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Service Details |
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Personal Details
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Home State
Minnesota | |
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Year of Birth
1940 |
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This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SMSgt John Slusser (WD7F)-Deceased
to remember
Christenson, Howard (Bassman), A1C.
If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
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Contact Info
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Home Town
St. Peter |
Last Address
1462 Howard St.
St. Peter, Mn. 56082
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Date of Passing
Dec 14, 2022 |
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Last Known Activity:
I and my wife retired from our business in 2006. After retiring we put a 38’ camper on a RV campground lot in northern Minnesota. The name of the town is Battle Lake. It’s a small town with great walleye fishing available. Our campground was small with 23 spots.
All was going well until October of 2018 when my faithful dog Katie of ten years passed away. Sixty days later on January 4, 2019 my wife passed away after a massive stroke. It was not a good winter.
I continue to live in St. Peter, Mn. In the winter and spend my summers at the camper. We’re down to 14 campers in the campground now. All very nice people. We have a good time. The owner doesn’t want to fill all the spots and it confuses us because it’s basically free money. He must have other plans in his head. He also has a great resort.
All four of my sons and their families live within 60 miles of my house so I can see them when I want.
Other than fishing I like feeding the birds and some woodworking.
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1963-1963, 46230, 3441st Student Squadron
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1964-1966, 46250, 366th Munitions Maintenance Squadron
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1964-1966, 366th Tactical Fighter Wing - Gunfighters
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1964-1966, 46250, Holloman Air Force Base
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1965-1965, 45th Munitions Maintenance Squadron
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1965-1965, 46250, 45th Tactical Fighter Squadron
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1966-1966, 46250, 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron - Bold Tigers
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1966-1967, 46250, 479th Munitions Maintenance Squadron
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1966-1967, 46250, 479th Tactical Fighter Wing
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Reflections on A1C Christenson's
US Air Force Service
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TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT INFLUENCED HIS/HER DECISION TO JOIN THE AIR FORCE?
I had received a letter informing me to show up for a physical for possible employment in the US Army. I had known for awhile that it could be coming. I was a couple months shy of 23. I had a decision to make on which branch of the service was right for me. Being a frail 130 pounds soaking wet, I knew the Marines was out. I didn't want to carry a rifle so the Army was out. My girl friend didn't want me on a ship so that was out. I thought the Air Force was the best for me. I took the physical and joined the Air Force.
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TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH HE/SHE TOOK IN HIS/HER MILITARY SERVICE. WHERE DID THEY GO FOR BASIC TRAINING AND WHAT UNITS, BASES OR SQUADRONS WERE THEY ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS HIS/HER REASON FOR LEAVING?
I enlisted on Aug.31, 1963 and left for basic training at Lackland AFB. At the end of basic I went to Lowry AFB in Denver for the 462 weapons course. Upon graduation I was assigned to Holloman AFB which was in New Mexico. It was the 366TFW which had F84 aircraft at the time. I had no training at Lowry on the F-84. Shortly thereafter we switched to the F4C Phantom. I had a TDY to Ubon RTAFB in Thailand from late April to late July of 1965. I was part of one weapons load crew that went there to help the 45 TFS from McDill AFB. It was at the start of Operation Rolling Thunder. After a three month TDY I returned to Holloman and rejoined the 366th. In Jan. of 1966 I went to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam with the 391 TFS from Holloman AFB. I spent nine months there and then was assigned to the 479 TFW at George AFB where I worked in the gun shop. I only spent nine months in Vietnam because of my previous SEA duty. I finished my time in the Air Force and was discharged Aug. 30, 1967.
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IF HE/SHE PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE YOU FEEL WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO HIM/HER AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY.
My TDY to Thailand in 1965 was in direct support of Operation Rolling Thunder. The bombing of North Vietnam. My deployment to Cam Ranh Bay in 1966 was in direct support of air operations in Vietnam. I was a member of a four man weapons load crew in both deployments.
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OF ALL THEIR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY HE/SHE HAD FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS THEIR LEAST FAVORITE?
I believe it would have to be my TDY to Ubon RTAFB in 1965. We were there loading weapons for the start of Operation Rolling Thunder. We worked hard with a sense of great accomplishment. I enjoyed that TDY very much. Worked with a great group of guys.
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FROM THEIR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY PERSONAL MEMORIES, YOU MAY BE AWARE OF, WHICH IMPACTED HIM/HER THE MOST.
I made a lot of good friends. It is unfortunate that I can't remember the names of all the guys that I served with. It was truly a good experience being in the service. At age 71 I'm running out of time trying to find any of them.
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OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES HE/SHE RECEIVED, WHICH WERE THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO HIM/HER AND WHY?
All my medals are important to me because I received them doing the job my government asked me to do.
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IF KNOWN, PLEASE LIST ANY INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM HIS/HER TIME IN THE MILITARY WHO STOOD OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEM AND WHY?
I guess my first weapons load crew chief would be the one. He instilled good work ethics in me. I believe I carried those ethics throughout my short career in the Air Force. I still carry them today.
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ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM HIS/HER SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MADE THEM LAUGH LATER ON?
After some time at Lowry AFB in the weapons mechanic course I was given the position of barracks chief. The day after I got the job we were due to have a inspection. I stayed up late to make sure that everybody did there job and the barracks was ready for inspection. The next morning I woke up and when I hit the latrine I noticed red spots on my face. I went to see a doctor and found out I had the measles. They promptly put me in Fitzsimons Army hospital. I had the barracks chief job for less then twenty four hours.
One day at Holloman AFB I was on the desk in the weapons control room. The phone rang and I answered it. The person on the other line said he was a Major. He asked a few questions and finally yelled into the phone "Son you better be standing up when I talk to you". Of course I jumped up and the whole room broke out in laughter. I had been gotten real good. It took a long time for me to live that one down.
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IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, WHAT PROFESSION(S) DID HE/SHE FOLLOW AFTER DISCHARGE?
I was working at a small auto repair shop in Minneapolis, Mn. before I enlisted. After my discharge I worked for 17 years for two Chevrolet dealerships. I worked up from mechanic to service manager in the last dealership. I then started my own auto repair shop and ran it for 21 years before retiring. In 2006 a guy that I knew came in and said he wanted to buy my building. I was 66 years old at the time. I wanted to work until my wife was 65 and could go on medicare. My wife said we better listen to him. The more we talked the more we we realized he wanted our building more then we did. He offered me a price I couldn't turn down so I sold the building to him. I had a sale to get rid of my equipment and I retired. The building is now used to rebuild old wooden boats like Chris Craft.
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IF KNOWN, WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS WAS HE OR SHE A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY SPECIFIC BENEFITS THEY DERIVED FROM THEIR MEMBERSHIPS?
I am a member of the American Legion and Disabled American Veterans. I enjoy the company of fellow veterans and the service we do.
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IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU BELIEVE HIS/HER SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY THEY APPROACHED THEIR PERSONAL LIFE, FAMILY LIFE AND CAREER?
I believe it made me a better person that tries to do the best I can in all I do. I also believe it gave me a foundation for life in how I treat people and the respect I give to others.
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IF THEY WERE HERE TODAY, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU THINK HE OR SHE WOULD GIVE TO THOSE WHO FOLLOWED IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS AND RECENTLY ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE?
Stay in and make a career out of the service. Looking back I wish I would have. My wife had a say in my getting out. She thought another Vietnam tour might have been in the future. They offered me $4200 to stay in but I told them another stripe was more important. That was not going to happen so I walked away.
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HOW EFFECTIVE HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM BEEN IN HELPING YOU RECORD YOUR REMEMBERED PERSONS MILITARY SERVICE? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE?
 | | TWS and the US Air Force |
It has been great joining in the conversations in the forums. It is almost like being back in the service. I have been able to establish some communications with some guys that I had ties with but sure would like to find more. I'm sure they're out there but haven't found them yet. DS 6/16/17
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