John Gardner

John Gardner and I were stationed together at the Air Force receiver site and satellite communications ground station at the Navy Communications Station in Wahiawa, Oahu, Hawaii in the mid to late 1970s.

Before Air Force.

John's daughter Amalia and baby Elton.

John's grandson Elton.

Elton, four years old.

Reminiscence from John in an email on July 1, 2018:

Its a wonder we survived at all ...
I've often had the same thought. The first time, I was standing in formation at Keesler AFB at about 0500, facing roughly East--it was still dark on the ground, but the Eastern sky was beginning to brighten; there was a soundless flash about 30 degrees above the horizon, which rapidly expanded into a beautiful green orb larger than a full Moon, and slowly dimmed. Turned out it was a launch from Canaveral that foobar-ed, but we did'nt know that.
I don't remember if this was just before or just after USS Scorpion went missing.
somewhere around there--1968 was quite a year. USS Pueblo, Tet, Scorpion, RFK, MLK, Boom shaka laka laka. And 1969 was'nt much better. Nixon. I was leaning against the outside of the hangar I worked in at Homestead AFB smoking a cigarette when what should whistle on by ~ 100 feet over my head but a MiG-17--Not good, I thought. Comrade Jimenez of the Cuban AF waggled his wings at the tower, got turned around, and landed right behind the two F-4s taking off to shoot him down, and parked his MiG in front of Base Ops, right next to Air Force One. You can't make this stuff up, and I didn't.
link to Mig-17 Defection from Cuba
Nice pictures--that's the hangar I worked in. The Great Man came by the next day to check out his MiG--we were held at gunpoint by his entourage during the walk-thru. Never a dull moment on the Aerospace Team.

The Mig-17 at Homestead AFB.

1981 Wedding Photos

John, Tasoula, and Amalia attended Andrea's and my wedding in Aina Haina when we flew to Hawaii to get married in Andrea'sparents' back yard. Here are some photos of them.

Guests watching the ceremony under the lychee tree. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

My sister Christina and Tasoula making a toast. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Tasoula and Vince with Amalia and Christina. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

John and Tasoula on the back step with Andrea and me. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Christina, my mother, and Tasoula. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Some more wedding photos.

More from John (August 2020):

Just for grins, the rest of the story ...
Our MiG was in the hangar for months--Quite a nuisance for AMS, no doubt, the hangar had been a busy place, with lots of F-4 customers; all quite interesting to watch when we had the chance.
Eventually, the Powers-that-be decided to give the MiG back to Fidel, etc. One Spring morning the MiG was towed back to base ops; then a spiffy-looking Ilyushin transport showed up with an escort of F-104s, landed, parked next to the MiG, and disgorged a bunch of Russians (not Cubans).
An extended and somewhat heated discussion followed, between the reception committee and the Russians, who wanted to pump the capitalist gas out of the MiG (and on to the tarmac, the way its done on the People's air bases, I guess) and replace it with the People's jet fuel from the Ilyushin. Needless to say, a large Security Police contingent was present--The "fuel on the ground" scenario was not going to happen. The comrade with the loud voice was summoned back to the Ilyushin, which apparently also contained an éminence grise--On his return, all was sweetness and light--the Russians would be pleased to wait while the MiG was pumped out by a USAF fuel truck, and then re-fuel from the Ilyushin.
And thus it was.

Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com