| Joseph A. Beres of Milo a member of Joseph P. Chaisson American Legion Post 41 for five years shares his military memories during the early Vietnam Era.
Entering the United States Air Force in June of 1956, he completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas and was assigned to Sheppard Air Force Base for technical training as an aircraft mechanic. Upon
graduation he was assigned to Hickham Air Force Base in Hawaii for thirty four months.
He remembers the best duty was when he was an assistant crew chief in a C 124 Cargo aircraft during which time on flying status for aircraft
evaluation he had the opportunity to land and take off from almost every Island in the pacific that had a runway. Some of the islands were Guam, the Philippines and the small island of Wake. Wake Island had a very short runway, shark infested waters around the island, with old Japanese ships still sticking out of the water that were sunk during the World War II Battle of Wake Island. Large planes could not take off during the heat of the day as the heat affected the lift ability.
Joe had to come home on emergency leave and was reassigned to Dow Air Force Base in Bangor, ME until his discharge in 1960. | |
- JOSEPH A. BERES 
