USAF ROTORHEAD Members

Ruth Emanuel

My first “real” base was Hurlburt Fld. Fl. where I worked on H-3’s from February 1977 through August 1979. My first helicopter was 69-5811 and had an orange nose. They painted it but 69-5811 continued to shed its paint on its nose and get orange freckles till the day I left.

From Hurlburt Field I went winging my way overseas to Okinawa AB, Japan to spend a lovely eighteen months on a tropical island with a rescue mission working on HH-53’s. 68-10358 was my helicopter there and we spent many an hour together.

In February of 1980 I found myself in the desert stationed at Kirtland AFB, NM. I worked on H-53’s there also and my bird was 66-14428 a “B” model. I was at Kirtland till August of 1981.

Then it was back to Okinawa where I briefly crewed 68-10364 and then we packed them up and swapped them for the H-3’s from Hurlburt Field. I crewed 66-13290 for a while then worked in job control for a while.

After spending three and a half years at Okinawa this time, my husband and I were stationed as Shaw AFB, SC. I worked H-3’s there specifically 994 was my girl.

I closed the H-3 section at Shaw AFB in 1988 and went from there to Osan AB, Korea where I spent a year on H-3s. I was expeditor on swing shift and had a kick — group of guys who worked for me there. I had the distinct pleasure of being the only woman on the flight line the entire year that I was there. It was an interesting experience to say the least.

From Osan I went to Ramstein AB, Germany to work UH-1N models and be flight chief. I was there from 1989 through 1993 when we closed down that unit also.

From Germany I made my way back to Kirtland AFB, New Mexico where I worked once again on the H-53 until I retired in 1995.