Armstrong, ON

1962 – The Confederate Flag – Charlie Melanson


About the Confederate flag – I was the perpetrator of that stunt. There were two problems to overcome; (a) how to get into the FPS-27 Tower, because Westinghouse still owned it at the time, and (b) what would be the reaction of the "brass?"

#1 was the easiest to solve. The caretaker (3rd from left in the picture) didn’t particularly care for Americans and he agreed to let Bill and I in. As to # 2, I figured if they were going to discipline me, I'd claim the Canadian patriotism thing, so...........

In the picture (left to right), as I remember....

Sgt. Bill Whalley (Radar Tech -who helped me), FS Lloyd Sweeney (Radar Tech), the civilian Westinghouse security guard, the civilian Telco Tech, Patty O'Hanley (FtrCop), Sgt. Pete Storey (Cook), Sgt. Reg Cavanaugh (TTOp), who now lives in London, ON, Sgt. Marty Martel (Supply), W02 Shorty Gould (PPOp), unidentified Sgt., unidentified French Canadian FtrCop, Sgt. Jack O'Keefe (Radar Tech) and Sgt. Chuck Melanson (Radar Tech). Note the "white paint" on my pants and sweater!

I have other, pictures, but this one indicates those who were party to the prank.

As for Cpl. Sweeney, he nearly got us all in trouble, as I recall. After free drinks by yours truly for everyone, he borrowed the flag to show the Airmen/Corporals and it ended up on the CO's flagpole (Definitely a NO-NO).