(upbeat music) (projector clicking) - Have you ever wondered where the television signal you're watching is coming from?

♪ I love to go a wanderin' (projector clicking) ♪ along the mountain track - Welcome to True North.

(upbeat music) (mysterious music) - Good evening and welcome to Mainewatch (upbeat music) (projector clicking) Welcome to "From The Vault", a celebration of 60 years of Maine Public Television.

It was September 1994 when what was essentially one of Maine's largest cities closed.

I'm talking about Loring Air Force Base in Limestone and that will be the focus of today's episode.

We will start in 2006 with an episode of "Maine Experience" that looks at the history of the base, the area and speaks with folks that were stationed there.

Then we're going back to 1976 for an episode of "The News Machine" and host Joan Young visits this sentry dog training center at the base.

Then we're going to jump ahead 38 years to 2014 when Maine Public Radio's Jennifer Mitchell revisits the Sentry Dog Training Center, of course long since closed and she is there to speak with a local Eagle Scout who, with his family and friends, are looking to rediscover the old senrty dog cemetery that was on that location.

Speaking of that when you watch the 1976 episode look carefully and you will see the cemetery in some of those shots.

Now we have a bonus for you as well.

In the 2006 Maine experience episode you will see clips from a 1959 training film that was shown to folks who were being stationed at Loring Air Force Base is called "Assignment in Aroostook".

As a bonus we will show as much as we can of that film at the end of the show.

And the reason is it's got great footage of the area, of the base, of Caribou, trains, rail stations lots of great footage there.

This may never have been seen by folks who weren't stationed at Loring Air Force Base.

And this film comes to us courtesy of our friends at Northeast Historic Films in Bucksport, where they collect preserve and share great old films.

And not just about Maine but from around the country, around the world.

They are making sure that these great moving images are there not only for us today, but for future generations.

Check out the great work they are doing at old film dot org.

When you're there you can poke around their collections.

They have a lot of old films you can view on their site.

Also, when you're there, check out their theater, The Alamo.

They have lots of great events happening there as well.

Okay.

We have a lot to get on with in this episode, so let's get going.

First, it's 2006 with "Maine Experience".

(woman) THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A PRODUCTION OF... (man) COMING UP NEXT ON "MAINE EXPERIENCE"... [acoustic guitar plays softly] REMEMBERING THE COLD WAR AND A MILITARY BASE, IN LIMESTONE, BUILT FOR THE FIGHT.

[violin & piano play softly] (man) PRODUCTION OF "MAINE EXPERIENCE" ON THE MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING NETWORK IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ELSIE VILES-- TO ENSURE THAT THE STORIES OF MAINE HISTORY CONTINUE TO BE TOLD.

BY... AND BY THE MEMBERS OF MPBN WHOSE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS HELP BRING YOU THE QUALITY TELEVISION AND RADIO PROGRAMS YOU ENJOY!

THANK YOU!

[piano & orchestra play in bright rhythm & tone] ♪ ♪ (man) THIS IS NORTHERN MAINE.

BEYOND THE FOREST STRETCHED TO THE NORTHWEST FOR MORE THAN A 100 MILES, BROKEN ONLY BY HUNDREDS OF CLEAR BLUE LAKES, YOU CAN FIND SOME OF THE BEST FISHING IN THE WORLD.

MOST PEOPLE, WHEN THEY THINK OF MAINE THINK OF THESE THINGS FIRST OF ALL.

(male narrator) BETWEEN 1930 AND 1940, THERE WERE MORE THAN 6,000 FARMERS DEVOTED TO RAISING POTATOES IN THE COUNTY; FIRST BY USE OF HAND AND HORSE AND LATER WITH MECHANIZED EQUIPMENT.

AFTER MANY YEARS OF WORKING THE LAND, THESE FARMERS GREW DEEPLY ATTACHED TO THEIR HOME.

I DON'T THINK I'D BE WHERE I AM TODAY IF I HADN'T LEARNED HOW TO WORK AND HAD THAT WORK ETHIC.

(man) A LOT OF THESE AROOSTOOK COUNTY CHILDREN EARN THEIR SPENDING MONEY BY WORKING IN THE FIELDS DURING THE HARVEST TIME.

(John Burgoine) IT WAS THE LIFE THAT WE KNEW BACK THEN.

SO IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A HARD LIFE GROWING UP ON THE FARM, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW ANY DIFFERENT, AND WE WAS NEVER HUNGRY AND WE NEVER WANTED FOR ANYTHING.

(narrator) IN 1946, MANY WERE ASKED TO LEAVE THEIR FARMS.

THAT YEAR 10,000 ACRES OF LAND IN THE LIMESTONE AREA BECAME HOME TO HUNDREDS OF MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES.

ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST POWERFUL MILITARY BASES IN THE COUNTRY WAS ABOUT TO BE BUILT.

A NEW LIFE FOR THE LAND AND THOSE WHO LIVED ON IT WAS IN THE MAKING.

(John Burgoine) WHEN THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS CAME IN, FATHER WAS INFORMED THAT THE MILITARY, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WAS TAKING OVER THE PROPERTY.

THEY MADE AN OFFER, AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE MOVED OUT IN A CERTAIN DATE.

THERE WERE BULLDOZERS BULLDOZING LAND AND LEVELING OFF, AND SO ON, WHILE WE WERE STILL UP THERE.

AT LEAST 75 FARMS AND HOUSEHOLDS WERE DISPLACED BY LORING ON THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE.

LEAVING THE PROPERTY IN LIMESTONE WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR MY FATHER, ESPECIALLY.

I'M SURE THAT IT WAS HARD FOR EVERYONE ELSE IN THAT AREA ALSO, I MEAN, THEY HAD HOMESTEADED THE LAND ALMOST THE WAY THAT FATHER HAD AND SOME OF THE FARMLAND HAD BEEN IN THE FAMILY FOR TWO OR THREE GENERATIONS.

IT WASN'T A HAPPY VILLAGE, SHALL WE SAY.

(narrator) A ONE OF A KIND STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND BASE HAD LANDED IN THE HEART OF THE POTATO BELT, BRINGING NEW PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO WERE STATIONED THERE.

IT WOULDN'T TAKE THESE STRANGERS LONG BEFORE THEY TOO BECAME ATTACHED TO THE LIMESTONE AREA AND ITS PEOPLE.

(man) MY FAMILY AND I WERE STRANGERS.

WE WERE ON BOARD THIS TRAIN THAT WAS TAKING US TO OUR NEW HOME AT LORING AIR FORCE BASE IN AROOSTOOK COUNTY.

WE WEREN'T TOO SURE WE WERE GOING TO LIKE THIS NEW HOME WE WERE GOING TO, BUT IT DIDN'T TAKE US LONG TO DISCOVER WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE IT IS.

WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED, I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE I WAS AT.

IT WAS A WHOLE NEW EXPERIENCE.

I'M GOING TO LORING AIR FORCE BASE.

WHERE IS LORING AIR FORCE BASE?

LIMESTONE, MAINE.

WHERE IS LIMESTONE, MAINE?

WHEN THEY GOT THE ASSIGNMENT TO LORING, THEY GOT AN APOLOGY ALONG WITH IT FOR BEING SENT WAY UP HERE TO THE FROZEN NORTH.

THEY WERE DRAGGED IN HERE, LEFT THEIR HEEL MARKS IN THE DIRT, BEING DRAGGED IN, BUT THEY ALSO HAD TO BE DRAGGED OUT ONCE THEY'D BEEN HERE FOR AWHILE...

DIDN'T WANT TO GO.

(narrator) LORING AIR FORCE BASE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1948 DURING THE EARLY YEARS OF THE COLD WAR.

WHEN THE CONSTANT THREAT OF NUCLEAR WAR BECAME PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN AMERICA.

THE COUNTRY WAS ENGAGED IN A BATTLE SO FRIGHTENING THAT ORDINARY CITIZENS BUILT BOMB SHELTERS AND AIR RAID DRILLS WERE ROUTINE FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.

(Peter Meisberger) YOU NEVER KNEW WHEN THAT CLAXON WAS GOING TO GO AND WHEN THAT CLAXON SOUNDED, THE WHOLE WORLD CHANGED, 'CAUSE YOU DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN ON THE OTHER END, YOU DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WAS GOING TO LAUNCH ONE BOMBER OR ONE TANKER OR YOU WERE GOING TO LAUNCH THE ENTIRE FLEET.

THESE ARE THINGS THAT NOBODY KNEW.

THE WORLD SITUATION DICTATED WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

NO MATTER WHERE YOU WAS AT, THE AIR BASE FROZE, EVERYBODY STOPPED.

EVERYBODY WENT TO THEIR EMERGENCY POSITIONS.

TO SEE THESE BOMBERS AND TANKERS STRUGGLING TO GET AIRBORNE-- IT'S UNBELIEVABLE!

YOU SIT OUT THERE WITH YOUR HEART IN YOUR MOUTH, AND YOU'RE PRAYING TO GOD, PLEASE, PLEASE, BREAK RIGHT, BREAK LEFT.

YOU GOT THE JET BLAST COMING FROM 'EM, AWWWWW, "WHAT A TRIP!"

THAT'S WHAT THE YOUNG AIRMEN USED TO SAY, "WHAT A TRIP!"

♪ ♪ (narrator) LORING AIR FORCE BASE WAS BUILT (narrator) LORING AIR FORCE BASE WAS BUILT AS A SUPER BASE TO HOUSE LONG-RANGE BOMBERS CAPABLE OF CARRYING AND DELIVERING THE A-BOMB.

FOR WELL OVER 40 YEARS, LORING PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN ASSURING THE COUNTRY'S SAFETY FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II.

IT HAD THE LARGEST CAPACITY FOR WEAPONS AND FUEL STORAGE IN THE COUNTRY.

A MONOLITHIC ARCH-ROOF HANGAR, COVERING 150,000 SQUARE FEET AND STANDING 60 FEET HIGH WAS CAPABLE OF HOUSING 2 HUGE B-36'S AT ONE TIME.

IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST MASSIVE HANGARS IN THE WORLD, AND ITS RUNWAY, MEASURED 2 MILES IN LENGTH AND 100 YARDS WIDE, MAKING IT ONE OF THE BIGGEST EVER CONSTRUCTED.

A CITY WITHIN A BASE, IT PROVIDED HOUSING FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

IT HAD A SCHOOL, A CHURCH, A 100-BED HOSPITAL, A FIRE DEPARTMENT, A POST OFFICE, AND A CREDIT UNION.

IT'S BASICALLY A SMALL TOWN AND THERE AREN'T TOO MANY BASES WHERE A MILITARY GUY CAN GO WHERE THE COLONEL KNOWS YOUR NAME WHEN HE SEES YOU OR ASKS YOU HOW THE KIDS ARE, YOU KNOW, YOUR KID PLAYING BALL THIS YEAR?

THE MEN RETURNED TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND WOULD PUT DOWN LORING AS A BASE OF CHOICE, BECAUSE IT FELT LIKE HOME.

IF YOU HAD A PROBLEM, IF YOU NEEDED HELP, ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS CALL LORING AIR FORCE BASE, YOU'D HAVE HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, AND IMMEDIATE, THE RESPONSE WAS IMMEDIATE.

THE PEOPLE OF LORING AIR FORCE BASE, AND WHAT MADE THEM DIFFERENT THAN ANYWHERE ELSE I'VE BEEN WAS INTEGRITY...PRIDE.

WE KNEW WE HAD A MISSION, WE KNEW OUR MISSION WAS A DETERRENT FORCE.

WE WERE HERE TO PROVIDE THAT TYPE OF SUPPORT TO ENJOY THE FREEDOM THAT WE HAVE TODAY.

IT WAS A VERY, VERY SAD DAY WHEN THEY CLOSED THE MISSION OF LORING AIR FORCE BASE AND TO SEE THE LAST B-52 FLY OVER.

IT WAS PART OF YOUR LIFE; PART OF YOUR LIFE IS GONE.

THE BASE IS GONE, AND I THINK PEOPLE MISS THAT, IT'S LIKE SOMEBODY CAME DOWN AND LIFTED A TOWN RIGHT OUT OF, OUT OF THE POTATO FIELDS AND FLEW AWAY WITH IT.

(narrator) BECAUSE OF THE BASE, LIMESTONE'S POPULATION HAD EXPANDED FROM APPROXIMATELY 2500 TO 9900.

AFTER THE BASE CLOSED, MORE THAN 8,000 PEOPLE LEFT THE AREA, WHICH CAUSED MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES TO FOLD, NUMEROUS HOUSING VACANCIES, AND INCREASED UNEMPLOYMENT.

RESIDENTS ARE NOW WORKING HARD TOWARD REVIVING THE BASE AS THE ECONOMIC ENGINE THAT IT ONCE WAS.

IN THE EARLY 1990S, THE LORING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WAS CREATED TO REDEVELOP THE BASE AS A COMMERCE CENTER.

THE CORE MISSION-- TAKE THE BUILDINGS, REDEVELOP THE PROPERTY, CREATE JOBS, CREATE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

(narrator) THE LORING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS SEVERAL LARGE BUSINESSES ONSITE; A PRIVATE AVIATION COMPANY COEXISTS WITH FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICES PLUS A MIX OF OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES.

OVERALL, THE FORMER BASE GENERATES AN ESTIMATED $60 MILLION FOR THE MAINE ECONOMY.

I THINK THERE'S A GENERAL RECOGNITION THAT THE BUSINESS CLIMATE IN AROOSTOOK COUNTY DEPENDS ON THE GROWTH THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE HERE AT LORING AND WITHOUT THAT, THINGS WOULD BE WORSE OFF ALL AROUND.

MAINE PEOPLE AND AROOSTOOK COUNTY PEOPLE HAVE A GREAT REPUTATION FOR HARD WORK AND GOOD WORK AND IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT HAS BEEN IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE LOCAL PEOPLE.

(narrator) THERE ARE STILL OVER 12,000 ACRES OF FARMLAND IN LIMESTONE AND WITH THE MIX OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS, THIS RESILIENT, FLEXIBLE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO ADAPT.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE WELCOMING HOMETOWN ATMOSPHERE REMAINS AND COULD EXPLAIN WHY SO MANY FORMER AIR FORCE PERSONNEL CHOSE TO RETURN TO THE AREA FOR RETIREMENT.

HOW PEOPLE IN AROOSTOOK LIVE, HOW THEY OPEN THEIR HEARTS AND SOULS TO YOU YOU CAN'T BEAT IT!

IT'S HOME TO ME!

AND I'M FROM GREAT BIG NEW YORK CITY.

[laughs] [clicking of film in the projector's sprockets] [clicking of film in the projector's sprockets] [drum, trumpet, & orchestra play fast-paced jazz] [this segment, music only] [clicking of film in the projector's sprockets] [clicking grinds to a halt] [gulls squawk; waves lapping] (woman) GROWING UP AS KIDS, WE'D GO TO THE RIVER AND JUST THROW ROCKS AND STUFF.

WE'D ALWAYS TRY TO THROW AS FAR AS, AS FAR AS LOUIE THREW BUT SOMEHOW WE NEVER MADE IT.

BUT WE ALWAYS TRIED, BECAUSE WE ALWAYS THOUGHT IF LOUIE DID IT, WE CAN DO IT.

(male narrator) THE MAN, WHO WOULD BECOME THE FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER, WAS BORN IN 1871 ON THE PENOBSCOT INDIAN RESERVATION IN OLD TOWN, MAINE.

FROM AN EARLY AGE, LOUIS SOCKALEXIS DISPLAYED INCREDIBLE ATHLETIC TALENT; RUNNING, CATCHING, AND HITTING.

BUT STORIES ABOUT HIS GREAT THROWING ARM REALLY STAND OUT; STORIES THAT TELL OF LOUIS THROWING OVER 600 FEET FROM INDIAN ISLAND TO THE MAINLAND.

TAKE A LOOK FROM THE MAINLAND IN OLD TOWN TO INDIAN ISLAND AND SOCK WOULD HAVE STOOD ON ONE SIDE, HURLED THE BASEBALL, MADE IT LAND EITHER ON THE MAINLAND OR THE ISLAND; TAKEN THE FERRY AND THEN GONE PICKED UP THE BALL AND THREW IT BACK.

WITH HIS HITTING, HE HAD DOCUMENTED HOME RUNS THAT TRAVELED OVER 400 FEET.

(narrator) LOUIS' BASEBALL CAREER GOT STARTED WHEN HE BEGAN TO PLAY FOR SOME OF THE NUMEROUS TOWN TEAMS IN MAINE.

AND THE MORE HE PLAYED, THE MORE THE STORIES OF HIS ATHLETIC PROWESS GREW.

HIS REPUTATION AS A TRIPLE THREAT-- GREAT HITTER, FIELDER, AND RUNNER BROUGHT THE ATTENTION OF COLLEGE RECRUITERS.

SOCKALEXIS LEFT MAINE AND STARTED SCHOOL AT HOLY CROSS UNIVERSITY.

HE QUICKLY BECAME A STAR PITCHER AND OUTFIELDER WHERE HIS LEGEND CONTINUED TO GROW.

ONE OF HIS COLOSSAL HOME RUNS WAS ESTIMATED AT 600 FEET!

HE STOLE 6 BASES IN ONE GAME; PITCHED 3 NO-HITTERS; AND ONE OF HIS OUTFIELD THROWS TRAVELED 414 FEET ON THE FLY!

[cheers & applause] AFTER ONLY TWO SEASONS AT HOLY CROSS, SOCKALEXIS WAS SIGNED TO A PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT IN 1897 BY THE CLEVELAND SPIDERS BASEBALL CLUB OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE.

MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT SOCKALEXIS WAS THE FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER.

IN HIS FIRST SEASON, SOCK HIT AN IMPRESSIVE .338 WITH 8 TRIPLES AND 16 STOLEN BASES AFTER HIS FIRST 60 GAMES.

HE WAS AT THE TOP OF HIS GAME, EARNING $2,500 PER SEASON.

BUT THE CHALLENGES FACED BY AN ATHLETE BREAKING RACIAL BARRIERS IN ANY SPORT ARE INTIMIDATING, AND IT IS NOT HARD TO IMAGINE THE SENSE OF LONELINESS THAT WOULD BE PART OF LOUIS' EXPERIENCE.

I THINK IT WAS HORRIFIC FOR HIM HAVING TO CONCENTRATE AND THINK ABOUT EVERY ACTION, EVERYTHING HE DOES, HOW IT'S GOING TO BE PERCEIVED.

I THINK THERE WAS TREMENDOUS PRESSURE ON HIM.

(narrator) AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE STILL REMEMBERED THE INDIAN WARS OF THE 1870S, SPECTATORS FOR OPPOSING TEAMS WERE REPORTED TO HAVE SHOWERED RACIAL SLURS ON THE PENOBSCOT INDIAN WHEN HE STEPPED TO THE PLATE.

50 YEARS BEFORE JACKIE ROBINSON THERE WAS ANOTHER MAN WHO FOUND IT NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO COME OUT ONTO A BALL FIELD AND PLAY BECAUSE OF HIS RACE-- AND IT WAS THE FANS; AND IT WAS THE OPPOSING PLAYERS, AND IT WAS THE SPORTSWRITERS WHO MADE EVERY DAY A LIVING HELL FOR LOUIS SOCKALEXIS FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN HE WAS AN AMERICAN INDIAN.

IF HE DID SOMETHING GOOD, HE WAS A GOOD INDIAN, IF HE DID SOMETHING BAD, HE WAS A SAVAGE.

(narrator) IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE ALCOHOLISM CAUSED HIS CAREER TO GRIND TO A HALT.

HE PLAYED ONLY SPORADICALLY DURING THE NEXT TWO YEARS, AND HIS LAST GAME IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES CAME IN 1899 AT THE AGE OF 27.

I THINK THE FURTHER SOCK GOT AWAY FROM HIS CULTURE AND HIS HOME, THE EASIER IT WAS TO FALL INTO A LOT OF BAD WAYS, AND HE DROPS VERY QUICKLY TO THE MINOR LEAGUES AND HE FINDS IT VERY, VERY HARD TO STABILIZE.

(narrator) UPON HIS RETURN TO THE PENOBSCOT INDIAN RESERVATION, SOCKALEXIS SHARED HIS LOVE OF THE GAME BY TEACHING NATIVE AMERICAN BOYS HOW TO PLAY BASEBALL.

UP UNTIL A FEW MONTHS BEFORE HIS DEATH AT AGE 42, HE SERVED AS COACH AND UMPIRE FOR LOCAL TEAMS.

JOHN MCGRAW, THE GREAT MANAGER OF THE NEW YORK GIANTS ONCE SAID IF SOCK HAD ONLY PLAYED FIVE YEARS HE'D HAVE BEEN BETTER THAN RUTH, WAGNER AND COBB.

(narrator) IN 1915, THE CLEVELAND BASEBALL TEAM WAS RENAMED THE "INDIANS" IN HONOR OF SOCKALEXIS.

HE WENT OUT THERE AND HE HAD TO FACE THINGS THAT NOBODY ELSE HAD TO FACE-- NO WHITE PERSON, NO PERSON OF COLOR-- HE FACED ALL OF THAT AND HE DID VERY WELL AT IT AND HE DID IT FOR TWO YEARS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT FOR ONE DAY.

WHAT I FEEL ABOUT HIM IS THAT HE, HE WAS A TRUE HERO.

HE WAS LOOKED UP TO AS A ROLE MODEL, AND AS A HERO, AND AS A LEGEND.

[violin & piano play softly] [violin & piano play softly] (man) PRODUCTION OF "MAINE EXPERIENCE" ON THE MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING NETWORK IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ELSIE VILES-- TO ENSURE THAT THE STORIES OF MAINE HISTORY CONTINUE TO BE TOLD.

BY... AND BY THE MEMBERS OF MPBN WHOSE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS HELP BRING YOU THE QUALITY TELEVISION AND RADIO PROGRAMS YOU ENJOY!

THANK YOU!

A COMPLETE LIST [piano & orchestra play in bright rhythm & tone] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ CC-- ARMOUR CAPTIONING & MPBN - [Narrator] A production of the Maine Public Broadcasting Network.

(synth music) From the MPBN studios in Orono Maine, this is The News Machine for the week of December 6th, 1976 with editor and chief reporter, Joan Young.

- Hi, and welcome back after the Thanksgiving vacation.

Hope you had a nice time with your family and friends and that you didn't overeat.

Also, we hope you kept up on the news.

If you did, you'd know that Loring Air Force Base located at Limestone, Maine has been in the news a lot recently, but do you know why?

I'm sure our friends who live near Limestone know.

You might want to talk about it in your class if you don't know or if you aren't sure.

When The News Machine visited Loring Air Force Base we found out that there's a lot to see and learn there.

Our report today features some very special citizens who live and work at Loring.

- At Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine there are 19 important positions that are not filled by military man.

They're filled by military - Working dogs.

- Military working dogs.

I wanted to be sure and get the name correct.

Sergeant St. Thomas, why don't you tell us a little bit about these dogs?

They're not actually raised here, so where do they come from?

- These dogs are purchased from private individuals like yourself.

Their initial training is done at Lackland Air Force Base Texas which consists of seven weeks of training and detection, controlled aggression, obedience and physical conditioning.

- [Interviewer] After they arrive here then do they not need any more training?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] No.

The training is an everyday process.

We put the dogs through the same training here on a regular basis as they received at Lackland.

- [Interviewer] Now, today we're seeing a confidence course is what you call it.

What's the objective of this course?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] The reason for the confidence course or obstacle course, is to keep the dog in top physical condition and teach 'em confidence to go anywhere the handler requires them to go in case they were hurt or injured.

- [Interviewer] Do the dogs change handlers or do they remain with the same handler?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] The dogs change handlers.

One handler rotates from one unit to another.

We use the O J T system.

This is where we bring another man into the program and through a period of O J T we teach 'em to handle the dog and teach the dog to accept the man.

- [Interviewer] O J T, on the job training?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] On the job training.

- [Interviewer] Okay.

So they get used to each other.

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] Yes.

- [Interviewer] I suppose they really get to like one, one another don't they?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] The relationship between the men and the dog is hard to explain.

It goes back as far as time and cavemen.

A dog desires one thing out of life and this is human companionship and our training is centered around this companionship.

- [Interviewer] Do you occasionally find a man and a dog who are assigned to work together who really do not get along?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] Yes.

The personalities of the dog and the man will not match so this is where a change has to be made.

and we get a, a man that the dog will accept.

- [Interviewer] Are these dogs dangerous?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] No, these dogs are not trained to kill.

The dogs are trained to attack only on command and hold and release when commanded to release.

Our dogs are trained to attack the arm.

- [Interviewer] If someone is visiting on Loring and wandering around should he be worried about one of these dogs if he sees one?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] Only if he's doing something wrong.

The dog is handled by the above average security patient and they perform the same functions as the security policeman do and you should have no fear for the dogs.

- [Interviewer] How many hours a day do the dogs actually work and train?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] The average work shift consists of about eight hours on post and probably going into post the dog trains approximately two hours per day.

- [Interviewer] So he trains and then actually goes on duty with - [Sergeant St. Thomas] Actually goes on duty with the handler to secure either of weapons or aircraft or normal law enforcement functions: thats going around the base for the vehicle.

- [Interviewer] That's a busy dog.

Does he require a special diet to keep up this pace?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] Yes.

Dog food that's (indisctinct) dog, especially prepared for the dogs.

It's called high protein dog food.

The average dog only requires 16 ounces per day because it is real high in protein and calories.

- [Interviewer] I see.

Are all the dogs the same breed of dog?

- [Sergeant St. Thomas] The air force requires that the breed of dog has a general outward appearance of the German Shepherd breed.

They are not thoroughbred German Shepherds but they have the general outward appearance of the German Shepherd breed.

- [Interviewer] I noticed that they did all look quite similar.

Is Loring the only place where these dogs are kept and used?

- No.

The majority of military installations within the CONUS and overseas have military working dogs.

- Well, it's been a very interesting visit.

Thank you very much.

- Thank you.

- Although the working dogs are fascinating to watch, the whole base is just as interesting.

It's like a city all by itself.

There are more than 10,000 people who live and work there.

It's been in the news so much because not too long ago the Air Force announced that they might close down most of the base.

We all have to watch the news to see what finally happens there.

(upbeat piano music) - [Narrator 2] And now, a little play and affection.

Affection you should understand is part of the training system.

It's used as the reward.

Eventually it becomes an incentive.

- [Interviewee] I always wanted a German Shepherd.

And when the Air Force recruiter says, if you join security police we'll issue you a puppy, how could I resist?

Not everybody is gonna give you a dog.

- [Interviewer 3] Who's King?

- [Interviewee] He was my dog.

- [Intervieer 3] Is that you?

- [Interviewee] Yeah.

Several hundred pounds ago.

King he wasn't a big dog.

He about 60 pounds, but he made up for it in attitude.

He just didn't care for anybody, you know?

And luckily I never got bit by him, but you couldn't get too close to him because anybody else had just climbed right into him.

That's just what they trained him to do, so that's what he was gonna do.

You walk along with him and if you watch him and there's somebody out and they get the wind just right his nose will come up and his ears will stand straight up and they'll turn, right?

And you look right between their ears.

And that's where whoever it is, is.

You can follow the ears, right?

And it's just like a gun site, right.

To whoever's out there.

Had the responsibilities from the airplanes out, through to the flight line.

And so they were out there by yourselves.

You didn't have anybody around.

It was just you and the dog.

You'd walk around and see if anybody dared to come out and visit you and nobody ever did.

But every now and then you'd find a moose out on the flight line.

So you'd have to call him and divert airplanes till they get him out of there.

They were issued to you and you had to take care of 'em.

You had to groom 'em you had to, you know, train them.

You had to take care of them.

But you know, when you're out there all by yourself it's kind of comforting to have your puppy around.

They're your buddy, you know?

And then when you leave them and each night you leave them here and then you gotta come back the next day.

And they're all excited to see you because it's you that they wanna see.

They don't wanna see the other guys it's you, you know so that's kind of special, you know to know that you go over there and you can walk in and anybody else gonna do, is gonna get bit.

So he was, he was your dog.

It's all grown up.

I mean, there used to be a mold area with the the ramp over here for jumping over the ramp and somewhere out there, I suspect there's a a culvert that they went through over here like a ladder that jump up and walk along top of the ladder just to, for their agility training.

Yeah.

I think it's, it's neat that somebody would think and remember the dogs, because I mean I have a lot fond remembrance, of the dogs that I knew some of the people that I was here with.

- [Jessica] We love animals right now we have two dogs of our own, and we have a cat.

We've had a variety of animals over the past.

We actually have some of our pets buried in our property.

And we know how important it is for people and the connection they have with their pets.

So we thought there should be something good that we could give back to the military personnel.

And every time we mention that we're doing the cemetery no one knows the cemetery is here.

So this will raise awareness, also about the military dogs.

The military men are always mentioned, but never the dogs.

What we would like to do is restore it to like the original picture.

We wanna paint the fence white, we've got the crosses, make sure we have the crosses placed correctly, do the Archway and have the name of the cemetery and we'd like to put a sign at the end of the road letting people know there is the cemetery down here.

Cause like I said, this place is just forgotten.

No one knows it's here.

- For me.

It's basically just all of the cemeteries.

People have got cemeteries that they keep up with.

It's kind of another thing to show our gratitude it's to bring back something that was forgotten to kind of for all the people who dogs are here.

Just kind of show that somebody else remembers it's here and wants to show everybody else that these guys have fought and their dogs are here and how basically where it's forgotten.

But we can still remember - Some of the trainers still come back and they still come to visit their dogs.

And I believe like I've had the pets and my kids personally they have a connection to the pets.

So what I believe is if these handlers had them even though they were deemed a piece of equipment they formed an attachment and then they would follow through to the kids.

And I believe that this is something where they can come and honor the memory of their, their friend, their partner.

- Actually, I come down here quite often.

You know, I come through here about every two weeks and a lot of times I'll grab my lunch and come down here and just sit here and eat it.

And remember the dogs.

This is northern Maine, a country of clear lakes and evergreen forests.

This is probably northern Maine's most familiar landmark, Mt.

Katahdin Beyond the forests stretch to the northwest, for more than 100 miles.

Broken only by hundreds of clear blue lakes where you can find some of the best fishing in the world.

Most people, when they think of Maine, think of these things, first of all.

But Maine has something else that is just as important Warm, friendly people who are anxious to help the stranger in their community.

My family and I were strangers.

We were on board this train that was taking us to our new home at Loring Air Force Base in Aroostook County.

Aroostook County is in the northernmost part of the state.

I'm Tech Sergeant Don Butler.

I've been in SAC, the Strategic Air Command, for the past five years This is my wife, Peggy, and our daughter, Jody.

That's our son, Billy, all wrapped up in the latest Adventures of Superman.

We weren't too sure we were going to like this new home.

We were going to but it didn't take as long to discover what a wonderful place it is.

At breakfast on board the train that morning, we all had hearty appetites, and the friendly hostess made sure that we were well taken care of.

The Maine air seems to do things for your appetite, but we agree that we might have to do some heavy thinking about the grocery budget If Billy ate like this all the time.

Jody just couldn't get enough cocoa out of that pitcher.

Well, a pitcher will only hold so much, but there was more where that came from.

Our conductor was a real friend.

He told us that the train would be right on time, and he had wired the base that we were on board and we could expect Air Force transportation in Caribou to take us to Loring.

After breakfast, we watched for the first glimpse of the station.

The red and yellow leaves were far different than what we had left down at our last base at Carswell in Texas.

And before long, we pulled into the station at Caribou right on time.

Just as the conductor said we would.

Soon, our bags were off the train and us right behind them.

We were anxious to see our new home.

The conductor was as good as his word for sure enough, there was our Air Force driver who was to take us out to the base.

Our first stop on the base was the Wari Housing Office to get our quarters assigned after getting the key we were on our way.

Here at last was what we'd been waiting to see.

Our new home, this is part of the Wari housing units recently completed.

Hundreds of units to house personnel on the base.

The housing, like the rest of the base, has all been built since World War Two, so there are no temporary wartime units left over and still being used.

Since our furniture and household goods hadn't arrived from Texas yet, we were assigned this fully furnished model apartment until we had our own thing, temporary home or not, Jody considered this her new house anyway.

The thing that caught my eye was that big chair.

I had visions of spending my weekends right here.

But Peggy, like any woman, was eager to see her new domain, the kitchen.

And Peggy was to find out that the dependance assistance people had been kind enough to stock it with a few groceries.

They even loaned us some sheets, pillowcases and towels until we could get our own.

This really made our welcome complete.

That afternoon, Peggy had her first visitor, the dependents assistance volunteer, or DA, as we call them, the friendly help they offer means a lot to the new families like ours on the base.

These volunteers are the wives of men stationed at Loring and donate their time for this work.

Each new family receives a visit from one soon after their arrival.

She answered many of Peggy's questions about the housing on the base, its schools, its churches and their activities and the hospital and the care it provides for dependents.

Whatever the problem may be, the men or their families can find help in solving it right here on the base.

When I came home that day, I found Peggy had certainly discovered a real source in our DA visitor.

The thing that caught my eye were some pamphlets about northern Maine.

I had heard of the good fishing in Maine, and I was eager to try it.

Judging from the pictures in the book, it looked like there was no limit to the good fishing spots close by.

A string of beauties like these would make any fisherman happy, It was a beautiful day for a ride.

The sun was bright and warm, and the scenery was even better than we had expected it to be.

We turned off on a side road to get a really good look at potato harvesting.

The potato grower came over to the car to greet us and invited us to come into the field.

We had never seen so many acres of potatoes before.

Row after row had been turned up Jody and Billy thought it was great fun to help pick up the potatoes and put them in the basket.

Maine grows a large share of the nation's potatoes the grower told that rustic county alone, he said, produces about one fifth of the nation's supply.

Potatoes have been grown commercially in Aroostook County for nearly 70 years.

Probably most of us think of potatoes as just something that you buy in a bag at the grocery store.

But now they are made up in a number of different forms.

Some of these potatoes may be made into potato chips or into French fries and quick frozen.

Some may be made into frozen whipped potatoes.

The making of potato starch is another industry that I had never known about during potato harvest.

Even the smallest kids help out.

One type of potato developed in Maine is named after its famous mountain, Katahdin.

Another type introduced in this region recently is The Russet Burbank.

After the digger turns up the hills, the potatoes are put into baskets and dumped into barrels the pickers are paid by the barrel, and an experienced adult picker can pick as many as 100 barrels a day.

After the barrels are full, they are loaded on trucks and taken to the potato house for storage during the potato harvest in Aroostook, harvest hands come from neighboring New Brunswick and Quebec as well as several New England states These diggers sure turn up the potatoes a lot faster than if it had to be done by hand.

I remembered helping dig potatoes in my granddad's garden, and I didn't get any pay for it.

A lot of these Aroostook County children earn their spending money by working in the fields during the harvest time.

Billy looked right at home up there on that big All the time we were talking, the loading went on barrel after barrel was hoisted on the truck.

As we were leaving the fields.

The potato grower said, Be neighborly.

I didn't quite know what this meant.

But Peggy told me this was an old Maine saying which means to "come back again" It makes you feel good to meet people like this.

And you bet we'll come back again.

It means a lot to strangers to be warmly welcomed like we were After we left the potato fields we drove on north through the beautiful St John River Valley country.

The next stop was at old Fort Kent, typical of the forts built by our forefathers back during the first part of the last century.

Billy couldn't wait to see the inside of the old blockhouse in their time forts such as this where the most modern thing our country had to offer for its protection.

Back in those days, wars were no less terrible than they are today, but they didn't involve as much of the world.

The old muskets at that time were effective for only a little over 200 feet.

Less than the wingspan of my B-36.

Its effective range is unlimited Later that day, after we looked over the fort, we had a chance to see the contrast between this old fort and a modern weapon like the B-36 After a while on the base we slip easily into a normal routine.

But we were looking forward to doing some fishing before the season closed.

I'd put in for a three day pass, and when the old man approved it, I had a chance to find out just how good that Maine fishing was Fall nights are crisp.

These might come in handy.

We had arranged to leave the kids at the base nursery while we were gone.

Another service for dependents at Loring Through the Rod and Gun Club at the base we had heard of a lodge at Fish River Lake, deep in the Maine Wilderness.

So deep in the woods in fact that we could only drive as far as Portage, where we have to take a plane the rest of the way.

We had written ahead for reservations and we were anxious to wet our line Our pilot was an old Air Force man back in World War Two.

We had a great time during the flight talking about the new Air Force.

From the air the trees looked even more brilliant than they did on the ground.

It was just a short flight from Portage, and soon we were banking to land at Fish Lake.

On the dock to greet us where Dana, the lodge owner, his wife Roseanne, Del and Henry, who was to be our guide.

Henry had our fishing spots all picked out for us and was eager to get started to show us just how good the fishing was.

For our first try that afternoon, Henry had picked the spot at the far end of the lake Maybe it was just too late in the day, or maybe we were using the wrong flies, but that first day we didn't have any luck In camp that night, I went through my tackle box trying to decide which flies to use the next day.

Early the next morning, I went out with another guide.

Later, Henry took Peggy to a place where he was sure the fish just waited to jump on your hook.

And the spot Henry had chosen was an old dam at the outlet of the lake before they started to fish.

He gave her a few pointers on how to cast.

And before she knew what had happened, she had a strike!

The first fish is always a big thrill that Henry got just as much fun out of showing it to her as she did in catching.

At noon time, we all met for lunch and we had a chance to taste some of the morning's catch.

Henry showed he had as much skill with a frying pan as he does with a canoe.

Outdoor cooking can't be beat.

Man, that sure tasted good For our last day at the lodge, Henry had a trip planned up one of the streams that empties into the lake.

He wanted to give us some glimpses of wildlife and get in a little more fishing before we left.

Henry spotted a flock of ducks for us.

Beaver are plentiful, but you don't often get to see them this close.

We were watching now at every bend in the stream, hoping to see more game.

This mother duck pretended she had a broken wing to take our attention away from her young Sportsmen consider this some of the finest whitetail country in the world.

Henry thought this was a likely spot to try our luck for the last time before heading home.

He loaned me one of his flies that he guaranteed to get result It put up quite a struggle before I finally landed it.

And I landed quite a few more from that same spot before we had to leave.

Let me tell you, fishing is good in northern Maine.

Back at Portage, we picked up the car and headed home.

It had been a wonderful three days.

We promised ourselves that as soon as possible we go back for more fishing.

The experience of just being out in this great North country is something that you never forget.

But the thing that impressed us the most were the people.

People anywhere can be friendly.

But we found a special type of friendliness in these people in northern Maine.

It's the kind of friendship we will cherish for a long time to come.

It has a genuiness and warmth that can't be beat anywhere.

As we look back on it now, we wonder why we ever had any fears about coming here.

Now we know what Maine people mean when they say, "Be neighborly!"

Keeping up wartime strength in peacetime is a tough job, but we who are members of SAC are proud that we have a vital part of that job to do.

The work is hard and the hours are long.

And of course, there's some danger that goes with it.

We are all members of a team, in fact.

We get to know each other so well that we almost know what each member of the team is thinking.

Teamwork is important in a lot of things all of us do every day.

But up there in the sky, it's particularly important.

Your buddies lives may depend on what you do, and what they do may mean the difference between life or death for you.

We're such a close knit group that we even take our leave at the same time so the team doesn't get broken up.

To a lot of people, it may look like we have glamorous and exciting jobs, and to some extent that's true.

But there's some boredom that goes along with it.

But whatever drawbacks my job may have, I like it.

It gives me a lot of satisfaction to know that I'm doing a vital job in helping to keep the world at peace.

I don't think any other job right now could be any more important.

Do you?