1950's Postcards of Lajes Field, Azores
looking south
looking north
These photos predated our July 1954 stay. There were no large USAF
contingents of C-124 or B-36 aircraft (as in the 2nd card) present then.
The vantage of the first card seems to have been from the area in the
extreme-right-center edge of the second one - with their overlap area of
construction differences showing that they were not contemporaneous (the
second being the newer).
Not too many places that I've been where one could look 180-degrees and
see open ocean in each direction! Actually, as I recently learned from
maps on associated Web Sites, Lajes Field is situated on a narrow neck of
land on the southeast corner of an island much larger than can be really
appreciated from just being at the airport. The land rises steeply to the
west of the field (with many small farms dotting the slope) within a short
distance giving the false impression that (if symmetrical) there's not much
land on the other side!
Our near-midnight arrival at the Airport Terminal where the USAF MD was
awaiting to examine me got complicated in a few ways. First, yet another
family on the plane then wanted their ill child to be checked out as well.
The doctor wasn't keen on that - he hadn't intended to be holding a clinic!
Then, after we were "grounded" and got billeted in officer quarters, it was
realized that our baggage was still on the MATS DC-6. A few quick phone
calls further delayed that flight until that was taken care off. I've no
idea how far off-schedule that made its stateside arrival later in the day.
Back
Created: December 13, 2001
Updated: December 22, 2001
looking south
looking north
These photos predated our July 1954 stay. There were no large USAF
contingents of C-124 or B-36 aircraft (as in the 2nd card) present then.
The vantage of the first card seems to have been from the area in the
extreme-right-center edge of the second one - with their overlap area of
construction differences showing that they were not contemporaneous (the
second being the newer).
Not too many places that I've been where one could look 180-degrees and
see open ocean in each direction! Actually, as I recently learned from
maps on associated Web Sites, Lajes Field is situated on a narrow neck of
land on the southeast corner of an island much larger than can be really
appreciated from just being at the airport. The land rises steeply to the
west of the field (with many small farms dotting the slope) within a short
distance giving the false impression that (if symmetrical) there's not much
land on the other side!
Our near-midnight arrival at the Airport Terminal where the USAF MD was
awaiting to examine me got complicated in a few ways. First, yet another
family on the plane then wanted their ill child to be checked out as well.
The doctor wasn't keen on that - he hadn't intended to be holding a clinic!
Then, after we were "grounded" and got billeted in officer quarters, it was
realized that our baggage was still on the MATS DC-6. A few quick phone
calls further delayed that flight until that was taken care off. I've no
idea how far off-schedule that made its stateside arrival later in the day.
Back
Created: December 13, 2001
Updated: December 22, 2001
Back
Updated: December 22, 2001