the four read, write, sense and strobe lines threaded by Pygmies. These pictures were dug out of a photo shoebox and posted for your viewing pleasure. A search on Google for the MPN-14 radar turned up no pictures at all, so maybe this is now the only one on the Internet. Due to the huge amount of interest in the 5CCG (5th MOB) both my 5th members and by members from other Mobs, the scope of this page has been expanded to include all the MOBs, the first through the 5th. If you or someone you know was a member, please contact me with your service information and I will include it here. Photos are welcome; I can scan originals or negatives and return them to you if you do not have digital versions.  Thanks to my good buddy Don Hicks for sending this USAF cap and coffee mug from Hulburt Field!
- Kirt Blattenberger Radar System Designations & Descriptions | Click here for page 2 - lots more photos | | | 5CCG Alumni Association | | Here is the official 5CCG Alumni Association website. Sign the guest book and have a look around. | MOB Locations (current) | MOB histories are quite extensive, and most have been moved around over the years. The links below take you to the most useful sites I could locate. If you know of better ones, please let me know. | | AFSC 303x1 Radar Tech List | | Thanks to Don Hicks and other former Radar Techs for many of these names. The list originally reported only 5CCG Radar Shop members, but has been expanded to include any AFSC 303x1 Radar Techs who care to send in their information for a listing. Send me an e-mail to have your name removed, or to add others to the ever-growing list. | "Old radar troops never die, they just 'Phase Array'"
- Ronald L. Fate | Bob Abbott Garry Alexander Bill (?) Arrington Dick Heinz Maynard Babcock Stafford Bailey Evelyn Baker Renante Bautista Dan Behrens (MSgt) RAF Lakenheath, UK, NCOIC of Radar Maintenance, JAN 2001 to ? 54CBCS, MAR 1994 to DEC 2000
Jeremiah Belanger (aka BUDDHA) 51CCS, OCT 1998 to AUG 2000 18th CS PICP, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, AUG 2000 to AUG 2002 Student (EE transfer to UCSB), Ventura College, 2003 to present TECOM Industries, Inc., Microwave Lab test technician, FEB 2006 to present
Mick Bellew Joe Berry David M. Biles 5CCG Radio Maintenance MPN-14 & TPN-19, JAN 1986 to JAN 1989 4CCSG Radio Maintenance Shop,
JAN 1989 to DEC 1989
Frank Black J.D. Black Williams AFB in AZ, in 1980s. Soto Cano AB, Honduras for a 4 month TDY to give the Mob some relief maintaining the MPN-14. TDY to Panama from Honduras. Retired from USAF in MAR 94 after over 21 years. Worked as a cable installer, then in a motorcycle shop for a few years. Now permanently retired in CA - lovin' every minute of it.
Joe Black Bruce Blackburn 5CCG (then the MCG - Mobile Comm Group) NOV 1970 to NOV 1973. Three MPN 13's (sn#s 154, 162, 192) and one MPN 14 with Rapcon trailer sn#127. The Commander was Col. Madera, and the Radar shop NCOIC was MSGT Richard Jolley. Other RADAR Maint personnel I worked with were Larry Gulley, John Peysur, Norman Cole, and Wayne Sutton.
Kirt Blattenberger Ed Bonfiglio Ronnie Boswell Sandy Branciforte Damon Brantley Scott Breen 5CCG, JUN 1977 to JUN 1980 Currently contractor for U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, HI, working on the AN\FYK-17B FACSFAC Air Control Tracking System
Carol Brown Tim Brown Orlando Carr Marvin Clark Shirley Clark Allen Coker (CMSgt, on-duty '04) 5CCG, MAY 80 to JUL 81 1CCG, JUL 81 to JUL 84
Jeff Coleman Lemuel Compton (TSgt, ret. '94) John Cope Dave Court Leslie Court Jim Cuilla Chris Daly Ron Dames Rick Dahlke Marty Davis Paul Davis Mike Delp Jesse Deluna Dave Denman Ken Dixon Ron Dufek 3CCG, 1982 to 1985, TPN-19 4CCG, 1988 to 1989, MPN-14G Present - ATC radar technician for Army at missile range on Kwajalein Atoll in Marshal Islands, DASR-11 aka AN/GPN30, 2 tracking radars that started out as AN/MPS-36
Stephanie Eddy Nichole Egger Eugene Embry Ronald L. Fate Jim Flaviani Sean Forman Bob Fox Bobby Freuler (aka Rebel) Gary Frysinger Mark Goodrich Zaragoza AB, Spain, 1981 to 1984 Robins AFB, GA, 1984 to 1987 RAF Bentwaters, UK, 1987 to 1991 Torrejon AB Spain, 1991 to 1993 RAF Alconbury UK, 1993 to 1995 Ramstein AB Germany, USAFE Airfield Systems Program Mngr, 1995 to 2001 Retired: Zaragoza, Spain, 2001-?
Sean Greenwood Ray Gressett Keith Grimm Steve Hanas GPN-22 at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, 1979-1983 Field rep for Raytheon after separation, BSEE from U-Mass
Juan Harnett, Jr. 5CCG, APR 1983, NCOIC of Communications Maintenance 81st TCF Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. NCOIC of Communications Maintenance, 1986 to 1991 Electronic Security Group, Royal Air Force Base, Chicksands United Kingdom. Assistant NCOIC Radio Systems Maintenance, 1991 to 1992 Operation Desert Storm/ Desert Calm 6975th Electronic Security Squadron Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia in Support of two no-fly zones in Iraqi airspace. Dec 1992 to Jan 1993 838th Engineering Installation Squadron, Kelly AFB, 1994 to 1996 31st Munitions Support Squadron, Ghedi Air Base, Italy, 1996 to 1998 45th Mission Support Squadron Cape Canaveral AS FL/Patrick AFB Cocoa Beach, 1998 to 2000 Retired USAF, May 2000
Dave Hatfield Steve Hay 5CCG until 1989 23first CCSq, Andrews AFB, 1989 to 1991 FAA Radar Tech Support, 1991 to Present CMSgt 245 ATCS, McEntire ANG Station, SC, will ret in FEB 2006
Steve Haynes (MSgt, ret) 5CCG, Apr 1987 to Jul 2000, Radar Tech, Radar NCOIC, AN/TPN-19 Special Maintenance Team Radar AFETS, Civilian, Oct 2000 to Present
Don Hicks (MSgt, ret) 5CCG 1978-1985 1946th CS, Berlin, Germany 1985 to 1988 5CCG 1988 to 1997 (5first and 52nd CCS)
Joe Hoover 5CCG 1974-1980, MPN-14 Western Electric, 1980 to 1983, Winston-Salem, NC, Quality Auditor Bell Communications Research, 1984 to 1988, Senior Staff Technologist Bell Communications Research, 1988 to 1994, Oklahoma City, OK, Member of Technical Staff Quality Engineer Benchmark Electronics, 1994 to 1995, Clute, Texas, Quality Assurance Mgr Talon Inc., 1995 to 1998, Stanley, NC, Quality Assurance Manger BellSouth Communications, 1998 to present, Charlotte, NC, Facility Technician
Matt Howell Jay Huehn 2029th Comm Sq, Ellsworth AFB, SD, Sgt, 30351, Apr 1972 to Aug 1974 1985th Comm Sq, Utapao Airfield Thailand, SSgt, Sep 1974 to Jul 1975 1866th Facility Checking Squadron, TRACALS Radar Evaluation Technician, SSgt, 30371, Richards-Gebaur AFB, MO, Jul 1975 to Sep 1977 1866th Facility Checking Squadron, TRACALS Radar Evaluation Technician, 30371, Scott AFB, IL, TSgt, Sep 1977 to Nov 1979 Separated from the USAF on 19 Nov 1980. Civilian: ITT Gilfillan (Sr. Field Service Engineer), CFS Rep at HQ TCD, Langley AFB VA on AN/GPN-22 and AN/FPN-62, 1980 to 1985. Sr. Logistics Support Engineer, Van Nuys CA, Logistics Engineer directly supporting the Engineering Program/Project Manager on the AN/MPN-14K Pre-Production Development Team, 1986 to 1988
Michael Hutchinson (MSgt) Jason Ives Tempelhof, Germany and Beale AFB, CA, 1989 to 1997. GPN-12, FPN-62, GPN-22, and NEXRAD Went through AECP and earned a commission in 2001 - still active duty
Terry Johnson Sherman Jordian Kevin Killea (MSGt, ret. 1995) 5CCG SEP 1979 to NOV 1980, MPN-14 JTF Bravo, Soto Cono, TPN-19, 1991 Civilian site Manager on TPS 70, Columbia, S.A., 2000 to 2001 Currently INCO Tech for Raytheon on DASR 11/GPN 30 radars. Installed DASR 11 at Baghdad Int'l Airport, Iraq, 2004-2005
Glen King 5CCG 1973 to 1975
NCOIC at the time was MSgt Frank Hale 2146th Comm. Group, Osan Korea 1975 to 1976 2179th Comm. Group, Patrick AFB, FL (separated SEP 1976) USAF Reserves, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, 1977 to ?
Dave Knutson Ed Kopp Bob Kovarik Mark Lambert Rick Leupold Wendel Littlefield Bill Losinski Rudd (nickname) Mahoney Jim Mallick Jim McCullough Jim dates back the farthest of anyone in this list! Radar Tech, 2nd Mob in Toul-Rosiere,
France, 1962 to 1965
Rahn McCullough John McConnohie II 5CCG, 1994-? 1st & 52nd CCS TSgt, Retired 1 JAN 2001
John McKeller 
3CCGP/32CCS-TPN19, 1983 to 1994 24first ATC(ANG),MPN14K, 1997 to 2004 FAA, 2005 to present
Dan Miller Tom Moore Craig Mull (MSgt) Msgt. Nagel Britt Neal Don Nelson Williams AFB, MPN-13 (ended up catching fire in the equipment trailer, allowing me the experience of getting another MPN-13 off a C-124), AUG 1966 to FEB 1968 Korat RTAFB, MPN-14 Mobile Rapcon
Bill Newhouse Ed Nugent Bill Olson Mike Parris 5CCG 1987 to 1989, TPN-19 FAA (civ) NAS NOM, 1989 to Present
Dave Paschal Joe Petersdorff Chuck Powell Joe Pranger John Rackley Tim Reed Jim Rice Herb Rideout Ron Roberson 3CCGp Tinker AFB, OK Oct 86 Jul 87 TPN-19 FTD/CHOT Training 5CCG and 53CCSq Robins AFB GA Aug 87 Nov 93 TPN-19 Shop (System 7) 24OSS Soto Cano AB, Honduras Nov 93 Oct 94 TPN-19 Shop Currently Sr. Engineering Technician
Rick Robideau Tim Rolen Mike Rumrill Scott Sands Bert Sappiano Roger Savorgino Michael Shipton (MSgt, on-duty '04) Mike Skees T Sherrill Jeff Smith Ron Smith Glenn Snedden, aka "Beaker" Janet Spells Mike Stanford Steve Stanphill (CMSgt, on-duty '04) 3CCG OCT 82 to MAR 84 5CCG MAR 84 to MAY 91 (52CCS) 633CS MAY 91 to OCT 92 Andersen AFB, Guam HQ ACC OCT 92 to OCT 98 Langley AFB, VA (Radar SMT & IG ATCALS Inspector) HQ AETC OCT 98 to JUN 02 Randolph AFB, TX (Command 2EXXX FAM) HQ ACC JUN 02 to Present Langley AFB, VA (Command ATCALS Chief)
Harris Thacker Rickey Vaughan (TSgt, on-duty '08) Detachment 1 99th Electronic Combat Range Group, Dugway Proving Grounds, UT, 1993 to1995 5CCG, 51st CBCS & 54th CBCS, TPN-19, Robins AFB, GA, 1995 to 2001 3CCG (Third Herd), Tinker AFB, OK, 2001 to 2004 607th CBCS (TPS-75), Camp Humphries, S. Korea, Apr 2004 to Nov 2004 52nd CS, Spangdahlem AB, Germany, 2004 to 2007 HQ AETC/A6OL, Randolph AFB, 2008
Paul Vitchkoski Mark Wilson "Red" Worthington Wesley Jones Gordon G. Zagar Earl Zonn
If you were ever a member of the 5CCG radar maintenance shop, please send me an e-mail and let me know the dates you were there. I would like to use this space as a group gathering for all the graying heroes of yore. Thanks! | | | | | | Click here for page 2 - lots more photos |
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