Yep, I was definitely there in 67 as that was the year (actually June 5th) of the 3Day War between Egypt and Israel. Within days of it beginning, every dependent was brought onto the base, the gates were closed to anyone not already on the base and they began almost non-stop flights out of Wheelus to get everyone off the base safely before the War got under way. By the time it was over, the only people left on the base were Military assigned there, everyone else was gone. Because of our obvious mission, we were unable to fly, which left us with little to do beyond hangar maintenance on the aircraft. No engine runs were permitted, even taxiing aircraft was stopped because we were told it would appear that we were somehow helping the Isreali's.
That went on for 3 months. . .we spent a lot of our time doing building upkeep, painting, trash cleanup, anything to stay occupied. Since the Med was right across the street from the main hangar, we spent a fair amount of time in the water, but under the watchful eye of the Security Police who patrolled the shoreline. Finally, in late August, we got the word that one of our F-100's was going to launch the next day. The scenario was that if he took off and circled the pattern and then landed, we would be staying. If he took off and headed north out over the Med. . .we were gone. It was also circulated that if we had to leave (basically being forced off the base) that we would leave no building standing, that as our planes left, they would return to level the base. A lot of folks really wanted that to happen, lol.
Anyway, the next day the aircraft took off, climbed out over the Med. . . . .then leveled off and made the pattern. . .several times. . . .lol and then made one final high speed pass, pitched up, kicked in the AB and climbed through the clouds. . .lots of cheers went up on the Flight Line and around the base.
Eventually, the dependents who had left were returned to Wheelus if they still had sufficient time on their tour, if they were "short" they were sent on to the US and their better half in the Military was also shipped home. I stayed another 9 months and headed home, despite my desire to stay another tour. As it turns out, had I come back for a second tour, I would have run into "Chappie" James who ended up being the last base Commander at Wheelus and who had a rather famous encounter with Muammar Gaddafi at the main gate to the base prior to the base closing in June 1970. . .but that's another story, lol.:salute:
