Richards Gabuar AFB Missouri
HQ 33rd Air Division Richard Gabaur AFB MO
Kansas City Assignment and Building a New Life
I was now assigned to Headquarters, 33rd Air Division, under the Aerospace Defense Command. My work still centered on radar operations, but now with a broader focus, overseeing air surveillance and coordination at a higher level. The base operated 24/7, and although the pace was intense, I took pride in contributing to the nation’s air defense during the height of the Cold War.
The 33rd Air Division Control center was located in a big light brown building with no windows. It had 3 floors above ground and one floor down. The 2nd and 3rd floors are open with a walkway around with a few offices, the second floor contained the senior controller’s or the command diesis. On the one end was a huge rectangle world map plotting board and on the first floors was the communication and control diesis. The basement was the backup communications and control center, in case of a tornado or other emergencies. The walls are concrete about 5 to 6 feet thick all the way around. Built to with stand 5 EF5 tornados at once.
Richards-Gebaur AFB MO
Arriving at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in the summer of 1960 marked a new beginning for our little family. After the heat and isolation of Zapata, Texas, Kansas City felt like an entirely different world. The base was larger, more organized, and far better equipped for families. We were relieved to find decent housing and a nearby hospital, which gave us a sense of stability and comfort that had been missing in South Texas.
For the first time in a long while, Madeline and I were able to settle into a steady routine. Julie was just turning one and growing fast. We enjoyed exploring our new surroundings together, discovering parks, local shops, and family-friendly neighborhoods. We lived in a cozy two-bedroom duplex in Belton, Missouri. Our neighbors, Dan and Nancy Kelly, instantly fell in love with Julie. We became lifelong friends and later visited them in New Medford, Connecticut. We kept in touch for years, until Nancy passed away and Dan eventually moved to Florida.
Dan and Nancy often took Julie shopping and proudly told strangers she was their daughter. Julie, with her beautiful olive complexion, and Dan and Nancy, both white and full of New York charm, certainly turned heads. But they loved to laugh, make jokes, and bring joy wherever they went. I often thought Julie spent more time with them than with us, her own mom and dad!
But we didn’t mind. In fact, we were grateful. Julie was surrounded by love and attention, and Dan and Nancy treated her as if she were their own. Their fun-loving personalities brought warmth and laughter into our home, making the transition to Kansas City so much easier.
At work, my responsibilities at the 33rd Air Division grew more complex. I became part of a vast defense network, monitoring radar activity and coordinating communication between multiple sites. Cold War tensions were ever-present, and we had to remain on high alert, ready for anything. Despite the seriousness of the job, I found purpose and pride in our mission.
Even with the pressure of my duties, I looked forward to coming home each evening. Madeline had found her rhythm, and Julie was thriving. The base offered family support services, and Madeline quickly made friends with other wives. We often joined Dan and Nancy for a barbecue or a game night. We still didn’t have much money to go out and have some lavish entertainment in swinging Kansas City so we would have a get together in the back yard. We sure have some fun nights with our Air Force neighbors. That year we all went to see the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the Navy’s Blue Angels at the annual air shows at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base between Grandview and Belton, Missouri.
Life finally felt balanced, and for the first time in a long while, it felt like home. However, the good times would come to an end, 1year and 2 months after my arrival in Kansas City. I received orders to do a remote tour in Alaska, I wasn’t too happy about it and Madeline was also upset. Due to my job and the cold-war we would be required to serve anywhere in the world, at the pleasure of the Air Force.
In September of 1961, we again found ourselves on the road to California, Madeline was now expecting our second child and she would stay with her mom and dad and I would go North to Alaska.