European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 9, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse � stars and stapes Theair Force s by Mark Dahlinger staff writer Tou never notice us until the lights go s the Light hearted complaint of the men at Safe Generator maintenance div he at Wiesbaden air base. So that those who have benefited fro the unit s services Are no longer in the dark about who can make the lights go Back on Here s the some pretty isolated Mountain tons to plunk in the Middle of a big City the Generator boys answer Calls in a hurry when there s an emergency. At first however everybody whether an important communications outfit or Wiesbaden s Haine Berg shopping Cen Ter contacts the base civil Engineer in an base civil Engineer knows if he is Able to handle the situation. If he can the knows who can. When a Power shovel Cut the Mai electric Cable for the entire Haine Berg shopping Center last month More than the lights went out. Refrigeration and snack bar grills were also affected. The base Engineer first stepped in but a Call later came through to the Safe Generator maintenance Divi Sion. I can t Hack it the base officer advised and the Generator men were on their shopping Center operated off emergency Generator juice for two Day until German commercial current was Job was close by. But whether the trouble spot is in Turkey Italy Spain North Africa Greece the Netherlands Britain or Belgium the genes a photos by Scon Gates Rator men swing into action and even inthe most far Flung spots the remedy is on its Way or there within 24hours. And if a replacement Generator or parts Aren t enough the division Wallsend along some of its always ready meet every situation the division s spacious lot at the air base is Home for generators ranging from a Small 2v& kilowatt Gas powered Job valued at $325,to a 200-kilowatt, Van mounted diesel powered Generator valued at about$90,000. The smallest will Light up 25 Hundred Watt bulbs for instance four of the Van affairs could service a Small City with All that equipment on hand and an inventory record of everything on the Job elsewhere maj. R. H. Bjork Lund officer in charge and a civil Engi Neer in his own right comments if we can t help nobody Bjorklund is a Generator expert and civil Engineer of Long standing civilian Kurt Oster. As a matter of fact Oster was Sta ironed in Turkey for some time and had occasion to Call Wiesbaden with emergencies. I quite often called up for help and ways got it he said. Now at Wiesbaden he sees that helps promptly sent out to others in a Jam. Because the area served sprawls Over a healthy portion of the Globe the i ? depends a Tot on mar delivery a with its pulleys and forklift can Nave a Generator loaded up and on Sway o Thein main air base in Short order. Is a modern Means of delivery a Dern times Nav moved into the Generator Field in other ways too. A " " sed to be that the Man who oper men Generator was Only a grease Monkey Oster said. But today a Guy Friday August 9, 1968 be air Force sergeant and a German technician set up Safe emergency Generator at Remote site. M. Sgt. Irvine j. Allred and airman 1 a. John e. Morrison inspect Generator through window. Has to be a grease Monkey and a electronics for that very reason three instructor conduct continual three week courses holding classes Down to a convenient10 men to bring everybody up to Date. Pointing to a pm Model 16903 contain ing a relatively simple wiring pattern behind its controls and dials Bjorklun said you might Call this the Model 1 of the this is today s Ford he said pointing to a Slick new mb17 Model. He lowered the control panel and behold a Maze of wires hut would do Justice to a computer. There Are still a lot of Model to in the division s inventory involving some 2000 generators of 280 models by 90manufacturers. Some of the oldies Are there to Supply spare might just need an item Worth 98 cents said m. Sgt. Irving Allred chief of maintenance and repair explaining Why some of the relative relics Are kept around. But if a com Pany in t in business anymore or Mak ing parts for that Model it could take lot of Money to retool for needed parts. And maybe two years to get them chimed in authorized cannibalization can t bring up the needed part the division s Small machine shop can often do the there Are foreign made As Well As american generators to Deal with students spend 10 Days of their course on outside makes. A leading Light of their education is t. Sgt. John Blair so dedicated to his work As an instructor that he will soon be receiving his degree As a vocational arts teacher from the University of Maryland. His students Power production people for Safe Are usually Gene Rator men serving with base civil Engi the stars and stripes Neer sections or with communication units. They review the old As Well As learn the new to help ensure that local problems can be handled locally when Ever knowhow can come in Handy at an isolated communications Post in tur key where there s no commercial Power and nobody comes around but the Mountain goats As Oster phrased it. But should they not be Able to handle it and should the base civil Engineer find the problem beyond his Means the Safe Generator maintenance division is always there with backup Power plants Power plants that Are Guaran teed to work thanks to a Quality control Section roughly handled by m. Sgt. Ken Neth one of our generators is sent out it stays out and does t come Back because of malfunction he Emp a it works. Next time the lights go out you la know it does Page 11
