Forum: Air Force Life

19 years ago today Aug 28th I was standing near the runway watching the Flecce Tricolori perform. I told my buddy Cassey they would show him things he's never seen before. I never would have said that knowing what I know now. As the jets collided I grabbed Cassey and threw him to the ground as the fireball rolled over the top of us. As soon we could we stood up to total carnage. The German national that was standing next to Cassey was on the ground. We rolled him over but he was dead. He had blunt force trauma to his head.

That may have been the low point of my USAF career. As time passes wounds heal, but since that day I still have not attended a airshow. Sounds strange for someone with 22 years to say, but after that day I decided our aircraft are there to protect people, not kill innocent civilians.

Sorry about this, had to get it out. I think about it every year as it also was my Grandmothers Birthday and she was worried sick about us in 1988.

Purple

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Can't imagine going through something like that. One second having a great time, the next it's the worst time. I always try to find a positive side to anything. Your buddy is alive today because of you.

I had weekend duty and had just finished with the 512th jets. I must have had a guardian angel that day. I needed gas and I left the base just as they were taking off. I'll never forget the rest of that week.

AfterburnerScottDecals I got a error message about your inbox. Anyway I wasn't in the 512th I was in the 526th, we just launched and recovered the 512th jets for the air show. Try PurpleHaze.

Hey Scott, not sure what you are looking for but ask away.

I was looking for some guys in both units in the '88-'89 time frame....as usual, I have a bunch of disjointed reference pictures that I'm trying to tie together with people....usual suspects....COs jet, and a few line jets.

I'm pretty sure of the '88 526th COs jet...85-1426...Lt. Col. Tommy Hodges, SSgt Bret Alexander, A1C John Berlan.....I have some better shots of 85-470 from '89....I think...Lt Col Brady is on the rail....looking for the DCC, and anybody else from either unit from that period who might have good info on their jet.

I have GREAT stuff from '87....512th COs jet was 85-412, Lt Col Tom Fleming, Harry Boyce and Tom Gifford. Also 85-1426 from '87....Lt Col. Don Ratly (?) Charles Tippy or Gippy (?) and Bret Alexander as an A1C. I'd like to include the '88 or '89 jets because of the different tail flashes.

For '88, the 512th CO is Fleming or Brady?

The rest of my RS stuff is post Gulf War.

Feel free to ping me direct so this solemn thread doesn't get hijacked further.

Thanks fellas!

I was there as well, shortly before the crash I left the show to take a friend over to get film for her camera. I had a motorcycle at the time and it was easy to navigate the base to the shoppette. Anyway, the group I was with felt the heat form the crash, what a horrific day.

On another note, I did crew the 526th Sq. 85-1426 aircraft with Brett, prior to it becoming the Sq aircraft, Charles Tippy was my crew chief, I was third wipe at the time. Shortly after that I was reassigned to the Wing aircraft, 85-1484 with Walt Johnson.

I have several pictures I need to upload from back in the day. Look for them soon.

JC

I was there as well. We were front row on just the other side of the Polizi car that got took out in the crash. If you remember the photo in Time magazine of the guy running out of the fire carring the small child, there was a blue and yellow golf umbrella upside down in the middle of the picture, that was my wifes umbrella. My wife and I had been stationed there since 1984. The next day they came to pick up my household goods for my PCS base to the states. I was in the 526th with the F-4's and then went to the F-16 acceptance doc. After that I went over to the 512th for the rest of my assignment. My old aircraft in the 512th was 1458.

Mark Givans SSgt, USAF Ret.

I was there as well. I can still see it as vivid as that day. I was about 150 yds from the edge taxiway where all the vendors were set up. I was with several friends at the time, when we saw the impact ,all we could do is turn and run in the oppisite direction from the flaming fuel that was raining down as we could feel the heat on our backs. It has taken a long time to be able to talk about it, thanks for this forum. I was in the 526th from 88-91 and the second wipe on 85-1456 with DCC SSgt Louis Torres.

Forum: Air Force Life

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