Archive

The New Flagpole Location and First Flag Lowering

By Clifford Fullam

Since the RTA was formed the flagpole and the reproduction nylon flag that represents the United States in the 1940s has flown proudly on our open days, from the roof of the control tower.

The wooden base made to support the flagpole has seen better days, and with the reconstruction of the glass house on the roof of the building imminent, a decision was made to relocate the flagpole onto ground level.

The new location is on the southern grassed area between the Nissen hut, and the drive that leads to the Radio- Radar repair building, that incidentally has been recently vacated by Mr Duncan Sadler, who used it in the past for repair and restoration of the legendary Volkswagen Beetle car.

A redundant concrete base that once housed one of the runway lights is the new support for the pole, and it was with interest on the Sunday 21st April who would have the honour of lowering the flag for the first time in its new position.

We did not have long to wait, as on Tuesday 23rd April, St George's, the patron saint of England; a thirty strong party of serving American personal from local bases and beyond, came and paid the Control Tower a visit, even though the displays in all the rooms had not been completed.

My first introduction to the group was Master Sergeant Mike Grzebien, who lives in Ipswich and together with Master Sergeant Mark E Brotherton represented the Division 16 Air Force Sergeants Association, Annual Convention.

As usual with a tight schedule to adhere to the group were split into two separate parties, and shown around the building that included a roof top lecture on the history, progress, and possible demise of the lovely area that surrounds the Control Tower!

Talking to this attentive party, it was incredible how far they had travel, from different bases, in Europe and beyond, Rammstein Germany, Aviano Italy, Incirlik Turkey, together with Mildenhall, and Lakenheath here in Suffolk!

It was however at the end of the visit, after the group photographs had been taken, that the moment we had been waiting for, and what a surprise, four individuals, who had been members of separate Honour Guards, and now worked as a impeccable team lowered the flag, as only the Americans seem to be able to, before presenting the folded flag to our committee member Graham Crabtree.

I would like to thank these four individuals, Christian Alkerson (RAF Croughton), Larmeishe Nayton (RAF Mildenhall), Edward Parrish and Melanie Parrish, who are both based in Incirlik, Turkey for making the end of their visit so memorable to all concerned!