Larson AFB Kennels

[muley79]

Sir: I came across this video while trying to find some history on Larson regarding the guard dog training program. None of the official hisotry sites even mention the dog program. I was curious as I visited the training site and took picture in May of 1964 as a boy scout. I just rediscovered the pictures and was checking to confirm it was at Larson. I believe the photos were taken outside the fence near where you parked your car. At that time there were bleachers for the visitors to sit on.

[Cartel99]

great clip sir

[richarddlowe]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[Cartel99]

Very good idea to fim this kennel.

Old scool great.

Why did not use anymore?

[markumhosta2000]

the only tunnels that i ever knew of was going into and out of the alert building. That is where the alert crews stayed . they would be on alert status probably for a week at a time. They had to stay together and had to get to the plane as a crew within their time limit.

great video richard wish those old kennels were closer so i could go back again. don markum

[richarddlowe]

That's what I remember also. Glad you liked the video Don and hope it allowed you to "go back again" for a short visit. R

[pitbulltrece]

alert building? were is that? do you know anything about the titan building?

[richarddlowe]

The alert building was in the center of the B-52 tree at the end of the runway off Randolph Rd. We have not determined where the Titan building was. R

[pitbulltrece]

is there underground tunnels under the residential part of larson afb?i have lived here my whole life and i always here rumers about them.also does the titan building have a basement conected to the tunnels? just answer me yes or no you dont have to answer in detail.

[richarddlowe]

Thanks for your comment. I have checked with two other dog handlers who were there when I was, 64-66, and we do not recall ever hearing of tunnels in or out of the residential area. But as K-9 security our mission was protecting the flight and munitions (nukes) area of Larson and Base Police patrolled the residential area. There were tunnels under the silos but suspect that they would not have connected to the residential area. Way to much of a security risk.

[pitbulltrece]

thats amazing stuff.i didn't know we had silos on the base,so basically that is what the s.a.g.e computer inthe titan building controlled?i read that there was only a few titan buildings in usa and that they housed the giant computer S.A.G.E..BUT I ALSO READ THAT THOSE BUILDINGS DO NOT HAVE BASEMENTS except one on the us /canadian boarder.

[pitbulltrece]

i was just reading and they only mention the warden,odessa,royal city silos. that is very interesting,i am amazed and shocked.i didn't know that they were on the base also?

[pitbulltrece]

some one told me that in 1980 when mt st helens blew,they were in the national guard,and that they got to stay in the titan building ,that it was 6 stories deep.have you heard of the basement?i went to the airport a couple weeks back and everything is different.there used to be stairs leading to the basement on the right side of the building(airport),i used to play down there when i was little. was all this conected airport,silos,titan building underground?

[overlandj]

@pitbulltrece - a good friend of mine swears that his dad, who was a high ranking base officer at the time, had a tunnel from his base home going to somewhere. Apparently a closet like one of the water heater closets housed the access to this tunnel. He said there were lots of tunnels on the base for emergency operations. I've suggested to him that he knows the area history so well, he should write a book.

[George1Fred2]

Thanks for posting the video. My dad and our family tore down the old Mess Hall and a couple of the barracks after the base closed. I believe I saw B-47s on the base when I was a kid.

Could you post more video/pictures of the base and your memories. Thanks

[ratrare]

This must have been very emotional for you....I think of my dog Prince all the time.

212th Military Police Sentry Dogs, Vietnam 1969

[richarddlowe]

Thanks for the comment. Welcome home! I see you were in Long Binh. I assume you are a VDHA member. Hope you will be joining us in San Antonio next month. Might see you there. R

[dawniec99]

I agree that it should be preserved or at least be used.... the Grant county outreach could be using these kennels for rescue dogs...

[jackvahe]

A trip down memory lane - - 1962 to 1964 my

Air Force SAC home, with K-9 partner, Smokey, 162F - -He was taken over by Dale Kangas, did you know him?. 1st dog run as you enter the kennel gate was Smokey's home. Thanks for posting this tribute - -it should somehow be saved. Jake Vahe

[richarddlowe]

Thanks for your posting Jake. We never met as I wasn't assigned to the K-9 section until 65' but I do know your name. I did know Kangas and remember Smokey of course. Glad you enjoyed the video. R

[Ookamiko]

Wow, I've lived in Moses all my life, in fact I live on "The Base" (Now just a residential area) out by the airport, and I've never seen this before. Is it off of Randolph road a ways?

It's a shame the city doesn't preserve some of this history, even the old Titan missile silo are going up for sale.

[richarddlowe]

Yes,you take Randolph Road Northeast, off the south end of the runway, until it ends at what used to be the weapons area (MMS). You can see the kennels on Google Earth. Your right, the city should think about preserving some of that or at least use the area. The kennels is still in pretty good shape. Thanks for your comment. R

[KCG88]

sounds like a good idea you and some buddies should get together and get the kennels up and running again, seems like a good business idea training and selling working dogs, shoot some kennels on-line are asking 10-40 thousand somethimes even more for a level 3 protection dog....that would be bad ass wish I had the money, time and knowledge(to train the dogs) to do it

[cdubois13]

when did this base closeand what was its mission.

[richarddlowe]

Larson closed 6/30/1966. It was part of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) and headquarters to the 462nd Strategic Aerospace Wing. Larson supported the B-52 Stratofortresses and KC-135 Stratotanker with planes in the air 24/7 during the Cold War. The 462nd Security Police Squadron, K-9 Scection had 20 Military Working Dogs and handlers used for base security. Thank you for asking. R