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A Congressional Board of Inquiry was convened on Otis AFB to investigate the collapse of Texas Tower 4. I was the lone enlisted aid to this Board, which met in the Base Headquarters. The finding that this Tower was constructed with the same specifiations as the prior Towers was the prime reason for causing the shaking of the Tower, and its collapse. The prior Towers had much shorter "legs," were built in a depth of water much shallower than Texas Tower 4, and the prior Towers were built on a rock base, whereas Texas Tower 4 was build on a sand base. — Preceding unsigned comment added by AFCapt G (talk • contribs) 19:09, September 6, 2010 (UTC)

Tragedy at Sea

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Tragedy at Sea the newspapers and radios blared in January 1961. Texas Tower 4 off the coast of Long Island had collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean and all 28 men aboard perished. A U. S. Senate subcommittee was formed to investigate, and a Board of Officers was convened at Otis AFB for an inquiry. The 4604th Support Squadron at Otis was the support unit for the Texas Towers. The Board at Otis was chaired by a 3-star general. Only one enlisted man was on duty with this Board. Me. As unbelievable as this was, just as unbelievable was the fact that I had no supervisor or even a list of duties to perform! I was on my own. I relished the opportunity to do my best in any way needed or wanted. The Texas Towers, so named because they resembled oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, housed radar equipment in three rubber domes and extended the United States' monitoring abilities almost 150 miles into the ocean, critical in case of a Soviet attack from either the north or east. This provided at least 45 minutes to one hour's warning time. It was enough to get airplanes airborne. — Preceding unsigned comment added by AFCapt G (talk • contribs) 23:49, August 29, 2016 (UTC)

Two sister towers were built off the coasts of Cape Cod and Nantucket but those towers' legs were sunk into the bedrock at the ocean floor in water only 60 – 80 feet deep. By comparison, Texas Tower 4's leg’s only reached 15 feet into sand, and was built in water almost 180 feet deep. — Preceding unsigned comment added by AFCapt G (talk • contribs) 23:49, August 29, 2016 (UTC)

This Tower was always known as “Old Shaky” because of its frequency of seeming to weave and tremble with the slightest sea turbulence. In September 1960, Hurricane Donna hit it with 130 mph winds and 50 foot waves. Much damage was done. The Tower became almost a derelict. The decision had been made to dismantle it, but almost four months later when it collapsed it was still not dismantled, despite pleas and prayers from those doing duty on it. In December 1960 another storm hit it, and the battered Tower experienced rocking and lurching that men on board described as terrifying. In January 1961, another storm hit. A witness on a nearby ship called to the scene for emergency evacuation on January 15 – finally coming after pleas from numerous levels of authority – stated that “The Tower seemed to shudder in the full fury of the screaming northeasterly gale. Blinding flurries of snow, sleet and rain blot out visibility. The Tower became covered in ice.” The Tower collapsed later that evening. — Preceding unsigned comment added by AFCapt G (talk • contribs) 23:49, August 29, 2016 (UTC)

I was an E-3 at Otis when Tower 4 went down. I was the only enlisted person detailed to duty with the Board of Officers convened at Otis for an inquiry about the collapse of this Tower. I was with Board members daily, doing errands for the 3-Star general in charge, driving officers to and from Board hearings, and driving officer staff to a helicopter pad for takeoff and return from the USS Carrier Wasp. Many contributing factors leading up to the stark tragedy include engineering decisions proven to be fatal, an unbroken chain of errors and mistakes in judgment by both civilian and military personnel, and particularly bad weather in 1960 and 1961 on the ocean seas. Most disturbing to me were the pleas and prayers by men stationed on Tower 4, "Old Shaky," that went on for many months and years without critical action being taken by "higher ups." This entire experience is a classic example of lack of decisive leadership and action by those entrusted with great responsibility. The regional commander in charge of Tower 4 was charged with dereliction of duty in not keeping closer watch on Tower 4. He was found not guilty in a court martial. — Preceding unsigned comment added by AFCapt G (talk • contribs) 23:49, August 29, 2016 (UTC)

Our experience with tragedy should awaken us. I vowed to myself that no matter the consequences to myself, if ever in a position where my action or lack of action would be critical, I would act as decisively as possible. Our leadership is needed. My meaning for this statement is my mental attitude that even if standing firm on an issue is unpopular, I would be as articulate and persuasive as possible for my position. This vow to myself would be tested over and over again in future years. — Preceding unsigned comment added by AFCapt G (talk • contribs) 23:49, August 29, 2016 (UTC)

Although the inquiry was a very serious matter, I did manage to get one brief smile from the 3-Star general one morning. That morning he had stopped short of entering the staff car I drove and looked at the 2-Star flag on the car. “I was a 2-Star general once,” he mumbled. I took him to Base Operations to get a helicopter to the USS Carrier Wasp. I phoned the base motor pool immediately and begged, “Please get a 3-Star flag for this general ASAP! He is not a happy camper!” They got a 3-Star flag to me right away. When the general saw the flag, he smiled. For one second. But that was enough. I was pleased. — Preceding unsigned comment added by AFCapt G (talk • contribs) 23:49, August 29, 2016 (UTC)

“Get me the best cigar you can,” directed the full-colonel with the Board of Officers. He gave me a $1 bill and sent me to the BX for a cigar. The best they had was a cigar wrapped in tin-foil and enclosed in a plastic tube with fancy wrapping. I gave the cigar and the receipt for 99 cents and the one penny coin change. He took all 3 items without comment. This went on daily for the duration of the Board of Inquiry! Each and every day he took the receipt and the one penny coin change without comment. I looked at this then as I still do now with some joy in my mind about the strange things we sometimes do, no matter our station in life. Our joy is a reflection of where we are at in our life. Such is life. And I am a proud part of it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by AFCapt G (talk • contribs) 23:49, August 29, 2016 (UTC)

“What are you so mad about?” I asked my room-mate in the barracks. I knew the answer before I asked it. He had expected to get promoted to E-4, as he had more time in grade than any candidate. And he was a good worker. My time in grade was at the bottom of those being considered for promotion. When I got the promotion, I was shocked. My room-mate was tight-jawed. He would not speak to me. He knew, and I knew, that my special assignment to the Board of Officers making inquiry into the collapse of Tower 4 was the reason why I got the promotion. I was not much for silence when I thought that anything I said might help a situation, but in this instance, I believed that silence was the right course. From the diary of AFCapt G — Preceding unsigned comment added by AFCapt G (talk • contribs) 23:49, August 29, 2016 (UTC)

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