Harmon AFB

[chris vickery]

Well my job has me on the road again, interesting enough I am in NFLD. Neat to be in Stephenville, former home of Harmon Field, Harmon AFB, the USAAF and USAF respectively.
The town utilizes the former base housing and associated buildings.
Historically, the Americans came here in 1940 to construct an airfield as a stop for trans-atlantic aircrews going to Europe, for re-fueling, re-supply etc.
The deep water port off shore was a strategic area in the fight against German U-boats. After the war, the field was used as a home to Stratotankers for air to air refueling of B52 nuclear bombers and was home to several fighter squadrons as well.
Unfortunately, I am here many years too late to have been able to see all the aircraft and MVs that once scattered the area. The only reminder of the aircraft here is a F104 Starfighter gifted by the USAF to the Town.
Going to try and get access to one of the old bunkers this week if I can to check out this interesting part of WW2/Cold War history.
It is neat to drive through the former base, past all the old hangars along the flightline and aprons to the runways. Many of the old hangars are still here.
Stephenville airport is also one of the few places in the world to be used as an alternate landing area for the US Space program (Shuttle)
On another note, NATO forces have conducted major EXs just off shore with combination naval and air force power and the airfield does host military aircraft from time to time even today.

[sapper740]

I spent a month under canvas during OP MARCOT which was a huge NATO exercise in the spring of 1998 in Stephenville. The weather reminded me of Mark Twain's old homily. "the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco!". Allow me to paraphrase ol' Samuel Clemmons with "The coldest Winter I ever spent was a Spring in Stephenville!" We were tasked with, among MANY other things, setting up the MAGs (Mobile Arrestor Gear) at the Airbase and I now know why they call Newfoundland the "Rock"!. It took forever to anchor the gear with the stakes we had to drive into the ground. We marvelled at the size of the hangars which could fit three or four B52s each.
As for the aircraft left by the USAF, if it's the one mounted on the pylon, being of delta-wing design it would be a Delta Dagger or Dart, not a Starfighter.

CHIMO!

Derek

[chris vickery]

You are quite right, it is a F-102 Delta Dagger on the mount. I drove by briefly at first when I thought it was a Starfighter.
As for OP Marcot, one of the guys I have been working with has a place on the Port au Port peninsula overlooking the Atlantic. He told me that several years ago a major ex took part in the area (Marcot) and that the armada was anchored just off shore from his house overlooking the ocean. He said it was quite a spectacle to see as he could watch interaction of ships and aircraft from his patio.