This week, you can enjoy reading about Steve Westerlund and his experiences while serving with the United States Air Force (USAF).
He enlisted in the USAF in 1968 and completed an assignment in Iran in March 1971. He spent a year-and-a-half at McClellan AFB. He was married to Sherry on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 1972. He volunteered for a two-year assignment to Sonseca, Spain.
In Iran, his first accommodation was in the Shah’s guest house and later in a building that had been a hospital. Closets had windows and the Elburz Mountains could be seen from those windows. Wall guards could be seen at the Niavran Palace. He ate American food, cooked at the Embassy by Iranian cooks. In 1970 Peykan cars had four-speed on the floor and were German machinery, but built in Iran. Steve and two buddies drove to the Caspian Sea one weekend and camped in a cave.
In downtown Tehran, Iran, Steve noticed street sweepers with long brooms cleaning the streets. Those men would brush their teeth in the standing water! Conditions were primitive. The open downtown sewers were called jubes. He saw that the trees were registered with license plates on them and if a car accident injured a tree, a fine could be imposed on the driver.
In 1971, Steve Westerlund was reassigned to HQ Command 1155th Technical Operations Squadron, McClellan AFB, Alabama. In 1973 he went to Seneca, Spain and in 1975 he received an honorable discharge for his service.
Imagine water being delivered every two weeks and in between filling every available source with water to make it through the day. Imagine looking out your window at Calle de los Americanos and over the far ridge seeing windmills, and to learn that gasoline in Spain is dyed blue to discourage black market sales. Sheep were seen running through the streets. Imagine using a kerosene space heater. That is what Steve and Sherry became accustomed to while living in Spain.
Steve retired as a staff sergeant and received an Air Force Outstanding Unit award with oak leaf cluster, an Air Force Longevity award, a National Defense Service award, an Air Force Service medal, and a Good Conduct medal.
While in California he learned computer programming with on-the-job training for four years as program manager.
During his career he worked as an independent contractor for 36 companies and concluded his career working for one company for 24 years and that was with (FIS) Fidelity National Information Services, which has headquarters in St. Petersburg, Fla.. FIS has 65,000 employees and revenue stands at $13.88 billion.
In 1988 there was a divorce with Sherry after two children.
Steve moved to Aurora in 1995 and met Margaret Bass who was a friend of his sister. Margaret has been a Xerox copier computer repair technician. She enjoys reading, crafts, painting rocks, clothes, and furniture. Together they have five children, 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, and live in Oswego.
Steve enjoys genealogy and has compiled the histories of his family. He and Margaret enjoyed a vacation to Sweden and took many photographs.
In February 2022 Steve was honored with the Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club Herschel Luckinbill Veteran of the Month Award.
Steve Westerlund was a feature in The Voice’s Veterans’ Voice by John Montesano in the February 10 edition.