Jerrel Scott
Scott was at Brize Norton 1963-65
Memories by Jerrell Scott
Memories of Brize Norton I
was stationed at Shilling Air Force Base, Salina, Kansas and was
offered an assignment with The Atomic Energy Commission in California.
It appeared to be a good job and I would still be in the USAF but I
would wear civilian clothes while on duty working in their computer
room. Not wanting to leave Kansas I turned it down and about a month
later I received orders for Brize Norton. If that was their way of
getting back at me for declining the assignment it surely failed as I
really enjoyed the two years I spent in England. I arrived at
Brize Norton in 1963 and stayed until the base was turned back over to
the RAF in 1965. I was assigned to Base Supply and worked in the
computer room. The countryside, London, Oxford, snow, fog and just
being in a country outside the USA was exciting. Being from a small
town in Texas this was really something. There came a big snowfall one
winter and the base just closed down, nothing moving. We all got up for
breakfast as usual and I heard someone running up and down the hall
celebrating and hollering that we did not have to report for work and
that we ought to take a look see outside. It must have snowed about two
feet and the snowdrift covered the windows on the backside of our room.
This was great news as I love to sleep late so I just went back to bed.
About an hour later my roommate came bursting thru the door and said
everyone had to report out front for a snow removal detail on the
runway. The plan was to dig out the snow around the runway lights. We
decided the heck with that and we would just ignore that nonsense. We
could hear the First Sergeant coming down the hall knocking on
everyone’s door and ordering all of us to meet him outside in thirty
minutes. We did not know what to do because we could not escape out of
the windows for all the snow so my roommate put his key into the slot
and turned it a bit so that no one outside could open it. He banged on
our door for a while and said I know y’all are in there so open up or
face some consequences later. We did not dare open the door and luckily
got out of the detail and nothing was said. Some of our friends that
did go out said it was just plain miserable duty. One Sunday
morning I heard a commotion outside our window. We lived upstairs in
the barracks and I looked out to see what the heck was going on. There
was about six dogs and twenty horses and riders and they were all
dressed up in red coats, white trousers and black caps and boots
getting ready for a fox hunt. The bugler sounded for the hunt to begin
and the little fox ran straight for the front gate with all the dogs
and riders behind him. I hope the little fox got away but it sure was
an entertaining way to start the day. Sometimes we would catch a
bus on the base and they would take us to the London Palladium to see a
show, put us up in a Hotel and treat us to a fine dinner, free of
charge. The next day after breakfast and a little sightseeing they
would take us back to the base. I do not know for sure who arranged
this or footed the bill but was told the people of England sponsored
these trips and I tried to go on all of them. I was very grateful as
was everyone who went. Thanks again. Other weekends we would go to
London and just walk around Piccadilly Circus and enjoy the atmosphere
and the street performers. We would catch the last train out of
Victoria Station to Oxford and usually hitchhike back to the base. Not
having a lot of money we did a lot of hitchhiking and it was real easy
to get a ride. Somehow they knew we were Americans, Yanks as they
called us, and it did not take very long before someone offered us a
ride. When the driver found out I was from Texas it seemed to make his
day and would ask me how many horses and guns I owned. When I told him
that Texas had actually joined the twentieth century and that we did
have paved roads and large modern cities and that I did not own a horse
or lots of guns was a big let down but I don’t think I convinced him.
He still wanted Texas to be the wild west as depicted in the movies. It
was fun making friends with the English and sharing our stories. The
heavy fog scared the heck out of me. When you could only see a few feet
in front of the car the driver would just look down at the reflectors
in the middle of the road and just keep on driving fast and it worked
but it was scary. Also, the roundabouts were frightening and you would
just have to be from the States to appreciate this. Driving on the left
side of the road with the driver sitting behind the wheel on the right
side of the car entering into a roundabout in the left lane was to say
the least, exciting. It took me a few trips before I finally accepted
this. Just outside the main gate on the right side this nice
Little Ole Lady would let us pick apples from her tree. We noticed the
apple trees while walking along the fence one day and finally got up
enough courage to ask her if we might have a few. She would give us a
bag and we picked some for her, also. I think she enjoyed our visits
and sometimes ask us in for tea and we would talk about the USA and she
would tell us stories about living in England during WWII. She was very
interesting and I hope she had a long healthy life. She was most likely
in her late sixties when we knew her and I do not remember her name but
she was very nice to us. I had some great friends I worked with
in the computer room and we were in the ceremony when the base was
turned back over to the RAF in 1965. That was quite an event with the
bands and high ranking officers from both sides. Three friends in
particular Charles Gurganus, Michael Martin, and Fortunato Aldape. I
hope to hear from Charles (Chuck) and on my way to Vietnam in 1967 I
met up with Mike in Seattle, Washington. We were going to the same base
so that was nice seeing him again. I am not sure what happened to him
because after a couple of months at Phu Cat,Vietnam we got orders to
separate bases and I have not heard from him since. I hope he made it
out OK and hope he will write me if he reads this letter. I was
searching the internet one day and was able to find Al (Tito) Aldape on
the web site at the Community College where he is a department head. My
wife, Paulette and I have been to Laredo on two occasions to visit with
them. Three years ago Paulette and I took a trip to Europe and
was fortunate enough to visit Brize Norton. It has not changed much but
it brought back some good memories. I was doing some research on the
base and I came across someone who has a web site for the communities
around the base. After e-mailing him several times about what we wanted
to do he volunteered to come to our Hotel in London and take us back to
Brize. He also drove us around the countryside and made sure we got on
the right bus to London. We sincerely appreciate what he did for us.
This year, 2003, that man David Oakey, his wife Rosemary and their son,
James came to Texas and for nine days we drove them around the central
and southern part of Texas, going deep sea fishing and visiting San
Antonio and Dallas. We enjoyed their visit and hope they return someday. If anyone reads this and remembers me please write or e-mail. My address, Jerell Scott 450 Whitetail Crk Dr China Spring, Texas 76633 e-mail, s cott@promptwireless.com
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