Book Reviews & Comments

Submitted by
Name: Ron Chapelle
From: 6916th, 6988th, Det 2, 6994th
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I have notoriously slow reading speed and so am only through Volume IV as I write this, but I must express my gratitude to you, Larry, for your incredible effort, amazing detail and research that could never have been accomplished by anyone without a lifetime in our community of silent warriors. Thank you so much for recording an important era of world history and the parts played by a thin green line of incredible young men (and women.)

Now, if I could only do something about your taste in libations...

Added: February 16, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Milton Fulghum
From: O'Fallon, MO
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I have had time to scan through the first FTV airborne volume. Scanning was no easy task because I kept noticing material that caught my attention. This would result in reading several pages. The material includes a ton of well-researched information on related events. Anyone who was ever associated with USAFSS or later versions of the service will find this exciting reading.

Added: February 11, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Lloyd Douglas Rood
From: Fort Wayne, IN
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Radio Intercept Analysis school at Goodfellow, 1964, 6981st Elmendorf, 1964-1965, 6937th Peshwar, 1966-1967.
a "never forget" experience!

Added: January 31, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Tom Emdy
From: Bloomington, Mn.
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Have finished Volume Iv, am working my way through Vol.V--what a herculean achievement, so much effort.
A "CAT IV" work from beginning to end!

Added: January 30, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Roy Dixon
From: Baltimore, MD
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Larry,
I stumbled across your site while researching Cold War Vets. Thank you. I was a Ground Radio Repairman assigned to the 6970th USAFSS/6973rd Security Squadron which later became the 6940th ESW/6943rd ESS under the command of Col.James Clapper. I was attached to "T" Group and supported many of the collections & intercept analysts, both ground and airborne. I was responsible for servicing & restoring much of the old electronics gear you all may be familiar with. Proud to be a Cold War Vet! Thank you all.

Roy Dixon
SGT - 6943rd ESS
Ft. Meade, MD
1979-1982

Added: January 27, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Burton Ray Knotts
From: Little Rock, Arkansas
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I have enjoyed reading all five volumes of Larry's USAFSS history. Volumes IV and V cover the airborne history beginning with the Army Signal Corps in WWII up to the present, and adds to the ground-based operations records found in the first three volumes. I've often wondered what the USAFSS was doing after my service with this command ended with my discharge on 1 Dec 1952, and now I know. Thanks, Larry, for an outstanding performance in your research, organization, documentation, and persentation of this information

Added: January 24, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Mike Beuster
From: Blairsville, GA
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I am in the process of reading Larry's Freedom Through Vigilance Vol IV, History of U.S. Air Force Security Service (USAFSS) Airborne Reconnaissance Part 1.
I can't thank him enough for this outstanding addition to the Freedom Through Vigilance Series.
This book is not limited to a pure chronicle of events, but also contains significant insights into the operators and platforms involved. A must read for anyone interested in the how the US monitored our enemies from WWII to the present. This book and series should be made required reading for politicians, policy makers, defense and intelligence agencies, and students. The project names, types of platforms, and operators change; the 'Cold War and War on Terrorism' remains the same.
Mike Beuster (USAFSS 1971-1975)

Added: January 23, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Jerry Grimes
From: Robertsdale, AL
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Larry, I have now read Volume IV and V, Airborne History, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am struck by the differences in our missions when I flew them (Yokota 1960-1962 RB50 and C130), when we were just a passive hole in the sky (No computers, GPS, Satellite, Friendly radar coverage, our only link was our 292 monitoring where THEY said we were)...and the mission as it has evolved to today, and direct tactical involvement in the Big Air Force mission...It was an awesome research job for you authors and a great read for us exes...A lot of the history, of course, is name changes, realignment of commands, etc. for the benefit of the politicos (Military and civilian), but the mission of the "Bats" in the rear has remained the same personal and technical challenge for us as it always has been..Seems like my life, and that of many others, is frozen in time in that period in which we served. Thanks for the great job and much continued success in all you do. Looking forward to reading them again. Jerry

Added: January 23, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Tom Henning
From: Haymarket, Virginia
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I've read "The Price of Vigilance" and all five volumes of "History of the U.S. Air Force Security Service". I think that Larry has made a very valuable contribution and would recommend his books to anyone interested in military history. His books make for interesting reading. They very much broadened my view of the USAFSS and its pioneering role and contributions to the nation. An added highlight was the history of how the USAFSS evolved into today's Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaisance missions and the sacrifices made by fellow airmen during the Cold War,the Vietnam War, and present day wars. My small and modest contribution was serving in the 6952nd RSM at RAF Kirknewton, Scotland from 1960 to 1963 after tech school at Goodfellow, AFB in San Angelo, Texas. Thanks Larry and best wishes.

Added: January 21, 2013

Submitted by
Name: Scott Prost-Domasky
From: Saint Louis, MO
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
The entire 5 volume series is an excellent compendium of ground based (Volumes I through III) and airborne reconnaissance (Volumes IV and V) by an expert who was there, not just someone who only reads about it. USAFSS is the U.S. Air Force Security Service; now it's the "Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency" (AFISRA), with a greatly expanded mission scope compared to the early days of the USAFSS, which consisted primarily of just a bunch of portable huts sitting on some mountain someplace classified. Personal communications with the author tell me the difficult and time consuming efforts required to obtain so many personal experiences of other people who were actually there and experienced history 'live' was really a labor of love, and that really comes out in the books. These 5 books are a "must read" for any one interested in the history of the Air Force's SIGINT (signals intelligence) gathering efforts from the 40s to the 80s and some history beyond that.

Added: January 21, 2013