Most of the members of Explorer Post 35 got their introduction to scouting in Mrs. Mary Brady`s Cub Scout Pack. We would meet in her basement on Jackson Street. She really emphasized studying the manuals and earning advancements and badges.There was a Boy Scout troop after that but I don’t remember who the leader was.
The Explorer Post was the most active group a young man could hope for. The leaders were Dr. O. C. Barber, Wilson Cannon, Jerald Chandler and Gene Dowdy who had just retired from the Marine Corp. We had the option of advancing like Boy Scouts through the ranks to Eagle Scout or by way of Explorer Scouts to the Silver award which was more difficult to achieve. The explorer bronze, gold and silver awards were dropped in only a few years as the requirements were so high that not enough boys would complete it or even try. I think that was a bad mistake for it placed quantity over quality. Such is life.
It was the fifties and the USSR was always threatening so Explorer Post 35 was asked to enlist in the Ground Observer Corp as we were already organized. A room with telephone was built atop the Harpole building where The Hickman County Times is located on the first floor. On top of this room was a large dome with a listening device under it. We were attached to the USAF and they trained us as aircraft observers. When there was an alert we worked shifts until it was over. Usually we worked at least 3 to a shift. If we heard the sound of aircraft we would note the altitude, size of the aircraft and the direction of travel and call it in to Lake City, Tennessee, near Clinton, Tn. There was a command center and a major radar station on top of what I believe was the highest peak in the Smokies.
While listening we could hear heavy trucks on highway 51 for miles and could pick out the Jimmies shifting gears. Early one Sunday morning after an alert was called we were hampered by a constant tapping and we knew it was not the Raven. It got louder and louder as it got closer. Finally we saw a blind man crossing by Brummal Bro. grocery at the stop light. He was tapping his cane as he walked to stay on the walk. That is how sensitive the listening device was.
When the over the horizon radar was implemented they no longer needed the Ground Observer Corp and disbanded it nationwide. They had given us weekends at Ft. Campbell Air base on the Air Force several times.. Each time we toured the chute packing room and were taken for a flight in a cargo plane. Usually the flight would start or end with a pass over Clinton and the river. When GOC was disbanded they invited us to Lake City air base, Tennessee and the radar station on the mountain. You do not expect an Air Force station on top of a mountain in E. Tennessee. We went first to the command center and then to Lake City to climb into a gondola for the ride, up the mountain, by cable. I had forgotten until JW Chandler reminded me. On the way up the mountain the airman guiding us pointed out a few narrow streams of smoke on the side of other mountains. Those he said were moonshiners still operating stills. We were surprised by a very low flying Air Force fighter jet. He passed at our altitude, which was high and as he passed we could see him wave. This was planned and timed for our benefit I am sure. In the fifties it was not uncommon to see low flying aircraft or to hear them break the sound barrier. At some time the FAA implemented a minimum altitude over congested areas. At the top of the mountain was the building with the huge dome and antenna. It was soon to see the same fate as the GOC as the new over the horizon radar did not need so many installations. Finally a radar had been developed that could see over the bend of the earth surface. I think most of the alerts that were called were USSR air crews who had saved up fuel to deflect. I remember once we were called out and the plane, a Soviet bomber was not forced to land until well across the US, Canada border. It had been first detected by Royal Canadian Mounties and had been followed by their observers.
We were in three vehicles and one had Larry Gore and somehow we got separated only to realize Larry was in one vehicle and his medication was in another. A shout out to a passing state trooper and they soon had us all back in one convoy and Larry was reunited with his insulin in plenty of time. They went to great length to show their appreciation of the many hours we spent as observers. It amazed me that we could pick up the phone and be immediately in touch with personnel in E. Tennessee. We would say for instance “aircraft alert, Clinton, Ky, 3 (meaning three planes), low, north easterly direction, flying south south west.
Having a recently retired Marine DI, namely Gene Dowdy may have had something to do this it but very few military honor guard rated as high as Post 35 drill team. We were honored several times by Commander Joe Clifton to perform for Naval Air Station Millington visitors. Also we were the honor guard for Lt. Gov. Harry Lee Waterfield when he and Gov. Happy Chandler was sworn. With lots of bands and no few active military the media rated only the Ft. Knox honor guard higher in performance. In 1998 I would watch Hickman County High School band march in the same parade with both my daughters. Neat I thought. That was the year the first female governor was sworn in. Governor Martha Lane Collins.
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