Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, North Carolina – Part 1

Here we go again! I promise, I’m trying to get better at this; but until then, I hope you enjoy my little stroll down memory lane. As a recap, I started this blog just over a year ago to record my recollections on the different places I have ventured to during my military career. There are some big changes on the horizon, but that’s for a later discussion. I promise, we’ll get there…..it might just take a little time!

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base was established five months after the United States entered World War II when the War Department approved the establishment of a technical school two miles southeast of Goldsboro, North Carolina. Seymour Johnson Field was activated on June 12^th, 1942, as Headquarters, Technical School, Army Air Forces Technical Training Command. The base is named in honor of U.S. Navy Lt. Seymour A. Johnson, a native of Goldsboro. Johnson, a test pilot, was killed in an aircraft crash near Norbeck, Md., March 5^th, 1941. Seymour Johnson Field was deactivated in May 1946. The base was reactivated as a Tactical Air Command base on April 1^st 1956 and has been home to B-52 bombers, KC-10 tankers from Strategic Air Command and F-4 and F-16 fighters from the Michigan Air National Guard. “Shady-J” is now the home of the 4^th Fighter Wing, known as the Fourth but First, along with the 916^th Air Refueling Wing flying the mighty F-15E Strike Eagles and KC-135 Stratotankers.

I showed up as a new Airman fresh out of my technical training to my new base in Goldsboro, North Carolina as a Fuels Operator; a place I would spend seven years at over two different assignments. I arrived at Seymour Johnson for the first time in late November of 1996. I remember the time frame because of the interaction I had with my first Chief there. Chief Master Sergeant Thomas Leohr to me was the example of what a Chief should be. Now I could be wrong; I have heard from time to time that there are Chiefs and other Senior Non-Commissioned Officers who tend to favor their young Airmen over that of their seasoned leaders. But from what I saw of Chief Leohr, he was genuinely interested and cared about every individual in his organization. He made it a point to remember all the flight’s members first name, nearly a hundred of us. There are times I have to think really hard about a troops’ last name even now, so to me, that amazed me. I remember him opening his home and inviting my wife and I over for Thanksgiving, though for the life of me, I don’t remember why we didn’t go. Maybe we didn’t want to impose, I’m not sure. But he genuinely cared about all of us in my mind. I remember him being set in his ways and traditions as well though. I recall a conversation he had with us that the squadron commander wanted him to update his uniform with the newly designed stripes even though they weren’t going to be mandatory until well after he retired. He stated that these were the rank insignia that he grew up with; mind you, this man was a 30 year military man who started in the late 60s! He said they were the stripes he’d retire with, there was no way in hell he was gonna change just because his boss wanted him to do so. What were they gonna do, fire him?!! To me, that’s a Chief; he didn’t waiver in his beliefs, he stood up for and truly knew and cared for his people, all the while ensuring the mission happened.

I remember arriving and thinking to myself that the area was a mess with downed trees everywhere. I would soon find out that hurricanes were the norm in that area and I would have my chance to experience this great force of nature. A late storm, Hurricane Fran, had come up through the Atlantic and hit North Carolina as a category 3 hurricane, making land fall near Cape Fear on September 6^th of that year. By the time it roared through Goldsboro the following day, it was a tropical storm that dumped upwards of 16 inches of rain. The total damage in North Carolina amounted to over $2.4 billion. This was the second hurricane to hit North Carolina that year. The first was Hurricane Bertha, which hit the state a few weeks prior. I would go through another set of large storms finishing up with Hurricane Floyd in 1999. North Carolina received the brunt of the storm’s destruction. The hurricane produced torrential rainfall in Eastern North Carolina, adding more rain to an area already hit by Hurricane Dennis just weeks earlier. The rains caused widespread flooding over a period of several weeks; nearly every river basin in the eastern part of the state exceeded 500-year flood levels including the Neuse River that surrounds Goldsboro.

My oldest son Alec was born in North Carolina in May of 1998. I remember working B-shift and my wife calling and telling me I should come home. I remember this being around 6pm. We were up all night; Melissa had a rough night for sure. Just when we thought the contractions were where they needed to be to go to the hospital, the doctor would tell her lie on the other side among other things, and the contractions would go on a crazy schedule once again – we were left to wait longer. Finally, early in the morning we decided to make the half hour drive to the hospital in Kinston. When we arrived and were settled in, it was apparent that something wasn’t right. As soon as the nurse started feeling around, she just had this look. Within a half hour, she was prepped, and Alec was born via emergency C-section because he’d been breech all this time. Had we only known that hours earlier! At 9 pounds, 6 and a half ounces, this kid was a ham! He has since grown to tower over me. At 6’ 2” and 200+ pounds, I have no choice but to look up to him! Alec is now 20 years old and a great young man who I’m very proud of!

I’ve met so many great people, many of whom I keep in contact today. Though I can’t attempt to name them all, two have stood out and made deep impacts to my career. First, Adam Mulholland, even though he cross-trained on us, I have run into him numerous times over my career and regard his friendship very highly. I also wouldn’t be here without retired TSgt Max Stansell. I respect this man as a great mentor and strength as to where I have gotten thus far – he truly cared about his Airmen; he took us under his wings like a father figure. I not only came to him when I needed to work on my Jeep, but he was there to guide this young teenager to do the right things, even when no one was looking. I appreciate all the friendships that I have made throughout my career; these two are certainly the beginning and I’m so very grateful for those who I have crossed paths with through the years.

To Be Continued…….