This story happened while stationed at Sondrestrom AFB, Greenland. Since I was only in the service during the Cold War, November 1959 to October 1963, I seem to remember events that were funny to me rather then bad ones. My squadron commander, Col. Snyder, (I was chief clerk in the orderly room) was informed by the base commander that then-Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson would be stopping at our base on his way to Europe. The purpose was to refuel. To prepare for his stopover, the POL guys were ordered to clean up all equipment related to refueling his aircraft, even to the extent of wiping the transfer lines with fuel oil so that they would shine. The actual crew that would be on duty the time he landed were to wear their class A blues with shoes shined. Many of us were to fall out on the flight line when we were notified that the plane was due in, also in class A blues. Some airmen were given cameras (Brownie Star Flashes) without film,
but they would have flash bulbs in them to flash them while the vice president exited the plane. We were also to whistle and cheer. Wouldn't you know it, while we were on standby his aircraft elected to fly over and not land because they didn't need fuel! What a joke we thought this whole affair was; it gave us plenty to talk about for a few days.