From 1976-1978 I was stationed at Howard Air Force Base in the Panama Canal Zone. I wasn’t too crazy about being stationed there at first, but later when I returned to the States, I missed the time that I had spent there.
If there is anyone out there who was stationed at Howard, I would like to hear from you and hope you can share your stories, anecdotes or photos.
When I first arrived at Howard AFB in September 1976, there were very few airmen below the rank of E-4.
From what I understood, before I arrived most of the airmen stationed at Howard had served in Vietnam—either at bases in Thailand or Vietnam. Whether or not that was true or not, or one of the military/urban legends associated with the base (another one was about whether or not you could swim because if the canal was ever sabotage, the side of the canal that Howard was located on would be under water) there were a lot of E-1’s (Airmen Basic) to E-3’s (Airmen First Class) arriving at Howard in 1976 not long after the Tactical Air Command had taken over the United States Southern Air Command.
As one of those E-1’s arriving I was soon put to good use pulling all kinds of lousy duties/details like cleaning offices (which I thought was absurd later when most duty sections paid Panamanians to do the cleaning—like we did in the barracks) as well as painting the hangar floor (where some of the supplies were located) battleship gray. I got to do that my first weekend at Howard; guess they were waiting for me to arrive. Come to think of it, when I did arrive, I was the lowest ranking airman in the supply squadron. Yes, all that military training was being put to good use—and now I was being put to good use cleaning the Chief Master Sergeant’s office and painting the hangar floor.
At the same time I wasn’t too keen on working in the Base Service Store and maybe my attitude could have been a little better because I started off on the wrong foot rubbing some people there the wrong way (maybe that is why I was having to pull all those lousy details). That probably got people thinking about finding a different job for me as it were because not too long after my friend Howard arrived I was soon transferred out to the Repair Cycle Support Unit on my way to a better position that I would stay in until I left Howard AFB in September 1978.
The Base Service Store carried everything from toilet paper and cleaning supplies to pens and stationary. Most of the time I worked there was spent stocking the shelves in either the store or the hangar where supplies like boxes of government issued toilet paper were stocked (none of this 3-4 ply stuff that you can pamper your butt with these days). My AFSC (Air Force Specialty Code) was 64530 Inventory Management Specialist—a fancy expression for supply.
The one nice thing about the Base Service Store was that you could meet a lot of different people on any given day. Stocking shelves was a little boring (I had done that the previous year when I worked at K-Mart) but it was cool working along the flight line and watching A-7’s, C-130’s and C-141’s landing and taking off.
One thing that I found surprising about being stationed at Howard was that many people worked from 9-5. No wonder so many people wanted to extend their tour of duty there. Many of the people I would get to know in the first few months I was at Howard had been in the Vietnam War like Larry Easterly who had been a gunner on a Huey (he had done two or three tours in Nam) and for them, coming to Howard was like being on R&R I guess. Maybe that was just another one of those military/urban legends or something that I have come to accept as the truth over the years.
When I first arrived at Howard and got a glimpse of the base and later Balboa in the Canal Zone it was like nothing had ever seen before. I regret that I hadn’t been a little more up on my history of Panama. However, when I was in the sixth grade, my classmates and I made a clay model of Central America and if I am not mistaken, I was responsible for making the Panama Canal.
I would soon learn, as I had not when I was making that clay model that the canal did not run East-West, but instead North-South.
There would be a lot of things I would learn in those first few months of being in Panama. I did get to see a little of the Canal Zone a few days after I arrived with my sponsor Airman First Class Gary Grimes. He took me to Balboa and Miraflores Locks and I got to see a ship transiting the canal for the first time. It was also a real treat to cross over the Thatcher Ferry Bridge and see the Pacific Ocean on one side and the canal on the other. No matter how many times I crossed that bridge in the two years that I was stationed in Panama it was always a thrill for me.
My Dad, John Maher Sr. was stationed at Howard from 1974-1976. He also was in Vietnam and worked on the flight line. I believe he was an E-8 at the time. He passed in 1992. My sisters went to Balboa High School, and I went to Curundu Jr. High. Do you remember that Chinese Restuarant off base up on a Hill? Very Good Food. I played football for the Howard Eagles. We use to practice on the big field near our base housing. 3 stories high, maids quarters on the bottom with a carport. I thought the sharks net at the beach on base was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I remember we had to take a train down to Colon to play their Football team. What an experience. They never let us play in Panama City though. I dont think they liked Americans much. Wow I was thinking of Howard so I looked it up and saw your message. Thanks for bringing back some good memories. My thoughts are scattered sorry. Thanks again . John
Jeff,
I too was stationed at Howard AFB from 1976 through 1978. I actually worked for Larry Easterly and was just putting a scrap book pile of photos together for my daughter to build a history of my time served.
Larry was a pleasurable person as were many of the rank and file during those post Viet Nam days. The daily duties were routine, but the days away from work were great. There were island hoping adventures, mountain climbing days, riding the Panamanin Rail across the Isthmus. Days of fishing in Lake Gatun, trips to the Costa Rican frontier, oh the list can go on.
Most days were hot and sticky, but that was easily cleansed by a brief rain in the afternoon, unless it was the dry season.
The beaches were plentful and ice was limited, but the local frio leche man would make the best hand scraped snow cones.
got to go. Brent
I was there with my family from 93-98 and the last of our 4 children was born at Gorgas. My kids now that they are adults still talk about how much fun it was sliding down the drainage ditches during a rain. Sledding down a grassy hill on cardboard in base housing. Going up to “snake hill” and catching snakes and chewing on sugar cane. Racing the “bug truck” to get into the house before the cloud got them. I did not know of some of these activities till years later, and was shocked that they did not kill themselves. My husband and I had the priveledge of participating in the great Ocean to Ocean Cayuco race in 96 and hiked the Devide with the Boy Scouts. My daughter celebrated her 3rd birthday on Isla Tigre in Gatun Lake where Dr. Dennis Rasmussen had a monkey refuge. GOOD TIMES!
I was also stationed at Howard from January of 1976 through September of 1978. I was with the 24th SPS as a dog handler. I went from Howard to Charleston. I have many fond memories of Howard and the canal zone. I wish I could go back. I use to spend alot of time at the base pool.
I was stationed at Howard/Albrook, May 1972 to October 1973; 24th Security Police Squadron (B-flight). Chief of Police was LtCol Paul Hebert from Louisiana, Exec Officer Capt. D’Agostino, 1st shirt SMSgt Wagner, (we called Capt. D’agostino “Augie Doggy” and SMSgt Wagner “Doggy Daddy”. Those were the days when almost everyone in the whole Air Force was a buck Sergeant, which in the USAF at the time was E-4. (The rank has since been changed to “Senior Airman” since not everyone can be a non-com).
The head of the OSI Base Investigative detachment had a daughter who was a bigtime stoner, she and her pals were so out of it on the CZTV kids Christmas Show that they could not get the letters for “Merry XMas” straight and wound up giggling like tickled baboons as the credits rolled.
PANAMA ROCKED BABY! Remember the Ancon Inn?? The Golden Key with the slot machine parlor on the ground floor? How about the Pizzaria Napoli with genuine wood-fired ovens and pizza as she is made in Italy; and the San Blas busboys dragging cans of garbage through the dining room as folks ate? And let’s not forget Gran Morrison, the funkiest department store on the planet.
There was a La Guardia that some of us sky cops were freinds with and he had a place out in the country where we would spend a weekend eating his wife’s cooking, drinking tequila and Ron Cortez (remember that rotgut rum??) and firing AK47s and other full-auto weapons. Boy those were the days.
And Goofy Falls, that natural rock slide carved out by a creek. A creek had eroded an about 2-story tall boulder and carved a water slide into a 10 foot deep pool, and if the water turned muddy it was time to get the hell outta dodge because a flash flood was on the way. A couple of kids I busted for pot carved and painted my name on the rock: “Sgt. Norman is a prick Lifer no bullshit”. Last I heard , which was about 1983, it was still there.
I was Stationed at Howard from May of 1976 to June of 1978 with the 24th Civil Engineering squadron then did a consecutive OST to Korea…literally from paradise to the pits. First thing i remember stepping off the plane was the heat…I think even the lifers mellowed out in Panama..least the ones i knew….the troops busses that brought in girls to the NCO club, finding girls in the showers in the morning, Ancon Inn, Golden Key, Buffalo Bar to name a few were always eager to please. Napoli’s was the best…of course there was always Monkey meat grilled on the corners too. Civilians i worked with were always cool and loved to party..we held poker parties at the wastewater plant, played cards and drank…lots of people used to show up for them including our squadron commander. For a young single man who was stationed in North Dakota for a year and a half…Panama was paradise.
I was lucky enough to be stationed at Howard as my first duty station from 79-81. while there i served in the 24th CES along with a group of great guys. Under Mssgt Willie D White. I met alot of younger men and ladies that were there for their first duty and together we formed a bond that has become remembered and unforgotten. If anyone else was there during those years feel free to lok me up.