Raymond Medeiros: My given name starts with an 'R' because my mother, brother and sister's names start with an 'R' and we're all named after movie stars. I'm 'NMI' because this never happened for me: Wikipedia - For Catholics, during preparation for the Confirmation sacrament, the candidate for Confirmation usually chooses a saint to research and eventually makes that saint's name part of his/her name. The saint's name is put after his/her middle name, if indeed a middle name was given.
Age 0 - 3 months: I was born in a U.S. Naval hospital quonset hut in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 4:24 A.M. on Sunday, 12 August 1956. My Mom was living in Wilmington, Delaware and my Dad was in California on his way to Japan. Dad had used up all his leave time while stationed at Newcastle AFB (redesignated Newcastle County AP, 1951), Delaware, but I waited until he left to be born.
Age 3 months to 3 years: Arrived in Japan on December 7th, 1957. Dad stationed at Johnson AFB, Toyoka. We lived in Ishiigawa Hollow and on the base. Experienced my first typhoon while living on base.
Age 3 to 6: McDill AFB, Tampa, FL. My folks bought a house and I started school. I remember seeing an alligator severely tangled up in fishing line, being hit in the head with a shovel, and walking into a school bathroom after another kid had done a 360 degree pee-on-the-wall maneuver.
Age 6 to 9: Vandenberg AFB, Lompoc, California. We had a pug-nosed, all white, Pekinese dog named buttons and my Dad raised racing/homing pigeons in the back yard. Started playing football because my big brother played too. Met my Hawaiian Brothers - Phil 'Skip' Canto, Max Ishihiro, Sala, Ho, John Navares, Mori, and Yama.
Age 9 to 11: Torejon AFB, Madrid, Spain. Mom took me to many bingo events on base. Mom-Mom, Aunt Evelyn, and Uncle Duke visited.
Age 11 to 14: McChord AFB, Tacoma, Washington. Learned to play flute with the school band and was scared off my bicycle by a firecracker thrown from a car. Many times, I walked a few miles to American lake to swim with my friends. Mom broke her ankle on a welcome mat while working part time at a hotel.
Age 14 to 15: Wilmington, Delaware. Dad went to Da Nang, Vietnam and I went to live with Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop in Delaware. I was one of about six guys in Corpus Christi High School (300 students) where I played basketball and they taught me Latin - the nuns were a hoot. Mom was having surgery (leg plus) after which she came to Delaware. Shortly after she arrived we drove to Florida.
Age 15 to 16: Tyndall AFB, Florida. Roxanne lived on base and worked Air Traffic Control. Mom and I lived in a trailer near a drive-in theater which was easy to sneak into without a car. Dislocated my right hip, which later became infected, while playing high school football; three months on my back in a hospital and three more on crutches.
Age 17 to 20: Hickam AFB, Hawaii. Arrived in 1972 while still using crutches and moved into the Pacific Polynesia hotel, 455 Lewers Street, apartment #3. We later moved into apartment #4 when my parents became hotel managers. Graduated in 1974 from McKinley High School where I hung out with Albert Derego. Corinne Kathleen Medeiros "Cori" was born at 5:50 A.M. on April 10, 1976 in Queen Kapiolani hospital (went to Mexico with Preben Yamashita); Mom and Dad were both 19. For spending money I drove for Charlie's taxi, labored at Hawaiian Reinforcing steel, and served food (with Preben) in the Kau-kau village in the International Market Place in the heart of Waikiki.
Age 20 to 21: Joined the United States Air Force and attended Basic Military Training / Technical Training from October 1976 to August 1977 at Lackland AFB, Texas and Lowry AFB, Colorado. Married Joanne Leslie Harris and lived north of the base.
Age 21 to 23: Luke AFB, Phoenix, Arizona from September 1977 to May 1979. I enjoyed work as a technician in the Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory for automatic and manual F-15 Electronic Systems Standards (ESS), but soon got bored. Joseph James Medeiros "Joey" was born at 4:25 P.M. on July 6, 1978 in a USAF Hospital. My grandfather on my mother's side, Vincent "Pop-Pop" Bertomeu, age 79, died on Thursday, 4 May 1978.
Age 23 to 26: Fairchild AFB, Spokane, Washington from June 1979 - June 1982. Technician, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program command and control station 'FAIR' was our handle.
Age 26 to 32: Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado from July 1982 to September 1988 as master Instructor of Space Systems Technology. I taught 309s the finer points of satellite control ground station maintenance. Fell in love with Ginger with the flaming red hair and sparkling blue eyes and we were married at 10:20 A.M. on 22 November, 1987. USAF Chaplain Layloni L. Craig, pregnant with twins, perfomed the marriage ceremony in the Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center Chapel. Virginia Leigh Tomlinson was born on October 3, 1953 in Kingsport, Tennessee's Holston Valley Community hospital. Danyule Redmond Medeiros was born at 7:46 A.M. on December 25, 1987 in Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. My Father, Joseph Jordan Medeiros, age 61, died on November 9, 1986 and is buried in the National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific in Punchbowl.
Age 32 to 35: Anderson AFB, Guam, USA from October 1988 to December 1991. As NCOIC I operated and maintained a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Mark III transportable antenna system producing photographic quality weather products. Life was good to me and I earned a promotion to Technical Sergeant on November 1, 1990. We lived at 19 Cocos Lane in old Apra housing where the roofs were 10-inch thick cement slabs due to an average of 30 typhoons a year. Jacob Lee Medeiros was born at 8:28 A.M. on 13 February, 1989 in a US Navy hospital and is eligible to become Guamanian citizen.
Age 35 to 41: Buckley ANGB, Denver, Colorado from January 1992 to December 1997. As Assistant NCOIC, Satellite Readout Station I handled security and supply for Defense Satellite Program. Attended NCO Academy in-residence in February and finished up an Associate Degree in Instructor-in-Technology (CCAF) in Oct of 1993. Surprisingly, (I had reached high year of tenure) I was promoted to Master Sergeant on 6 October 1996. We bought our first home at 915 South Rifle Court. Celebrated my 40th birthday with family: Mom, Rick & friend, Roxanne, Christopher, Eric, and friends Sue and husband, and Aunt Jo, and Skip, and Paul, and Cori, Terry. Joey came later as an emancipated minor. Mom-Mom passed away while we were there.
Age 41 to 43: Lajes Field, Tercera Island, Azores, Portugal from January 1998 to June 2000. As Chief, Aerospace Systems Branch I managed three workcenters: DMSP Mark IV, SATCOM ANG/52, and Global Command for the Communications Squadron. Received awards, and a great coin, for being Wing point man during Y2K rollover events. Bought our 2nd home, Casa de Medeiros, Cottage B-27 on Portuguese Areo Base #4. Ginger went to Ramstein, Germany for medical tests (and a vacation). I went to Pico Island for a day of whale watching. Ginger and I went on a fantastic trip to mainland Portugal to visit a 15th century historical monument (Batalha), a Cistercian Monastery built in 1153 (Alcobaca), and a sanctuary known as the fount of hope where, in 1916, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta saw Our Lady of Fatima. We also went to a little tiny chapel to see the miracle of the host. The wine is soooooo good.
Age 43 to Present: Patrick AFB, Cocoa Beach, Florida. Superintendent and First Sergeant, Detachment 1, 2nd Space Operations Squadron, 50th Space Wing, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Arrived on the 4th of July, 2000 and living in on Cree Trail, North housing, Patrick AFB. Mom came to visit on Mother's Day, 2001 and contacted many friends including Clarence and Barbara Young.
Age to :
Age to :