My name is Gordon Barnes. I've been asked by Jimbo Kinter of Aerial Survey And Photomapping History, to respond to your message asking about the 1370th and the IAGS. He thought perhaps I could do a more complete job since my experience covered a longer time and was more in depth than his. I should begin by saying that I cannot remember ever meeting your Dad, so I may not be of much help to you. But I can tell you about my experiences with the IAGS and from that you may be able to generalize as to how your father may have fit into the picture during your timeframe of interest.

 In 1966 I graduated from The Ohio State University with a Masters Degree in Geodetic Science. I was a junior Major in the U.S. Air Force at the time and they had sent me there because of their need for Officers with a technical background in Mapping, Charting and Geodesy (MC&G). I was then assigned to the 1370th Photomapping Wing at Turner AFB near Albany, GA in the Plans and Reconnaisance function. It was our job to receive the aerial photographic and aerial electronic surveying requirements from Headquarters Air Force, coordinate them with the applicable Theater Commands, write an Operations Plan/Order, and then assign them to the flying organizations of the 1370th to accomplish. I stayed in this business until the Air Force inactivated their aircraft based MC&G capability in 1975 and turned those aerial photo and electronic surveying responsibilities over to earth orbiting satellite programs. I did have one 15 month break in there for a flying tour in Viet Nam; but during the rest of the period I had formal contact with the IAGS at least three times a year and message and phone contacts much more often.

 During my time working MC&G requirements for the Air Force, one impression was quickly made on me and it has stayed with me to this day. And that was how different and much easier it was to work requirements and support in the Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Theater than in the other parts of the world. In other areas there were no clear advocates for the requirements tasked to us, there was much less knowledge and enthusiasm amongst the U.S. Embassy and other U.S. Agencies in those areas that we depended upon for support, and getting support from the local people was much more fragmented and troubled by language problems. In other words, both the planning and execution of our missions were a heck of a lot harder. The difference was that the other areas had no organization similar to the IAGS. My first exposure to that organization was in '66 when I attended one of the annual SOUTHCOM Mapping Conferences. These were always hosted by the IAGS in a truly delightful fashion. The business end of these meetings was always complete and professional but there was always lots of time set aside for social and other fun events. I was immediately impressed by what gracious hosts and hostesses the IAGS people were. They were so at ease in their part of the world and seemed to know everything and everybody connected to it. They seemed much more relaxed and laid-back than the people I had to deal with elsewhere and they always seem to accept your challenges as theirs. They would go to great lengths to help you in any way possible with business requirements or personal desires. Having said that, I would also point out that they were always quick to stick it to you if they could, but always with a smile on their faces. At those annual conferences it was a custom for the IAGS Commander to select a bill from his wallet, note the last three digits of its serial number, and then begin counting off around the huge table. Whoever ended up matching the serial number was then expected to pay for a round of drinks. Since it was not unusual for there to be over 100 attendees at these Conferences, the cost for a round was not trivial. I should know as I once got stuck with a $290+ bill!! What really amazed me was that though the IAGS attendees greatly outnumbered those from any other organization, I never knew them to lose a round. The seating at these events was purely random, so how do you suppose they rigged that? Another time, in Chile, while I was there with a reconnaissance team, the local IAGS people took us to an elegant seaside restaurant for what they described as a typical, multi-course Chilean seafood meal. The food was just excellent in both quality and quantity and I ate until I was totally stuffed. One IAGS guy then announced that for the final course they had saved the piece de resistance-the dish most North American visitors seemed to enjoy most. Out came this beautiful platter of the most brightly colored "things" I had ever seen. They were sort of circular, were a bright orange, and they had what appeared to be deep purple feelers sticking out of their bodies. In great anticipation I took a huge mouthful and……..almost puked!! I didn't want to spit it out and yet I couldn't chew or swallow it! It tasted like I had just drunk a bottle of Iodine! As I sat there in this embarrassing quandary, the IAGS people were all laughing uproariously. Only then did I notice I was the only one who had taken a bite of this famous dish. I'm sure I wasn't the first Gringo they had pulled this one on!! It seems the dish was some kind of Sea Urchin that was prized by the Chileans; but seemed inedible to all others.

 In addition to the Annual Conferences, the IAGS was deeply involved in the planning and execution of all our flying projects in South and Central America. Once a project was assigned to the 1370th PMW ((or later the Aerospace Cartographic & Geodetic Service (ACGS) or still later the 9th Weather Reconnaissance Wing)), we would form a Recon Team composed of our operational and logistics representatives, our designated Aerial Survey Team (AST) Commander, a representative from Headquarters IAGS, members of the applicable IAGS Country Team(s), and Liaison Officers from the mapping agencies of the host country or countries. This group would then visit the countries involved and develop the Operational Plan for the AST assigned to fly the project. In South and Central America this AST was usually designated AST-9, though other numbers were assigned when more than one AST would be active at the same time or close to the same time. Tasks assigned to the IAGS units would typically be such things as obtaining Theater and Country Clearances to operate, Foreign Clearance Rights to enter and overfly the countries involved, provide High Frequency radio communications with their units, obtain use privileges for Embassy facilities, obtain suitable office space for the AST, provide ground transportation for the AST personnel, obtain suitable photo lab space, provide fuel for ground operations, coordinate all foreign observers required on photo or surveying flights, payment of funds to contracted hotels etc. using our funds, facilitate clearance of all AST equipment through foreign Customs, and on and on!! What a pleasure it was to have an organization like this in place and always ready and willing to take on such tasks. We loved them and it seemed all the host governments (particularly their mapping agencies) did too. And it should be pointed out that even when relations between the U.S. and some of these South and Central American countries would get temporarily sticky for one reason or another, the IAGS seemed immune from any of the associated ill feelings and remained a most welcome set of eyes and ears in those countries at some trying times. This fact was not lost on the higher ups in our Federal Government; in fact it was greatly appreciated and helped justify its continued existence through the years.

 Once the ASTs were in place and flying, the IAGS remained a close and frequently used resource for the AST Commander. Their knowledge of the operating locations, language skills, and ability to get along with the host country units and people proved invaluable. They were truly considered to be part of the family. In the 7½ years I dealt with IAGS over a nine year period I only remember one time when I had to step in and settle a dispute between an AST and the IAGS. This resulted from the fact that our Air Force dictated area mapping priorities did not always coincide with those of the IAGS or host country. When the weather was good over several areas at once, the AST was obligated to fly those areas in accordance with Air Force dictated priorities. In the case in point, the IAGS Commander tried to direct our crews to fly instead in areas more important to their (Army) needs and those of the host country. This put the AST Commander in the middle-where he really should not have to be. I talked to the IAGS Commander about this and the matter was quickly resolved. It is amazing that there wasn't more of this type of thing because it certainly depended on your point of view as to just who was supporting whom. I'm sure the IAGS felt we were down there to support their (Army and Host Country) mapping requirements while we pictured the IAGS as a support resource to be used for our (Air Force) requirements. Actually it was a truly synergistic relationship that worked so well because the people at the working level were all goal oriented and worked well together. They both wanted acceptable film in the can and acceptable survey lines completed.

 I hope this gives you some idea of how the Air Force Photomapping units and IAGS interrelated and a flavor for how they operated. In the years you referenced there were organizational changes in the AF units and in their home stations:

 In 1966 (when I joined the Photomapping business) the operational aircraft were the RC-130s and the RC-135s. They were assigned to the 1370th Photo Mapping Wing (PMW) and stationed at Turner AFB, GA. Their Program Element Manager (PEM) on the Air Staff was AF Intelligence which validated and assigned requirements from all Department of Defense (DOD) units and other authorized customers.

 In 1967 Turner AFB was closed and the 1370th PMW was deactivated. The Photomapping resources were assigned to a new organization called the Aerospace Cartographic and Geodetic Service (ACGS) which became one of the Technical Services of the Military Airlift Command (MAC). This new Service was an upgrade in organizational status and was stationed at Forbes AFB, KS. AF Intelligence remained the PEM.

 In 1972 the Defense Mapping Agency was formed from the MC&G resources of the Services. It took over the PEM functions from AF Intelligence and incorporated the IAGS into its structure. ACGS was deactivated, the Photomapping resources severely downgraded in scale, and the remaining resources assigned to the 9th Weather Reconnaisance Wing (9th WRW). The five remaining RC-130s were physically assigned to the 9th's 53rd Weather Reconnaisance Squadron at Keesler AFB, MS.

 In 1975 the Air Force deactivated the remaining dedicated Photomapping aircraft. Satellite systems assumed responsibility for satisfying all future mapping imagery requirements. Reconnaisance aircraft and contractor aircraft could provide a limited, residual mapping photo capability in emergencies.

 Throughout all the above reorganization, the IAGS continued to provide technical and logistical support to Air Force's photomapping efforts in the SOUTHCOM Theater. And I think it is significant to point out that the very last foreign based AST effort was a very successful 60 day one by AST-9 in Chile supporting project AF 75-1. It was a fitting culmination of many years of cooperation between the IAGS and the Air Force Photomapping units.

 I know I haven't done a very good job of addressing your requests, Charles. I haven't included any pictures because I have none. I haven't told any war stories involving your Dad because I didn't know him. I haven't addressed your reference to the fixed-wing plane crash because I am not aware of it. I can almost assure you it wasn't one of ours; though I suppose it could have happened while I was in Viet Nam. I doubt that, however, because I surely would have heard of it. I also did not address the other important functions of the IAGS that included establishing surveyed ground control for our aerial photos, field checking the maps produced from our imagery for accuracy, and the technical training of foreign Mapping Agency personnel. Your Father may well have been involved with those functions if he spent a lot of time in the field.

 I'm sorry this is so long and I apologize if it isn't what you were looking for. I just wanted to define the interface and give you a feel for how it worked. I came to admire the IAGS immensely while working with them on our joint projects. I got to admire their people even more later in my career when I had a chance to work with and supervise several of their former employees--then with another unit. They and their work clearly stood out in a positive way and I still refer to them as IAGS Quality employees. Since your Dad spent several years with the IAGS I'm sure he too was of this caliber.

 I think I've run dry. However, if you have any additional questions or requests that you think I may be able to help with, give me a try!

Warm Regards,

Gordon