A Reservist Reflects

  • Published
  • By Airman Madelyn Ottem
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Since the late 1960s Travis has been under three different commands, but has retained the nickname "Gateway to the Pacific."

Throughout the years Travis has established this name by assisting the United States and the world during adverse times while remaining flexible to Air Force policy changes.

As an Air Force base committed to global outreach, developing along with advances in technology and changes in policy has been necessary for the continuity of the Travis mission.

Air Reserve Technician Jerry Hall, 349th Maintenance Squadron jet engine mechanic and Travis resident for the past 36 years, recalls the constructional and operational changes to Travis that have occurred throughout the years.

Travis was a different view than what is seen now, Hall said. From here to I-80 was all pretty bare; there wasn't all the housing. David Grant USAF Medical Center used to be Building 381 and the base legal office used to be the dentist.

Unlike the scarce housing, Travis had an abundance of manpower in 1975 compared to today, said Hall

"The manpower used to be so great here," said Hall. "Over the years more and more jobs have been contracted out to civilians. When I first arrived, the only contracted jobs were the janitorial and landscaping jobs."

With more manpower, the base had the ability to support more back shops.
Before they closed down we had back shops for everything, he said. Now there are only fabrication, sheet metal and fiberglass shops. All of the rest of the maintenance is done on the aircraft. If a motor breaks they'll take it down, ship it off to be rebuilt and ship it back in.

"Once we set a record where we had 39 spare C-5 engines, now we're only authorized to have five spare engines," he said

At the end of the Vietnam era, Travis had the solemn duty of being the main aerial port for the return of Prisoner of War bodies from the conflict, Hall said. The POWs were brought back to the United States on the C-141 Starlifter.

With the mission continuing to grow, the need for an aircraft with more cargo space became prevalent, and the C-141 was replaced by the C-17 Globemaster III.

"I saw the retirement of the C-141," said Hall. "The last one flew out of here in the early '90s. I was sad to see that aircraft retire and to see the engine shops go away due to contracting. It was the end of an era."

The retirement of the C-141 brought two new aircraft to Travis. Due to Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission movements in 1994 Travis was able to gain the KC-10 Extender and the C-17 Globemaster III.

Along with aiding global issues, Travis has maintained a mission of safety for the president whenever he deploys.

"Travis has always been a main supporter whenever the president deploys," Hall said.

"We have so much going on whenever he goes anywhere.

It was a strange sight to see black limos coming off of the C-5 when President Clinton visited Okinawa, Hall said.

During times such as the end of the Cold War, 9/11 and Operation Pacific Passage, Travis has remained vigilant and supported the mission with our resources.

"Anytime there is an emergency security gets heavy," Hall said. "Because the C-5 is the huge cargo plane that it is we're constantly affording any disaster relief because we can fly in so much cargo. We're a huge help in situations that need food drops. Anytime anything goes on in the world Travis is involved," he said.

Travis has been able to remain worthy of the title "the Gateway to the Pacific" by maintaining versatility through the years with whatever tasks or missions the world has provided.

"Anytime anything happened in the history books between the time I got here and now, Travis was involved," Hall said.