Oct-Dec 1961: Alert Detachment 1 to Homestead AFB is confirmed as permanent. The new detachment, commanded by Major Dwaine L. Weatherwax, will have nearly 60 permanently assigned support personnel. Six aircrew members to be rotated semi-monthly.
Jan 1962: Detachment 1 moved from their temporary facilities at Miami International Airport to their new permanent facilities at Homestead AFB, Florida. The personnel roster for Detachment 1 is two officers and 48 airmen.
March 1962: Major Weatherwax, commander of Detachment 1, is promoted to Lt. Colonel and also receives the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Oct 18, 1962 : Cuban Missile Crisis. Because the 482nd's Detachment 1 was already in place at Homestead AFB, they were the first squadron to respond ... 4 days before President Kennedy's speech to the nation. The 482nd's arrival at Homestead was carried on the national news on Oct 20 and extracted a large "hoorah" from me in my New York City apartment. Eventually, one hundred and sixty-nine 482nd officers and airmen were awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for duty performed in southern Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis ... but the 123 men listed in the link above were among the first responders and deserve special attention, along with the regulars of Detachment 1, listed below.
Circa February '63: Detachment 1 personnel were assigned PCS to the 319th FIS, Homestead AFB.
Feb 14, 1963: The 482nd was re-assigned to the Homestead AFB alert commitment. T/Sgt Dale F. Griffin was the maintenance NCOIC.
May 1, 1963: The 482nd's reactivated alert commitment permanently ends at Homestead after the last 75 days TDY.
IN SLOW PROGRESS. The available (incomplete) permanent personnel data below comes from orders saved by Ronald E. Gaffney, Wayne D. Ledkins, and four sets of orders sent to us (Aug 7, 2006) by Steven Risner, son of our late (T/Sgt) Winston "Mack" Risner. Many thanks men.
Major WEATHERWAX, Dwaine L. ["Waxie"], [ ? - to Lt. Col. in Mar '62 - ? ]
Capt. LEWIS, James R. (dec'd 1995?), AO764360, [appears at Det 1, Feb 9, 62 - Dec 1, '62+]
SM/Sgt DUNCAN, Lewis C. (dec'd), AF44145977, 32290, [appears at Detach 1, Feb '62 - to CM/Sgt -]
SM/Sgt WALTERS, George W. (dec'd)), AF15334936, 43190, [appears at Det 1, Feb '62]
T/Sgt CLANCY, Danny Jo (dec'd), AF11243754, weapons 46270, [by Oct 13, '58 - to Det 1 Feb '62 - Feb '63 to 319th FIS]
T/Sgt FRANKS, Ralph V. (dec'd 1974?), AF13373479, 42270, [appears at Det 1 Feb '62 - July '62+]
T/Sgt GOLIKE, Lewis Dewey ["L.D."] Jr., AF37722377, comm-nav, [appears at Det 1, July '62 - to 319th - to Germany, Sept '63]
T/Sgt HAHN, Lawrence Robert ["Bob"] (dec'd), AF12343897, [appears at Det 1, Feb '62 - July '62+]
T/Sgt HAYNES, Daniel J., AF14658648, 42172, [appears at Det 1 Feb '62 - July '62+]
T/Sgt HEUE, Leroy Francis (dec'd), AF17228100, 42373, [appears at Det 1 Feb '62 - July '62+]
T/Sgt HUMPHREY, Lorenzo Willie (dec'd), AF15337775, 43171C, [appears at Det 1 Feb '62 - July '62+]
T/Sgt JOHN, Victor Augustus (dec'd), AF12298972, 30170, [appears at Det 1 Feb '62 - July '62+]
T/Sgt PERKINS, John G., AF15399765, 43171C, [appears at Det 1 Feb '62 - July '62+]
T/Sgt RADFORD, James R. ["Big"] (dec'd), AF07000117, [NCOIC Unit Supply Jan 18, '60 - July '62+]
T/Sgt RISNER, Winston ["Mack"] (dec'd), AF18332327, 32271F radar, [Jan '62 - Feb '63 to 319th FIS]
T/Sgt WIRZFELD, Ramon Edward (dec'd), AF18383942, 42370 electrician, [by '59 - to Det 1 Feb '62 - Feb '63 to 319th FIS]
S/Sgt CAMPBELL, Larry E., AF14515539, 32251F, [appears at Det 1 Feb '62 - Feb '63 to 319th FIS]
S/Sgt CAVENDER, Wilbur J., AF13337531, 32251F, [appears at Det 1 Feb '62 - Feb '63 to 319th FIS]
S/Sgt CLIME, Alan B., AF16489950, 43171C, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - July '62+]
S/Sgt DASCH, Robert L., AF13334060, [appears Det 1, July '62]
S/Sgt HARRIS, George D., AF37462107, 73250, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
S/Sgt HICKMAN, Francis N., AF19505906, 32251F, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - Feb '63 to 319th FIS]
S/Sgt NIELSON, Robert E., AF14468684, [appears Detach 1, July '62]
S/Sgt PAGE, James Richard ["Dick"], AF14461272, engines, [from 95th FIS Jan 10, '57 - Det 1 Feb '62 - Feb '63 to 319th FIS]
S/Sgt SHERWOOD, Clark B. (dec'd), AF12269278, 46250 weapons, [appears by Feb 11, '60 - to Det 1 Feb '62 - July '62+]
S/Sgt SMITH, Jesse W., AF15596408, 99250B, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - July '62+]
S/Sgt WARREN, Bernard Foster (dec'd), AF13307064, 43250, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 -July '62]
S/Sgt WILSON, Albert G., AF38023344, 62250, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
S/Sgt WORLEY, Jesse Elton (dec'd), AF14313790, supply, [from 482nd PCS Det 1 Apr '62 - July '62+]
A/1C BIGGS, Hilton R., AF14661529, 27150, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/1C BOYKO, William, AF13643641, 43151C, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/1C CATON, Junior Lee, AF19475081,43151C, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/1C DAVIS, Kent M., AF12489449, 70250, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/1C GRIGGS, Charles F., AF17515546, 27150, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/1C HALTERMAN, William E., AF13485281, 42153, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/1C KENNEDY, William Thomas (dec'd), AF18537302, 42251, [appears at Det 1, July '62]
A/1C LANDRENEAU, John C., AF18500385, 32251F, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/1C LEDKINS, Wayne D., AF25966224, 70250, [Nov 14, '61 - Oct 11, '62]
A/1C MARLEY, Paul E. (dec'd), AF17503702, 46250, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/1C MARRITT, Jack Lee, AF16623240, [appears at Det 1 July '62]
A/1C PALMER, Kermel (dec'd), AF18441038, 27150, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/1C VAUGHAN, Ralph L., AF14525027, 58150 parachute shop, [appears by Jan 8, '60 - to Det 1 Feb '62 - July '62+]
A/2C BOWLES, Carlos W. (dec'd), AF12591474, 43151C, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - Feb '63 to 319th FIS]
A/2C CADDESS, Kenneth Meril (dec'd), AF28790430, 46250, [appears by Apr 6, '61 - to Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/2C MAYES, Bobby G. (dec'd), AF14692670, 43131C, [from England AFB Aug 27, '60 - to Detach 1 - Feb '63 to 319th FIS]
A/3C GARZA, Roberto (dec'd 2005?), AF18495428, 27130, [appears Det 1 Feb '62 - ?]
A/3C HUERTA, William ["Richie"], AF19596689, 46250, [to A/2C Mar '60 - Feb '62 to Detach 1+]