F Troop and the Paint Detail

We were the Blue Foxes

While serving with the US Air Force at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota from December of 1968 to December of 1969, I was assigned to the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron as a member of the supply team. Primarily a SAC (Strategic Air Command) base, with a full complement of B-52 Bombers, our unit was assigned to protect the northern skies from encroaching Soviet aircraft and missiles coming in over the north pole. Our aircraft during the time I was assigned was the F-101 Voodoo Fighter/Interceptor.

I worked half days in base supply throwing boxes of supplies and equipment around and worked the other half at the 18th FIS squadron ordering parts for the 101’s as deemed necessary by the maintenance team.

Willy, the LT and Joe. One third of the 18th’s infamous F Troop

We had a pretty good group in our little department, but somehow, we managed to get a bad rap. The fact that we seemed to accumulate more demerits for this and that, than all the other departments in the squadron might have been a contributing factor. This earned us the unflattering nickname of “F Troop”.

Our previous blog article “F Troop and the Blackbird” will also provide a bit of background as to why we weren’t in the good graces of “the brass” at Grand Forks Air Base.

One or twice a year, the base was visited by the Inspector General, who with his team got a very close look at each Air Force unit on the base. The base spent much time and energy getting spiffed up for these inspections. Because of all of our previous demerits one year, we were assigned the paint detail of the entire interior of the 18th FIS building.

Teams from all departments prepared the building, furniture and equipment was moved, and gallons of paint were staged ready for action. Two three-man teams from our department were assigned the actual painting; to commence at 0:700 on a Wednesday morning. The detail was expected to be completed on Saturday, two days before the IG team was to go through the building.

We gave it a shot

The paint teams were to start on opposite sides of the building, so as not to interfere with each other. After the usual morning coffee and bull session, the painting got under way. By Thursday afternoon, much of the building interior had a fresh new coat of paint, and things seemed to be going without a hitch.

However, the best laid plans of men and mice, as they say, especially when “F Troop” was guarding the cheese. As the two teams met mid-point…a great SNAFU became evident. The teams did a fine job of painting, however much to their dismay, they now realized they were using different color paint! The fact that there was just a shade or two difference in color was a contributing factor as to why the error hadn’t been discovered previously. (Frequent beer breaks may have been another factor)  ….. What to do?

After a major bruhaha, one color was decided upon, and new painting teams were assigned to repaint the offending areas. (Minus the beer breaks) The glitch caused a two day delay in completion of the detail, finishing up late Sunday night, before the next morning inspection process.

The IG team completed their inspection of the building, none the wiser. The squadron received a good rating from the event, with the exception of F Troop, who suffered another set-back in their ongoing effort to become a top notch Air Force unit.  But they lived with it.  😉

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