Extract from a discussion in the 1990’s with one of Rick’s sons:

Rick was assigned to this aircraft from 1956-1959; he was an airman firstclass with the 347 bomb sqd. 99th. bomb wing 8th.airforce.
The airplane was based at Westover AFB in Massachusetts. Their flight path was east of Greenland were they would fly for 24 to 72 hrs.
while waiting for orders from SAC to either stand down or to move on to there designated target (MURMANSK USSR). They carried nukes and he would
not tell me how many or what size. Some of the crew members were:
Pilot-McCluskey (first name unknown);
Eddy Sherman, tailgunner;
Younglove – ECM;
Rick was the crew-chief.

The airplane always flew nose down (more than any other); it’s name was MISS JOAN, which was on the pilot side just under the window. The tail number was 689.

Miss Joan (now for many decades Mrs Joan Marquardt, and mother of Rick’s three children) is the lady in the first photo.