Being an observer could get a bit, well dull. Air traffic in the 1950s was a fraction of what it is today. Some places hardly had any air traffic. Air Force bases and the local Civil Defense office ran drills to keep everyone's skills sharp but it wasn't the same as the real thing. Fortunately, … Continue reading Spot All the Things!
Month: June 2019
Shilling for the Corps
Recruit! Recruit! Recruit! There was a huge push in the 1950s to recruit people for the GOC. While the GOC officially started in 1951, Operation Skywatch in 1953 set the goal of having all observation posted manned 24/7 at full capacity. Recruiting volunteers to watch the skies for planes at all hours of the day … Continue reading Shilling for the Corps
Differently Abled Observers
The first article I read about the GOC mentioned that recruits ranged from 7-80 years in age and the only requirement was that you be able to speak clearly on the telephone. There were actually some observers that were blind who located planes by sound. Well the October 1955 issue of The Aircraft Flash magazine … Continue reading Differently Abled Observers
The Ground Observer Corps Gives You Wings!
First - an update: I've mentioned that the GOC had official advertising but hadn't found any more information about that. Well, I recently received 2 copies of the Aircraft Flash magazine, the official newsletter/magazine of the GOC that was produced by the Air Force. The September 1955 edition has a huge article about advertising for … Continue reading The Ground Observer Corps Gives You Wings!
Flyers – of the Paper Kind
Edit - I have a whole post on the Advertising Council here. I haven't been able to find out anything about the Advertising Council for the Ground Observers Corps as mentioned in the Supervisor's Guide but you will find copies of the GOC brochure out there. Like the Ground Observer's Guide, the brochures were produced in … Continue reading Flyers – of the Paper Kind
Ground Observer Corps - Operation Skywatch 