Crew 3-7 Coloring Book

How many people remember this – The Crew #3-7 Coloring Book ?

In a March 17, 2008 email to Russ Reston and Lee Kyser, Clint Everett states, in part:

“In 1961, a thin paperback named The Executive Coloring Book was a surprise best seller. It was a book of basic line drawings and short captions. The only detail I can recall about it was a picture of the important executive getting dressed for work. The caption was something like; THIS IS MY UNDERWEAR. COLOR IT IMPORTANT.

There was then a rash of coloring book humor. Our Launch Crew Coloring Book was in that mold. We were on the night shift. Joe was hung over. I took a #2 lead pencil and a sheet of typing paper and made a portrait of him. When I gave it to him the idea for the coloring book was off and running. What it lacked in refinement it made up for in morale building. It was, I believe, a healthy form of grousing about the small aggravations of our job.

The time period had to be in late 1963. My enlistment was up and I was separated from active service in September of 63. It was only years later that Lee told me of Lt. Hagg’s involvement or of an improved version being circulated.”

In a March 17, 2008 email to Russ Reston et al, Lee Kyser states, in part:

“Regarding the idea, and how the project got started, I can’t honestly say. It was just another tour in the blockhouse. The fad of referring to an adjective as a color was still in vogue. The idea of a 3-7 coloring book just simply came up. Clint, Joe, and I went to work. Joe and I drew the mundane while Clint drew the more complicated subjects.

Joe did the clock and the speaker with the dart. Clint’s contributions were the LAPP, the coffee pot, the missile, the sleeping launch officer, the hung-over Mech 2, and the Site 3 Commander. Lee’s efforts went toward the desk, telephones, NTCU, and the refrigerator.

When we were done, we wondered how we could get copies to all launch crews, at each Sembach site. Initially, we were contemplating carbon copies. Lt Hagg thought what we had done was good enough to get printed. We agreed, so he took the drafts to the Base Printing Office. The final product was toned down a bit, renamed, reproduced and copies sent to each launch site — enough for every launch crew.

The rest is history.”

Authors’ Original Drafts courtesy of: Clint Everett (887th TMS)
Edited version courtesy of: Jim Plowden (822nd TMS)

Authors:

  • Clint Everett (887th TMS)
  • Joe Razidlo (887th TMS)
  • Lee Kyser (887th TMS)

Click on desired “Coloring Book” page to see larger image.

Authors’ Original Drafts Edited Version

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commander?s Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
The original title was Crew 3-7 Coloring Book. The Sembach printing office changed the title to Commander’s Coloring Book.
It is barely visible, but one thing that L/O Mickey Hagg did, prior to production, was add the face of a mouse on the dash — in “3-7”. That was his only “personal” touch. With Mickey for a real first name, you can see why he liked to use it.
 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commanders Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
This is the LAPP. It is to justify the position of the Mech. #1. If it ever is needed, it will crap out. Color it LOUD.
 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commanders Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
This is the clock. It is to justify the position of the Wing COC duty officer. It is difficult to read. Even Alpha Romeo can’t read it. Color it ERRATIC.
 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commander?s Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
This is the LCC Desk. It serves as a foot rest for all crew members, a bed for the crew chief and a business desk for the L/O when wheels are about. It also serves as a pencil + shoe polish storage along with other miscellaneous items. Color it MESSY.
 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commanders Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
This is a coffee pot. Its plug is modified. Someone jiggled the cord. Color it COLD.
 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commander?s Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
This is a NTCU. It keeps temperatures above boiling and below freezing. It gives AGE much pleasure. Color it NOISY.
 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commanders Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
These are QRA telephones + speakers. They are used for informing all QRA forces of everyone’s initials. They are very sassy + make a lot of noise. Color them AWAKINGLY.
 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commanders Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
This is a speaker. It is used to wake up all the troops. It rings very loud and very long. Color it ALARMING. (Color the dart SHARP.)

 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

This page was deleted in the edited version.
These are maintainance people out on the pad. The weather was always lousy. Color them FREEZING or SWEATING.
OK, so maintenance is misspelled. That’s why the authors were launch crew instead of maintenance. Heh! Heh!
 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commanders Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
This is a refrigertor. It is used to store all of the dayshift’s leftovers for the night crew. Color it EMPTY. * any similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
The ‘reefers’ were a “GIBSON” brand. There was also an 887th launch officer named “Gibson”. That is the reason for the asterisk and the disclaimer.
 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commander?s Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
This is the Launch Officer. He is responsible for all that happens on the pad. He wants somebody to talk to the 17th AF duty officer. Color him ASLEEP.
Lt Hagg was given the draft to take to the base printing office for reproduction. Someone redrew the anonymous launch officer before the page went to print and the front page was redone. The authors weren’t too happy about the modifications, but, at least the coloring book got published.
 

Crew #3-7 Coloring Book (Courtesy of Clint Everett)

 Commanders Coloring Book (Courtesy of Jim Plowden)
This is a Mech. #2. Color him HUNGOVER.