by Phil Rowe
Sorry to disappoint you, dear reader, but this has nothing to do with exterminating moles. It does, however, have to do with some of the dumb things we do when we are younger and think we're "cool" or try to impress our peers. It's just that by the time you're in your 30's you ought to know better.
Well, anyway, the scene is an underground building at the end of the runway of a northern Indiana Air Force Base. The nearly buried nature of the structure, for enhanced nuclear survivability the experts claimed, is why it was called the "Mole Hole". Flight crews of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) spent a lot of time in this combination barracks, dining room, and general-purpose facility.
Now we come to the "smoke" and the "dumb" parts of the story. Back in the early 60's, when smoking was not considered a medical risk or socially unacceptable sin, military folks did a lot of it, including your author. In those days nothing was said or done to dissuade folks from smoking. Quite the contrary.
One of the fellows, a rather enterprising individual, sold pipe smoking materials in his Alert Facility room. He carried the good stuff too, very expensive and well-made English and imported pipes, tobacco, and accessories. Many of us partook of his wares. Smoking a distinctive pipe and exotic tobacco became a kind of status symbol. Dozens of crew members took up the practice and soon the whole building reeked of smoke. Of course none felt that it was a stench, just a bit overwhelming at times, but with an elegant aroma.
Others decided to start smoking fancy and exotic cigars. Mail order houses were only too glad to send along regular cigar shipments. After all our leader, General LeMay was an avid cigar smoker and emulating him was one factor, I'm sure. The General was even know to chew on his stogies while out on the flight line. It is said that an anxious crew chief tried to get the cigar removed when the General approached his plane, afraid that a fire would ensue. But an aide to the General allowed as how " it wouldn't dare."
Anyway, the combination of aromatic pipe smoke and great clouds of cigar smoke soon gave the Alert Facility (mole hole) an atmosphere all its own. The hallways, briefing room and even most sleeping quarters were be-clouded with a gray haze. I'm sure that everyone's clothing, hair and personal equipment fairly oozed the tobacco smells.
But then that was back in the days when smoking was "cool", "macho" and definitely the "in thing" to do. Today, on reflecting back at what we did, it's correctly deemed unacceptable and downright stupid. We should have known better, but we were too busy impressing each other and mimicking our bosses.