Navy at H-3
The U.S. Air Force was not the only United States military force which was represented at H-3.
The Navy had a small detachment stationed at Hofn AFS. They manned the communications station which communicated with the various Naval facilities around the world. They had several large conical antennas to support their shortwave communications.
Pictured is the only Navy person to have checked in to H-3's home on the web. He also gave us an update on the Dogs of H-3. (Below his picture, taken at the Vatna Jokull, is a a copy of his e-mail to me. Several of the pictures he provided are shown on various pages of these web pages.)
The Navy had a small detachment stationed at Hofn AFS. They manned the communications station which communicated with the various Naval facilities around the world. They had several large conical antennas to support their shortwave communications.
Pictured is the only Navy person to have checked in to H-3's home on the web. He also gave us an update on the Dogs of H-3. (Below his picture, taken at the Vatna Jokull, is a a copy of his e-mail to me. Several of the pictures he provided are shown on various pages of these web pages.)
I don't have many pictures of the Navy people or facilities on the site. They had their own Communications Station, the entrance of which is shown here. If you happen to have been stationed at H-3, serving with the Navy, and you have any pictures you would like to share, please contact me.
Joe Pyrdek
Joe Pyrdek
Paul James has found, and sent them on to me, a few more pictures of his time at H-3. He helped update the names of the VIDs of Hofn. That is the Very Important Dogs. Included below are the newest additions to the Memories of H-3. When you check out the flyover, you may want to consider the elevation of Bat Mountain in the background and the mountain just North of H-3 versus the altitude of the aircraft. I think that the aircraft shown is an F-89 which would have been stationed in Iceland earlier sometime before we were there since in 1967-68 the Interceptors were F-102's.
(May 2018)
Looks like the Navy & Air Force gave different names to the same dogs. Fritters & Brownie had two offspring which the AF guys named Blackie and Queen. The Navy guys called these same dogs GJ (aka Blackie) and Ginger (aka Queen). GJ was named by someone that lived in Grand Junction and he was the dog in the back seat of the truck. GJ (aka Blackie} was a shy/friendly dog that mostly hung out in the Navy barracks. The things that I remember most about GJ & Ginger was that if you went for a walk they would always appear from out of nowhere and walk with you. It was also amazing how GJ was able to jump up and catch a low flying bird right out of the air.
Hope I didn't confuse you with the names.
Paul James
(May 2018)
Looks like the Navy & Air Force gave different names to the same dogs. Fritters & Brownie had two offspring which the AF guys named Blackie and Queen. The Navy guys called these same dogs GJ (aka Blackie) and Ginger (aka Queen). GJ was named by someone that lived in Grand Junction and he was the dog in the back seat of the truck. GJ (aka Blackie} was a shy/friendly dog that mostly hung out in the Navy barracks. The things that I remember most about GJ & Ginger was that if you went for a walk they would always appear from out of nowhere and walk with you. It was also amazing how GJ was able to jump up and catch a low flying bird right out of the air.
Hope I didn't confuse you with the names.
Paul James
Remains of WW2 British barracks
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Dan McMahanon - Navy radioman
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Found this on internet somewhere. AF pilots used to sometimes buzz our barracks on returning from missions. They also liked to kick in their after-burners to wake us up.
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Giant Bolder - Makes you wonder how this bolder got there.
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This was the ice flow of 1968 which cut off our very much needed supplies, like BEER!, that for several weeks could not traverse the ice fields.
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When the ice finally left, you never saw so many guys so willing to be on the work party that would unload and pack away the supplies.
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Sheep pasture seen on way to Hofn
Me (Navy ET)making it look like I was doing something important.
Entrance to mess hall on right.
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H-3 had their own SEAL team.
A curious seal that used to visit me when I went walking
Russian ships used to cruise by attempting to cut the underwater cable that was used to listen for submarines.
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And for the finish, Paul has sent us this picture of one of our VID's supervising a new parking on ice maneuver that this unfortunate seaman had to perform. I don't know how GJ (aka Blackie) wrote up his report on this driving lesson.
Don't remember this Navy guys name but he had a little accident while making a milk run into Hofn.
