I was a Navy electronics tech, RADAR, in for six. Ended up landlocked, at NAS Miramar from 70-74. I maintained GCA RADAR and TACAN. It was a good gig. We mostly worked 24 on/ 48 off because the GCA had to work 24/7
One night after the work day, nothing I spose on the 2 snowy TV channels, my friend Dave says "I'm gonna go up to the tower and pull some PMs on the scopes"
I said, "in that case, I'LL go out to the trailer. Later, I either ran out of steam, or Dave called, don't remember. We finished up, gave the RADAR back to the AC's and I left the trailer
WHAT a SURPRISE!! Normally, when the field is shut down, the AC's shut down part of the lights, leave the outer markers of the runways lit and the taxiway lamps on. NOTHING!! Darker 'n the inside of a COW!!!
So I start on the crossing taxiway, goes clear across both runways. At the N end is the high speed taxiway, and shortly off that is our shop. No need to call the tower, it's obvious the field is CLOSED. About the time I'm doing this, the tower calls one of the ground crew trucks on the radio. "Can you determine the location of the dark horse?"
I'm thinkin', "What the hell is a dark horse?"
The crew answered, "we don't know but we think he's about Queen 6 on the high speed taxiway." (6000ft W. down the runway from touchdown on the E end)
The thing is, THAT IS WHERE I WAS!!!!
And just then, this FLASH!!! FLASH!! FLASH!!!! started up, and here I am looking at the ghostly image of a pilot's head inside a canopy!!!!
THIS MORON PILOT was the last recovery of the night, and had clipped a taxi light, or so I was told. The tower was not sure what was happening, as it tripped a breaker, so they pulled ALL the field lighting breakers. WORSE, for some reason, either the pilot had a nav lighting failure on the airplane, or had TURNED THEM OFF. He was trying to taxi a DARK airplane down a DARK airfield.
The trucks had "pumpkin" headlights. These are not amber fog lights, they are very very deep dark orange, and only serve so the pilots can see US WE, driving, can't see SQUAT and have to depend on............taxi lights!!!
To this day I don't even know the type of airplane, I think it was an A-4. I asked the assistant chief the next morning, and he goes,
So WHAT is it again on this jock's lapels? And HOW many stripes, again is on your sleeve? I think if I never heard another word about this, I would consider yourself LUCKY.
How close was he? Hard to say. At the time it SEEMED like about a FOOT. More likely a hundred feet. But both of us were or had been moving. He probably saw me approach in plenty of time, and assumed I was part of the ground crew and knew he was there.
Hear him? At night, and wind, sound does weird things. And it was a cold night, I probably had the windows up
BELOW:
Me a lowly new E-4, pretending to adjust something
Overhauling the QUAD RADARS No idea why they decided to pull both down at the same time
The tower, now gone. They clipped it off about roof level and built a new taller one to one side The big RADAR is FAA because Miramar was the center for the regional San Diego area
At the left one of the two 62/63 Chev stepside, stick shift trucks. A shaker hood 440 E body, forgot his name. He did not work there, was a friend of Nelson. Next, Nelsons, forget, either a Ponch or Olds version of a Chevy two Next, my black 426 62 Dodge. A then friend, 68RR. Last, my 70 440-6 RR
The 63 SS 327 I bought at home in the N end of Idaho after getting out of GCA school. Drove it down. The Ponch is a tempest with the somewhat rare OHC 6, nice little car. The tower is at bottom right
