A Tribute to the 87 Fighter Interceptor Squadron Load Toads--1976-1980
Welcome to a tribute to the members of the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron Weapons Load Shop AKA Load Toads.  We are primarily concerned with the 87th Load Toads from 1976-1980 (talk about limiting your audience!) but will entertain stories, pictures, etc. from other 87th shops from other eras.  Please email us at the link below should you wish to contribute (or are a long-lost member of our happy little band of load toads).  As you read this, you may come across some feeble attempts at humor.  We hope you'll take it in the manner in which it was presented.  It is not our intention to humilate, embarrass or otherwise denigrate anyone.  If that doesn't 'unoffend' you....well...you can go to Disney.com.
And who can forget the T-33s assigned to the 87th???
The famed F-106s of the 87th FIS
(Photo Courtesy of Doug "Flash" Gordon)
The Beginning
Suppose we begin by setting the stage.  During the late 1970s, the 87th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (FIS) was stationed at balmy, tropical K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan.  Located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, about 15 miles south of Marquette, Michigan, good ol' K.I. boasted some of the best weather in the nation...if you were an Eskimo!  The coldest we remember occurred in 1978 with a wind chill factor of -75.  Of course, K.I. also boasted of some of the most pristine white sand in the world!  That is...until you walked outside and discovered it was all snow!  It seems to us that 200+ inches of snow was nothing uncommon at K.I during the winter, fall, and spring seasons. (BTW, summer was July 4th!)

Which brings us to the 87th FIS.  We were, for all intents and purposes, a tight knit little group since the squadron was assigned to the Aerospace Defense Command (ADC) and assigned to a base owned by the dreaded Strategic Air Command (SAC).  In other words, we were the only ADC'ers on a SAC base.  Talk about humilitation!   But we had our little victories!  On the side of our Operations building, facing the SAC flightline, we painted a little greeting.  It said (and we're recalling this from memory) '87 FIS--The Defenders of SAC.'  (Nothing ticked off the prima donnas of SAC more than to suggest they needed assistance!)

Anyway, the weapons load shop consisted of probably 40-50 individuals.  Since we were an important part of the squadron, we were a 24 hour a day operation--which probably explains some of the unusual stuff you'll hear (meaning the big-wigs couldn't watch us the ENTIRE 24 hours!).  We loaded missiles and rockets on the F-106s as well as repaired the weapons systems should they falter.  The load crews consisted of three-man teams and were usually headed by a sergeant or senior airman.  Off and on duty, we generally stuck together and had some pretty great times in the Great White North.  We hope you get a sense of that camaraderie as you view this site!
What's On This Site (So Far!!)
K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan
(Our beloved K.I.!)
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Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
(Newspaper articles about the 87th FIS)
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War Stories and Other Tales
(Amusing Anecdotes from our 87th days!)
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Links
(Links to other sites containing info on K.I., the 87th, F-106s, etc.)

At Play
(Some of the funnier things we did off-duty)
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"I Want...."  (A place to find/swap 87th and F-106 related items.)
History of the 87th FIS

Then And Now
(A Photographic Tribute to 87th'ers!)
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Where the Heck Are They?
(Help Idenitify Some Long, Lost 87th'ers!)
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At Work
(Some of the fun stuff we did on the line!)
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Found!!!
(A roster of found 87th Load Toads)
Last Update: Dec 29, 2003:  Had to archive the guest book...too many entries!  If you've tried to enter something into the guest book and weren't allowed to, try again.  It SHOULD work now....  And if you'd like to look at the older entries, try the guest book archives (under the Sign guestbook logo to the right of this)  It, too, should work!!

Also, if you want to email us, please put something about the 87 FIS in the title...we've been deluged with those nasty old spammers.  It will make it easier for us to reply without wading through all the junk. 

Deleted the Reunion page as we have no new info on any reunions going on.  If you hear of one, let us know!!
We've had this many 87th Load Toads visit us so far!!
Guest book archives
Email us!!
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