Champion man helped keep USAF planes flying
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CHAMPION -- Terry Austin wanted to serve his country in the military after his 1963 Maplewood High School graduation. He chose the United States Air Force instead of the Army, where his father served.
"I did not want to march and fight," Austin said.
He left for basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. It was the first time in 18 years that the Johnston Township resident flew on a plane. He left rural northeast Ohio to go to a more desert-like climate with cactus instead of fir trees.
After he completed his basic training, he left for technical school.
"I went to Amarillo, Texas. I became an airplane mechanic," Austin said.
He trained at Amarillo Air Force Base. It was known for training jet aircraft mechanics, jet engine mechanics and air-frame repairmen.
"I worked on fighter jets, the F-100 and the F-105," Austin said.
When he transferred to Amarillo Airbase, Austin had a little taste of home being in the Texas panhandle area.
"I remember that we had snow while I was there," he said.
His first base after completing his training was England Air Force Base in Alexandria, Louisiana. It has since been decommissioned.
One of his vivid memories about England Air Force Base was about readiness.
"We always had our duffle bags packed near the door. We were ready to leave at a moment's notice if we got activated to go overseas," he said.
That advance planning came to fruition when Austin was sent to Vietnam.
"I was activated from there (England Air Force Base ] and I did temporary duty (TDY) in Vietnam. They blew the whistle and I got in the plane," Austin said.
He left for Vietnam in 1964 at the age of 19.
Austin worked as part of the flight line crew.
"I inspected the airplanes before their flights and on their return," he said.
He also changed their tires, cleaned the windshields and guided the planes onto the runway with flares, or as Austin said, "whatever we had."
He did have some fond memories of being in Vietnam.
"I lived in a tent right next to the mess hall. We had steak on Sundays and sometimes SOS (chipped beef with butter and sometimes a white gravy)," he said.
He served two months in Vietnam and then he returned stateside.
"I got married to Judy, my high school sweetheart. It was the day before my 21st birthday," he said.
His next base assignment was in Japan. He left in 1965 for a two-year deployment.
While in Japan, he noticed a difference in the work that he was doing there.
"We had many more airplane repairs to do in Japan than we did in Vietnam," he said.
A change in Austin's family life occurred while he was stationed in the Asian country.
"My wife had our first child, our daughter, in Japan," he said, noting his wife enjoyed living in Japan.
"She met other military wives and they enjoyed traveling to areas outside of the base, yet close enough so that everyone spoke English. He also tried eating sushi for the first time when he was in Japan.
"I bought a '59 Chevy in Japan. It was an old base taxi. I took it up to Mount Fuji," he said of his time sightseeing there.
In1967, after his four years of initial service ended, Austin decided that he would not re-enlist.
"They offered me quite a bit of money, but I decided I wanted to return home and have a permanent location," he said.
He did not want to relocate every two or three years at Uncle Sam's discretion.
Upon his return to Trumbull County, Austin opened a carpentry business with his brother, Tom. He owned Double T Construction and later Build Your Dreams.
After his first wife passed away, Austin married Elinor. They were both widows. They flipped houses together for many years. They still help out at their grandson, Jason Black's business, Affordable Storage Solutions.
Austin said if he had to do his military service all over again, he would, because it was a good experience and he was glad to serve his country.