Steve suggested a short bio and some pictures. Actually it was a homework
assignment: “Write a 500 word essay of what you did over the past 30 summers”.
So here goes.
After graduation I went to Caribou school with Murph but they passed us anyway.
We stopped in Fairchild and the Philippines but we were drunk the whole time so
who knew.
We went to separate squadrons in the Delta but got together periodically. Big
guy in our squadron told me my call sign was “Shadow”. Thought he liked my
formation flying but it seems my Vietnam mustache was a shadow of the real
thingxwhite hair you know. War was pretty quiet in the Delta. Only got hit once
but it was in the fuel tank. Roommate was Awards and Decs guy so...
Went to Tanker School at Merced and Murph showed up in Bombers. Drunk the whole
time again, I was a bad influence on him. Became a SAC Puke at Travis and hated
alert. Went back to SEA on a couple of Young Tigers and came home and met a
nurse with freckles named Sharon . No more ski boat & MG convertible. Sensible
family car was in my future. Cable car woke me up one night and we have a son
named Travis.
Tour in Omaha in EC-135s then Riverside where there was another cable car.
Daughter named Lauren. We went back to Omaha to fly the E-4 and a tour at SAC
HQ. We then went to Hickam as CC of a maintenance squadron and then Deputy Base
Commander at Wheeler. Col ’s group sent us to language school and Mexico City
Embassy. My Spanish was so good they made me Commandant of the Inter American
Air Forces Academy at Homestead. Hurricane Andrew destroyed my house and the
school.
Moved the school staff to Lackland and started building.
Retired shortly after that and moved to Orlando and flew DC-9s for Valujet.
After the crash, became Director of Safety for a new charter airline called
TransMeridian in Atlanta .. Learned to fly the A320 and after five years, had a
minor heart attack. Hope to get my medical back next month.
Some where along the way, became email pals with Steve, Mort and Murph. I am
currently a Learjet Examiner for Simcom in Orlando .
Visited Laughlin AFB on our 25th Anniversary and didn’t recognize the base. All
new buildings but the ramp brought back memories ...
Brides health took a turn for the worse and we needed a house for wheelchairs.
Daughter had married a lawyer in the Panhandle and she set up practice as a
nurse practitioner so we left Orlando and the Lear Jets and built a house on a
lake and planned to go fishing and baby sitting. Went to a meeting and ended up
the Commander of the VFW Post but having your own private NCO club has its
merits. Got bored and started a Taxi cab company. If you ever visit DeFuniak
Springs FL just call DFS TAXI and you will get a free ride from the airport on
me! Too busy to buy the fishing boat and we are still waiting on the grandchild,
but there are rumors afloat about this fall. Hope the rest of you will get some
bio's before the 40th anniversary.
Miss you guys. It was the beginning of a great adventure!
Here are some pictures from our family and shared past.
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Last week in Vietnam. All that beer and I didn't gain a pound! |
1984 in Hawaii, Commander of the 15th Field Maintenance Squadron. |
Retired from the Air Force the week before, I went to Disney World! |
Travis and Lauren, both have Masters Degrees. |