This picture was sent to us by Steve Edwards, a member of USAFSS while on the Rock in 1969, and subsequent Bendix employee on the Rock in 1975. Steve's hanging on for dear life to the Cool Barge that visited Shemya on ocassion to deliver supplies. Steve ran the Bendix Smoke House while there from 1975-1976. Hmmm, some folks go there more than once?

Steve Edwards sent along this picture of Penny, one of the Rock's full-time inhabitants. Story is that Penny died in 1976?

This sent to us by Ron Smith. "Someone designed and had a patch and decal made in 1969 so us army guys could have a patch for our fatigue shirt pockets like the AF. Got them then weren't allowed to wear them!" Go to Ron Smith's ASA page.

Rivet Ball in Texas. Official photo, 1967. Kingdon Hawes.

This is a good shot of Rivet Ball preparing to land on Shemya. The hangar left of center Is our home away from home. I think we called it hangar one. Rivet Amber was in hangar two which is located just above.  Rivet Ball went off the end of the runway (10) shown in lower left corner.(1967, Kingdon Hawes)

A photo of Rivet Ball parked in front of its hanger. (1967, Kingdon Hawes)

Rivet Ball with an attitude. We were preparing for a rare visit from the outside world the day before. The commander of 15th AF and some of his staff wanted to visit our operation. We all did the usual thing of cleaning up and arranging the furniture. Well....about two in the morning when everybody else was in the sack . . . Bob Brown and I decided to do a little extra for show and tell. We glued a few maps together and, bingo, shark teeth.  I think It was the only thing our visitors remembered. After the dog and pony show . . . they all departed and we went back to our normal (?) way of doing things. One of the nice things about The Rock, we had very little interference from the outside world, and we liked It that way. We worked hard and played hard. They were the best of times for many of us. (1967, Kingdon Hawes)

This photo was taken right after a mission. We (backenders -EWOs)
are going over events in the hanger on Shemya. (1967, Kingdon Hawes)

The runway was covered with ice and Rivet Ball just slid off the end into the ditch just missing the approach lights (telephone poles). Power was shut down before crashing which helped prevent any fire. Nobody was seriously hurt. Very lucky crew. (1967, Kindgon Hawes)

Images #50 through #59 and their commentary was supplied by Bill Harris, AFTAC (in years past!) stationed on Shemya in 1970.

Building 587 and other associated buildings and structures. View is looking northwest. Bldg 587 was originally used by the Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) and was known as Det. 205, later 461. (mid-1999, Craig Valentine)

A look at Bldg 587 from the road. This was the OPS building for Det. 205/461. The structure at the left was built after AFTAC ceased operations here. I believe it is part of a weather operation now, or was, before the base was downgraded. (mid-1999, Craig Valentine)

A closer view of the west end of building 587. If you were there in the early 1970's, you may remember that there was a wooden building right about where this picture was taken from. It was one of the best "smokehouses" on the island! (mid-1999, Craig Valentine)

A view of the complex from the road, looking more or less east. The near building is probably the generator, or was in 1970 when I (Bill Harris) was there. You can see the 587 on the main building. (mid-1999, Craig Valentine)

Looking sort of southwest, toward the road. Again, the taller building was added to the facility sometime after the mid 1970's. (mid-1999, Craig Valentine)

This radome was not there in the early 1970's when AFTAC operated their detachment at this location. NOTE: John Wolfe says the equipment inside this radome was used to track the weather sonde balloons that were launched twice each day. The 673rd Communications Flight maintained the equipment, and the Weather Squadron used it. (mid-1999, Craig Valentine)

The dish in the background is called the TVOR. It is where the island now receives it's TV from satellite. Works good (except when it is windy...and let's hear it from the crowd...when does it get windy at Shemya?) Actually, it has to be a pretty darn good blow for the TVOR to start to lose its tracking!  (Craig Valentine)

One of the three large hangers still standing on Shemya, all of which have been there since sometime in the mid-1940's. (mid-1999, Craig Valentine)

A long shot looking toward what was known as the "C" or "composite" Building complex (#600). Most people assigned to the island lived in this or adjacent buildings. The main building was completed in the early 1960's and upgraded considerably later on. It also housed a chow hall, mailroom, admin offices, BX, etc. (mid-1999, Craig Valentine)